Sam Outlaw Live at The Half Moon Putney
It really is a Good Friday, when you get to head to the Half Moon in Putney and it is a perfect place to spend a bank holiday especially when Midwest born, California raised and now Nashville based entertainer Sam Outlaw is back in town. Entering the stage in his trademark cowboy hat and tank top just after 9:20 for the show put on by Cumbrae Promotions the performance was a warm, entertaining and embracing set from start to finish.
Performing as a quartet with Hannah Aldridge from Muscle Shoals, Alabama who would also start off the nights proceedings as a fantastic opener who brought almost an intergalactic Uma Thurmanesque circa Poison Ivy in Batman & Robin vibes with her hair and outfit (which I am totally here for) and her Australian (but now based in Sweden) bassist Katie Bates who Sam dispelled the myth of the tour that she was not allowed to talk as she has nailed on being able to perfect our accent, then finally the multi talented Andrew Leahey who split his duties between guitar and keys along with participating in four part harmonies.
Whilst the personnel and arrangement of the performance varied from when I last saw him in the UK where he was joined by Cheyenne Medders and long time friend of the site; Ruthie Collins, the real appeal and star quality of Outlaw as an artist in this stripped back and collaborative once again came to the forefront. It almost has the feel of a writers round where he is singing all of the songs with the way that he interacts with telling stories and introducing songs without over-sharing but replaces this with strong and witty banter that is a real fit for the British audience.
Between anecdotes about not being brave enough to drive in the UK, Outlaw et al were able to reimagine songs in a stripped back setting that he has not played for a long time from his first four albums in addition to the new tracks appearing on his recently released twelve-song “anti-greatest-hits-album” titled “The Nonessential” which he was able to perform in the UK for the first time.
This album is a combination of previously released singles and B-sides in addition to the three new songs and straddles the more traditional sounds of his first two projects along with the third and fourth records that blend ‘80s style synth-pop and country music to create a sound that Sam calls “New Wave Western”. This blend sonically is one of the other real appeals to him as an artist and this setting of a four piece really portrays his artistry as one on the most engaging and dynamic performers that we get to experience on these shores from the world of country and Americana which we hope will continue to be a regular haunt for him.
19 April - Hassocks, UK - Mid-Sussex Music Hall
21 April - Bristol, UK - Hen & Chicken
24 April - Helsingborg, SE - The Tivoli
25 April - Gothenburg, SE - Valand
26 April - Malmö, SE - Plan B
27 April - Stockholm, SE - Bar Brooklyn
“The Nonessential” is the new album from Sam Outlaw which is out now and available HERE. Sam’s European tour continues in Hassocks and Bristol before heading to Scandinavia with all dates shown above and ticket information is available on his WEBSITE whilst you can keep up to date with all that he is up to on X INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK.
Performing as a quartet with Hannah Aldridge from Muscle Shoals, Alabama who would also start off the nights proceedings as a fantastic opener who brought almost an intergalactic Uma Thurmanesque circa Poison Ivy in Batman & Robin vibes with her hair and outfit (which I am totally here for) and her Australian (but now based in Sweden) bassist Katie Bates who Sam dispelled the myth of the tour that she was not allowed to talk as she has nailed on being able to perfect our accent, then finally the multi talented Andrew Leahey who split his duties between guitar and keys along with participating in four part harmonies.
Whilst the personnel and arrangement of the performance varied from when I last saw him in the UK where he was joined by Cheyenne Medders and long time friend of the site; Ruthie Collins, the real appeal and star quality of Outlaw as an artist in this stripped back and collaborative once again came to the forefront. It almost has the feel of a writers round where he is singing all of the songs with the way that he interacts with telling stories and introducing songs without over-sharing but replaces this with strong and witty banter that is a real fit for the British audience.
Between anecdotes about not being brave enough to drive in the UK, Outlaw et al were able to reimagine songs in a stripped back setting that he has not played for a long time from his first four albums in addition to the new tracks appearing on his recently released twelve-song “anti-greatest-hits-album” titled “The Nonessential” which he was able to perform in the UK for the first time.
This album is a combination of previously released singles and B-sides in addition to the three new songs and straddles the more traditional sounds of his first two projects along with the third and fourth records that blend ‘80s style synth-pop and country music to create a sound that Sam calls “New Wave Western”. This blend sonically is one of the other real appeals to him as an artist and this setting of a four piece really portrays his artistry as one on the most engaging and dynamic performers that we get to experience on these shores from the world of country and Americana which we hope will continue to be a regular haunt for him.
19 April - Hassocks, UK - Mid-Sussex Music Hall
21 April - Bristol, UK - Hen & Chicken
24 April - Helsingborg, SE - The Tivoli
25 April - Gothenburg, SE - Valand
26 April - Malmö, SE - Plan B
27 April - Stockholm, SE - Bar Brooklyn
“The Nonessential” is the new album from Sam Outlaw which is out now and available HERE. Sam’s European tour continues in Hassocks and Bristol before heading to Scandinavia with all dates shown above and ticket information is available on his WEBSITE whilst you can keep up to date with all that he is up to on X INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK.
