More of the same, thank you very much! We saw LVdN in January (yes we love them that much!) and this was, I'm happy to report, more of the same. The same energy, musicianship, high quality vocal harmonies, and pleasure in each other's company. While most of the numbers are foot tapping and spirit rousing, they can also provide moments of musical beauty, times to pause and take stock. And their intros combine information with humour.
A distillation of the sights and sounds of pure joy.
Support came from UK-domiciled New Yorker Annie Dressner. Singer, guitarist, and and writer of songs with a story. A very pleasant voice, good lyrics, and even a few memorable melodies - Dumb Boy and The Thrill of It stood out.Good audience interaction too, with a line in dry humour and nice way of pushing her merch. I heard someone say she reminded them of Suzanne Vega, and there's definitely something in that.
Mr Drever had his usual band lineup - Louis Abbot on drums and guitar, Euan Burton on (electric) bass, and Rachel Lightbody providing soaring backing vocals and a bit of keyboard. Plus a couple of extra, the excellent Cahalen Morrison on banjo and guitar, and Michelle Willis on keyboard. And Annie D returned a couple of times to add her voice to the ensemble
This was an album launch gig, so he began with new material, and lack of familiarity didn't dull the impact. Drever has a mastery of lyrics and melody that marks him out as one of Scotland's top songwriters. And a mastery of his instrument which places him comfortably in our top 10 guitarists too. He'd move on to older material as the gig progressed, and a reminder of his folk roots with a solo performance of a 19th century whaling song.
Behind Drever's comfoting vocal style, Abbott added some lovely percussion flourishes, Burton was a solid as ever, Lightbody added in the purity of her vocals, Willis' keyboard filled out the sound, and the addition of Morrison was a real bonus, the banjo adding a new dimension to some weel kent sounds. Throw in Kris' dry humour and this was a performance to savour.
A rare solo outing for Dean, a more intimate kind of gig. He'd previously asked, on social media, for requests which meant that as well as many of the usual favourites, he also played many songs from his big back catlogue that aren't heard much nowadays. Starting, I was delighted to hear, with my own request, My Town. This was the song that got me into Owens, over 2 decades ago, when it made me feel homesick one night in Liverpool. I've been a fan ever since.
So, if you've seen Dean often, this was a refeshing gig, with a mix of the usual classics like Raining in Glasgow, and songs he rarely sings now. Plus an excellent Elvis cover. As ever Owens is chatty, amusing, full of laughs. A very enjoyable gig, yet again.
It had been almost three years since we last saw LVdM (at this performance in London), and they remain as wonderful as ever. There's been a change to the lineup, and the album now being promoted is Voisinages (Neighbourhood), yet most of what I wrote back then still applies.
The lineup change is down to Simon Beaudry (guitar and bouzouki) becoming the mayor of his village, to be replaced by André Gagné. He's an excellent addition, with, if anything, a better voice, and clearly happy to be part of the band.
Voisinages brings interesting concepts about neighbours (and a bit of political comment about reckless country to the south of Canada, and Quebec's own struggle for recognition), plus some excellent new tunes. The playing, the vocals and harmonies, and the sense of joie de vivre reamina as strong as ever, and nobody leaves without a smile.
Ths was also a new venue for us, making the trip south to Alnwick fr the pleasure of seeing the band. The Playhouse is comfortable, has good viewing angles, and a welcoming atmosphere. Well worth the trip, especially when there was the pleasure of barter Books to visit the following morning!
Support came from Sidiki Jobarteh, a hugely talented Gambian balafon player (a gourd based xylophone), with a percussionist and guitarist to provide the backing. Jbarteh is also an impressive vocalist, and the others provided backing vocals too.
He is very much rooted in the Gambian folk tradition, with a mix of old and new, including several self penned, and composition by his mother (Sona is a renowned kora virtuoso). He has a sympathetic feel for the music, and the old rhythms that underly the melodies. It's impossible to sit still when listening, this is music to move too. The beat almost jazz like, Jobarteh's hands a literal blur at times, and the crowd were borought into play singing along to the final number. This lad has a big future, and this was a great way to open the night.
The Kinnaris Quintet have now become, with the departure of Laura Wilkie, a quartet called Kinnaris Q. But nothing else has changed. Still the same high standard of musicality, still the origninality and variation in theoir m usic, and still having enormous fun with each other. Aileen Gobbi remains as bubbly and hilarious as ever in her introductions, the music as complex as ever. It was a shame that the sound balance sounded a bit off at times, but even that couldn't hide the quality of the music, or the way it engages their audience.
