You are hereRachel Harrington and the Knock Outs
Rachel Harrington and the Knock Outs
Throughout the history of music, all-girl groups have managed to instil a modicum of fear into their male counterparts in one way or another. Having said that, it must be a rarity to encounter a pair of boxing gloves casually hanging from the lead singer's mic stand. Of course the gloves tonight were less likely to be a confrontational tool in such a welcoming setting as the Old Ship Inn in Lowdham and more a symbol of Rachel Harrington's new all-female band The Knock Outs, currently enjoying their debut European tour.
Equipped with a sunburst semi-acoustic Gretsch, Rachel performed many of the new songs from her band's eponymous album, including Wedding Ring Vacation, Nothin' To Do But You and Love Him Or Leave Him To Me. With one or two familiar Harrington originals having undergone a shake up to suit the new band arrangements, most notably Sunshine Girl, which appeared on Rachel's debut solo album THE BOOTLEGGER'S DAUGHTER, now transformed into Moonshine Boy, the repertoire is pretty much suited to a more honky tonk' party feel that her previous folk/Americana style.
With Alisa Milner on fiddle, Moe Provencher on bass and Aimee Tubbs on drums, the quartet have embraced this new honky-tonk style of Country music most prominently symbolised on Rachel's tattoo'd right arm, clearly indicating a homage to Hank Williams. Setting out their stall from the start with Making Our House a Honky Tonk, the band were clearly having a good time on the road, taking advantage of the opportunity to add to their repertoire songs such as the Kitty Wells classic Honky Tonk Angels and the band's take on the old Canned Heat Woodstock-period hit Going Up The Country, material that would have probably been out of place in Rachel's previous repertoire.
During the set, Rachel took a step back on more than one occasion in order for each of her new band mates to take centre stage, firstly with Aimee taking the lead on Loretta Lynn's Fist City and secondly with one of Moe Provencher's self-penned songs Never Was a Bank, which appears on the song writer's own BLUES FILTER THROUGH album, which was also available tonight at the consessions stall.
There was also one or two tender moments during the set where Rachel showed her familiar sensitive side, with the delightful waltz I'll Show You Mine for instance, featuring some of Alisa's empathetic fiddle. Concluding with He's My Man from the new record, Rachel returned for a solo performance of Goodbye Amsterdam from her previous record CELILO FALLS before inviting the rest of the band up for a completely acoustic finale, with the gospel-tinged I Don't Want To Get Adjusted To This World.
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