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Good Friday, 14th April 2017
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Gig Review

Piney Gir and the Age of Reason / Dave Woodcock
The Grapes, Sheffield

Article written by Matt H - Dec 13, 2009

Piney Gir and the Age of Reason

A pint and a fight - the great British night. And one that takes place most weekends along West Street. But duck away from the tottering skirts and the flying fists and there’s a seemingly ever increasing number of oases to find a (slightly) more civilised way to spend an evening. The Grapes is one of the oldest and thanks to Wagon Wheel Media was hosting another bargain night of excellent music.

Dave Woodcock had just one Dead Comedian with him to help run through some of the songs from his latest album, Omaha High Low. Any lack of full band impact was made up for by extra room to listen to the songs and Dave’s voice - a smoke aged bar room baritone even fuller and rounder live than on record. His songs are pretty much straightforward US style rock and roll built around the holy trinity of booze, fags and lasses, with plenty of heartfelt insight on show. If that puts you off in any way then more fool you, ‘cos no matter what fripperies and adornments you might like, anyone should still be moved by old fashioned rock music when it’s done well. And Dave Woodcock does it well.

Piney Gir’s a little old-fashioned too but in a very different way - a polka dotted entertainer of the finest kind. Also showcasing a new album - the fabulous The Yearling - she got a full Age of Reason in tow, and fripperies galore from kazoos to a pair of those tweeting blue tits you get down the garden centre. Despite her professed bafflement at playing an Americana night there’s still plenty of hints of country to many of her whimsical but slightly bruised pop tunes. Some of her electronic past surfaces gently from time to time too as does a liking for a proper show-tune and a dash of samba. Mainly the thought strikes you that Piney is a proper honey-tonsilled pop princess, who in better world wouldn’t be playing the top rooms of pubs. Her band are no slouches either, crammed on stage but on top of their game - able even to sing sweetly the musical saw parts from the record. A proper treat for anyone who likes to smile.

It might be a select few who prefer to hear songs about the mud, the blood and the beer (oh, and all the lovely songs about bumblebees and lions) rather than wallow in it up the road. But we know we’re right.

Links:
http://www.pineygir.com/
http://www.myspace.com/wagonwheelmediapromotion
http://www.davewoodcock.moonfruit.com/