How has it taken me 20 years to get round to watching In Brugge? We watched it last weekend on a Saturday evening and enjoyed everything about it. If, like me, you’ve missed out, indulge yourself. It really is a great movie.
It was watching Colin Farrell in that film that reminded me of his rather more supportive role in Crazy Heart, one of many great films about country music which may have been the springboard to our long lost country movie club we used to have via the AC. In the film, Jeff Bridges plays a travelling singer songwriter who has clearly made a mark with his songs but whose life is slowly unravelling until it reaches a crisis point which impacts on the people he loves best.
There is something about the loneliness of the journeys, the motels and the gigs which rings true and also carries with it the romance of the road. Dismal and unforgiving as some of the scenes are, there is something alluring about the life of the troubadour which still whispers to you to come away and join the circus.
This all crossed my mind as I thought about this week’s AC special guest Michaela Anne. I first met her a few years back when she accompanied Sam Outlaw on tour and, as well as open for him, performed great harmony and second guitar on his own sets. Over lunch in Finnieston that time Michaela gave me an early CD or two and since that time we’ve followed her career with interest. Michaela epitomises the troubadour perfectly. Out on her own, thousands of miles from home, she is armed with a guitar and a repertoire of songs which will hook you in and probably make your life roll on a little better than before the show started. I admire solo artists so much because it is that vulnrability which makes their art so potent and so vital. On Wednesday this week she’ll bring these songs to the Hug and Pint in Glasgow, and there’s probably somewhere not far from your you can catch her too. Failing that you need to tune to this week’s Another Country where you will hear her play songs from her excellent current album, ‘Oh To Be That Free,’ as well as pick some fave country tracks of other artists. As ever it will be a special night with a very special guest.
Oh…but that’s not all. We have new records from Bella White, Roseanne Reid and Margo Cilker as well as some magic moments from Mavis Staples and Emmylou Harris. As ever it’s an 8 p.m. kick off on Tuesday evening on BBC Radio Scotland. You’ll find us there at that time and after on BBC Sounds too. Join me if you can.