THE CADILLAC THREE | LIVE REVIEW
Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union, Sun 12 Nov
There were a few cowboy hats and boots spotted around the Student Union on Sunday evening as Tennessee rockers The Cadillac Three kicked off their UK tour. Country fans united for a night of pure dirty Southern rock.
Along for the tour on support duties were rising country duo TJ and John, aka the Brothers Osborne. Fresh off the back of two recent Country Music Association Awards, for Vocal Duo Of The Year and Music Video Of The Year, these two have been making waves within the country genre and pulled in a crowd early for this tour-opening gig. A set full of songs from their debut album Pawn Shop include Down Home, Rum, Greener Pastures and standout It Ain’t My Fault.
The Cadillac Three made their way to the stage to Dick Dale’s Pulp Fiction-soundtracking Misirlou. Rifling through openers Hank & Jesus, Demolition Man and Peace Love & Dixie, the Nashville three-piece rattle out their trademark country rock sound, following up with favourites Tennessee Mojo and American Slang. Toes are tapping, heads are nodding and beers held in the air in appreciation.
Having already smashed out a number of new tunes off new album Legacy, the trio let rip with other newcomers Tennessee, Take Me To The Bottom and catchy Dang If We Didn’t. Running Red Lights gives a poignant outlook on being on the road, away from family, while the out-and-out redneck rock of I’m Southern raises the roof. White Lightning garners a mass singalong before an encore of The South echoes the lyrics “This is where I was born, this is where I’ll die”: a fitting ending to a great show.
It’s not often you put the support on a par with the main act, but in this case I’d say that show openers Brothers Osborne have a bright future. Tied together with The Cadillac Three’s continued success and a third studio album in the bag, I’d say the future of Southern country rock is in good hands.
words OWEN SCOURFIELD