Hush Money / Tom Killner - Bannerman’s Edinburgh 16th May 2024

Hush Money from Georgia, USA were actually playing their first ever show in the UK. They are a new name to most over here but their performance provided further proof of the depth of extraordinary talent that must exist in the southern states that lurks just outside of our range. Their sound initially took a few folks by surprise. Frontman Seth Weaver definitely has the outlaw country look but it became clear from their excellent first number ‘Over and Over’ that this band do not conform to the retro-southern boogie band stereotype, but rather they play heavier, more modern rock music with a distinct southern tinge and an alternative twist.

Everyone loves a singing drummer, right? You can add Seth’s brother Greg Weaver to an illustrious list as he pulls double duty on ‘You’re Gone’, a really melodic gem enhanced by tight harmonies and even tighter playing, including some mighty fine slide guitar. Vocals are a strong point in the band and it turns out they are actually a triple-threat on that front as lead guitarist Caleb Logan lends his fine baritone voice to some of the more countryfied tunes like ‘Tied Down’, which was a real highlight. Caleb also fires off some really great guitar licks throughout and when Seth joins in for some twin lead work, the band really get cooking.

The odd man out who doesn’t sing is bass player Nathaniel Newberry. He’s a cousin of the Weaver boys which I suppose continues that family tradition we know from bands like Black Stone Cherry and Skynyrd. The boys in the band all embody that Southern gentlemanly charm and when chatting after the show, they confirmed that Nathaniel doesn’t get to sing live because his voice really is “awful”, but they’ve got that covered anyway and he does lay down some most savoury and melodic bass lines which underpins a clearly well-drilled and road-tested line-up.

A very impressive set gets a bit more Southern as it goes on. The bulk of the songs come from their 2022 album ‘Industry Standard’, including their You Tube hit ‘Still Around’ but they also dip further back in the catalogue for ‘Bourbon Street Queen’ which was very well received by the Edinburgh public.

There is a long tradition of American acts breaking first and bigger over here, going all the way back to Jimi Hendrix and including bands like Twisted Sister, Blackfoot and Robert Jon & the Wreck. Hush Money should be commended for having the balls to invest in their trip over here and they are very worthy of your attention and support. They will not disappoint.

Hush Money also have an excellent current single with a fine video in ‘Think Back to Mama’ which you can check out here. Think Back to Mama - Hush Money (2024 Single) (youtube.com) Tom Killner was the better-known name on the bill for some of the locals who have seen him before and were familiar with his previous albums. Tonight, his set was largely drawn from the new album ‘Borrowed Time’ which was released in April 2024.

If anything, Tom seems even more American than his American friends and co-stars. He looks the part with long hair, mutton chops and hat, and tunes like ‘Devil’s Gate’ and ‘Do Something About It’, with its Billy Powell-esque piano tinkling from Wes Brook, add to the overall effect. Its only when he talks between the songs that the spell breaks and you appreciate his proper Yorkshire heritage.

Tom handles all the guitars and vocals himself and he even breaks out the harmonica to great effect for ‘One Day at a Time’, while ‘No More’ strikes a real groove, almost like Charlie Daniels playing ‘Sultans of Swing’ at some points and the band kick up a very fine noise indeed, featuring regulars Rich Hunter on drums and Callum Houghton on bass.

The songs cover a wide range of blues-infused Americana and Southern influences. Tom is particularly chuffed that Joe Bonamassa has picked up his song ‘Ride with Me’ for his ‘Cutting Edge Blues’ playlist on Spotify but for me, the highlight of the set was the mini-epic ‘Heart of Gold’ that really ticked all the boxes with some particularly fine guitar playing.

You can see why these two bands have been paired together as they have some similarities and common features, yet both bring something different to the table. As a package, this was a very fine and reasonably priced night of great-value entertainment, which certainly whetted the appetite for digging into both bands’ back catalogues at the merch table.

You can catch Hush Money and Tom Killner on the Southall Lawless Stage at Call of the Wild Festival on Sunday 26th May, with further warm-up shows at Nottingham and Sheffield over the two days before that.