Lindi Ortega, Cluny, Newcastle
- Written by Lee Hammond
As a very slow January draws to a close, the music machines begin to kick back in to action. Tonight is the turn of Canada’s leading country starlet Lindi Ortega, accompanied by fellow countryman Jordan Klassen, and the venue is packed as Klassen takes to the stage. His genial manner showing through immediately, he’s full of kind words about the local area and it is fully appreciated by the crowd.
Klassen is packed with stories and the accompanying tracks are powerful. New track ‘Baby Moses’ sounds incredible and despite his soft-spoken manner he has real grit to his tone, which really shines through in ‘Firing Squad’, which closes his set, it is all over far too quick though; Klassen has truly shined tonight.
As Lindi Ortega takes to the stage the mood in the room changes completely, the male-heavy crowd packs in close. Ortega takes to the stage in high spirits, graciously greeting the crowd before launching into opener ‘Run-Down Neighbourhood’. Sauntering around the stage one cannot deny the crowd's enthusiasm has piqued, her heartfelt country ballads providing the backing track to their gazing.
Title track from her latest album Faded Gloryville, goes down a storm with the crowd. There’s a lot of pain and a lot of anguish conveyed in these tracks, Ortega goes to some very dark places in her set. ‘Lived And Died Alone’ is particularly heartfelt, though despite these darker numbers there are some lighter moments in the set.
These are few and far between however; the tub-thumping rhythm of ‘Run Amuck’ is such a moment. The pounding drums and bright guitars providing an uplifting backing-track yet the lyrics still cut through, with tales of an absent “daddy” who has a love for alcohol, coffee and cocaine.
Her delicate cover of ‘Bang Bang’ by Nina Simone, does nothing to abate the anguish displayed in the set. The passion, which she conveys, the hurt and upset is unnerving. All of this is compounded by the closing track which is a cover of the Bee Gees ‘To Love Somebody’, again with Ortega’s own spin she takes the song down a very dour and sombre route.
Despite Lindi Ortega’s chipper mood her songs, particularly those from her latest album display the much darker side of country music. Even in spite of the crowd’s enthusiasm, there is a sinister undercurrent to the set that explodes from the harsh lyrics.
Her set is beautifully delivered though, it’s conveyed with great passion and even if some of the crowd were sidetracked by other elements, we were enamoured by her words.