The Wide Skies Music festival opened on July 30 at Southminster United Church with the first of two paid concerts showing how duos do it better.
Little Miss Higgins and South Carolina duo Shovels and Rope opened Wide Skies in the sweltering Southminster United Church for an enthusiastic and sweating audience.
I always enjoy Little Miss Higgins, and haven’t seen her for a while.
She and lead guitarist Eric Lemoine focused on music from their last two albums “My Home, My Heart” and “Bison Ranch recording Sessions.”
Lead singer Jolene Higgins told stories about living all over the place and including Brooks, where her mom lives, noting she kindly consented to look after Higgins and Lemoine’s three-year-old toddler while they were on tour. She told that story to preface a new song “Belly Full of Baby” early in the set. She noted usually the song has a trumpet lead, which she attempted to whistle.
Musically, Lemoine started playing slide on dobro and switched to guitar while Higgins switched between ukulele and guitar. They had a laid back breezy, hippyish vibe.
They picked up the tempo a little with ABC Blues, once again inspired by trying to find time to write new music while raising a child, and the always wonderful “Chateau Poulet.”
they introduced a brand new song “ Top of the Mountain,” written around a poem composed by Higgins’ Auntie Joyce, who was in the audience.
One of my newer favourites “ Put The Needle on” was a highlight midway through their set.
Shovels and Rope were on a whole other level, building a massive sound based on the multi-instrumental prowess of Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent. They didn’t say a lot in between songs as they were both busy leaping between a variety of instruments including a piano, mandolin drum kit, guitars and much more. It was all the more impressive watching each of them switching instruments and simultaneously playing drums and keyboards and bass on keyboards.
Their lyrics were darkly poetic stories full of passion and stunning visuals. “Gasoline,” “Boxcar” and “ the Devil Is All Around” were a few of the many highlights as was “Birmingham.”
“ Mary and the One Eyed Man” was another highlight.
Stylistically, they ran the gamut between noisy Neil Young and Crazy horse style rock and roll, old country, blues, gospel, alt country and even alternative rock near the end when they decided to debut a few brand new songs. including the moving, alternative rock number “I’m Coming Out,” with a biting guitar riff.