A wonderful gig.
Wonderfully evocative setting, wonderfully evocative band. Shortly before the start time the trio - Drever, Green and O'Rourke - came out to say hello and announced that they wouldn't be talking once the music started, but would play on uninterrupted. Which is exactly what they did, with a wide range of songs and tunes from their 20 years of music making and some surprise segues. Magical.
Support came from The Cabin Hill Band - guitar, double bass and 4 voices. Plenty of good musicianship and singing quality on offer, but their arrangements of some pop classics were weak. Things imporved greatly when they moved on to some old time Americana - blues and gospel - and a self penned number from the guitarist.
And then on to the stars of the night. Howe and Freebo bring very different backgrounds and experiences together to form a duo that performs with love for the music and laughter never far away. Freebo is a hugely experienced and talented musician, who can write some good songs and sing with the confidence of his years. Alice is not as strong on the strings, but has a voice full of warmth, expression and range that can bring new life to oldies and passion to her own material. Her cover of Joni Mitchell's A case of You is outstanding, standing up well to the original version. While her own material shows her depth of songwriting experience, and ability to write from the heart. Add in a lot of funny moments, and some audeince participation, and this was a wonderful evening of music.
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.
A solo perfromance from Scots balladeer Fyfe, piano and voice. A good mix of material - tradional ballads, self penned compositions, a bit of Dylan and Nick Cave (in Scots), an Appalachian song. A few unaccompanied, with just the purity of her vocals to enjoy. Her introductions can be amusing and informative, she tried to get the audience singing along (response was muted...), and kept things flowing. Low key but enjoyable, and I'm glad I made the effort to go.
A sold out crowd, a sunny sky and the castle looking down on the event. The perfect setting for a big choral effort.
With a singing master leading proceedings (taking over from a Radio Forth DJ) we had three community choirs performing a couple of numbers each. One mixed voices, one women only, one male voice, with one from Edinburgh and two from Glasgow. All interesting perfromances, but by far the most ineresting was the female voice collective, comprised of women from other nations, often refugees, and songs of liberation and struggle.
Then it was time to give the audience a bit of instrcution and practice in an arrangement of one of Scotland's best loved songs, to be fronted by the singer/songwriter who made it famous. Getting it right provided some laughs, but it was just about there by the time Dougie MacLean took the stage, joined by a scratch choir to help out. The song was, of course, Caledonia, and it did sound good. Another couple of numbers from Dougie, a final rendition of the anthem, and that was that.
A pleasantly gentle and fun way to spend some of a Sunday afternoon.
The word Conservatoire tends to summon up images of restrained string quartets. Which is long way from the enrgy, enthusiasm and mass joy that appeared on stage.
This ensemble, from the Birmingham Conservatoire, have been going for over a quarter of a century, with an ever changing line up, other than founder and leader, Joe Broughton. Broughton is an exceptional fiddler, musiecina, teacher, who has also gained fame in other line ups, notably the Urban Folk Quartet. He's joined by students from his courses, with well over thirty packed on to the stafge for this gig.
So many instruments it would be impossible to list them all, not least nbecause iot was often hard to see who was at the back. We were well into the second half before I realised there was an electric guitar! But there were five percussionists, large wind, brass and string sections, an accordion, and more. Mostly they played as the full ensemble, but at times the stage thinned out and we had a couple of solo performances, a duet, and a quintet. The mateial was eclectic - tradional tunes and song from England and Ieland, a sea shanty, spirituals, self penned numbers. Some excellent vocalists. And while the inspriation was folky, there were clwearly rock, jazz, blues influences thrown in.
It looked shambolic at times. It wasn't. This was well rehearsed, yet with considerable fluidity to the arrangements, and audience participation was often encouraged, even demanded (!). Above all it never ceased to be entertaining, and Broughton is a perfect front man. He will never steal the limelight from his proteges, but brings wit and interest into his linking introductions. The man is a top class musician, entertainer and, on this evidence, educator.
If you get the opportunity to see them then grab it. Nobody leaves the room without a smile on their face.
Rowan and Anna (real life sisters) are an alt-folk duo from Sheffield. While the former still lives in much the same part of Yorkshire, Anna is a long term resident of south west France, and brings a lot of that region's influences into their work. Both play a variety of instruments and provide both lead and harmony vocals. And made good use of a pedal board to build up depth in their sounds.
