LIVE: The Gibson Brothers @ The Cock ‘n Bull, Galway, 05/19/2022
Galway’s Cock ‘n Bull hosted the award-winning Gibson Brothers on Thursday, May 19th in the historic barn. Originally scheduled to play on the patio’s new stage, The Gibson Brothers were forced inside due to rain to the acoustically perfect listening room for bluegrass created by the barn.
Eric and Leigh Gibson are in fact truly brothers, with Leigh living locally in Glenville. Originally from Clinton County, the brothers told stories about growing up two miles from Canada in dairy country. Their twangy harmonies, quick plucking, and original lyrics sweetly juxtaposed the just-bitter-enough key lime pie and strawberry crumble served by the restaurant.
Through songs like “Railroad Line,” the duo sang about disappearing towns and ways of life. There was wisdom in the imagery created about times passing, and our current time passage too. From songs about love lost to watching children grow, the Gibson Brothers’ performance captured the audience’s full attention.
Leigh teased his brother terribly about an injury to his finger, noting now he knows how it is to play bass like Kermit the Frog. “You only have three fingers,” he smiled. Eric took it in stride, although was clearly in pain a few times as he performed through the injury. Eric even apologized for not playing to the quality he historically could do, offering the story of slicing his finger open when packing. Frankly, the music didn’t suffer at all, although this writer had empathy for the poor musician who pushed through the discomfort.
Favorite songs of the night included Gibson’s song about his daughter Annie, “They Called It Music,” and the aptly played “Barn Song.” The due closed with a cover of Jackson Browne’s hit “These Days,” which landed perfectly with the homemade chocolate chip cookies delivered to each table.
The Gibson Brothers have a new album coming out this summer that features Alison Krauss and also look forward to playing DelFest in Maryland later this month. Charming with his stories, cowboy yodels, and smooth as molasses voice, Leigh is a neighborhood boy who has made good with his brother, and they are worth traveling out to see and hear. Both stayed to chat with fans after the intimate set, making the evening at the Cock ‘n Bull a memorable one.
Photo Gallery by Jim Gilbert
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