Simon RushworthThe Outlaw Orchestra are midway through a UK tour with the joyous Gypsy Pistoleros. Rushonrock editor Simon Rushworth proves why Southampton’s answer to Lynyrd Skynyrd is the best live band you’ve yet to see…
Orchestral manoeuvres in the dark
Some band members stare awkwardly at one another, like square pegs in round holes (or aux ins in aux outs) – barely exchanging a word, let alone sharing a sense of instinctive joie de vivre. Chemistry, to them, is anathema. Thankfully, The Outlaw Orchestra is not one of those bands and never has been. Like three brothers from wildly different mothers, they’re the perfect fit. Sonically conjoined siblings, au natural. Sure, if the quirkiest of rock and roll characters didn’t belong together then they probably wouldn’t belong anywhere. But the point is, they found each other and, quite probably, just in the nick of time. It’s to the eternal benefit of live music fans everywhere.
For Pete’s sake
The poor bloke could barely get a word in edgeways during Rushonrock’s pre-gig interview (look out for that sometime soon) but that’s no problem for Pete Briley. He lets his music do the talking. Able to play just about anything with strings — even yoyos — his talent is beyond precocious. And those poses! Like a Paris catwalk model showing off the new season’s ‘middle aged eye candy’ collection, Briley stretches and struts his way to stealing just about every Outlaw Orchestra show. And the dextrous plucker manages to do so with a constantly cheeky twinkle in his eye. On this summer’s dates expect to see banjos, mandolins, a lap steel guitar and more as Briley creates an array of dreamy sounds his peers can only dream of.
La Familia and friends
Last year’s La Familia was The Outlaw Orchestra’s third long player. Yes, you read that right. Few fans ever expected the trio to make it past 2020’s Pantomime Villains. That the band somehow drained the creative well to come up with 11 more magnificently zany tunes is cause for serious celebration — and a good few are even deemed jaunty enough to make the current live set. Now frontman Dave Roux insists he isn’t a fan of La Familia’s fabulous opener Rotten Apples but Rushonrock feels he doth protest too much. It’s peak Outlaw Orchestra — marrying an infectious melody with inspired wordplay Willy Shakespeare himself would be proud of. Some may call the singalong live favourite low hanging fruit. Rushonrock prefers to call Rotten Apples mouthwatering genius.
Smith and Western
Ryan Smith is the glue that binds The Outlaw Orchestra together. Yup, it’s the exiled Newcastle United fan we have to thank for this crazy hybrid of outlaw country, Southern rock, Latin swagger and Vegas sass sounding so good, so often. Smith’s impeccable sense of humour — drier than an Alcoholics Anonymous away day — is only eclipsed by his unmatched sense of timing. Timing that, seemingly, often goes unnoticed by his rogue band mates. With no bass player, responsibility for The Outlaw Orchestra’s rhythm must weigh heavily on the shoulders of one of the NWOCR’s outstanding drummers. It doesn’t show. Smith hits the mark like his Toon hero Alexander Isak hits the back of the St James’ Park net — with an assured self-confidence that inspires his band mates on a nightly basis. A drummer’s drummer and a thoroughly decent bloke to boot.