Reviewed on 30th June 2004.

The Faith Healers

Live at Junction Inn (Otley) on Tuesday, 29th June 2004

Readers of the Leeds Music Scene website might be forgiven for thinking that I never watch bands anywhere other than The Junction in Otley. This assumption, I must say, would be entirely correct. But lets face it, where else can you see bands of the calibre of Chapel Allerton based The Faith Healers performing for free?

The Faith Healers would be the first to admit that they are not exactly in the first flush of youth, in fact most of them have been performing in various bands for more years than they care to remember; these years of experience have resulted in a band who are clearly comfortable with their music and each other. They describe themselves as alternative country, but are much more than that. They play a set comprising such delights as Route 66, played with a tip of the hat to Asleep At The Wheel, a beautiful version of Ry Cooder's Borderline as well as a variety of hard drinking country numbers which had the audience dancing on the tables, (metaphorically speaking of course).

If you want tight two, three and even four part harmonies, guitar playing of stunning brilliance, a drummer who can tease more expression out of a single snare drum than some I could mention could from an entire kit, all supported by fine rhythm guitar and mandolin, then I suggest strongly that you stop whatever you were thinking of doing and scour the country for their next engagement.

If you are disappointed then you really should be ashamed of yourselves.