Reviewed: Mo Kenney & Support, Old Hairdressers

I confess, despite being a semi-regular at The Old Hairdressers over the last few months, I had no idea it put on live music. And while I’m at it, I must confess prior ignorance of one of Nova Scotia’s most promising young talents, Mo Kenney, so the evening was somewhat of a revelation on two counts.

If you haven’t been down to the Old Hairdressers before, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d stepped into the place mid-renovation. The very walls peel and creak and the unfinished plasterwork at first can steal a few glances. Coupled with a comparatively small bar space, the winding staircase and gallery bring together a strange melody of the draughty and the cosy. It took more than a few seconds to realise the gig wasn’t taking place in the main hall, and several Hogwarts-esque staircase switches later I found myself upstairs in the venue.

I say venue - It’s certainly one of odder set-ups I’ve experienced in my time. If not for the chairs and a few Christmas lights I’d have thought I’d stumbled into a 1970s bohemian squat. A squat in the most charming of ways I should add!

Again, a large square room with large sections of wall boarded up and rough, sawdust ridden wooden floors - no-one can really argue the design choices of the place aren’t unique. I’m sure many might feel the place is perhaps better suited to the fedora and corduroy alleys of the West End but, for my part, I felt the whole set-up was modest and warm, and expertly suited to the pace and vibe of the evening.

I arrived just as Laura Beth Salter was sparking up – youth and talent were the staples of the evening, and Laura was certainly no exception. The next half hour passed in a sort of lazy dream, with the stripped back combination of electric mandolin and vocals serving to engage and wash over the mixed crowd in consistent waves.

The minimal set-up did mean that any false move in the crowd would echo around the room, so pinched breath and still voices at this point were a must. Laura played mainly a series of covers from traditional folk to more rock and blues interpretations and overall was an excellent start to the evening. I would love to see her in a bigger band environment (I understand she plays in folk band ‘The Shee’ back home in England) as her voice could certainly carry the weight of a larger ensemble, but even as a more subtle experience, she’s certainly worth your time.

Up next – Rachel Sermanni, and a rather surprising second sighting of her in a few weeks for me. She previously provided some backing vocals for Colin Macleod at St. Andrews in the Square during Celtic Connections, so it was a real surprise and a treat to catch her flying solo. Returning to the more traditional guitar and vocals set up I realised just how underused she had been the previous time I’d seen her.

Rachel’s voice was certainly one of the highlights of the evening. Another output of the Scottish highlands’ music scene, her style and twang manages to set her apart from many of the others. ‘Dear Granvil’ was of particularly note, as it gave Rachel the chance to inject some of her humour and personality that she clearly tries to tie to her words. The solid consonants and back-flipping vowels were enticing, but the modest 2:33 track length did leave me a little perturbed – I wanted more! At only 22, her output has been fairly prolific and is certainly one to look out for in the coming years. Before she yielded the floor however, we were treated to some delightful backing from headliner Mo Kenney, showing the clear bonds and musical resonance that had formed between the travelling artists.

As I ninja’d around the room throughout the evening trying to get a few decent photos, I had little time to move between artists or songs – something I’m forever grateful for at smaller gigs, as long waiting times between bands can be a pain. Mo Kenney took to the stage a short 5 minutes after Rachel, and won the crowd in the first 10 seconds. The Nova-Scotian singer-songwriter certainly has a presence beyond her stature, and despite her long tour far from home, it was clear she was here to entertain, interact and enjoy sharing her music.

As expected, the majority of Mo’s catalogue is melancholic and at times brief, but she wasn’t afraid to invite the audience into her process, her context and her world with each and every tune. It’s clear that life experience has outpaced her years in many ways, which is reflected in her song-writing and demeanour.

‘Déjà vu’ is one to look out for. Again, Mo is an artist that can apply in an array of live environments, and this track is one I’d love to see with some backing. Nevertheless she knocked it out the park. Her allure and sense of humour came through perhaps most readily during her (repeated) attempts at playing ‘The Happy Song’. Introduced to the crowd with the prospect of an audience led whistle solo at the bridge, it was too much for Mo who burst into laughter 30 seconds in. Thankfully, the second attempt a little later in the evening went off with participation, laughter, and lack of a hitch. A great piece of unique audience interaction.

The evening was wrapped up with another fine collaboration between Mo and Rachel, and left a little bounce in the step of most as they left. The show really was a great example of an artist’s ability to turn often dour and despondent subject matter into something relatable and heart-warming. Certainly one to watch, ‘New-Scotland’s’ Canadian troubadour will hopefully be back round these parts in the near future.

You can get hold of Mo Kenney’s eponymous debut album on her website. You can also find out more about Rachel Sermanni here and Laura Beth Salter here.