To celebrate their new album, Mayfield, Rusty Shackle have been joined by their family, friends, and Cardiff locals in the Tramshed. From start to finish, I felt like I needed to be hoisted onto a pub bench with a stein of beer, linking arms with a fellow reveller: the atmosphere is contagious, filled with joy and laughter.
The six-piece gather onstage with lounge lampshades, carpets, banjos, violins and a Welsh flag. Giving us a blend of new album songs as well as their old classics, we’re also treated to a few covers. Dolly Parton’s Jolene comes a few days after her death, and the entire crowd sing along in tribute; Fatboy Slim’s Praise You, too, sounds great adapted to Rusty Shackle’s upbeat country tones.
The band are joined on stage by two guests. The first, John, is the dad of guitarist Alex McConnachie, gracing us with a harmonica and adding to that “I need a stein in my hand for this show” feeling. The other is Todd Campbell, producer of Mayfield and son of late Motörhead member Phil Campbell. There’s also a moment of silence for Andy, a friend of Rusty Shackle who passed away last week: in that spirit, may I use a moment in this review to think of Andy.
Crowd rapport abounds all evening, including an investigation into who’s travelled the furthest to see the band play. We hear mentions of Caldicot, Oxford and the Netherlands. This chimes nicely with their song Newport Rising – as a Cwmbran girl, I didn’t think anyone else other than Goldie Lookin Chain would have the gumption to put the city in a song.
Rusty Shackle end with one this packed audience knew well, 3am, and it goes down a treat – even if, looking around the crowd, I’m sceptical too many will have stayed out past midnight.
Rusty Shackle, Tramshed, Cardiff, Sat 29 Aug
words and photos CHLOE JACKSON-NOTT
