Hangover Hill Presents Live & Unheard, Lighthouse, Poole – 21st February 2025
With a resurgence in Country music at the moment escalating around the world, the team at Hangover Hill thought it was only right to dedicate a Live & Unheard night to the genre. There is also a brand new American-themed coffee shop, diner and bar called Honky Tonk Collective in Hamworthy just opened. They dedicate their live music programme to Grass Roots Country music artists. The genre’s upturn is truly remarkable and as with most genres you find sub-genres and different styles emerging. The three acts performing tonight all fall under the same ‘Country’ banner but couldn’t be more different with some interesting eclectic styles on offer.
Tonight we share the Lighthouse with Soap/Musical/Pop Star Jason Donovan who is performing upstairs in the main hall, while we are in the wonderfully acoustic Sheiling Studio. The event is once again blessed with some of the Lighthouse’s best technicians with Toyah on sound and Sam on lighting.
The first act of the evening features award winning global artist Helena Mace who has performed at this event before, however this evening she introduces us to her band “RumSoaked”. The quartet feature Helena on lead vocals/acoustic guitar, her husband Grant on cajon/percussion/backing vocals along with Dave HC on bass/backing vocals and Ian Price on electric guitar. Plenty of Country songs feature tales of heartbreak and the band kick off with a tune called “Breakin’ Up Ain’t Easy”. The four musicians appear really comfortable in eachother’s company and all bring some wonderous musical talent to each song. Helena is without doubt a fighter and she appears at her strongest when her back’s against the wall. With seven albums under her belt; she is a considerably talented artist in all areas who creates some amazing music, defying all the odds and curveballs thrown at her.
With some beautiful harmonies and some additional harmonica from our host Si Genaro, we are treated to “Shifting Sands” – along with a beautifully descriptive, picture-painting tune called “Save it For Another Day”. Helena has recently been to Texas and was bestowed with yet another award – Trio Of The Year at Texas Sounds International Country Music Awards in 2024. With songs like the hard-hitting “Rescue Me” about getting out of a rut you are stuck in and an impressive solo effort of “Just Remember”, the band transfix the audience with a fantastic performance, clearly setting the benchmark high for the evening ahead.
The second act is the cowboy boots, bootcut jeans & Stetson wearing Josh Beer, who looks and sounds very American but is in fact from just over county line of North Devon. When he first addresses the audience you would fully expect him to have a Louisiana twang to his accent, his singing voice differs from the way he speaks. Josh is performing along with his band that features Dale on Bass and Joe on drums.
Opening with “Country Boy” Josh plays the more traditional style of Country music that features slide guitars and addition pedal steel sounds. He certainly knows his way around his six-string geetar and produces some infectious riffs on tunes like “Ghost Town” and his recent single, the beautifully atmospheric “Sundown”. “Runaway Train” with its rail-track rhythms shows influences from the likes of Johnny Cash and Creedence Clearwater Revival. Josh Beer has been making a name for himself within the wider British and International Country music scenes.
His previous background working as a session guitarist on TV shows including X-Factor and BBC Breakfast helped him get experience in a varied background in music styles. Tonight’s set is full of highlights including a couple of covers from his Country music peers, along with some finely orchestrated original material. Josh and the band provide some fine entertainment for tonight’s discerning audience who provide plenty of support as the trio leave the stage after a triumphant debut here.
Another award winning artist who has picked up accolades including UK Country Artist Of The Year, UK Country Male Vocalist Of The Year, ISSA Male Vocalist Of The Year and ISSA Entertainer Of The Year is our final act Danny McMahon. Danny arrives on stage with his 3-piece band who promptly kick off with opening number “Parachute”. Once again there is quite a different variation to the Country theme with a more modern Pop influences and one that appeals to a whole new generation of fans. The band inject plenty of energy and enthusiasm and get the all-seated crowd whipped up by a host of tunes featuring acoustic and electric guitars, combined with some significantly infectious rhythms.
Danny’s songwriting has a way of emotively pricking your conscience with tunes like “Boys Cry Too” and “When I see You” (dedicated to Danny’s Late Grandmother) taking hold of some clearly relatable subject matters. “Honky Tonk Girl” is about a trip to Nashville and the continuously catchy “Best Worst Habit” gets the audience singing and clapping along. The band in these intimate settings show this audience what they are capable of, with their engaging stage presence and strong focus on audience connection. With his awards along with a great armoury of songs, Danny is surely poised to step onto larger stages entertaining larger audiences in the not too distant future.
Set Lists
Danny McMahon
Parachute
Better Like That
Boys Cry Too
Honky Tonk Girl
Back Roads
My Kinda City
When I See You
Love Letter From New York
I Had Some Help
The Other Side
Forget About That
Lonely
Like Something I Do
Best Worst Habit
It Don’t Work
Josh Beer
Country Boy
Ghost Town
Runaway Train
One More Kiss Goodnight
Sundown
Pick Up Man (Joe Diffie Cover)
Days Like These
Should’ve Been a Cowboy (Toby Keith)
Any Place With You
What Was I Thinking
Rumsoaked
Breakin’ Up Ain’t Easy
Loose End
Shifting Sands – Featuring Si Genaro
Save it For Another Day
Rescue Me
See You in a While
Just Remember (solo)
Hometown
If We Have Time
Videos
Links
https://www.dannymcmahon.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/joshbeermusic
https://www.facebook.com/RumSoakedBand
Next Months Hangover Hill presents “Live & Unheard’ features Rose Maris, Lucy Kitchen & Jake Puntis. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/event/live-and-unheard-march-2025/
Article compiled by David Chinery
Pictures by Lynn Frances Photography
