THE Kennedys were having such a good time that by a few songs into their second set they were thinking about moving to Glasgow.
If they moved to Jordanhill they'd no doubt find a willing audience for their cheery, friendly musical presentations in a residency here at the local bowling and tennis club, although the couple, Maura and Pete, don't tend to stay around anywhere for much more than two years.
Currently based in New York, where they're extending their 20-year career together between tours with Nanci Griffith, they had the air of Greenwich Village folkies as well as – their previous domicile – Austin country rockers as they presented original songs and cover versions, all of diverse providence.
Their own material can juxtapose bossa nova with Patsy Cline-style country ballads and their interpretative tastes range from Bob Dylan, Buddy Holly, Nick Lowe, the Beatles, the Byrds and U2 to an enthusiastically delivered traditional British ballad in the blood-stained Matty Groves.
This eclecticism isn't always matched with mastery and songs such as Dylan's A Hard Rain became a rather uncomfortably strident litany, but the more wistful When I Go, from the too-soon- gone Dave Carter, found Maura especially in a softer, more persuasive light.
Pete's contribution, beyond heartfelt, lived in vocal harmonies, extended to some particularly smart guitar picking, including lots of bright cascading false harmonics, and an accomplished ukulele version of Rhapsody in Blue that proved hugely popular before the couple got into a guitar-necks-raised take on Not Fade Away and ended with one of their best songs of the night, a gospel song that cleverly serves all religions and none.
HHH
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