They played music from their latest album, some self penned, some giving their take on music from a variety of folk sources. A Swedish tune, a French song, and English ballad. The theme, if there is really one, they gave as 'optimistic apocalypse' (!). Their talk between numbers was often entertaining and informative, with some funny stories to tell.
The music is fascinating. Rarely exciting, but always interesting, unpredictable, intriguing, charming. There's a lot to like, if not get passionate about. With the exception of their closing number featuring a driving stomp rhythm and energetic dancing, over the layered track they'd created. That was real fun.
I didn't leave feeling I had to get hold of the album, but knowing that if they put in another appearance in Edinburgh I'd be eager to see them once again.
The Lost Words and The Lost Spells are the two books, combining the poetry of Robert MacFarlane and the artwork of Jackie Morris, which form the inspiration for the Spell Songs project. Bringing together a variety of top class folk musicians (mostly Scottish) to transform the words with music, and adding in Morris' beautiful illustrations as an integral element of the show. The end result is a concert/multimedia entertainment with some unique qualities.
Eight artists grace the stage. Karine Polwart and Kris Drever on guitar, Jim Molyneux on keyboard and percussion, Julie Fowlis with her whistles, Seckou Keita with his kora, Beth Porter playing cello and fiddle, and Rachel Newton on harp. Every one of the septet a lead vocalist in their own right, with singing duties spread across the set. And the eighth member of the group? None other than Morris herself, on a raised dias at the back, painting live with the songs. Often this flowing creativity would be filmed and projected on to the screen above the stage, bringing to life, in a very real sense, the subjects of the lyrics.
This is a show dedicated to nature, with various plants and animals showcased (and two of Morris' stunning illustrations of otters on large banners either side of the stage). But it's also a celebration of beauty, of life, and with some political comment - because it is politicians who refuse to act in saving the natural world now under threat from climate change.
It's beautiful. Almost soporific at times - not in the sense of being boring, but of being so relaxing that the mind wants to float away, the audiovisual equivalent of a nice warm bath.
The music brings the beauty of nature to life, as you would expect from such high quality performers, and it would be unfair to pick out any single performance from what was very much an ensemble work. Great solos and harmonies, imaginiative arrangements, and always somethign to watch on screen. It's the kind of show where there's so much going on that you know you must have missed out at times, and want to see it all again. Wonderful.
A two part post this time. A brief review, for there is not much to say on that front, and a rant. A rant/plea to venues & promoters & bands and anyone interesting in promoting equality.
Two support acts, then the main turn. Neither support was memorable. A pub-level band wioth a not-so-good vocalist, who continually tried to play on past associations to Shane McGowan. And a guitarist singer/songwriter, accompanied by PDH's pianist, with a good voice, some wit in his introductions, and forgetable songs.
PDH were, of course, a big step up in quality, and fun. The line up was the same as when we saw them last year, the performance just as strong. You can read that review here.
Part 2 is less about the music, more aboiut the set up and organisation. 'Standing only' is something we have to avoid, both of us having health issues that would prevent us from staying upright for that kind of time without considerable discomfort. Promoters need to make it much clearer where this is the case, both on their advertising and the tickets themselves. When we found out I complained to the organiser. he did, eventually, provide a couple of chairs (from which we could see next to nothing), but with such bad grace it felt like he was trying to make out it was our fault. We might not be going to the Voodoo Rooms in the future...
I'm sure Morris could become a lesbian folk icon if she got the exposure. A sweet voice, charming personality and a kibd of innocence about her. The songs lack true melodic identity, but the lyrics are always interesting, telling stories in themselves. She has an unusual guitar style that works well as accompaniment
Morris is also an accomplished and amusing storyteller between numbers, often with a self deprecating side to them, which kept the gig rolling along nicely.
Not the most exciting of acts, but with enough of a difference to mark her out as worth a watch live.
As long standing fans of Mr Drever, we were not going to miss out on seeing his latest venture as a duo with fiddler Chris Stout. The gig was in a scout hall, transformed with the addition of lights, and attracted a big crowd. Turned out this was only the third gig of the Live at the Law venture, designed to bring some live music to North Berwick, and there was a large and enthusiastic crowd. I wish the organisers well for the future.
The evening opened with local singer/songwriter Linday Strachan, with guitarist, fiddler and double bass alongside. Together known as Wave of the Flood. She has a decent enough voice, and some interesting songs, a fine support act. But the arrangements were lacking in any real spark - it would have been fascinating to hear her voice supported by the more imaginative accompaniment of the main act!
