Live Review: Ruby Boots, Raised By Eagles, Andy Golledge

These three artists delivered a delicious slice of Americana to Sydney’s inner west this fine Thursday evening with the celebration of two album launches.

Andy Golledge gave us some raw solo tracks, mostly just him, his acoustic guitar, his powerful voice and the affectionate crowd, with a smattering of three-piece magic. Golledge swindled his way into playing one more song as the crowd heckled for more, ending with Baby Mama.

Melbourne-based quad-squad Raised By Eagles kicked off with Sugar Cane (Already Gone). Songs that were led by guitarist Nick O’Mara were almost too Americana in that it was difficult to discern that the band is Australian. Frontman Luke Sinclair’s interaction with the crowd was commendable and engaging, though overall the band lacked that element to make them outstanding.

Ruby Boots, the last of her band to set foot on stage, greeted the crowd first and told us she was going to start off slow, as we liked it… and well, she was right! Ruby threw off her suede fringed cape and pulled on her guitar by its strap. The crowd loved the riff of Oh, Lover. Co-written with Ruby’s life-long idol Vikki Thorn of The Waifs, Middle Of Nowhere showed that it was in fact as shit hot as Ruby described, sending the crowd off in an eager and pre-emptive clap, before the song had even finished. Special guests Skyscraper Stan and Lucinda Williams performed two songs, both crowd pleasers even if the harmonies in Jackson weren’t quite right. The crowd started to dance to Walk Away, sing along to Wrap Me In A Fever and the floor turned into a barn-dance for the final song, Ruby Blue. Ruby Boots is a fantastic performer who has the ability to turn punters who don’t usually like this style of music into completely enthralled fans.