Rhiannon Giddens & Dirk (and Amelia) Powell – The City Hall – Celtic Connections – January, 2025 (Support – The Tom Callister Quartet)

Rhiannon Giddens (centre) with Dirk and Amelia Powell

The Tom Callister Quartet

Normally at a major festival, if a support act is local and drafted in late in the day, one would expect competence and, hopefully, maybe one or two stand-out numbers. The Tom Callister Quartet I’m guessing were friends brought together for this gig as this bill is the only reference I’ve been able to find under that name.

However, once I saw who came on stage, I suspected we were in for a very pleasant surprise: Tom himself (fiddle) and Adam Rhodes (guitar), both formerly of Manx revivalist band Barrule and now with Imar, local guitar and bouzouki hero Luc McNally, and multiple award-winning accordionist Paddy Callaghan. This is a line-up that could have headed a big-ticket concert all by themselves.

Sets of reels and slides dominated their spot and were played with tremendous verve and precision. Red Haired Mary was the only song performed, but was beautifully rendered.

However, it was not the only vocal contribution as the badinage coming from Tom and Paddy had the audience laughing their heads off – one that stuck in my mind was Tom’s “My doctor’s told me to stop drinking. That’ll mean big changes in my life – he’s been my doctor for 15 years!” Indeed, the combination of ferociously good playing and pro-standup quality banter made me think that if ever a biopic was made about Johnny and Phil Cunningham, Tom and Paddy would be obvious candidates for the roles.

After the break, on came the people, as Tom had kept insisting we “REALLY wanted to see”. In contrast to previous recent years Celtic Connections shows either artist had done, this was a very stripped-back rootsy performance with variety provided by the choice of songs and much swapping about of fiddle, banjo, and guitar.

Midway through the set, Dirk introduced his surprise guest, his daughter Amelia, who provided extra musical depth with her solid guitar-playing and strong vocal contributions, both in harmonies and occasional main vocals.

I last saw Amelia with her father around five years ago when she was an obviously talented but much more tentative element in the show. This time round she had matured into a greatly improved and confident performer – her very positive audience response being recognised by Rhiannon when Amelia stepped out for a bit: “Don’t worry, she’ll be back.”

The material was wide-ranging within the American tradition. We heard Bluegrass, Cajun, Blues, Worksong, Appalachian, as well as Giddens and Powell originals.

Rhiannon’s voice – that ranged from pure ballad-singing through blues and soul temperings to near operatic delivery – was in brilliant form, and her playing matched it. There can’t be many people around who can match such a voice with truly gifted instrumental ability.

Dirk’s singing marches more down the traditional Appalachian road to which he’s added the Cajun tones of his Balfa Family in-laws. His playing – guitar, fiddle, banjo – was, as always, impeccable and perfectly adapted to the material.

Highlights for me were Rhiannon’s rendering of the bluegrass classic High On The Mountain, Elizabeth Cotten’s When I’m Gone, and a totally unexpected rendition of Hank Cochran’s country classic (and a big hit for Patsy Cline) She’s Got You performed with what I can only call a LOT of soul.

For Dirk’s part, I loved to hear him do two of my favourite DP songs – his anti-murder ballad anthem I Ain’t Playing Pretty Polly and his Transatlantic Sessions classic Waterbound (cue roar of approval from the public).

The evening closed with a roaring crowd and a thoroughly deserved standing ovation.

BOB LESLIE