Larry Fleet // Everette // Hard Work & Holy Water Tour – Live Review // The Limelight // Belfast
It is a Tuesday night in Belfast, yes, a school night, and I know, better than most, as I spent my day doing the “Day Job’ torturing school children, as I do most of the year. My escapism, The Limelight Belfast and a night filled with the finest Country Music, majestic musicians and the Nashville can throw at us here in Northern Ireland.
Fleet comes to us after a short run of dates in the UK, wrapping up with The Long Road Festival, and tonight he plays Belfast, Dublin tomorrow and then a night in Holland before heading back off to the USA, so I am confident there will be party vibes as his European run comes to an end. In tow the majestic Everette. This will be my first time capturing both bands live in the flesh, and I absolutely love that, that raw visceral experience when you get to absorb a new artist doing what they are born to do, play live and entertain a packed out house! And tonight is indeed packed out, it shows Ireland’s love North and South of the border for Country Music. There’s nothing quite like an Irish crowd at a Country gig, both Larry and his band and Everette will walk away better for it. I can guarantee you that.
8 pm sharp and Everette take to the stage, ambient music still playing, no drop of the lights, no bravado, two dudes just dancing out giving the crowd a wave and then … a glorious acoustic set by two sublime musicians, Brent Rupard and his colleague Xander White on guitar open proceedings with a emotive song packed with angelic vocal harmonies and you know tonight is going to be a great night. Brent plays two songs before taking the time to chat with the engrossed Belfast crowd, explaining that he’s a little nervous coming up on the end of a 26-show run with Larry and the imminent arrival of his baby girl just two weeks after the tour, reality is kicking in. To celebrate it, he plays Elton John’s ‘Rocketman’, a sublime rendition if I may say so myself, Brent’s voice beautifully suited.
Surprisingly, when they throw in a version of Crowded House’s classic ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’, I am surprised, as you wouldn’t think too many US artists would be aware of the Australian band, but it goes to show you music really does not have any borders. Everette, named after George Clooney’s Character in “Oh Father Where Art Thou’ shares a lot of similarities to the musicians featured in the film, if ya know ya know and the sounds they create even as a duo and just amazing! The most glorious vocal harmonies that put many a live band to shame. A short but very sweet set won over the Northern Irish fan base and put Everette firmly on their radar.
9 pm and the Limelight Belfast erupts as Larry Fleet and his band take to the stage, I’ve seen his set list, it’s sizeable! He opens with ‘Problems / Whiskey River’ and right away you know you’re not in Kansas anymore! Larry’s band are a sight to see, Larry on acoustic guitar, his lead guitarist, Pedal Steel Guitarist and slide guitarist when called on, bassist, keys and of course, drummer. The stage is bathed in glorious light worthy of a band of their musical ilk, and the sounds pouring off the stage are sublime.
The magic that a large, supremely talented band like Larry’s just makes you take stock. We can often take for granted that we all get the chance to see and hear live music; we’re very lucky we can at will, but when you’re faced with a band of this quality, you just have to put the phone down, engross yourself in the performance and appreciate every second of it. The quality of the band is perfectly matched by the songwriting; every tune is a huge nod to the giants that preceded Larry, but as you look out over the room and see the vast wall of smiling faces singing every word of his beautiful soundtrack, he’s gotta know this is what all those years of graft were for.
The room explodes with appreciation every time he wraps up a tune and eases into another, Larry’s soulful sound restores with the Belfast crowd, the ladies are swaying, hands on heart as they match him word for word, the front row are living every lyric and the band are putting their heart and souls into the performance, each band member beaming with delight at how Belfast has opened their arms to his life’s work, miles away from home he’s here with a room of friends and family that he’s never knew he had. Larry is quite chilled as he tosses out beautiful lyrics one after another, the band doing the grunt work, creating a sonic tapestry that Belfast can lose themselves in. The cutting guitar tone laying down the foundation of a killer song, the thumping bass, screaming keys and pounding drums all fill the room with a soundtrack worthy of a movie soundtrack.
Sometimes a gig can literally sneak up on you and kick you in the ass, and this is one such gig. Larry’s band and setlist are a joy to behold; the crowd, as I am myself, is mesmerised by an artist who is a gem. Live, he makes it look effortless, his band on point in every way possible, the crowd loving every minute are lost in his beautiful tone and delivery. The setlist may be a long one, but I don’t think this crowd is bothered by that at all, it may be a school night but on a Tuesday evening in a quiet Belfast city centre there is a rager going on in one corner that many wont forget in a hurry, Larry came, Larry played, Larry conquered.
Photography: Mark McGrogan
@flashartmark #flashartmark
Check Out Larry’s latest EP:
Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube
