Twenty three year old Scottish folk musician Rachel Sermanni and American folk/blues artist Tom Terrell have just completed the Irish leg of their 2015 tour. They are due to perform at a number of venues in Great Britain, including Oxford, Cambridge and London. On February 14th, Valentines Day, Sermanni played alongside Tom Terrell in Whelan’s on Wexford Street.
The room was full of couples and singletons alike. Sermanni’s distinctive, soulful voice was arguably the prime draw for those at the venue but both singers showed clear stage presence, joking with the audience and sharing anecdotes between songs. Sermanni’s ‘Song for a Fox’ was particularly popular in Whelan’s and ‘Breathe Easy’ and ‘Eggshells’ are well worth listening to on her page www.rachesermanni.net.
Tom Terrell’s music is influenced by Country, Blues, Bluegrass and Folk and his style seems more mature than his tender age. Look for ‘Ghost Town’ on his website tomterrell.ca/music/. Sermanni is an acoustic guitarist and Terrell plays both the guitar and harmonica. Sermanni is building a following through playing numerous festivals and Terrell plays with the band Modern Grass. The gig began over an hour after doors opened but when it began there was no talk in the room, just total respect for the singers. Sermanni and Terrell were ably supported by contempoary/traditional Irish group Moxie.