Cody Pennington Live at Electric Brixton
When I lived in south London, before moving west, Brixton was not my favourite part of town and whilst the convoluted commute from Shepherd’s Bush, interesting local behaviour in the vicinity and the lack of draft beer at Electric Brixton, it was definitely worth to trip to see Cody Pennington. Surprisingly this was my first visit to the venue and (apart from where it is) is somewhere that I really like. It has a dropped lower bowl from stairs on either side from a raised platform at the back like downstairs at Shepherd's Bush Empire, whilst the upstairs feels more like the Apollo in Hammersmith but without any seats so I felt it was a really good viewing venue and the sound was actually amongst the best in the capital.
Fundamentally, I think this is the closest thing to an authentic Broadway show that you will find in the UK. Whilst it lacked an excessive amount of Bon Jovi covers along with the super fun songs that musicians actually enjoy playing (no Dust on the Bottle, Diamond Rio, Sawyer Brown, Georgia Satellites or Tracy Byrd in there) it really reflects what a night in Music City feels like plus nobody has to leave a one-hundred-dollar tip for hearing Friends in Low Places or Wagon Wheel.
When I spoke to Cody a couple of weeks ago (read HERE), he teased the experience as being around seventy percent originals in the show and whilst this was a big overestimate in London, the pace of the show worked perfectly and maintained the attention of the audience throughout. This is a show and it is something that keeps a crowd engaged because they know the songs like you find on Broadway which also not only let his original material be showcased but also allowed it to shine through.
What he has managed to achieve as a following and a market is highly applaudable, he played a venue twice the size of artists like Ashley Monroe, Erin Kinsey, A Thousand Horses and Brandy Clark have recently booked in London and once again packed it out. Yes, it very covers heavy and very Luke Combs oriented in that aspect but it works. You get why people are coming out, it’s a fun show with songs that people know throughout and is marketed very well, plus Downtown as a way to end is an absolute banger! I’m sure this method of touring and type of show will open more and more eyes over here.
With his band headed up by Cristiano Pochesci on steel, Pennington has a really engaging experience and a very polished show that is highly energising which will continue to grow and grow as this audience clearly is craving for more. It felt a very different crowd to typical country audiences in London (but in a good way, more along the lines of not recognising any faces and surprisingly was not as plastic cowgirl AKA pink hat brigade filled as I expected) and the way the show is designed it actually presents a good gateway to live country shows because the audience know a lot of the songs due to it being so covers heavy and being a nice type of cheesy. Whilst there could well be thousands of Cody Penningtons who play covers and have a few originals with catchy choruses in the States, the real one has made a brand and show identity that clearly works and particularly newer country fans have bought in to.
Electric Brixton, London 18th October setlist:
Cowboy Sitting At The Bar, She Got the Best of Me, Fire, Whiskey Glasses, Chattahoochee, Whiskey's Better, The Gambler/I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)/9 to 5/Don't Stop Believin'/Ring of Fire/I Want It That Way, Made Up, Beautiful Crazy/Beer Never Broke My Heart, Helluva Night, You Should Probably Leave, Country Girl (Shake It For Me), Be A Man, Chicken Fried, How Bout Kentucky, Wagon Wheel, Waiting, Man! I Feel Like A Woman!, Walking in Memphis, Thanks To You, Tennessee Whiskey, I had Some Help, When It Rains It Pours, Nothing On Us, Friends in Low Places [with Katy Hurt], Take Me Home Country Roads, Downtown
Fundamentally, I think this is the closest thing to an authentic Broadway show that you will find in the UK. Whilst it lacked an excessive amount of Bon Jovi covers along with the super fun songs that musicians actually enjoy playing (no Dust on the Bottle, Diamond Rio, Sawyer Brown, Georgia Satellites or Tracy Byrd in there) it really reflects what a night in Music City feels like plus nobody has to leave a one-hundred-dollar tip for hearing Friends in Low Places or Wagon Wheel.
When I spoke to Cody a couple of weeks ago (read HERE), he teased the experience as being around seventy percent originals in the show and whilst this was a big overestimate in London, the pace of the show worked perfectly and maintained the attention of the audience throughout. This is a show and it is something that keeps a crowd engaged because they know the songs like you find on Broadway which also not only let his original material be showcased but also allowed it to shine through.
What he has managed to achieve as a following and a market is highly applaudable, he played a venue twice the size of artists like Ashley Monroe, Erin Kinsey, A Thousand Horses and Brandy Clark have recently booked in London and once again packed it out. Yes, it very covers heavy and very Luke Combs oriented in that aspect but it works. You get why people are coming out, it’s a fun show with songs that people know throughout and is marketed very well, plus Downtown as a way to end is an absolute banger! I’m sure this method of touring and type of show will open more and more eyes over here.
With his band headed up by Cristiano Pochesci on steel, Pennington has a really engaging experience and a very polished show that is highly energising which will continue to grow and grow as this audience clearly is craving for more. It felt a very different crowd to typical country audiences in London (but in a good way, more along the lines of not recognising any faces and surprisingly was not as plastic cowgirl AKA pink hat brigade filled as I expected) and the way the show is designed it actually presents a good gateway to live country shows because the audience know a lot of the songs due to it being so covers heavy and being a nice type of cheesy. Whilst there could well be thousands of Cody Penningtons who play covers and have a few originals with catchy choruses in the States, the real one has made a brand and show identity that clearly works and particularly newer country fans have bought in to.
Electric Brixton, London 18th October setlist:
Cowboy Sitting At The Bar, She Got the Best of Me, Fire, Whiskey Glasses, Chattahoochee, Whiskey's Better, The Gambler/I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)/9 to 5/Don't Stop Believin'/Ring of Fire/I Want It That Way, Made Up, Beautiful Crazy/Beer Never Broke My Heart, Helluva Night, You Should Probably Leave, Country Girl (Shake It For Me), Be A Man, Chicken Fried, How Bout Kentucky, Wagon Wheel, Waiting, Man! I Feel Like A Woman!, Walking in Memphis, Thanks To You, Tennessee Whiskey, I had Some Help, When It Rains It Pours, Nothing On Us, Friends in Low Places [with Katy Hurt], Take Me Home Country Roads, Downtown
