Live Review: Callaghan at the Georgia Aquarium

Callaghan started the night off by saying “I think this is the first time I’ve played in an aquarium” with a comical glint in her eyes as she kicked off her set with “To Be Loved By You.”

Review and photos by Danielle Boise

Talented, multifaceted, UK born singer-songwriter Callaghan performed at the Georgia Aquarium on Friday June 22^nd as part of the Summer SoundWaves concert series. With sparkling personality, Callaghan was accompanied by Jon Poole on drums, and bassist Michael C. Steele rounded out the sound by adding a layer of richness to the songs. Regardless if it’s just Callaghan performing an acoustic set or if she is performing with a full band, she opens up and allows the listener more than a glimpse into her soul, via her lyrical diary, giving glimpses of intimate thoughts and earnest lyrics that touch deep down on love, life and taking chances.

Callaghan started the night off by saying “I think this is the first time I’ve played in an aquarium” with a comical glint in her eyes as she kicked off her set with “To Be Loved By You.” She continued to play songs off her recently released debut album, Living In Full Colour, including “Smile,” “It Was Meant To Be,” “Sweet Surrender,” “If Only For Tonight,” “The Edge of Love” and “The Only Thing Real” (which happens to be the first song that Callaghan and Shawn Mullins co-wrote together).

Callaghan also did a few covers including Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart” and Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck in the Middle with You.” She even performed a few songs that aren’t on the album like “Close My Eyes” and her infamous “Green Eyes” song, which she shared with the audience that she wrote the song as an anniversary gift to her husband, Steve. It originally started off as “Blue Eyes,” before Callaghan realized half way through the song that Steve in fact had green eyes, not blue. She comically added, “Phew, I think I got away with it, because we just celebrated our second anniversary.” Callaghan ended the evening with “Best Year,” which was the perfect way to wrap up her set; a song about living life, taking chances and following your dreams.

The night was a great success as Callaghan elegantly crafted her musical story narrative with a variety of depth to the material that not only drew the audience into the story but also pulled them directly into the middle of the musical anecdote. Her set felt deeply personal at times; raw and almost fragile, yet personable in an unguarded way that makes Callaghan tangible, not only as an artist but also as a person too. In fact, so much so that Steve Babcock flew his self and his 8 year old daughter, incidentally named Callaghan too, down from New York City for this specific show. It was the first show in the country on her tour schedule that was at an all-ages venue. Little Callaghan also plays the guitar, and she was curious to find anyone with the same name. So, the Babcocks did an Internet search, and found Callaghan’s website with her music linked to it; it was love at first listen.

If you get a chance to see Callaghan perform live, do so. She will be back in the Atlanta area in July on July 21^st at Crimson Moon Café in Dahlonega and then on the 22^nd Callaghan will be performing at 99X’s Unplugged in the Park at Park Tavern in Atlanta for a free concert.

For more information on Callaghan, her debut CD Living In Full Colour, or to see where she will be performing next, visit www.callaghaninfo.com.