Larkin Poe kick off their Bloom tour of the UK and Europe in rip roaring fashion fashion. Support comes from the equally stellar Son Little.
SON LITTLE
Son Little stands as one of the most distinctive modern voices in soul and blues. There is grit and grace in equal measure, every phrase delivered with disarming honesty. Each song unfolds with quiet confidence, a measured intensity that reveals new textures on every listen.
As he takes the stage to a muted applause, he sets off to take the crowd on a warming journey with selections pulled from across the discography.
Configured as a trio, with Son front and centre, the sound they create live is lush. The bass and keys from DeShawn Alexander are deep and Steve McKie’s drums are tight. Son Little adds chords from the guitar, as well as some very neat solos. Through endearing interaction with the crowd, he builds an early rapport with plenty of love coming from the audience. The call and response vocals he initiates is reciprocated warmly meaning that there is nothing muted about the reception they get as they stride of proudly, job done.
LARKIN POE
Hailing from the deep South, sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell have carved out a commanding presence under the name Larkin Poe. They move with the assured swagger of blues-rock veterans even though their story remains rooted in youthful audacity and a shared musical past. Their sound radiates southern heat and slide-steel fire while their harmonies lock like old souls that have walked dusty highways together. There is a confident edge to their songwriting, a sense that these two know the lineage they embrace and the ground they’re breaking.
GEORGIA DOES IT THE BEST…
Bounding onstage a mite after 9pm, Larkin Poe’s backing band take their positions. The Lovell sisters emerge wide eyed with beaming smiles for their adoring masses.
Immediately, the duo enchant with their slick playing and energy onstage in Nowhere Fast. The driving beat is just the tonic for kicking things into gear. It’s a song that feels like a calling card setting down a marker for what is to come. Sometimes, you go to shows and there is a slow burn. None of that with Larkin Poe; the good vibes flow immediately and the atmosphere in the room is a pleasure to be a part of. Megan Lovell’s searing electric solo could take the paint off the walls and Rebecca Lovell’s impassioned vocals act as a war cry for a guaranteed good time.
BLOOM
An opening quartet of songs from 2025’s Bloom make up the start of the set. Mockingbird showcases the Lovell’s beautiful harmonies and melodies and Bluephoria soars. Easy Love Pt. 1 is a spritely rock and roll number that has Rebecca wearing her heart on her sleeve. The song is a love song about her relationship with Tyler Bryant. It’s a lovely song, and the joy is splashed over her face as she proudly sings.
Bad Spell rolls in all thunder and bluster. From 2022’s Blood Harmony, it is a marked moment where the Lovell’s turn the volume up. The crowd claps along with the mid-section of the song with the energy moving up a notch. The energy is relentless as Summertime Sunset is Rebecca introduces the song as, ‘A little southern rock and roll.’ Her voice shows a stunning range, as well having the chance to lay down a solo herself. When the band break it down there is a little solo for the keys, as well as Megan bringing the fire too.
BLUEGRASS
For all the bombast of their electric sound, Larkin Poe take it back to their earliest bluegrass roots with the band all joining together around one microphone. Rebecca Lovell asks for quiet and requests the crowd join them on a journey in the most traditional bluegrass way.
In a week where Larkin Poe release their acoustic/stripped back EP of songs from Bloom, this section fits the aesthetic perfectly. Through the use of upright bass, acoustic guitar, mandolin and simple percussion, the hush they create is in stark contrast to the fireworks they can set off. As Southern Comfort reaches its conclusion, the ovation is rapturous. There are a few ‘Sssh’s’ from the crowd towards people who continue blathering as the group deliver Little Bit.
Megan Lovell passionately introduces Mad As A Hatter. It is as a song that has started many conversations for the band and fans alike around mental health. Having been around for around two decades, it is a song that has grown with the crowd and band alike. It is a poignant moment that is a real showstopper.
THE DEVILS MUSIC
Devil Music closes the bluegrass section. There are references to the greats like Led Zeppelin with their stairway, AC/DC with their highway and Ozzy Osbourne with his locomotives. The chorus moves to a knee slapping, foot stomping tempo. Then, the girls move back to their electric instruments for a crushing rendition of Sabbath’s War Pigs. It moves the set back to full power with a nod to the dearly departed Prince Of Darkness.
From here on in, it is a complete riot. The Lovell’s shimmy and sway around the stage backed by the incredibly tight band behind them. They are afforded time to extend solos and effortlessly jam. If God Is A Woman has Rebecca again showing her dynamic vocal range, and when Bolt Cutters & The Family Name arrives, it is truly incendiary. The thumping kick beat and massive power chords have Manchester in raptures and in the palm of the Lovell’s talented hands. A one song encore of Bloom Again soars as it reaches its climax with more glorious smiles from all and sundry, with the stage bursting in glorious technicolour.
A STUNNING LIVE ACT
Larkin Poe are a stunning live act. They can shift gears momentarily with perfection. Over the years, they have evolved their sound, whilst always remaining true to their roots. It goes to show that hard graft, great craftsmanship, and a hard rocking ethic can deliver in spades. The warmth they create between all quarters in the live arena is to be cherished. If you get chance to see Larkin Poe on this tour, do not hesitate.
You can view all the forthcoming tour dates, here.
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Categories: Live Reviews
Saw them on their first UK tour as teenagers doing acoustic folk songs. They have come a long way!
They sure have come on. Cropredy 2012 was when I first saw them. They were tremendous then, but a cut above now.
Same for me. I was watching the BBC coverage of Cropredy 2012, ‘Whispering’ Bob Harris introduced them. They only showed the one song, which was ‘Mad as a Hatter’ but I was hooked. First saw them live the following year at Wigan Parish Church, and on every UK tour since then.
Cheers for the comment Alan; yes, it was some year at Cropredy that year. I remember their performance very clearly. I seem to remember them covering Massive Attack’s Teardrop which was really cool.
First discovered them in 2022, couldn’t see them in 2023 at Albert Hall as I was sick.Thrilled to see them at the Academy, I’m 73 years old and been listening to great music since the Beatles in 1962. Larkin Poe are the best group I have heard for years. Hope to see them again.