Sunny Sweeney – Slay, Glasgow – November 12, 2024.

Written by celtic music radio on November 13, 2024

As she was leaving the stage in Glasgow a year ago this month, Sunny Sweeney said she couldn’t wait to return to Scotland – thankfully she managed to do so and once again she’s leaving us with a stirring performance to remember.

She tells us of her love of a full Scottish breakfast, how smoking pot isn’t for everyone and how she is so grateful to play for such an attentive audience.

With ace guitarist Harley Husbands proving to have a devilishly light touch, the duo fill the room with warmth, fun and cleverly crafted songs that give an insight into a generous-spirited, impish, perceptive, talented, motivated and amusing woman. With a setlist of quality songs to hear, it’s a pleasure being in her company.

Her material is an unfussy and free-flowing mix of Texas and Tennessee flavours with the terrific Better Bad Idea from her 2017 release Trophy a fine example: ‘Tell me, are you scared to make a bet? Are you in or are you out / With all the sins I’m thinking about? / Or do you have a better bad idea?’

Sunny with Harley Husbands

The duo format suits as her meaningful lyrics are worth listening to carefully. A Song Can’t Fix Everything is standout glorious. With only Harley’s guitar playing, she sings: “That song can’t get me to Amarillo / Before his flight takes off so I can change his mind / That song can’t make him love me / Stop him from leaving us behind.” From her fifth album, Married Alone, it is flawless heartache and downright wonderful.

She dips into her latest release, Still Provoked – it marks the 10th anniversary of her acclaimed Provoked album – to deliver a vibrant cover of Bob Dylan’s To Be Alone With You from Nashville Skyline, Sunny’s favourite Dylan album. Can’t Let Go, known to many in the crowd as a Lucinda Wiliams’ classic, gets the special Sunny treatment. It’s chunky and sharp and brings this wholehearted, country treat of a show to a perfect end and the crowd to its feet.

Review and images – MIKE RITCHIE