The Nashville-based artist, Belles, took on her Songs & Stories Tour at New York City’s Oldest Rock Club, The Bitter End, on May. 9. The Bitter End came to life as bartenders bustled around taking orders, drinks and cups were filled, and the noise grew down as Johnny Gates served as the opener for the night. He greeted the stage with his brown acoustic guitar and white cowboy hat, telling a story about his ex-girlfriend with a “hearing problem” who didn’t want to break up, he started playing. “Would you stop loving me.” he sang with raspiness in his voice, the crowd wooed. “Bumph Bumph Bumph,” Gates imitated the sound of a guitar, he joked “the budget’s tight.” The crowd laughed. Gates followed up with “My Condition,” a song about how his big mouth gets him into trouble. He ended his setlist with “Loretta Lynn,” a song that he made when he wasn’t considered country “enough,” by his previous record label.
At 8:55 p.m., Belles took to the stage with her brown cowgirl boots, strumming on her black acoustic guitar and started with “Best Westerner.” She was accompanied by her brother Drew, on a cajon with a kick pedal and Kyle on steel guitar. Belles followed up with a giddy announcement that she is currently working on her new album, she sang the unreleased song, “I Think You Like My Boyfriend A Little Too Much," based on a true story. The song had a small instrumental break where the shaker and strumming from the guitar made you want to groove along. As Kyle switched from being on the steel guiatr to the acoustic guitar because “it’s the one song Kyle can play that I can’t.” Belles sang her favorite love song, "Porcelain,” from her EP, “Belles.” Her hands outlined and dictated her soft vocals, “he reins my wild heart and wild horses in.” One of the more melancholy songs of the night was “Ring On The Table." A song that took her two years to write, inspired by a family member and with hopes it could help someone out. The heavy atmosphere was broken with laughter as Belles accidentally sang the wrong verse. Throughout the night the crowd was attentive, cheerful, and knew when to hit their cues.
The setlist continued with “Choose Me Then,” “"Man Out of Me,” "He Gave Me A Ring,” “Keep You From Her.” The songs had a more acoustic spin since Drew and Kyle stepped back. Belles called Johnny Gates to join her on stage, the pair sang the first song they ever made together, “Broken in Boots.” This song changed her life because she was able to sign to the label, East Music Row Records. The duo continued with, “Buster Be Cheatin’,” “Everything But Over You,” and “Crazy.” Kyle and Drew joined back for those. The more upbeat songs of the night were, “Disco Rodeo,” as she instructed the crowd to woo three times like a Broadway girl in Nashville and “Son of Jolene.”
- Ethan Del Rosario De Regino
Photos Courtesy of Rachel Ombok (For Bell Music Magazine)
