Gal Holiday and the Honk Tonk Revue: Boston Bound

Gal Holiday and The Honky Tonk Revue
Johnny D’s Uptown Restaurant and Music Club
17 Holland Street, Somerville, MA
Friday, August 7, 2015
7:30 PM

Saddle up, boys and girls, Gal Holiday and The Honky Tonk Revue are headed to town, Johnny Ds in Somerville to be exact. Vanessa Niemann, aka, Gal Holiday, and her tight band are a happy marriage between country, honky tonk, and rockabilly filtered through a genuine New Orleans sensibility. Long legged, sporting a punk rock hairdo, righteous colorful tattoo up and down her left arm and Lord knows where else, this woman can sing everything from Patsy Cline to Hank Williams' "You Win Again" (which she describes as a swamp pop song, does it Louisiana justice) to originals penned by Niemann.

Her band knows how to deliver crisp incisive licks then give the song back to Niemann who finishes it off in style. There is nothing formulaic in their shows, just music that harkens back to its roots and waters it with Niemann's sweet husky contralto that can croon, rock, vamp and swing. For dancers, Gal Holiday delivers music that satisfies every urge to waltz, swing or two step.

Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue playing at Gator By The Bay Zydeco, Blues and Crawfish Festival, San Diego, CA. May 10, 2015

Since breaking into the scene in 2008, this group has become one of the most popular bands in New Orleans. The band has the Big Easy Award (2008, 2009) and the Best of the Beat Award (2010). They’ve also placed third on the FAR Charts (Freeform American Roots Music) and top 100 on the AMA Charts (Americana Airplay, Americana Music Association). Their latest album “Last To Leave” has earned critical acclaim.

If you’re a music lover, you don’t want to miss this.

GAL HOLIDAY VIDEO 2 LOVESICK BLUES

GAL HOLIDAY AND THE HONKY TONK REVUE VIDEO "You Win Again"

GAL HOLIDAY VIDEO 1 "I'm Comin' Home"

Photos and videos by Paul A. Tamburello, Jr.

 

Comments

[Randy Rosenberg]

Love this lady. Ellen and I have seen her several times in NOLA and she is explosively high energy and a authentic crowd pleaser.

[Paul A. Tamburello, Jr. aka pt at large]

Thanks, Randy, in the midst of Satchmo Summerfest, Gal Holiday played a concert at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art either 2010 or 2011 on White Linen night and she and her Honky Tonk Revue were pretty damn good then. Thanks for your rave comment, sure to inspire some Yankees to fill Johnny Ds this week!

[Vanessa Niemann]

Thanks for the stellar review, Paul! See ya in MA!

[chris lee]

Great review and spot on Vanessa and the band made a big impression here in England earlier this year.

[Paul A. Tamburello, Jr. aka pt at large]

Wow,I didn't realize that Honky Tonk music had such a following in England...thanks for the comment.