Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O'Donovan show

[mandotim1955]

Hi all. I went to see the 'I'm With Her' tour in Biddulph, UK on Thursday. Quite a coup to get these three musicians in the Town Hall of a small mining town in the UK, and the evening was a privilege and a pleasure. The instrumental virtuosity is a given, but what really struck me was the quality of the material and the beauty of the vocals. Somebody in the band is very good at harmony arrangements, and the sound of three different, but very compatible voices was just blissful. The three each took a couple of solo songs, and I was surprised by Sara Watkins. In the early years of Nickel Creek I didn't like her voice at all; breathy and fragile. What a difference; she chose to sing what amounted to a field holler, with just a fiddle accompaniment. There was depth, passion and a real 'growl' to her voice. Aoife O'Donovan surprised me too; a much better guitar player than I had realised, and a fantastic singer. Sarah Jarosz played four instruments in the first five songs, and the duets on fiddle and mandolin when playing some storming fiddle tunes were superb. The final touch was the encores; first an unaccompanied gospel tune, then stepping out in front of the mics to play without amplification for the closer. A really magical evening, one of the best gigs I've seen for a long time.

[onassis]

*sigh* I'm jealous. I've been on a number of Sarah/Aoife based youtube benders in the last few months, and I'm itching to see them. Their harmony is pretty incredible.

[Emmett Marshall]

*sigh* I'm jealous. I've been on a number of Sarah/Aoife based youtube benders in the last few months, and I'm itching to see them. Their harmony is pretty incredible.

I'm hoping Aoife does another solo CD soon. "Fossils" was awesome.

[BradKlein]

Love those gals!!!

[UsuallyPickin]

I certainly hope they stop in to the US for some gigs. I'd definitely like to see them....... R/

[lenf12]

That's my all time favorite John Hiatt tune from the album of the same name (plenty of mandolin content). These young women sing it beautifully. They're all great talents.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[Rob_Aitch]

Was at the concert last night, fantastic evening in an equally fantastic venue, lovely old church/chapel in north London provided a magical atmosphere, the girls were on fire, awesome harmonies and playing. If you get the chance to go and see them in a town near you - do!
Oh and John Paul Jones came on for a couple of songs one backing vocals and one playing the guitar

[JeffD]

Aoife was with Chris Thile on the Goat Rodeo CD, if memory serves. Wonderful stuff.

[jefflester]

Was at the concert last night, fantastic evening in an equally fantastic venue, lovely old church/chapel in north London provided a magical atmosphere, the girls were on fire, awesome harmonies and playing. If you get the chance to go and see them in a town near you - do!
Oh and John Paul Jones came on for a couple of songs one backing vocals and one playing the guitar

Looks like an octave mando (or zouk) to me.

[Patrick Melly]

John Paul Jones is #35 on the Sunday Times Rich List of the UK's richest musicians.... but playing
onstage with Sara, Aoife, and Sarah? Priceless.

http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/whats-on/...st-who-9126070

[BradKlein]

It looks like Sarah's octave mandolin made by Fletcher Brock in the video above.

[Sweetpea44]

I would love to see them play. I saw Aoife when she came locally in January. Great show. I hope all three come to my neck of the woods at some point.

[keithb]

It looks like Sarah's octave mandolin made by Fletcher Brock in the video above.

Agreed.

[Francis J]

Saw them at the Kilkenny Roots festival last night. Great show, really really excellent. Three great ambassadors for American music.