Tickell is a folk veteran, a great creative and has her heart in the right place. She was accompained by a 4 piece Darkening. Amy Thatcher on piano accordion, vocals and... clogs! Heather Cartwright on acoustic and electric guitars. At the back sat Joe Truswell and his drums. And finally Stef Conner playing a lyre (!), mini keyboard and bits of percussion. All bar the drummer contributied vocally as well, with only Heather not having a turn at singing lead.
While they form a very talented line up, the main attraction remains Tickell, playing the Northumbriam smallpipes and fiddle, and adding her own excellent vocal contribution. Together they played a mix of new and trad Northumbrian music, with many influences from other lands, such as Galicia. Indeed the set list was notable for variety, with a wide range of tempos, swithing between tunes and songs, traditional tunes given modern arrangemnts, no fear of experimentation, and the fun addition of Amy's clog dancing. All that and a bit of audience participation too. Tickell is a fun raconteur between numbers, and the interplay within the band was ofrten hilarious.
KY reamins one of English folk's powerhouse performaers, a virtuoso on an unfashionable instrument, with a delightful accent to talk to us in. She is matched by the incredible Thatcher, and soaring vocals of Conner. Hugely entertaining. and a night that brought a lot of smiles.
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