Review: EMMYLOU HARRIS, Emirates Arena

Opening the European leg of her farewell tour, Emmylou Harris performed in Glasgow as part of the Celtic Connections festival. As well as bringing us country music royalty, Celtic Collections has brought us the  first fully seated concert in the Emirates Arena in Glasgow.

The support for the evening came from Jim Lauderdale, who brought a blend of country music, bluegrass, and gospel songs. The festival is so well-programmed that support acts are always excellent, and the audience tends to arrive early doors rather than just coming in for the headline act. 

Performing for almost two hours, Emmylou Harris had the audience in the palm of her hand from the second she took to the stage. Harris’ career spans over 50 years, so there’s always a risk of not hearing your favourite song but the setlist is beautifully curated and features “Boulder to Birmingham”, “Born To Run” and All The Roadrunning”. 

Emmylou Harris has one of the most distinctive voices in country and her crystal clear vocals are as wonderful as they’ve ever been. While it isn’t her first time in Glasgow (she mentions between songs her visits to The Apollo) this somehow still feels like a once-in-a-lifetime kind of show for country music fans. 

The Emirates Arena is a brilliant venue and it's great to see it used in this way as the sound is fantastic. It’s a big space (3,500 capacity), but the layout and acoustics give it the feel of a much more intimate room. 

Despite the packed setlist, Emmylou Harris still managed to cram in a good bit of storytelling between songs. It feels like she’s worked with almost everyone in the music industry, and this gives a great insight into her career. She’s naturally at ease on stage and commands the room well, as you never hear anyone’s voice but hers throughout the set.

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