Banjos And Violins

I had no idea who The Audreys were until I saw their singer, Taasha Coates, during a taping of RocKwiz a few months ago. It’s not often I get grabbed by a tune when I first hear it, but I was absolutely knocked out by her stunning voice. I made a mental note to run out and buy the album but as luck would have it, a very good friend of mine went and burnt me a copy (thanks jfox!). Their style isn’t easy to describe, and to say that they’re a cross between folk, country and bluegrass, would be oversimplifying things. Seeing them live certainly gives you a better appreciation of the broad range of influences they seem to draw from.

After having seen a few shows that were staged on a grand scale, it was nice to come back to The Corner for something relatively smaller. As always, it was pretty full and making my way back from the bar through the crowd with our drinks was an adventure in itself. And I know I’ve mentioned this before, but the rooftop bar is great – and dare I say it, worth a visit even if you’re not going to see a show. On a balmy evening, you might have to do a thorough search before you find a spot, but if you do it’s well worth it – especially if you’ve got the munchies and want to have a chat without shouting at one another in the band room.

Seeing The Audreys is like going into a bit of a time warp. The fellas are suited-up and waistcoated, and even Taasha’s jeans looked slightly out-of-step with their attire. During the evening, there was plenty of noodling, whether it was on the upright double bass, the fiddle, or guitar – but rather than excluding the audience (as I think it sometimes can), it was fascinating to watch, and the band work really well together. I don’t think I’ve ever been as close to the stage as I was on Thursday night, so maybe it’s just something that’s better appreciated when you’re up close and can see what’s going on – from every quirk in their facial expressions to their warp-speed finger-picking. They look like they’re really enjoying themselves, especially Tristan who plays banjo and guitar, and was continually smiling from the minute he walked on stage.


The set itself covered the vast majority of material from their album, but it’s always nice to go along to a show and (re-)discover songs that you might have previously overlooked. It sounds trivial, but it’s one of the simple joys of live music to hear a new interpretation of something that you thought you knew all about. It’s hard to pick any one standout number, because Taasha’s voice well and truly soared, and she throws her whole self into each and every tune. From the wistful "A Little More", to the seedy “Oh Honey”, to the matter-of-fact “Nothing Wrong With Me”. The quiet “Where Are You Now?” was beautiful, and never fails to conjure up an image in my head of the person she’s singing about.

I was really glad they did “Don’t Change”, which is probably so good because it’s not just a straight cover. I like the original a lot, but The Audreys have put a totally different spin on it, and it works. It’s much slower, sombre and downbeat, but in turn, this makes it less cold and probably all the better for it. Neil Young’s “Like A Hurricane”, also sounded nothing like his version. Some people might think it’s sacrilege to mess around with this one, but I think the band pulled it off pretty well. The guy near us who was amongst those that raised their hand when Taasha asked if there were any Neil Young fans in the crowd, seemed to approve.

Whilst her voice is so expressive, the one problem I had during the evening was watching Taasha’s facial expression. She is obviously moved by what she’s singing, but to my mind, it can seem insincere when you’re performing something quite serious with a smile on your face. Apart from that petty gripe, it was a really great evening and such a privilege to see a bunch of really accomplished musicians while they’re gradually getting some recognition for their work.