In ancient Chaldean Numerology the number 29 signifies uncertainty, unexpected danger and deception by the opposite sex and the 29th Letham Nights musical extravaganza definitely lived up to the premonitions of this Babylonian metaphysical art!
First on stage was the David Latto Band, making a welcome return to Letham, and with their gentle harmonies and well crafted songs, they lulled the packed hall into a false sense of security as to what was to unfold in the second half of the night with Miss Quincy & the Showdown. But more of that anon.
As soon as the Fife based duo stepped on to the stage we were swept across the Atlantic on the bourbon-flavoured airs from this acoustic duo. I was reaching for my corn-cob pipe and rocking on my porch to their country/bluegrass ballads and tales of lonely nights, unrequited love and hard luck. David Latto and Gavin Brady are conclusive evidence that Fife is a seed bed of high quality music and that songwriting skills are not just the preserve of King Creosote or James Yorkston. Their sparse, rustic and dark lyrics and tunes such as ‘Black Horse’ and ‘Wronged’ could have come straight from the quill of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. The boys mixed songs from their recently released debut album with new ones like the lively ‘Running Out of Road’ and the slower ‘Every Now and Then’ with those signature spine-tingling harmonies. Yes, this Fife duo are well worth crossing the country to hear and you should catch ‘em if you can.
So on to the second half – remember that number – danger and deception? Well it’s on stage now. Picture Delilah with a guitar and you’ve met Miss Quincy – with a red rose tattoo on one shoulder girl and bagful of attitude on the other. Shari Rae was riding shotgun with her double bass and a head of hair that even Samson would have been proud of. And like Samson and Delilah they brought the house down on our heads when they launched into ‘Dirty Sunday’ to open the set. Guitar licks interspersing a song of latent, lush menace, and you know you’ve met a girl that your ‘mamma wont approve’ – but I sure do! This is a serious talent – going from blues to rockabilly to folk to country. This is an entertainer – in every sense of the word – who sure ‘aint foolin’, transforming the stage to a frontier honky-tonk with Miss Quincy out there in front, telling stories with wit, repartee and style. Is this Canada’s answer to Imelda May or a latter day Susi Quattro? I don’t think so. This is something more and in 10 years time we can say: WE WERE THERE when Miss Quincy played for us in Letham.
Miss Quincy is one sassy, accomplished songwriter with a great turn of phrase which she punctuates with guitar riffs of real attitude and a voice that is multi-layered, from the honey of a Norah Jones in ‘Going Down’ to raw seduction in ‘I Want Some Sugar In My Bowl’. The power of Missy Q vocals was ably enhanced by Shari’s harmonisations and the tight rhythms of Joy on the drums who brought a sense of discipline to the proceedings. They had the ‘whole room hot’ as they sang ‘Silent Movie.’ The evening came to an apt conclusion with a rendition of that Cole Porter classic ‘My Heart Belongs to Daddy’ that a certain Miss Monroe would herself have been proud.
Canada has given us Joni Mitchell, KD Lang, Feist and Alanis Morisette. Well, to that roll of honour we add another worthy name – Miss Q – Letham Nights’ heart belongs to you!!
And if you missed out on the night we strongly recommend you buy her albums here
Review by Ron Montgomery
