Brothers Osbourne - O2 City Hall, Newcastle 23.01.2025
Brothers Osbourne
Tyler Braden
First gig of the year and it’s a belter!
I got to the City Hall and picked up my pass just in time to get down to the pit to catch opener Tyler Braden and boy he did a fantastic job! Opening his short set with 'Me or the Dawn' Tyler set the bar pretty high with a rich country guitar driven foot stomper that certainly got the crowd on his side from the get go. Hearing a singer from Alabama take on The Proclaimers 'I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)' and making it their own certainly wasn’t on my bingo card tonight yet here we are! Definitely an artist to watch out for I’d certainly go see him again.
Ok confession time this was my first Brothers Osborne gig, the few times they’ve been here before I’ve somehow missed them but heard nothing but great reports so tried my utmost to make it to this one and see for myself.
Considering they’ve only been here a couple of times they’ve obviously made a helluva impression as the City Hall is rammed to the rafters on this January evening. And it’s a huge mix of folk too not just die hard country fans and when the band kick into the opening number 'Might As Well Be Me' you can see why they have such a wide appeal. Yes there’s the country influences but there’s as much Blackberry Smoke and Cadillac 3 rock vibes going on here live as there is Grand Ol Opry.
TJ and John waste no time and belt out 'Nobody’s Nobody' the only other track from their last release the self titled Brothers Osborne with TJs rich southern drawl pulling you in and then the lush harmony chorus that you just can’t get out of your head for days setting you up for one of Johns glorious guitar solos yep those reports I’d heard were true these guys are fantastic!
The rest of the set draws mostly from the 'Pawn Shop' album but visits 'Port Saint Joe' ( 'Weed Whiskey' & Willie') and 'Skeletons' ('I Ain’t For Everyone' a brilliant song which to me is just saying “I’m me like it or not”) amongst others.
It has to be said they have an absolute world class band of musicians filling out the sound bigger than some of the big rock bands I’ve seen I just wish they’d been a little more forward on stage as apart from the extended keyboard solo and huge drum fills it felt like they were hiding in the shadows.
Covering Tom Petty is always gonna be ambitious but they absolutely nailed 'Won’t Back Down' again voicing that “ I am me !” attitude.
Showing yet another side to themselves Bob Marleys '3 Little Birds' had the place singing its hearts out which was lovely to see, so many cowboy hats of various styles belting out “cos every little thing is gonna be alright“.
It was nice hearing John mention Sam Fender and how he’d missed out getting tickets stateside Go On Sam Lad!!!
A show stopping extended 'It Ain’t My Fault' brought the set to a close but the crowd weren’t letting them off that easy chanting the chorus melody “woahs” even once the band were back on stage to give us two more songs to send us off into the night smiling.
At one point TJ asked how many were seeing them for the first time which got a surprisingly loud reception, believe me after that show those folk will be doing their damndest to see them again and again.
Photos & Review - G's Gig Shots
Comentarios