Sometime in the middle of 2004, I saw Steve Earle play a solo gig in Belfast armed only with a guitar, mandolin and an impressive display of harmonicas. In teeing up one song, ‘Dixieland’ from the Del McCoury collaboration, Earle described the how he had written the song having read a book on the American Civil War, called ‘Killer Angels’ by Michael Shara.
It’s an impressive song about a man from Co. Clare going to the USA on a coffin ship in the 1800s who ends up fighting in the battle of Gettysburg on the side of the Union Army.
I only know this because I went to Waterstones in Belfast the next day to buy the book. According to the sales assistant, mine was the 3rd request for ‘Killer Angels’ that day.
Steve Earle is definitely an exemplar storyteller.
This January he celebrated his 60th birthday and his most recent album, ‘Terraplane’, is a blues album and a departure from his usual material but if anyone knows how to sing the blues, it’s Steve Earle.
He’s been married 7 times – most recently to Americana star, Alison Moorer which concluded in March 2014. He’s been arrested several times (drugs and guns), is arguably the most left-wing Texan on the planet, (he is anti death-penalty and staunch supporter of Civil Rights) and has recorded some amazing music across 16 studio albums.
So it was hard not to look forward to his return to Belfast with his long-serving backing band, The Dukes, at the Limelight.
‘Terraplane’ is unashamedly a reference to the heartache of his failed relationship with his 7th wife and after opening the set with ‘Baby, Baby, Baby (Baby),’ Earle asks the crowd:
So, what has occurred since we were last on this island?
an obvious reference to the fact that the last time he was in Ireland he was married to Moorer. (Last time here, they toured together as the Dukes and the Duchesses.)
That pretty much set the tone for the first part of the show – and followed up with some more songs from ‘Terraplane’ including ‘You’re The Best Lover That I Ever Had’ and ‘Baby’s Just As Mean As Me’.
The Dukes are a formidable band but it was only when Earle launched into the opening notes of ‘My Old Friend The Blues’ that the crowd remembered they were at a Steve Earle show.
Two songs from ‘Guitar Town’, including the title track and then into ‘Copperhead Road’ and the place was rocking.
Earle is as important to the alt-country/folk/Americana genre as anyone. From the Civil War, Afghanistan and a trail of broken hearts, mainly his, Earle tells a good story and for maximum impact, a storyteller needs to be heard.
Earle plays 4-5 songs back to back tonight, only breaking to change instruments – be that another acoustic, an electric, mandolin or harmonica.
When he feels the need, he gives the narrative to the next song but struggles to be heard across the crowd and a poor PA.
It’s not the job of the crowd to keep quite in between songs, but it is the job of the sound technicians to have Steve Earle heard and they didn’t do that tonight, which was a massive shame because Steve Earle and the Dukes have a great story to tell.
Thanks to Bernie McAllister for the photos.