For fans of Ghost Light, we all know that Raina Mullen has the ability to be an amazing solo performer. For several years we've seen her shine in Ghost Light, but I had not had an opportunity to see her rock it out solo. She delivered a kick butt solo set opening for Mikaela Davis on March 2, 2023 at Milkboy in Philadelphia. 

Milkboy is a smaller shotgun style layout with the stage and floor upfront and the bar and soundboard in the back. It has a capacity of two hundred, and on this night, it was pretty well packed. 

The set was a short scorcher of about 45 minutes and 10 songs. Raina played seven of the Ghost Light songs she wrote from the album The Healing along with three new songs never performed live.

The set started shortly after 8pm with a fast paced Take Some Time. One thing I could tell immediately was Raina’s nice guitar work which may get lost for the listener when Ghost Light is playing and Tom Hamilton is shredding.

Next came Dig a Hole—a real jam live with Ghost Light became a stellar ballad in Raina’s hands punctuated by her pitch perfect wail of “What keeps you safe may also keep you down”. 

The audience was next treated to Weighted which was the first time played live. Weighted, written during the dark days of the pandemic in 2020, was still a pleasant listen with Mullen’s ethereal lyrics and top-notch song writing ability. I am always amazed at how good song writers like Mullen can consistently write catchy new songs.

The fourth song of the set was Faces in the Moon, another Ghost Light tune. Fans were treated to the story of how Mullen wrote the lyrics by looking up old poems that referenced the moon and the descriptive language used. Next up was Diamond Eyes which is always fan favorite when played with Ghost Light and this time proved no different. “Another day to prove you're happy, Another day to make you proud, Another day to battle darkness” – gets me every time. Don’t let the lyrics fool ya if you haven’t heard it, Diamond Eyes rocks.

The rest of the show got even better in my opinion with Raina singing The Healing (normally sung by Hamilton during Ghost Light shows). When a songwriter sings their own songs even if more famous by another artist you can feel the energy of their effort and this was true with The Healing. 

After The Healing, came my favorite of the night, a spicy little rock song that Raina released via Tik Tok earlier this year titled All That’s Left is the Song. I personally had that Tik Tok version on repeat so was very excited to hear it live. Mullen switched up from the acoustic to rock out on the electric guitar for the song as well. If the reader watches only one song from the night it should be this one. Try not to get goosebumps listening to it.

Run Me Over was only played previously at some Ghost Light sound checks so it was new to fans. Run Me Over is a fantastic tune which is slightly melancholic and carried by Mullen’s voice. I could have closed my eyes and seen her singing at the Newport Folk Festival. 

The finale was the Ghost Light standard Don’t Say Goodnight Just Yet. Originally released by Raina on her YouTube channel in the summer of 2020, the song morphed into a catchy rock song with a funky bass line when debuted at the Peach festival in 2021 with Ghost Light. This version was closer to the original with that perfect extra oomph you get with Raina live on stage.

After that we all had to cool off and refresh to settle in for Mikaela Davis. A great night indeed.

Raina Mullen, Milkboy, Philadelphia 3/2/23:

Take Some Time

Dig a Hole

Weighted*

Faces In The Moon

Diamond Eyes

The Healing

All That’s Left is the Song*

Run Me Over*

Don’t Say Goodnight

*first time played

Chatting with Mikaela Davis after the show in Cleveland at the Beachland Tavern I asked how she would describe her music. “It’s hard to describe,” she said “All of us have different backgrounds and musical experiences. I’d say" Rock n Roll” she continued.

That works for me. I will add my own opinion that the band plays a groovy country-tinged form of rock as a way to describe it to people.  No matter how you describe it, I’d say it works and it is even more than a band it’s a vibe.  Nothing more illustrates their vibe than the man sitting cross-legged for half the show on the floor at the front of the stage while the rest of us boogied around him.

Mikaela Davis and Southern Star played a stellar two-set show at the Beachland Tavern in Cleveland on Tuesday, August 22, 2023.  It was a special night because Southern Star opened and played a set of their own songs before a second set featuring Mikaela and the band.  According to Kurt Johnson (the man on the steel guitar), Southern Star had played the songs during some sound checks on the West Coast but this was the first show for these songs in front of an audience.  Bassist Shane McCarthy teased the audience by hyping Lake of Mind which was released a few days later but not played on that night.

Obviously with the new songs I wasn’t prepped to review each song individually, but I will say it was an enjoyable set. Johnson, Shane McCarthy, and Alex Cote (drums) brought the yeoman-like work you see and hear them put in when playing with Mikaela Davis. Cian McCarthy (first name pronounced Kee – an) was on guitar (including a double neck guitar at one point) and vocals and really shined.  I say the groove and vibe were very familiar to those who have seen and heard them all play with Mikaela.

The second set was Mikaela Davis and Southern Star and it got off to a fast start with fans getting the two singles from the new album “And Southern Star”: Home in the Country and Cinderella. The band's chemistry is evident when you see them on stage; these were two excellent songs to start us out.

All told we got six of the nine songs from the new album “And Southern Star” and three from Davis’ first offering “Delivery”.  The first two times I saw Mikaela we got a cover each night but on this night, it was all original and it was fun.

My personal favorites from the night were Get Gone (Delivery) and Don’t Stop Now (And Southern Star).  Get Gone had a strong funky bassline that seamlessly melded with the harp and Davis’ singing to make a really good rock song.  I fell in love with Don’t Stop Now when the video was released about a year or so back.  Again it’s another groovy psychedelic-tinged ride led by Davis.  The reader should check the video out on YouTube. In the video, the band skates around an empty corporate park bereft of the soul-sucking cubicles that once occupied the space while Davis’ haunting lyrics accompany the images:

“The world we thought to be so far ahead
Is leaving our forgotten ones for dead
Giving in to corporate greed
While others are denied their human need

Don't stop now
Such a long way left to go
Don't stop now
Got to let the people know…”

The live version in Cleveland did not disappoint either with an extended harp solo and Cian playing saxophone at one point to add a spacey jazz feel to the number.

A great time and a great night of music made by some pretty special humans.  Davis wanted me to know that they were sorry it’s been a while since they came to Cleveland, and they plan on coming back sooner next time!  All I can say is I can’t wait, and I’ll be there.

Setlist: 8/22/2023 Mikaela Davis and Southern Star, Beachland Tavern, Cleveland, Ohio

Home in the Country

Cinderella

In My Groove

Leave it Alone

Promise

The Pearl

Saturday Morning

Get Gone

Don’t Stop Now

Pure Divine Love

E:  Other Lover