Joe Henry at Whelan's | Review

Joe Henry at Whelan’s, 28th of August 2013

At just about 9 O’Clock, the formidable quartet of Joe Henry, John Smith, Ross Turner and Lisa Hannigan appear on-stage in Whelan’s main venue and begin a ninety-odd minute set with Joe’s song Sold. But straight away the dynamic seems a bit off. To see Lisa Hannigan, something of a giant in the Irish music scene in case you didn’t know, reprising the back-up role she started off with, and has since successfully and magnificently transcended with her albums ‘Sea Saw’ and ‘Passenger,’ is startling at first. She is an effortlessly commanding presence, either by reputation or charisma, and it’s not until she sits to the side of the stage and the others begin to perform Fuse that the man whose name is on the poster tonight gets a chance to draw our attention.

It’s an appropriate song for the three non-Lisas to show what they can do as Joe’s strumming and John’s sliding guitars alternate their intensity and play with Ross’s unconventional drumming technique, each instrument coming to the fore before falling back and allowing the other guy to come forward. Lisa eases her way back into the set singing back-up on a couple of songs before taking the lead on her own A Sail while she and Joe alternate verses on Little Bird. By the time the set reaches the song Flag things have started to fit nicely so that when Gavin Glass arrives and sits at the keyboard and the now quintet begin to perform Civil War, the dynamic has changed again. At this stage you’re happy to go with it.

Before You Can’t Fail Me Now, Joe advises us to think of Bonnie Raitt while he sings as he will be doing, surely no offence to Loudon Wainwright III who also covered this song of his. By the time the set proper concludes with Plain Speak the gig has just about reached its highest point. The songs sound good but even with the occasional presence of Lisa’s harmonium or John’s slide guitar the instrumentation lacks the soul present on Joe’s albums. These are all talented musicians so the songs are good but they never take you beyond yourself. However, maintaining a respectful silence throughout and squeezing two encores out of Mr. Henry the crowd left pleased by the night of music if not touched by it.