Rachel Baiman (with Steve Haan and support from MISTY RIVER)
The Wardrobe Theatre,
Bristol, UK

20th March 2023

Lineage:
SP-CMC-9 cardioids > CA-9200 > Edirol R-07 (@24/96) > Cool Edit Pro 2 > CDWave > TLH
Recorded front row, dead centre

Recording, transfer & artwork by boombox - artwork for combined or individual artists included

MISTY RIVER (31m21s):
1. Dry Your Eyes^
2. Hold On
3. Take This Dance
4. Come With Me^
5. Everything I Need^
6. Light In The Darkness (Acapella)
7. Walk Me To The River

^ - best guess at possible title

RACHEL BAIMAN (76m59s):
1. Entrance & Tuning
2. Some Strange Notion
3. Bad Debt
4. Banter & Tuning
5. Shame
6. Banter & Tuning
7. She Don't Know What To Sing About Anymore
8. Banter & Tuning
9. Self-Made Man
10. Banter & Tuning
11. Bitter
12. Banter & Tuning
13. When You Bloom (Colorado)
14. Hope It Hurts
15. Banter & Tuning
16. Old Songs Never Die
17. Banter & Tuning
18. Lovers And Leavers
19. Young Love
20. Never Tire Of The Road
21. Banter & Tuning
22. Madison Tennessee*
23. Banter & Tuning
24. Old Flame
25. Banter & Tuning
26. Wicked Spell

* with Misty River

boombox's notes may 2023:
The last time I saw Rachel Baiman was at the same venue on the first night of her 2019 tour, with her having landed in the UK with no voice. This time it was the last night, but with no such vocal problems. I was slightly disappointed to see that there was a support band, meaning less time for her and bassist Steve Haan, but husband and wife duo, Carmen Phelan and Adam Morley, aka Misty River, did a good job opening and were well-received by the capacity audience in one of my favourite Bristol venues. After a short break, Rachel and Steve gave us a set of mainly originals from Rachel's back catalogue: nothing off debut disc 'Speakeasy Man', but about half of her latest, at the time, unreleased album (but available at the merch desk). Interestingly, on this tour, most of the set was played on guitar, with only a little fiddle and banjo and I couldn't help wondering at the end why she is not better known as musician and songwriter.

The PA was very quiet and audience very loud - applause peaks needed to be reduced by 12-18db, in order that I could raise the overall volume by 12db across the board with a smidge of compression. There is the odd mic rumble or deep breath, but this came out extremely well. The new SP-CMC-9s are certainly very transparent - what you hear is exactly what it sounded like on the night. Interestingly, the dobro solo on 'Madison Tn' was almost inaudible over the PA, but the highly directional mics picked up the acoustic sound, so that part actually sounds even better!

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