Who were a huge step up in quality. True virtuosos of their instruments. Most of the material came from Drever's extensive catalogue of songs, and was familar to me, but Stout's fiddle managed to identify holes to fill where I never knew they existed. The Shetlander also played a few home tunes, including a couple of wonderfully miserable bridal marches!
Ezxcerllent musicianship, entertaining introductions, and real beauty in the music, with Stout supplying endless variations on basic melodies. Wonderful entertainment.
Take 3 members of the much lamented Moishe's Bagel quintet, and give them a good cause to support. This was a benefit gig in support of Medical Aid for Palestine (MAP), one of the most important and essential charities currently operating.
The trio are Greg Lawson (fiddle), Phil Alexander (piano and piano accordion) and Mario Caribe (upright bass and guitar). Togerther they play an eclectic mix of tunes from around the world, a few composition so their own, and the audience is taken, musically, to Brazil, Argentina, Cuba, Ukraine, Russia and beyond. The arrangements are often complex, and at times it feels like all 3 unstruments are paying their own melodies, albit ones that jigsaw so well together. They's a joy to watch too. Caribe and Alexander exchanging smiles, grins, glances, while Lawson brings drama in his body language as well as his playing. He has an incredibly pure tone to his sound, no doubt a product of his classical background.
They're good storytellers too, by way of introducing their numbers. Notably Lawson's tale of approaching a policemen for directions, whilst too stoned to realise that the spliff in his hand might attract the worng sort of attention! (He was lucky to find a very relaxed constable...)
Fun, depth, top class musicianship and some wonderful tunes. An exceelent way to spend the evening.
This is the young early 60s Dylan (Timothee Chalamet), from his arrival in New York until the storm of controversy that erupted in Americn Folk Music after his famous/infamous electrified set at Newport Festival. A formative period not just for the man who would become one of the greats, but for the future direction of US music and beyond.
Seeking out the legendary Woody Guthrie, now in hospital, he also meets Pete Seeger, who takes the young Bobby under his wing, and into his family. With that lift, and lyrical quality of his songs, Dylan will take the folk world by storm, but wants to be more, wants to explore different directions and fusions. Along the way relationships will be made and broken, fans won and lost, and our=trage generated.
The movie has a wonderful period feel, conveying the state of the US folk world of the time. Plenty great music too, noit just Dylan songs, but Guthrie, Seeger, Baez, Cash... The quality is impressive, the more so when you learn that the actors performed the voals themselves. If you get Dylan's voice and phrasing right he's not too hard to impersonate, as his strengths do not lie in the techincal quality of his vocals. But all credit to Monica Barbaro for doing such a great job in capturing the purity of Joan Baez.
Chalamet's also hit Dylan's mumbled speaking voice, which can be an issue, and there were times when subtitles would have helped!
It would be easy to pick up the few flaws in the movie, and the only one that irked was a lack of editing. The movie felt overlong, and the final scene with Guthrie unnecessarily loaded with symbolism. But the overall impression is triumphant. A celebration of the times, a warts and all portrait (Dylan isn't always the best of human beings in his realtions with others), and a striking impression of just how big an impact his decsion to go electic was at the time.
Well worth seeing.
Very professional. Two good voices, two good musicians. She the purer of tone, on keyboards, he with the more distinctive sound, on guitar and mandola. A set of songs from their new album, and a couple from their last one. Mostly slow paced ballads, in a mix of Gaelic and English (she’s from the Gaeltacht, he from the north of Ireland), almst all telling sad tales. They can both relate a story too.
But. While enjoyable enough, as a show it lacked variety of pace and tempo, lacked laughs, lacked any Wow moments. Pleasant, gentle, mildly entertaining. And ever so slightly soporific.
But full marks for ending with the beauty of The Broom o’the Cowdenknowes...
This had everything I could want from a gig. Virtuoso performances, wonderful tunes and songs, and madcap humour.
Pound is a harmonica genius, and not far behind that on the melodeon. Butterworth is the consummate accompanist, on guitar and stomp, as well as being a quality vocalist. It was a set of variety. Trad material in the main, but not as you'v eheard it before. New tunes, mixtures of fast, slow, and more fast. Tunes from England, Ireland, Scotland, Holland, Spain… Improvisations that made you wonder how many different variations on a simple melody line could there possibly be? Plus songs from Jenn’s upcoming solo album, with sympathetic backing, and solos, from harmonica.
And very funny, very unpredictable, and solidly on the left of politics. What’s not to like?
