Four and a half years ago Kyle Daniel was getting ready to play at the O2 Arena on the same bill as Eric Church and The Cadillac Three. Then the borders were closed, gigs were cancelled, and we all know what happened to live music for the next twelve months or so. Despite being derailed by the pandemic, Kyle never gave up on his dreams and 2024 has finally seen the release of debut album Kentucky Gold, an album our good friends over at Maximum Volume Music have already declared their album of the year. A natural performer on stage, Kyle’s good time Southern-flavoured anthems are tailor made to find many admirers on this side of Atlantic, and so it was no surprise that his 45 minute set went over extremely well. Stand out song ‘Summer Down South’ is a collaboration with Jaren Johnston of TC3, a good time country rocker with a killer hook. It may have taken him four years to get back on track, but things are looking up for Kyle Daniel and he is definitely one to watch.
The last time we caught Southall they were opening up for Blackberry Smoke in the larger room and still known as the Read Southall Band. It was evident then that they were something pretty special and, with the shortened name reflecting they are very much a band with members other than Read now contributing to the songwriting, they served up a firecracker of a set to a modest but very appreciative crowd. The front man is joined in the six-piece band by Reid Barber, Jeremee Knipp, Braxton Curliss, John Tyler Perry and Ryan Wellman. Drawing from songs across their decade long career, they revisited 2015’s Six String Sorrow for ‘Gunshy’ and offered a number of tracks from 2021’s superb For the Birds and 2023’s Southall, an album that is well worth checking out and serves as the launchpad for the next phase of their career.
With songs characterised by smooth melodies and Read’s soulful voice, they nevertheless possess the ability to crank it up when necessary, notably on hard hitting moments such as ‘Stickin’ and Movin’ and a rocking cover of The Hollies ‘Long Cool Woman’. One of the highlights, and one that was seemingly not on the set list but played by request, was the heartfelt ‘Where We Belong’, a captivating desert road song that stretched to more than six minutes and gave each of the band members a chance to shine. With influences ranging from Country to Metal, and everything in-between, there is something pretty unique about Southall and as they close with the gritty ‘Don’t Tell Me’ that segues into ‘Mississippi Queen’ you definitely get the sense we are witnessing a band that is going places.
The Oklahoma six piece may not yet have gotten the recognition they deserve in Europe, but you can be sure if they keep on coming back over here then – just like Blackberry Smoke and TC3 have done – they will soon be headlining much bigger venues than the Academy 3. We look forward to their return.
