FAR FROM SAINTS // ORAN MOR, GLASGOW
Far From Saints made their Scottish debut with an intimate, sold out show in Glasgow, giving fans a sneak preview of their live sound and forthcoming album, ahead of some high profile stadium support gigs and summer festivals this year.
★★★★★ (5/5)
FAR FROM SAINTS PERFORMING AT GLASGOW’S ORAN MOR
PHOTOCREDIT: KENDALL WILSON
It may have been only their third live performance as a band but Far From Saints are far from new to the business of live music, or to recorded music for that matter. Comprised of Stereophonics' songwriter and lead vocalist Kelly Jones and Austin, Texas band The Wind + The Wave (Patty Lynn and Dwight Baker), the band have found a new thrill in collaboration that began when their respective projects toured together, first in 2013 and later when Jones invited the American duo to open for him on a solo tour in 2019. They bonded over a shared love of the classics - Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, Led Zeppelin, Tom Petty - and by the end of that tour they had an album's worth of songs. The resulting self-titled record was delayed significantly by the Covid-19 pandemic but with its now imminent release coming on June 16th, and the band set to perform a slew of open air events over the summer, including support gigs with Kings of Leon and Paul Weller, they wisely decided to throw on a couple of "warm-up" shows in Glasgow and Leeds.
In comparison to the venues Jones has been accustomed to selling out over his 25+ year career, Glasgow's Oran Mor isn't just physically small, it's dangerously intimate. There's almost no distance between the band, on a waist- high stage, and the 500 punters assembled on the other side of the barrier but moreover, there's nowhere to hide if things go wrong. And sometimes things do.
While the band assume their positions on stage, Jones takes an extended moment to personalise the occasion with an anecdote about being recognised in a Timpson store earlier while asking for directions to a pharmacy. Two points to be made here: He feels at home in Glasgow and he's battling a cold. With that information out in the open he tends to keep his chat fairly minimal throughout the rest of the set which, for those familiar with his often narrative-driven performances, is a bit of a letdown. They open with the album's first track and latest single Screaming Hallelujah, a distinctly indie folk number which is buoyed by bright acoustic guitar and duelling chorus melodies.
From the outset we're promised a run through of the album and then some covers to finish up. It's not the exact running order of the album but rather Jones and Lynn alternating introductions and lead vocal duties in equal turns. This generally means switching between mellow (Jones') and more uptempo (Lynn's) songs but given that no-one's heard more than three singles yet the crowd are none the wiser about how the energy "should" flow between these ten songs. What's so interesting about the audience at Oran Mor, a modest but notable majority of whom are women, is that they seem substantially more enamoured with Lynn and Baker. This makes for a really interesting dynamic between songs where fans shout for their favourite band member - "I LOVE YOU PATTY!" "I LOVE YOU DWIGHT!" and less often "I LOVE YOU KELLY" - but there's very limited recognition or reciprocity from the stage and eventually the cries become a bit tedious.
Jones launches No Fool Like An Old Fool. Instantly familiar and catchy with a 70s country folk ballad feel, it's not quite Gram and Emmylou but you can clearly sense the magic that sparked this collaboration in the first place. Then it's Lynn's turn to lead Take It Through The Night, much to the raucous delight of the audience. "This is my favourite one to perform because I sing most of it" she declares, tongue loosely in cheek. While she claims to be channelling her inner Stevie Nicks on this number, the twang of the guitars and pounding drums bear more resemblance to Miranda Lambert in her heavier moments. There's no denying though, Lynn's voice is the star of the show here.
On Won't Get Out Alive the contrasting tones of their voices become almost cinematic; Jones' soft and cloud-like rasp gently enveloping Lynn's richly bold and resonant delivery. Despite a false start - or two - the set runs smoothly towards the final Southern rock epic, The Ride. This one features more lush vocal duelling, a driving rhythm section and multiple guitar solos before it goes full ZZ Top with a swinging blues rock instrumental outro. It's so much fun!
When the band return from their brief refreshment interlude - it can't be called an encore because no-one demanded it, though a few tried here and there - they let everyone witness the duet that catalysed the whole project: a cover of Stop Draggin' My Heart Around. It's good enough. They don't owe anyone more but they insist on another two covers because they're obviously enjoying playing together. And after a long night listening to mostly unreleased songs the audience appreciate a a few familiar ones that they can sing along to. Lynn puts in a solid turn leading The Ronettes' Be My Baby before they close out the night on Tom Petty's American Girl, to genuinely overwhelming applause.
