R.Ring – The Cluny, Newcastle, UK, March 9th

R.Ring are on a whistle stop tour of Europe and with only a handful of UK gigs, I simply had to see the duo comprising of The Breeders Kelley Deal and Ampline’s Mike Montgomery – the tour is taking Kelley away from important rehearsals for The Breeders Last Splash tour, hence it’s briefness.

Lo-Fi & Low Key the Cluny is a great venue for R.Ring, intimate and cosy just like the music.

Recent single ‘Fallout & Fire’ is achingly lovely, Kelley’s beautiful voice soaring over guitars that are at once lulling AND abrasive.

With both Mike & Kelley being talented musicians it is obvious that R.Ring wouldn’t be all about lush ballads, and a duelling cover of Shellac’s ‘Ghosts’ genuinely rocks.

Other covers include both The Amps and Kelley Deal 6000 – WG photographer Phill does try to request ‘Cannonball’ without success – and requests for an encore are met by Kelley pleading “but we don’t HAVE any more songs!

What songs they do have resonate as they are delivered passionately and endearingly – Kelley takes her cardigan off half way through saying “costume change, just like Stevie Nicks!” and as Kelley tunes pedals we get Mike regaling us with his ‘stairway to heaven’ story before his lead vocal and guitar on ‘Steam’.

R.Ring do have enough material to make a stunning, varied album and tonight their setlist is studded with gems such as ‘Hundred Dollar Heat’, ‘See’ and my current favourite ‘Cutter’.
An album and longer tour next time please! 9.5/10
Jamie Gambino