Black Water County – Live At The Anarchy Brew Co.

Have you ever listened to or seen Black Water County?, well I have done both now, so let’s just say that if you want to be entertained and leave a gig feeling like you’re part of the party and a member of the family, then this is a band that will do all this and more for you.

Setting off on a rainy Friday evening in the camper van and heading for a car park within feet of the venue entrance, and it being a brewery non the less, was by definition just how the weekend should start.  All parked up, bed made ready to fall into after what was building to be a night to remember (little did I know how good), it was a hike and a half through a puddle and past some beer barrels and oh there is the entrance a total of 5 seconds away.  This is my first time at this fairly new venue, but Anarchy Brew Co are definitely not new to me though, an independent brewery that has just grown and grown in stature, in fact they’re fans now stretch all over the world, so this venture into having live music right there on site, feet away from the vats is just genius and definitely cool.

Bristols blues inspired Americana duo the True Strays are first up in this atmospheric venue, a double bass coupled with a guitar that goes from blues to bluegrass and throws you hints of Sea Sick Steve’s boogie too, the foot tappin is in full affect here, this is a duo that seem to feed off each other and give you a sense of being in a hot crowded bar somewhere near the Mississippi delta, I think the song that really summed this up and gave you a sense of how the whole experience was, would have to have been ‘Let Your Heart Lead The Way’ a journey that you follow regardless of where it takes you, but the end result is a pleasant and fulfilling one, their album bought and a few more Mexican lagers, we are now fully in the moment and ready for the headline.

Looking around the room and chatting to friends that have turned up, this is a family affair for sure, many of the Ferocious Dog Hellhounds are here, and a good mixture of punky folky types give you the idea of what is about to happen.  The band arrive on stage and the tour that has been celebrating the release of their third album ‘The Only Life Worth Living’ hits Newcastle’s Anarchy Brewery’s Tap Room with a bang, ‘Cruel State Of Mind’ sets us all up for what this band has are about to offer tonight, Celtic sounds mixed with punk energy, band members that throw themselves around like its the end of the world and we are gonna party like so!, Ollie beats the drums to a painful but happy death, Gavin strums and twangs the banjo with a love for life, Bradley plays punky guitar that soars, Tim slaps bass but also growls unapologetically with the the passion that this song deserves, then you have the whirling dervish that is vocalist Shannon, a force of nature both vocally and in presence. 

This is a tour that celebrates the new album, but what it also does, is it gives the band chance to bring their sense of family and friendship out on the road, the songs that adorn this album cover so many subjects, but as the title alludes to, its all about having “a life worth living” no matter what it throws at you.  To this end the entire room is now engulfed in this frame of mind, no corner is safe from the infectious energy of songs like ‘Before Things Get Worse’, ‘Darkest Days’, ‘Rise And Fall’ or the closer ‘One More Beer’, dancing on shoulders, singing at full voice, cheering until your voice gives out, and needles to say sweat pouring from places you no idea you could sweat from, and this was just in the first half.  

A night over and a head full of memories that will stay with you for a very long time, job done by Black Water County.

I head for my already made up bed, they head out to party, where they get the energy from I have no idea, but thankfully we all witnessed some of it and heard some amazing songs that will keep us happy for a very long time to come. 

Head on over to Black Water County’s website and be part of the family.

Anarchy Brew Co The Tap Room

For all photos of the night check out these links True Strays and Black Water County