Featuring the amazing slide guitar work of Dave Barnes and the powerhouse vocals of Meghan Parnell, who has been likened to Susan Tedeschi and Janice Joplin, Bywater Call, the electrifying seven-piece Southern Soul, Grit and Blues/Roots Rock sensation from Toronto, kicked off their eight-date UK tour at London's The Garage last Wednesday,

Special guest was Dan Patlansky LSS, the South African guitarist, who opened tonight's proceedings. A commanding presence, Patlansky’s uber fluent fret work showcased his love for Blues Rock as well as his use of the loop machine on a far too short set comprising 'Preaching Blues', 'Snake Oil City' and 'Madison Lane', but an all the same very enjoyable appetizer for the main musical course!

Headliner's Bywater Call are a terrific band, tonight blending Blues Rock, Country, ballads, Southern Soul and Jazz with verve and visuality. Meghan Parnell’s powerful vocals with raw overtones and smoother soulful undertones when required, coupled with her energy and enthusiasm to be on stage in the UK, meant for a mesmerising performance. While Dave Barnes’ driving dynamic and solo guitar playing more than held the crowd's attention.

Indeed, Barnes and Parnell made for an excellent duo within the band playing with and off each other. Where Bywater Call score over other bands in their genre, is with the additional horns of Stephen Dyte on trumpet and Julian Nalli on tenor sax. Their terrific Jazz infused playing, and harder edged arrangements in the musical mix, add more layers complexity and tonality to this septet’s set.

Also consisting of John Kervin on keyboards, Mike Meusel more than holding his own on bass, and Bruce McCarthy pacing it on drums, Bywater Call’s long set bounced superbly off the stage right smack into the audience’s ears and eyes! Indeed, it was a treat, and spanned all of the genres that encapsulate the band's DNA.

Highlights of which were 'As If', 'No One Else', 'Arizona', 'Left Behind', Ain’t No Friend of Mine', 'Sweet Maria' and 'Everybody Knows', all showing Bywater Call’s unique style, as well as 'Colours' and 'Holler', with the latter including a nod to Led Zeppelin's 'Kashmir'. Tonight, Bywater Call demonstrated that they are truly a tight collective band of colourful musicality and originality, who should be savoured and enjoyed, whether live or via their studio offerings, or preferably both!

Review, Video and Photos: Denise Lester