Larkin Poe was angry at the sound engineer in Prague, but the frontman deserves laurels
Hooray, concert! the Larkin Poe sisters must have called themselves before they climbed onto the podium. And they repeated it from him, too, because they too are happy that the live music has returned to where it belongs. After all, she should never have left. Or have you noticed an increase in those infected after the recent Rammstein? No, isn’t it?
Live: Larkin Poe
place: Lucerna Music Bar, Prague
date: May 25, 2022
Support: Ryan McMullan
© Tereza Slowiková / iReport.cz
I walk down to the bowels of the Lucerna Music Bar. It’s a few minutes after nine o’clock in the evening, and because it’s a little late, it’s already playing. And I will hear in that. I’m still on the stairs when a voice I haven’t heard in a long time reaches my ears. And it’s exactly the electrifying feeling that completely freezes me. Husina. Who is it? His name is Ryan McMullan, he plays the guitar and together with his keyboard he immediately caught my attention. I didn’t know him yet, but suddenly I want to know everything about him. I don’t know much, but I know talent when I see him. And what comes out of his throat is the vocals with which SuperStar reality shows are won. A voice that could easily be heard in stadiums around the world. Great British accent. An amazingly felt rendition of the ballad that makes up most of his repertoire. Call him the new Ed Sheeran, Dermot Kennedy or any other songwriter with longing tunes, it doesn’t matter. I just hope he catches the right management to get his upcoming debut album among the people. I want to have the general opportunity to report again in a few years: “I told you. I told you he was going to be a star.” Gentlemen. All honor.
© Tereza Slowiková / iReport.cz
And I made some prediction of the future in 2016, when Larkin Poe performed at the German monster festival Rock im Park. And their combination of southern rock, blues, Americans, folk and the roots of American music at the time sounded unobtrusive there. The Lovell sisters have a large share in this, and you probably wouldn’t have guessed that they would play just like that old music. And they play her great. Even in 2022. Their well-received pandemic album “Self Made Man” was represented in the setlist only four times and the opening song was heard at ten o’clock in the evening, ie with a half-hour delay. During the pandemic, the four-member group released a collection of “Kindred Spirits” covers, which unfortunately did not include anything. On the other hand, we still received fresh (and successful!) Samples of “Bad Spell” from the already recorded new studio, which will be released on November 11th. So this band certainly doesn’t suffer from a lack of inspiration.
But I could add a little in oranges. At the festival, it didn’t matter so much in the short set, but as soon as Larkin Poe got to know a full-fledged performance, it was obvious that the songs, no matter how successful they were, merged a bit. It is even more difficult for the listeners to go to the whole concert afterwards, which was obvious in the sold-out hall. The atmosphere was not bad, but it was not overly euphoric.
© Tereza Slowiková / iReport.cz
It would also not be futile to replace sound engineers. The one in little Lucerna drew the drums too much at the expense of vocals and guitars, some blows to the drums of the drums so hurt. On the contrary, it pleased the inclusion of covers, specifically the classic “John The Revelator”, which is a gospel song from 1930, but many listeners associate it with versions from Depeche Mode, which was a pleasant moment on the evening when Andy Fletcher died. But Larkin Poe plays it at all the concerts of the current tour, so we can only guess the symbolism there. The cover of another classic, for a change by Robert Johnson, ended a slightly above-average evening in the style of American music history. If you would like to make your own opinion, you will have another opportunity at this year’s Colors Of Ostrava, where this quartet will also perform.