A Filey Americana event at Scarborough’s Crescent Lounge on 2nd October saw the return of Nathan Bell, supported by Malcolm MacWatt.
Returning headliner for Filey Americana, Nathan Bell, currently touring his latest record Democracy Blues, had The Crescent filled. Every seat in the room was taken, and the crowd buzzed with anticipation for a night of classic Americana in all its forms. Being part of the intimate setting, surrounded by fellow Americana fans, heightened the excitement. Some had seen Bell before, but most were new to his music, and thankfully, we were not let down.
Supporting Nathan was London-based Scottish artist Malcolm MacWatt. He explained that his set featured songs from his latest record, moving away from the darkness of his last album, Dark Harvest. “The world feels even more dark now than it did a year ago,” he said. “I just wanted to stay the hell away from my usual grimness and come up with stuff that makes me smile and other people smile and feel good.”
MacWatt leaned into American folk and country without falling into genre clichés. His Scottish heritage was woven deeply into the writing. Songs like Queens of Nitroglycerine, a tribute to the women who lived in Gretna working at the munitions factories making cordite during World War One, and Highland Gypsies, focusing on Scotland’s travelling communities, highlighted his storytelling alongside musical flourishes.
His penultimate song, the banjo-led Not Afraid to Meet Your Darkside, drifted into something more ethereal and darker without losing the lightness of the set. It perfectly set up the room for his jazzier, introspective closing number, Goodbye to London. The audience listened closely, responding warmly to each turn, applause swelling as he showcased the lighter, more playful side of his repertoire.
After a short break, Nathan Bell took the stage. With little preamble, he transported us to the American heartlands. Images of freight trains, long empty highways, small towns, and weary work songs filled the room. While his album features a full band, including Malcolm MacWatt, Bell explained that playing solo in intimate venues like The Crescent allowed him to better convey the stories and sounds his songs are meant to showcase.
Bell blends humour with sharp observations on life and politics in America. His music is rooted in blues and soul, but he moves effortlessly into bluegrass and cinematic spoken-word territory. Themes of inequality, exploitation, and destruction threaded through his set.
Humour ran throughout the evening. Before launching into New Cocaine Blues, he mused, “What gives young Republican men such unwarranted confidence?” before answering to laughter, “I realised, they’re just stupid!”
Further observations came during American Blues, a spoken-word jazz and blues number reflecting on the country’s flaws. The audience laughed, winced, and leaned in, caught up in the mix of levity and gravitas.
Bell’s storytelling was not just political. “I get put up with artists like Billy Bragg, but I don’t think I’m political. I think I’m more of a historian,” he said. Throughout the night, he offered glimpses of the human side of his work and life. Highway-inspired travel songs, reflections on work, fleeting moments on the road, and his tender song for his late dog revealed the softer undercurrent of his music. At times, the grit and atmosphere evoked Red Dead Redemption or a classic outlaw western, painting landscapes of isolation, struggle, and reflection.
He closed with a simple, blues-inspired Americana instrumental. It was a poignant but light ending to a night that balanced humour and humanity, showcasing the artistry of both performers, and leaving a lasting impression.
Check out upcoming Filey Americana events here
