'Around Sunderland/Newcastle, it starts getting rowdy': blues star Joanne Shaw Taylor on her North East show

At the end of this month, critically acclaimed British blues singer-songwriter and guitarist Joanne Shaw Taylor performs five regional concerts across the UK in celebration of her latest studio album ‘Black & Gold’.

The 40-year-old star, as well as her incredible band, are heading to Sunderland for a show at The Fire Station on Thursdsday, January 28, and tickets are still available to purchase here.

Before Jo’s arrival in Sunderland - in fact before her arrival in the UK!- the now American based star sat down for a video call with us so see what she had to say about the show next...

Your Black and Gold tour is starting in just over a week so how are you feeling about that?

“Really excited. We did a massive tour from like August through ‘til end of November and then had like Christmas off, which has been lovely, but it's like, I'm ready to get back out now. And particularly, kicking things off in the UK is always nice, because obviously I get to come home, and so I'm going to come home next week and have a few days with my dad, and then, yeah, I’m really, really pleased that we're starting the new year in the UK.”

Can you describe what the tour will be like?

“Oh, Lord. Well, as usual, a huge amount of obnoxiously loud guitar playing, played by yours truly. But no, we're kind of focusing on the new album, ‘Black and Gold’, and I've sort of, jokingly said ‘and the greatest hits from the previous nine albums’ because I don't know how else to describe it when you've got that many albums to choose from. But yeah, as usual, just very passionate guitar playing, singer-songwriting, stories about the songs, and hopefully just a really positive and nice evening for everybody.”

You mentioned this tour is off the back of that new album so are you happy with the reception it received?

“I really am. It's been really well received by the fans. I don't know if I was surprised by that, but it was the 10th studio album and I had it in my head that I just wanted to wrap up that decade of recording, and plus, I was turning 40, and particularly as a woman, with every kind of transition, I think you get more comfortable in yourself and start reflecting. So it was kind of an album that I did just for myself, really, to kind of be able to move into the next decade. I didn't want to take anything emotionally with me into the next decade that I hadn't written about and then also it was like ‘well, I've never really done this kind of song so let's do it’ you know? So I didn't know how that would go down with fans and they seem to have really, really embraced it, which, once again, I think just goes to show how lovely and supportive they are. They always seem to be in my corner so yeah, it's been really positive.”

If you will be performing songs from your greatest hits, are there certain songs that hit best?

“Yeah, I think there is. It’s so hard to tell because there's some songs that do tend to hit better because they're like the big guitar anthems. There's some songs that are the big vocal pieces, but I think, generally speaking, it's the ones that I've been very honest and open about what they were written about that always seem to be the big ones, whether that was like my mom passing away, or other things you go through. I think that kind of human connection really is what it’ always about but, yeah, it's hard to tell to be honest, I think as long as I'm having fun, you can make other people have fun. So if it's like a song I'm not particularly into, I don't think it goes over well with the audience. Whereas, if it's one I'm like really looking forward to singing then it translates, if that makes sense.”

How are you feeling about your visit to Sunderland?

“That’s also another one I was really happy to see on the tour diary. I mean, that's been a stop of mine since I was quite a young kid, you know, 15 I started gigging. And then, of course, my old mentor, Dave Stewart, is from Sunderland. So it's kind of a… nostalgic gig for me. So yeah, we're looking forward to that. Hopefully we get a bit of time off there because it's always a fun city to dip around. But yeah, very much looking forward to it.

What sort of things do you like getting up to when you're in Sunderland?

“Um, what do we do last time? I think we went for a curry. It's nothing particularly exciting, but particularly on the road, you know, you tend not to use your days off for too much. But yeah, last time, we just had a really good walk around and, yeah, ended up getting some Indian food, which is good part of the world for that, actually. But yeah, it's always fun times there.”

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Can you remember what audiences are like in Sunderland?

“Yes, the further up north you get, the more passionate, shall we say, they get. So yeah, that's another reason. It's always around the Sunderland/Newcastle area, it starts getting pretty rowdy, and then, you know, you get to Glasgow, and it gets to a different level. So, yeah, I always kind of enjoy seeing that rise. It's fun.”

You mentioned Dave Stewart there, he did discover you when you were 16, so could you have imagined 25 years on, that you'd still be selling out venues across the world, not just the UK?

“It is a bit pinch me sometimes. I don't know what I imagined. I mean, because I was just so determined. You know, I always joke that if I had to do it as an adult, I'd have never have done it. I think when you're that young, you know, I'm 13 and you say ‘I'm gonna live in America and be a blues guitarist, and it seems ridiculous now, but you're so young, nothing bad's happened to you, that you just think you can do whatever. You know, everything's possible. So, yeah, I don't know. I think that 13 year old probably would have thought it, but I can't believe it some days. But more importantly, I just can't believe how fortunate I've been, the amount of lovely people I've met doing this. You know, what an interesting life. Whether that's talking to you today, or Dave or the friends I've made along the way, it's just been, a really, really lovely way to live life- stressful sometimes, a lot of work, but it's been lovely.”

As an American resident, returning to the UK for your tour, are there going to be certain things you can’t usually do at home that you’ll be excited to do here?

“I mean, the two countries are so much more similar than you think…It sounds sad, but the main thing for me always comes down to food, because I think that's a thing we've grown up with, you know, getting together for a Sunday roast or a proper pint of Guinness. I think it's those little things sometimes that I miss the most. Because it's so easy to stay in connection with people due to Zoom and FaceTime, I feel like I see my dad and my friends all the time. So yeah, I think British cuisine, I'm probably the first person who's ever said in the history of the world that they miss British food but there you go!”

And why should people come to your Black and Gold tour?

“Well, because, as I said before, it's going to be just a really intimate, lovely, fun evening that I think they will very much enjoy!”

Is there anything as well, after these shows, that you want fans to know about?

“We've got some new music coming, there may be some news about that pretty soon, but, yeah, other than that, just really looking forward to the tour, and as always, very, very thankful for the support from all the lovely people who keep supporting me.”