Larkin Poe - Step it up! in Bristol

***3/4

Sisters doiing it for themselves in Bristol 

Larkin Poe *** 3/4 are two sisters from Nashville in the good ol US of A and these girls have been to Bristol quite a few times before. A sign of their recent success is the change in venue size, back in 2019 they played the four hundred and fifty capacity Fleece whereas tonight it is the one thousand six hundred capacity o2 Academy. Not completely Sold Out!!!, luckily this place is overpacked when Sold Out!!!... but probably the perfect number in here to make it comfortable and probably only a few hundred off said Sell Out!!!.

Now sell out is something you can never accuse Larkin Poe of musically, having crafted their Blues Rock sound, into most recent album ‘Blood Harmony’ which probably makes up around half of the setlist tonight. Including opening number ‘Strike Gold’, with the stage bathed in pink, though I don’t think this was related to the recent Barbie summer. The energy is clear from the off with Megan on guitar and her sister Rebecca on slide guitar taking centre stage.

They promise to “blow the roof off” and they are certainly giving a fair go, with ‘Kick the Blues’ and ‘Summertime Sunset’ giving you a real mix of the southern blues and old school rock and roll sounds these girls have to offer. Next up was ‘Jessica’ which to us UK audiences is basically the Top Gear theme tune, unaware if they knew that though. I’m not a guitar player but could really appreciate the skill they possess with their instruments.

Apparently, they have been touring for 18 years and despite the apparent scepticism of a French reviewer still genuinely like each other. But to be honest unless you are some cynical Frenchman, this is clear just by looking at them on stage, it’s clear they love what they do. Why wouldn’t you when you can do it well and keep a room full of people captivated. To celebrate the women rocking it for themselves they play ‘She's a self made Man’.

A nice touch was the acoustic section too with stripped back versions of ‘Might as well be Me’ and ‘Southern Comfort’ which toasts looking forward to getting home after the tour. All of this is done in the middle of the stage with an acoustic mic, this section is ended with a bit of a sing along of ‘Crocodile Rock’. Not that it is not clear from the start but the quieter section also really highlights just the strength of their vocals too.

The big stage really suits them too as they use the whole width of it running and up and down, sliding along it and showing what Rock 'n' Roll stars they really are. The set ends with ‘Bolt cutters and the family Name’ before the encore of ‘Deep stays Down’. The only thing that is worrying me about their upsurge in popularity is we are running out of venues much bigger in Bristol, a good incentive to get that arena built if ever there was one to keep Larkin Poe visiting.

Review and Photos by Jon Cooper

Larkin Poe - Setlist
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Strike Gold
Kick the Blues
Summertime Sunset
Jessica (The Allman Brothers Band Cover)
Georgia off my Mind
Preachin' Blues (Son House Cover)
She's a self made Man
Back down South
Blue ridge Mountains
Might as wel be Me (Acoustic)
Southern Comfort (Acoustic)
Crocodile Rock (Elton John Cover)
Rumble (Link Wray and his Raymen Cover)
Holy ghost Fire
Bad Spell
Wanted Woman - AC/DC
Bolt cutters and the family Name
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Deep stays Down

Check Out! 'Southern Comfort' Below...