Horse The Road Less Travelled Tour Queen's Hall Edinburgh 23rd November 2024 Review
Horse and her band were at the Queen’s Hall Edinburgh tonight, one of the last dates this year on this “The Road Less Travelled Tour” which promotes the release of Horse’s 8th studio album (11th in total) of the same name.
The bad weather storms really hit Edinburgh today and a lot of snow had fallen during the day, resulting in many buses being taken out of service and there were also many other transport problems in and around the city too. This, however, did not stop Horse and her band (plus the rest of the team) from making it to this show and I overheard more than a few people saying that, if needed, they were just going to walk to get here. That last remark is, in itself, a remarkable testament to the huge bond of friendship that there is between Horse and her audience, wherever they happen to be.
Outside the Queen’s Hall the November snow was everywhere to be seen and it was a cold night for anyone out on the streets. Inside the venue it was, however, warm and not just because they had the heating on. This was a different kind of warmth, the one that you rarely get between people who have come not only to hear music, but also often out of friendship and being part of a unique shared experience. As always, at any time I have ever reviewed one of Horse’s shows, this was a safe haven for everyone where people were all simply there to have a good time and where the acceptance for who you are as a human being and how you defined your own identity was an important part of the whole evening. There is no place in a Horse concert for any person being judgemental of another.
That whole ethos of acceptance of who you are as a person is also reflected in so many of Horse’s songs, and her music gives strength to many people who need it in their lives, and we must never forget the healing properties of music itself.
Tonight was a little bit different music-wise as many of the classic and much loved songs from Horse had to make way for the new ones and this show was for the most part a live performance in running order of the new studio album. Some of these songs we have heard before in earlier concerts before this album was made, but many were new ones to us all.
To do a complete new album performance like this is always a high risk move for any performer as people do often have a preference for back-catalogue material, but there are no weak links on this new album and every one of the 12 tracks is there for a good reason - it is a good song. Also interesting this evening was hearing from Horse how and often why these songs came about and as always people will associate with them in different ways.
What is underneath the music is so often as important as anything else in a Horse song (either as a solo writer or co-writer) and a few of these songs are a reflection of simply getting older, but not in a negative way. For many of us, as we get older, you realise that often the really big things in your life, such as illness and losing people you love, you have no control over and you just learn to accept that is a part of life and as a result of this you often find yourself getting stronger inside as a person, and along the way, often more sure of yourself, more sure of your own identity as a person and what you really want to do with your life. A lot of these elements are reflected in the song “Hungry Ghosts” and finding that inner strength to walk away from a relationship that is no longer good for your physical health, mental well-being, or even your very soul itself.
There are so many good songs on this album, real songs of substance and not throw away three minute Youtube or TickTock moments. Songs like “The Moon and I”, “Forever Lonely”, “The Road Less Travelled” and “Heaven (Something Make Me Fall)” will survive the test of time because they are well crafted songs and with Horse’s powerful vocals they are live performance gems too. “The Moon and I” however does give us all another side to Horse’s vocals that we all too rarely get to hear.
Despite the darkness of some of these songs, there was a lot of humour on stage from Horse, and the band were obviously enjoying playing this music and being together tonight too. The band were on great form too with, as usual, some fine work on bass guitar (a 5 string and a fretless one) from Lorna Thomas and some very good work too from Katy Walsh on guitar. The full band line-up for tonight also included Lauren Macdonald (drums), Kirsty McCafferty (keys) and on strings Elspeth Mackay (cello), Nicola Boag (viola) and Katie Rush (violin). And of course there was still room for some classic songs from Horse’s back catalogue including “Careful” and “The Speed of the Beat of My Heart”.
Opening this show tonight (and a lot of other dates on this tour), was Kirsten Adamson with Edinburgh guitarist Jon Mackenzie. In this short set were a few songs from Kirsten’s new album “Dreamweaver”, and from the last album “Landing Place” the autobiographical “My Father’s Songs”, and what better a way to end the set than with her own take on one of her father’s best known songs “In A Big Country”.
