Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – The Apollo, Manchester – Vicar Street, Dublin – Wednesday 22nd October 2025 and Saturday 25th October 2025.

VICAR STREET, DUBLIN

Fans of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings have waited a long time for this – the duo’s first tour this side of the Atlantic for 14 years. The anticipation in the crowd at Vicar St in Dublin for the opening night was tangible as the pair took to the stage with just a couple of mics and acoustic guitars – minimalist to the point of austere. But you don’t need flashy stage lights and a big band to hold an audience raptured, as they quickly proved. Even introducing the songs was deemed surplus to requirements.

How David Rawlings gets that sound out of his classic 1930s guitar is a mystery; it is the essence of bluegrass but at the same time feels like he is soloing from start to finish. Meanwhile Gillian’s voice weaves the stories of the songs in a way which captivates.

WOODLAND

Joined on many songs by double bass player Paul Kowert, the pair ripped through a career-spanning set including tracks from both singer’s (notionally at least) solo work as well as the more recent, and more honestly credited, duo. Last year’s Woodland album featured heavily, as you would expect, and it’s always good to see an album some 30 years into a artist’s career stand up solidly alongside classics from the early days.

Having said that, highlights – inevitably – did come from those post-breakthrough albums from the early 2000s – Wrecking Ball, The Way It Goes, Red Clay Halo, Wayside/Back In Time and the encores Look at Miss Ohio and a glorious extended Revelator which I could have listened to for hours. And of course the last encore was saved for I’ll Fly Away whose duet with Alison Krauss on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack introduced Gillian to a wider audience.

Let’s hope it’s not another 14 years before they return.

THE O2 APOLLO, MANCHESTER

SO to the O2 Apollo, as recommended by “Cambridge’s own Gillian Welch & David Rawlings” (thanks The Guardian) Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage. Also highly rated by members of the ATB squad (“giants of their field – Brum Irish Centre in 2002 one of the best shows I’ve ever been to“) one of whom has already added his educated words, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings in our local theatre becomes a must, to see what the fuss is about..

Plenty agreed. With a packed house ready to whoop and holler and generally show their enthusiasm at any given moment. Gillian quickly refers to the expanse of the Apollo in contrast to the, already noted, two mics, a stool a black cloth covered table and regularization rug. She notes how: “You could stack a lot of hay in here.” Oh – and there’s a banjo. “Some people got a secret love of the banjo,” adds Gillian. “You wouldn’t know to look at them…” You guess that any banjo enthusiasts, indeed anyone at all in the audience aren’t going to need the reminders plastered around the stall to please not stand on the furniture…

PURE NASHVILLE

The evening is pure Nashville. Could there be anything more Country that a tote bag on the merch stand (queues leading up the stairs towards the circle) declaring ‘Howdy Howdy’ (as in the song – one delivered with less of the sprightly life the banjo often offers and more of a mournful poignancy). Except maybe Gillian’s long flowing dress and David’s cowboy duds; (could have been) buckskin jacket, jeans and boots. If you saw them walking down Market Street you’d make an educated guess they were country musicians.

The ovation and voluminous welcome begins as soon as they set foot on the stage. “It’s good to see you too!” Gillian deadpans as they head into a gentle warm up of I Want To Sing That Rock And Roll. Check the Youtube channels for a more fresh faced duo doing the same.

INTIMATE WARMTH

A couple of sets, a couple of encores and even the massively partisan crowd couldn’t have complained about satisfaction or value for money. Taking almost every opportunity to applaud a Rawlings guitar break from the singular vintage guitar he slings all evening, pressed into his hip , neck waving around as he launches into one after another, trademark solos. Cumberland Gap gets the award for set one highlight to these untrained ears and hopefully, we’re on the right page. Meanwhile, and having already highlighted Revelator, The Way It Goes has both the honour of the pre-encore finale and a reminder of the see-saw switchback ride through the emotions and ultimately, intimate warmth, which the duo have provided this evening.

It’s a night too of making introductions for Rawlings & Welch virgins (ahem…) alongside those for whom the first few notes of the majority of the songs, invokes spontaneous applause – the equivalent of Blackmore cranking out the Smoke On The Water riff, or Jimmy Page teasing the opening of Stairway. An evening also of making connections – Red Clay Halo offers a clue to the name of Emily Barker’s erstwhile backing band and for a finale, they slowly ease into what becomes a full on of psychedelia’s very own signature song, White Rabbit. David’s grin as the opening line takes hold is almost worth the ticket price alone.

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings online: Website / Instagram / X

Keep up with At The Barrier: Facebook / X (formerly Twitter) / Instagram / Spotify / YouTube