Clickimin Centre, Lerwick, Wednesday 6 August 2003

Steve Earle

OVER 1100 sweltering Shetlanders chose to be shoe-horned into the Clickimin Centre, Lerwick, to see alternative country legend Steve Earle. The all-seater gig was sold out in just three hours, a record only beaten by Pulp when they appeared in the islands several years ago.

Support slot went to local singer songwriter Sheila Henderson, accompanied by Brian Nicholson. The girl had clearly done her homework as she introduced a song by the late Townes Van Zandt, who is cited by Earle as one of the formative influences of his career. “He was a great teacher but a bad role model,” according to his pupil. The local duo put in a strong set. Sheila shone when playing her own composition, particularly the poignant “Don’t Forget About Me.”

Country music has always had a strong following in the isles, right from the heydays of short wave broadcasts from the Grand Old Oprey and merchant seamen bringing home records from America. So it’s no surprise that Steve Earle has such a healthy fan base.

There is surely something in his brand of leftist, redneck, disaffected small town boy that has made a connection up here. For nearly twenty years islanders have gone on the spree to ‘Guitar Town’ and ‘Copperhead Road’. But after hearing him with the Dukes and the Del McCoury Band would they enjoy just the hardcore troubadour and his guitar?

A skinny stranger strode onto the stage and grabbed the instrument. A slight ripple of applause and a good deal of confusion ran through the audience. Yup, it was him, only 55lb lighter (Atkins diet apparently), so after an uncertain start we were off.

By the time he got to the fourth number, ‘My Old Friend the Blues’, the crowd were clapping in the opening bars. His tremendous tender rasp of a voice ripped through the huge sports hall (which is a notoriously tricky venue for sound). It was an emotional number. Most of them are. Highlights had to be the throat aching ‘Goodbye’, which he recorded with Emmylou Harris on her Wrecking Ball CD, and ‘Billy Austin’, the tale of a young man waiting to face the death penalty.

His set finished with a couple of songs from the recent Jerusalem CD which has caused such controversy in America. Not so in Lerwick, where warm applause showed approval of the sentiments in the lyrics.

Steve Earle is ‘Just an American Boy’ who gives an open and honest account of what he feels about his country and culture, sometimes at great cost to himself back home. The island audience listened to everything he had to say which took him two straight hours.

As the strains of ‘Copperhead Road’ were dying he left the stage and they cheered, whistled and stamped until he returned with a gorgeous tribute to his heroes. The chorus ran ‘Come back Woody Guthrie’, but it was easy to feel given the body of work he had showcased that Woody could rest in peace while Steve Earle is still singing.

He said he loved Shetland, and last night Shetland loved him back. It was without doubt one of the best concerts ever to take place in the islands.

Steve Earle also played in Orkney and Aberdeen

© Jane Moncrieff, 2003