The Long Ryders
Sunday 16 October 2026
Papillon, Southampton
There are several features around tonight’s gig to mention.
Firstly, it was a bit of a bonus gig – it had crossed my mind earlier in the week that it was a possibility, but the decision to actually go was only made going into the weekend, and the ticket purchased the night before!
Secondly, I have been to two previous gigs in Southampton, and both are amongst the worst I have ever been too; the Smashing Pumpkins (supported by a then unknown Verve) one in 1993, was not the band’s fault to be fair – the venue (the Guildhall) had absolutely dreadful acoustics for a loud rock show; the other was the now infamous Lemonheads gig at the 1865 a couple of years back – an absolute car crash of a show (actually, more like a slow-motion motorway pile-up).
So, what would attempt number three bring?
The venue, Papillon, is a lovely, if nondescript ex-church that is a restaurant for the most part – this led to high expectations that the acoustics would at least be decent. And so here we were, several hundred, let's be honest, older folk (a lot of grey beards present) waiting.
First up was a set from Portsmouth country singer Kate Harding, with thirty minutes of mostly peppy, upbeat honky-tonk country – a pleasant enough distraction as we waited for the main event.
I’ll be honest, while I may have known the name The Long Ryders for a while, I have only really been listening to them for a few months after researching an article on the Paisley Underground of early 80s California.
To set the scene, the band formed in California in the early 80s – brought up on the country rock of the late 60s (think CCR, the Byrds, Gram Parsons etc), a bit of 50s rock n roll, and more recently to then, a healthy dose of the punk scene that was still humming at the time (a bit like the late, great Joe Ely who mixed his Texan outlaw country with The Clash). They formed the heart of California's Paisley Underground scene, with others like Dream Syndicate and Green On Red.
First thing of interest, as they take to the stage – having come on to a combo of Woody’s This Land Is Your Land and Know Your Rights by The Clash – they are using two drummers for this gig (they have a friend guesting, living the dream of being like the Allman Brothers). This always seems a danger to me, if they can’t find their rhythm together, but thankfully that is not an issue tonight.
We open with Run Dusty Run from their first album, Native Sons, and from there they rattle through a series of tunes that are so full of energy, and feel so comfortably familiar (even though I have only really been listening a few months). Maybe it is because those influences I mentioned are hardly hidden beneath the surface, and maybe that after 45 years, the three original members (Greg Sowders, Stephen McCarthy and Sid Griffin) along with recent mainstay (and Old 97s) Murry Hammond filling in on bass for the late Tom Stevens, are as tight as the proverbial drum.
There are a fair few smattering of tunes from the most recent album, High Noon Hymns, including the great, extremely politically barbed Stand A Little Further In The Fire, while (How How How) Do You Wanna Be Loved? and Ramona both fairly roar by.
But the first real standout treat comes with 1985s Mason-Dixon Line, given ever more punch with the dual drums and the way that McCarthy’s frantic arpeggios layer with Griffin’s hefty use of feedback to bring a weird sense of psychedelic and euphoric energy.
Ivory Tower, another from their debut, has the full Byrds feel to it, which is no doubt why Gene Clark had lent his vocals to the original. Bear In The Wood was a song Stevens had written and sung, so it was fitting that Hammond took the lead for that. Another favourite from State of the Union, Capturing The Flag, goes down rather well, as does the effervescent stomp of I Had A Dream.
With the band intros, we find out that the second drummer is Simon Hancock, who has played with the likes of Geno Washington. Then, the promised special guest for the evening is on stage, and it’s Jon House, actor, musician and star of Wilko, the stage musical based on the career of Wilko Johnson and Dr Feelgood. He recreates his role as the enigmatic lead singer of that band, Lee Brilleaux, for two fantastic attacks on their repertoire; with Going Back Home and then their take on that rock n roll staple Route 66 – both including some fantastic harmonica playing.
Mason-Dixon Line (it's a fan video from a few days earlier, but gives a good idea)
This is also a good time to mention how good the repartee and bonhomie from Griffin is – taking any small technical issues (too dim to see his fretboard etc) in his stride with a smile and a raft of great one liners, like his thanks to so many of the crowd for making the effort “to dye your hair grey to show solidarity with us”.
As we head towards the end, we get the yearning, driving Greenville from 2019s comeback record, Psychedelic Country Soul; then a blast of punk-country boogie, courtesy of State Of My Union, followed by Lights Of Downtown, a beautifully raucous piece of Americana. It is here where I can really hear the musical family tree heading forward - echoes of what Uncle Tupelo would be doing five or so years later, becoming the pioneers of Alt-Country, but perhaps, in fact, it started a little earlier with the Long Ryders (and Green On Red).
The set ends and they are barely off the stage before they come back on again. We get a lively re-telling of their version of Dylan's Forever Young, complete with Griffin switching to mandolin ("don't ask me what type it is" he quips). And that sets us up nicely for the finale, which is, of course, Looking For Lewis & Clark - the ultimate crowd pleasing country-punk anthem, leaving everyone to head home into the chill, damp Southampton air exceedingly happy.
Griffin had told us earlier, to a chorus of comical, pantomime boos, that there probably wouldn't be any more recorded work from the band (blamed on age) - but there will hopefully be more tours. Mark my words, if they are ever back down your way, go and see them. It was one of the easiest live listening experiences I have had, and I don't mean that in a derogatory way, I mean that the music was so joyous and engaging, I could have easily listened for another few hours.
Setlist:
Run Dusty Run
(Sweet) Mental Revenge
(How How How) How Do You Wanna Be Loved?
Ramona
Stand A LIttle Further In The Fire
Mason-Dixon Line
Ivory Tower
Four Winters Away
I Want You Bad
Bear In The Woods
Down To The Well
Capturing The Flag
I Had A Dream
Going Back Home
Route 66
Greenville
State Of My Union
Lights Of Downtown
Forever Young
Looking For Lewis and Clark
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