LAUREL Canyon Union was formed in 2015 by Leeds drummer John Shepard.

Now with Laurie Reader, Simon Le Geyt and Ian Sweet on an impressive range of guitars and Rob Watkins on lead vocals (and acoustic guitar), they pay tribute to the music of the 60s and 70s.

Peace and love and the hippie generation are reborn in the work of the singer-songwriters and bands of Laurel Canyon, LA. Playing on Friday evening at the Playhouse were numbers by Stephen Stills (an example of how not to age, according to Rob), Todd Rundgren, Neil Young, the Eagles, Jackson Browne and Bob Dylan, among others.

A fusion of rock and country, the energy and the beat carried the audience, many of whom were clearly aficionados and knew all the words. The rousing last number saw the band joined by Nick Hall for Nick Lowe’s 1974 Peace, Love and Understanding, to rapturous applause. Nick Hall was alone on stage for the first half of the evening. He is a regular on the local music scene, early on with his brother Duncan (the Hall Brothers) and now, fully professional with his singing-songwriting and life partner Michelle Plum as Plumhall. Far younger than the Woodstock generation, Nick’s work covers similar themes and a range of topics. The courage of South Atlantic explorers, the various refugee crises, fracking and nuclear power all featured, along with more personal subjects like depression in a family member. Nick’s vocal range and guitar playing matched the subject-matter and created atmosphere apparently effortlessly. His polished patter – like that of Rob Watkins of Laurel Canyon Union, was highly entertaining. All the performers seemed to be having a thoroughly good time, as did the audience.

Judith Dunn

You can see Laurel Canyon Union on YouTube and their Facebook page. Plumhall’s début CD, Thundercloud, was hailed as one of the Guardian and Observer’s Hidden Gems of 2014. With good reason: it showcases their sensitive writing and the seductive blend of their voices. A new CD is due out shortly. plumhall.co.uk