Jim Taylor paid a visit to Scarborough’s Old Parcels Office for a delivery of evocative Americana on 1st April, 2025.

I arrived slightly after doors opened and was pleasantly surprised with the buzz. This was a well attended gig, especially for a Tuesday night. The Old Parcels Office (or OPO) as a venue is particularly suited to this kind of stripped back show with an unfussy presentation keeping the focus on the stage, and this set up leans towards a mellow, inviting and chilled experience. The front of house sound was excellent, great job Bob.

Blair Hogan absolutely nailed his sideman job, with vocal harmonies, guitar licks, immaculate tone and solos used to support or elevate the moments they were needed. A foot tambourine was occasionally used in conjunction with Lynne’s stomp box, adding a beat to fill out the more driving songs. Quite simply, Blair is the kind of musician that makes other musicians want to practice.

Lynne Hanson’s voice is that enticing blend of pure and raw that stops people talking. There are more than a few hints of a hard life, giving extra weight to the emotional punches wrapped up in Lynne’s lyrics. All of this is accompanied with a warm enveloping guitar style, always supporting the lyric, whether she plays fingerstyle or strummed. This is a masterclass in controlled passion, where the audience is treated to an authentic performance. This was definitely NOT phoned in.

Together, their playing is confident, appropriate and always serving the song. There is real experience there on the stage, knowing when to give the audience what they want and when to give the audience what they need. Lynne and Blair relaxed into the set, allowing themselves to show a wider selection of vibes and delivering more challenging material throughout the evening.

Lynne’s songs are a combination of storytelling interspersed with great lines. She has the ability to remind you of a moment in your life with her words about her life. “Evokes your own memories” was how one audience member described it to me.

With 10 albums running the gamut of country, blues, singer/ songwriter, murder ballads, etc, you can hear the development of an artist across her years. Each era seems to have its own focal point (amount/style of lyrics, complexity of the arrangement, etc) while remaining coherently hers.  I would like to hear a set of these songs with a full band in a dive bar some day. It’s almost a shame the Americana label is attached (perfect as it is) as these are just great songs, played well, and I can’t help but wonder how many people don’t turn up because of what they ‘think’ Americana is. More fool them, if so.

Links: Follow Lynne Hanson

This event was organised by Filey Americana, providing gigs in various venues around the Yorkshire Coast; tickets and info for future events can be found here, including their gigs as part of Filey Folk Festival at the Evron Centre and events for Filey Literature Festival.