Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
Perhaps the comparison should be noted between Cara Dillon and the subject of one of her songs which ended up as both a hit for Disney but also the bane of her young daughter’s life. Not for the fairy-like appeal but in the delicate nature of her voice that has the consistency of refreshing spring water running playfully down the hills of her native Northern Ireland and the image of thousand Cabbage White Butterflies let loose on the wings of a delicate breeze.
It is a comparison that is conjured up with exquisite force and beautifully delivered allusion as Cara Dillon makes her way through her extremely appreciated set at the Epstein Theatre in Liverpool on the first night of her latest tour.
The tease of the Irish beauty that resides in Ms. Dillon’s voice is matched with the towering timbre of the band’s instruments as she takes the audience on a journey that is both spiritual and arguably full of Gaelic charm, the mystical feel of a voice capturing the hearts with tenderness is not lost upon the audience.
The band, including her husband Sam Lakeman on guitar and the exceptional Luke Daniels placing their musical knowledge into the mix, flowed with the same sense of the supernatural and soft appeal as Ms. Dillon’s voice and on songs such as Jacket So Blue, Garden Valley, the exceptional Bright Morning Star, Come Flying With Me and the tremendous adaptation of the song made famous by Nina Simone and true Appalachian Folk history, Black Is The Colour, the songs exemplified their worth and allowed for the feeling of connection between the natural and the nurtured. Like a new born baby being rocked gently to sleep by a caring mother and the sound of a gentle breeze catching on the wooden crib, the audience at the Epstein Theatre were given the chance to relish in the mellow, peaceful tones of a woman with passion and joy in her voice.
This was a stunning debut by Cara Dillon at the Epstein Theatre, a home which will she surely will be welcome time and time again.
Ian D. Hall