Story telling songs Fingerstyle blues and folk guitar and shredding fiddle, something for all tastes. Miguel Rios returns to the Drunken Poet June 4th, accompanied on fiddle by Ash Jones. Miguel has spent the last 20 years playing around Melbourne as well as writing and recording music. He is set to release his second album Running Blue in June 2023. Playing songs from the new album and also songs from his previous release, Slaughterhouse Road
Miguel Rios is a story-telling guitarist; always giving space in his songs to powerful lyrics that speak of closed doors, magic men, replica pistols, and the cold spaces that no fire can warm. Slaughterhouse Road, his first full-length solo album, has a pared-down grittiness, rich hypnotic timbre and heartbreakingly beautiful interludes of violin and mandolin by collaborators Ash Jones and Matt Stonehouse.
The Album was recorded straight to tape in a small tin music studio during the Capricorn eclipse full moon. “We said we wanted that full moon madness and we certainly got all of that,” says Miguel. “It rained… stormed actually. The dog howled outside, but we kept playing and we got it all”.
Rios’ earnest musings never assume the ‘high road’ but arrive as credible and unpretentious in delivery as Kev Carmody or Jonny Cash. The analogue recording capture the sound of a compellingly intamate and authentic performance. What you hear is what you’ll hear live – up close and personal. – Chris Lambie, Rhythms Magazine 2021 Born in an alternative community in Far Northern Queensland Miguel had a free and lawless childhood, he picked up the guitar at 11 years old, and penned his first song at 16 and has been hooked ever since. His influences include guitar greats, John Fahey, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Skip James, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley, and the writing styles of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen
