The Transatlantic Sessions Royal Festival Hall, London.

The Transatlantic Sessions
Royal Festival Hall, London
11/02/24
By Paul Davies
            Nigh on its third decade since its original TV showing, The Transatlantic Sessions completed its final 2024 tour date with applause ringing around this venerated hall as Country royalty, Carlene Carter, led the entire onstage ensemble through a rousing Ring Of Fire. To get to this point, the extraordinary exponent of the Dobro guitar, Jerry Douglas, and Celtic fiddle player par excellence, Aly Bain, led a troupe of distinguished and up and coming genre talents through a repertoire that wrapped warm Celtic, Country and Folk tones around this sold old venue like a victory hug.
            Once in a lifetime collaborations of instrumental and vocal virtuosity thrilled this evening’s devoted audience as Lindsay Lou (Strawberry girl)  and, Gaelic artist, Kim Carnie delightfully entertained with the former on Nothing Else Matters and Nothing’s Working and Carnie’s graceful Gaelic tones on Nighean Sin Thall and She Moves Me. Belfast’s Joshua Burnside proved he has a voice that belies his years on Marching Round The Ladies.

            Together, they all added further assurance that the future of these genres is in very safe hands and voice. But it was the old timers who reeled in the years with Dobro master Jerry Douglas slippin’ and slidin’ on Gone To Fortingall and Wired To The Moon and (many times married) Carlene Carter on I Fell In Love who captured focused attention backed by an estimable band of illustrious troubadours.
Paul Davies