Review | The Hooten Hallers at the Edge of The Wedge: 'The sell out crowd hangs on every note'

At that point the band from Columbia, Missouri were unknown to me – indeed it was their debut trip to these shores – but I was blown away by the intensity of this sax, guitar and drums trio and wanted to see more…

I finally got the chance to see them headline their own show at The Edge and – spoiler alert – it was well worth the wait. Originally a duo of lead vocalist and guitarist John Randall and drummer Andy Rehms, it was Kellie Everett bringing her saxophone into the mix in 2014 which proved to be the missing piece to their rock/roots/jazz gumbo they didn’t know they needed.

Now a well-drilled machine in the classic power-trio mould, they return to the UK to plug their new album, Back To Business. As such, all three are fully capable of commanding the spotlight – Randall plays either five-string (yep, five) lap steel or electric guitar, Everett’s baritone sax fills the lower end, while Rehm holds down the rhythmic fort with aplomb while providing backing vocals in a falsetto which are a stark but complimentary contrast to the frontman’s.

Randall’s voice has a fantastic raspy quality that sounds like he gargles nails with a sandpaper chaser as he delivers their tall tales with yelps, growls and singing. The songs touch on a wide range of subjects from religion to the joy of the occasional spliff, their lack of love for their local police (Leave Me Alone) and a tribute to ‘the most powerful vegetable’ in the instrumental Garlic Storm (if you discount the frequent whoops and yes, hollers).

Comin' Down the Mountain is a killer song – evoking careering downwards at speed with some frantic slide playing from Randall. Everett and Rehm also get their chance to sing lead, and the sax-player’s Even The Blues Get The Blues is an effective way to bring the heat down a notch.

There’s some neat stagecraft too from Randall and Everett in their fun choreographed manoeuvres.

The sell out crowd at The Edge hangs on every note and clearly wants more. Let’s hope they’re back soon to deliver more of their heady musical brew.