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Grammy-award-winning duo Larkin Poe have gone from strength to strength over the last decade, the old-fashioned way: by constantly bettering each album that they create, and building a community vibe along the way. Hell, they have managed to make the cavernous and often cold and inhospitable 2,500 capacity O2 Academy on Glasgow’s south side seem as warm and cozy as a night at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.
Instantly likeable, insanely talented, sisters Megan and Rebecca Lovell are the archetypal girls next door, and the noise that greets them as they stride onto the stage highlights how highly regarded they are.
Five UK shows before a month in Europe on the ‘Bloom’ tour, Larkin Poe are performing their largest UK shows thus far, and along for the ride – and from Rebecca Lovell’s comments later on during the headliners’ set, a personal choice of the sisters – is American rhythm & blues singer/songwriter Aaron Earl Livingston, aka Son Little.
Rhythm & blues, for sure, but Son Little also brings a touch of soul with him, and possesses a gorgeous voice that at times is both fragile and vulnerable, as well as full of hope. ‘O Me O My’, for instance, a fantastic mood-setter, with a laidback vibe that is impossible to resist, as is his gentle strumming/picking guitar technique. Little’s voice is like being wrapped up in a warm scarf on a winter’s day: instantly soothing.
As his groove-heavy set progresses, with shades of blues, funk, and soul (including a gorgeous tribute to Sly Stone with a stunning version of ‘Let Me Have It All’), it’s clear that Son Little is anything but a cookie-cutter “down by the river” bluesman. In such a large hall with bars seemingly at every turn, a lot of his set gets lost in the vast space of the venue, as well as falling foul of punters chatting at the bar. Ultimately, it’s a set better suited to a more intimate venue, but still enough there to enthuse over.
With a new album as strong as ‘Bloom’ is, it makes sense that the 18-song set would lean so heavily towards said album. It also makes sense that the stage set-up would be floral-themed, with the upright lights resembling long-stemmed flowers being especially effective. Plants are dotted around the stage, giving it a homely feel, and drummer Ben Satterlee’s kick-drum skin resembles the flower print on the CD itself. What is pleasing is the way that the new material is greeted. Normally, it’s a new song as an opener, followed by a few setlist staples, followed by a polite request from the artist asking if it’s okay to play some new songs. Not with Larkin Poe.
With a confident, assured swagger and beaming smiles, the Lovell sisters take to the stage once the band has settled in, and immediately launch into ‘Nowhere Fast’. One of the rockier, more energetic tracks from ‘Bloom’, with Rebecca declaring that “We got just enough gas to get into trouble…”. Both sisters are beaming throughout, smiling and waving at those in the balcony, and it’s obvious that whatever risk it was to book these larger halls has paid off. It’s a fun, uptempo way to open the set, with a pause in between to soak up the applause from the crowd, and includes some fiery dual guitar work from Rebecca on lead and Megan on lap steel. It’s great watching Megan, who, unlike most lap steel players, is mobile and can head to the lip of the stage for a blistering solo and pull off moves normally reserved for lead guitarists. Visually, it’s stunning.
Sticking with ‘Bloom’, it’s straight into ‘Mockingbird’ with a gorgeous Gospel-like vocal harmony intro, and a weeping, mournful solo from Megan to launch the song. Satterlee’s drums, which gradually build, are a perfect match for the laidback vibe of the song, and special mention has to go to the midsection of the song when both sisters are performing face-to-face, lost in the music. Further proof, if needed, that more subtle, low-key moments can pack just as much of a punch as full-on, in-your-face histrionics. The sisters reprise this moment several times during the ninety-minute set, especially effective on the astonishing set-closer ‘Bloom Again’.
‘Bluephoria’ is one of the standout moments on ‘Bloom’, and with Rebecca having changed from a Fender to what looks like a Gibson, and Satterlee’s heavy hits, it’s one of the heavier moments of the set. It has to be said that whoever is doing the sound tonight deserves a raise because in a venue notorious for poor sound, they have got it perfect. Every note from Megan and Rebecca, every whispered vocal – especially on the backing harmonies from Megan during the breakdown – is crystal clear. Which is crucial, considering how important the mid-set acoustic segment is.
The three band members, Satterlee, bassist Tarka Layman, and keys player Lucas Pettee, are down from the slightly raised stage and are lined up alongside the sisters, gathered around an old-time recording studio mic. Layman is now on upright bass, Pettee has swapped to a mandolin, and Satterlee, well, Satterlee is out from behind his kit, and he’s in a kilt! Rebecca had touched on his love for Scotland earlier, but after a bit of Insta detective work, it turns out that he has Scottish heritage as his 7th-great-grandfather was a chap called Daniel MacPherson and was kidnapped from the highlands and brought to America. Gotta love Insta.
Normally, an acoustic segment is a cue to head to the bar, but this “living room moment”, as Rebecca describes it, is something special. To get a flavour, check out the new deluxe version of ‘Bloom’, which features ‘An Acoustic Companion Vol II’ and is made up of stripped-back versions of five tracks from ‘Bloom’. Beginning with ‘Southern Comfort’ from 2022’s ‘Blood Harmony’ album, and ending on a jaw-dropping ‘Devil Music’ which features a few tips of the hat to Ozzy (easy to make out thanks to the great sound, and a respectful audience), it is the highlight of the set, especially when Rebecca breaks out a banjo for ‘Little Bit’ which also sees Megan on a gorgeous resonator guitar.
‘Devil Music’ ends the acoustic segment, and the stage lights turn to deep red for a quick blast of ‘War Pigs’, which, since Larkin Poe have been covering for years, no one can accuse them of jumping on the bandwagon. This leads into an atmospheric version of ‘If God is a Woman’ which features a stunningly simple production that includes dry ice rolling off the raised platform. Another highlight of the closing stages is ‘Wanted Woman – AC/DC’, which is killer old-school rock ‘n’ roll, and in another world, it’s a classic surf tune in a Tarantino movie. When Rebecca instructs the band to “Give it to me three times…” and they oblige with three hits, Satterlee hits so hard that punters in the front rows need to make appointments with their dentist to get some hastily needed repairs.
Honestly, one of those “You had to be there gigs”. Catch Larkin Poe in Europe throughout October and November. All dates, HERE. Prepare to be dazzled.
Review – Dave
All images – Dave Jamieson
