TREPIDATION about branching out as a soloist has been replaced by relief for singer and multi-instrumentalist SUE CARSON earlier this year.
Not only did the crowd love her new solo act, but the musician found she had a queue of venues at the door asking her to play residencies.
Carson has taken the suburbs by storm in the past six months, and can be seen at the Cambridge Hotel tomorrow night, at the Charlestown Bowling Club on Friday night, at Club Tuggerah on Saturday night and at the Blackbutt Hotel early Sunday evening.
'I was very surprised about the response,' she said.
'I just didn't know if I could cut it.'
Carson was apprehensive about using pre-recorded backing, which is a mix of recorded live instruments and sequenced sounds, to give her performance a full band sound.
Venues and punters can't get enough of the Carson's blend of covers however, interspersed with live violin, mandolin, guitar and strong, ranging vocals.
'It's because it is different,' she said.
'People want variety and because I can play more than one live instrument, venues have been asking for residencies. I'm now booked until December.'
Pub and club work has taken precedence over Carson's operatic career, clinched by a visit to Ireland last year, the home of her beloved Celtic music.
Not only do her CORRS covers rival the originals, but she plays the fiddle parts with equal aplomb.
Now Celtic music fans will be pleased to hear that the former REEL SLIGO front person will also return in December with a new Celtic rock band.
There will be little of the old Sligo Maid repertoire however, with more of an emphasis of harder-edged arrangements of traditional tunes, covers by Scotland's WOLFSTONE and England's THE LEVELLERS, and new originals.
Punters in the meantime will be able to get plenty of Carson playing solo around town, three or four nights a week.
And that's where you'll find her rocking out on the mandolin, playing songs by TORI AMOS, DEB CONWAY and even an AC/DC cover HIGHWAY TO HELL. She also strums a guitar for songs by SHERYL CROW, ALANIS MORRISSETTE and KATE BUSH.
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