Location: Vrba na Koroškem / Bluesiana Rock Cafe / Austria
Concert date: October 11, 2015
Attendance: 60
Ticket price: advance sale €30 / day of show €35 / Kelag members €25 / students €20
The second week of October brought Bluesiana a great mix of acts from across the pond. On Thursday we got to enjoy Ryan McGarvey, and by Saturday it was time for something a bit different: fewer confessional moments, but a whole lot more fun and games with Modern Earl.
Modern Earl formed in 2007 under the leadership of Christopher Earl, and they play the real deal: Nashville country rock. Over the years the band has gone through a few lineup changes in the rhythm section, but the driving force is still the same. And they’re going full steam ahead. They’ve put out 4 albums of their own and have been touring the world since day one. They’re regulars at European blues and country festivals, and they play smaller clubs with just as much love.
Modern Earl showed already at soundcheck that their playfulness doesn’t come at the cost of quality. Bluesiana is a small club, and even the tiniest details can affect how the sound carries through the room. Modern Earl have played there several times before, so balancing the instruments and volume gave them no real trouble. All the reins of the band are held by vocalist Christopher »Earl« Hudson, the founder and leader of the group.
The crowd trickled into Bluesiana slowly, and it soon became clear that Modern Earl wouldn’t fill the club either. It’s a shame that a club with such a varied and high-quality lineup can’t draw more concert lovers. Even the lesser-known names on the wider music scene deliver top-notch live music, and Bluesiana is known all around as a club that attracts truly great musicians, ones you can relive in a cozy, intimate atmosphere, as if you were enjoying a gig in your own living room.
Modern Earl took the stage a few minutes after nine. Despite the smaller crowd, the guys put on their show with the same ambition as if they were playing to a packed hall. Sir Christopher Earl, with his acoustic guitar and that raspy, velvety voice so typical of the country rock scene, got the audience moving and singing along. He was backed by a playful crew of musicians on stage: Ethan Schaffner on electric guitar, Ben Hunt on bass, and Dan Telander on drums. And the songs? As playful as the guys performing them. Fun. Now and then a bit personal and confessional, with a touch of tender lyricism that flips in the very next moment into a bouncy, upbeat romance with a cheeky twist. Just as a Southern country style should. The smiles never left the musicians’ faces for a second, and they poured all their energy into entertaining the crowd below the stage. It was great to watch a band having so much fun up there, bouncing around with the audience or enjoying themselves in their own way. But never at the expense of quality. Modern Earl’s stage mileage shows: they play a lot in Europe, especially in Germany, and no matter how wild things get on stage, they never lose their professionalism. Ethan and Ben often joined bandleader Christopher on vocals, and the vocal trio sounded truly harmonious. During the show Ethan swapped his electric guitar for a banjo or a steel guitar, and at those moments Christopher often grabbed the electric guitar. The variety of instruments brought a variety of musical styles with it. With their music, Modern Earl are always relevant for the young and the young at heart, and above all, their exuberance, warmth, and professionalism at the same time make sure nobody at the show gets bored. They like to stop by Bluesiana at least once a year, so if you’re after a great night of live music, do not miss them next time around.
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