Kirsten Adamson is always an interesting singer/songwriter/performer and 2025 looks like it is going to be a very busy year for her and her music.
Review by Tom King © 2024
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
The bad weather storms really hit Edinburgh today and a lot of snow had fallen during the day, resulting in many buses being taken out of service and there were also many other transport problems in and around the city too. This, however, did not stop Horse and her band (plus the rest of the team) from making it to this show and I overheard more than a few people saying that, if needed, they were just going to walk to get here. That last remark is, in itself, a remarkable testament to the huge bond of friendship that there is between Horse and her audience, wherever they happen to be.
Outside the Queen’s Hall the November snow was everywhere to be seen and it was a cold night for anyone out on the streets. Inside the venue it was, however, warm and not just because they had the heating on. This was a different kind of warmth, the one that you rarely get between people who have come not only to hear music, but also often out of friendship and being part of a unique shared experience. As always, at any time I have ever reviewed one of Horse’s shows, this was a safe haven for everyone where people were all simply there to have a good time and where the acceptance for who you are as a human being and how you defined your own identity was an important part of the whole evening. There is no place in a Horse concert for any person being judgemental of another.
That whole ethos of acceptance of who you are as a person is also reflected in so many of Horse’s songs, and her music gives strength to many people who need it in their lives, and we must never forget the healing properties of music itself.
Tonight was a little bit different music-wise as many of the classic and much loved songs from Horse had to make way for the new ones and this show was for the most part a live performance in running order of the new studio album. Some of these songs we have heard before in earlier concerts before this album was made, but many were new ones to us all.
To do a complete new album performance like this is always a high risk move for any performer as people do often have a preference for back-catalogue material, but there are no weak links on this new album and every one of the 12 tracks is there for a good reason - it is a good song. Also interesting this evening was hearing from Horse how and often why these songs came about and as always people will associate with them in different ways.
What is underneath the music is so often as important as anything else in a Horse song (either as a solo writer or co-writer) and a few of these songs are a reflection of simply getting older, but not in a negative way. For many of us, as we get older, you realise that often the really big things in your life, such as illness and losing people you love, you have no control over and you just learn to accept that is a part of life and as a result of this you often find yourself getting stronger inside as a person, and along the way, often more sure of yourself, more sure of your own identity as a person and what you really want to do with your life. A lot of these elements are reflected in the song “Hungry Ghosts” and finding that inner strength to walk away from a relationship that is no longer good for your physical health, mental well-being, or even your very soul itself.
There are so many good songs on this album, real songs of substance and not throw away three minute Youtube or TickTock moments. Songs like “The Moon and I”, “Forever Lonely”, “The Road Less Travelled” and “Heaven (Something Make Me Fall)” will survive the test of time because they are well crafted songs and with Horse’s powerful vocals they are live performance gems too. “The Moon and I” however does give us all another side to Horse’s vocals that we all too rarely get to hear.
Despite the darkness of some of these songs, there was a lot of humour on stage from Horse, and the band were obviously enjoying playing this music and being together tonight too. The band were on great form too with, as usual, some fine work on bass guitar (a 5 string and a fretless one) from Lorna Thomas and some very good work too from Katy Walsh on guitar. The full band line-up for tonight also included Lauren Macdonald (drums), Kirsty McCafferty (keys) and on strings Elspeth Mackay (cello), Nicola Boag (viola) and Katie Rush (violin). And of course there was still room for some classic songs from Horse’s back catalogue including “Careful” and “The Speed of the Beat of My Heart”.
Opening this show tonight (and a lot of other dates on this tour), was Kirsten Adamson with Edinburgh guitarist Jon Mackenzie. In this short set were a few songs from Kirsten’s new album “Dreamweaver”, and from the last album “Landing Place” the autobiographical “My Father’s Songs”, and what better a way to end the set than with her own take on one of her father’s best known songs “In A Big Country”.
Kirsten Adamson is always an interesting singer/songwriter/performer and 2025 looks like it is going to be a very busy year for her and her music.
Review by Tom King © 2024
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com