Sunparlour Player, Harlan Pepper, Strumbellas (Great Hall Dec 10)

 As always, the three-piece Sunparlour Players were in fine form and snazzy dress for their home-away-from-Windsor homecoming album release show. With much happening on this busy Saturday night in early December there was still plenty of room left in the hall to dance, but the still solid amount of members of the crowd poured out the love to make it a beautiful show. Releasing Us Little Devils it was fitting to open with its opener, Runner, though following it with fan-favourite If the Creeks Don’t Rise was only disappointing in that this song wasn't there to look forward to as the show progressed. The strength of the rest of the catalogue proved itself following this with all sorts of treats including Battle of ’77, O’Captain, and John Had a Bell and a Whistle. Their now infamous version of Thunderstruck didn’t harm matters either. It was the superb new single Green Thumb that capped off the set and led to a raucous ovation that brought the trio back out. They ripped out Dyin’ Today and Red Blood Red of Home and a third in encore, yet these still did not satiate us. We stomped and cheered, for it had been a special performance, and were rewarded with Hymns for the Happy closer, Talk It To Death, that was the final gem from this wonderful group. Seeing a band known for their live performance exceed the lofty expectations they set for themselves by bringing it to a new level is extraordinary indeed.

Harlan Pepper have been growing up quick and putting on mature performances beyond their years. On this night they opened with Reefer, swapped guitars all over the place, and played Wine - making reference to how they’d just recently all come of legal drinking age. A solid rendition of No was performed as well before they wrapped it all up with a classic rock medley. Everyone thought it was be Skynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama but much to our delight it was the Werewolves of London which then melded through a series of other throwbacks. The mature influences shone through in these young fellas.

The Strumbellas were just finishing up, and finishing strong, as I rolled into the Great Hall. There was a whole lot of strumming, banjos and exuberance going on as the seven-piece brought it down in the finale. If the entire set was as strong as what I caught then I totally missed out.