After having multiple plans since we first got into folk music; the stars aligned in the sky and we finally had the opportunity to see Megson live (here at The Wesley Centre in Maltby). Warm and inviting, and pretty much firing on all cylinders since we last visited around Covid times, Nick Wilson’s curation of artists is as solid as ever. In terms of the venue, everyone is welcome, the hall has great acoustics and sound setup (I have never heard any audio slip ups here, either major or minor), and it does exactly what it needs to. Before talking about the gig itself, we confirm that it is a great place to go, and a fun night. Supporting live music is important to us, so keep on top of what is happening through the Facebook page and check out if any of the upcoming artists pique your interest at: (https://www.facebook.com/wesleycentrelive).
Megson are a pretty prolific folk-duo comprising of Stu and Debbie Hanna who have been making albums since 2004 (they have released 9 albums up to now). What makes Megson a cool folk prospect for the ears is their nature as chroniclers of the modern living experience through song that draws on a slightly wider instrumentation than a pure singer-songwriter. These songs are often a little retro in subject matter (appealing to us 40+ types) and largely punctuated by songs of family experiences but they can range from numbers about social media, the news, a family that all play in a band together, going on a caravan holiday and lots more. We would say it is “kitchen sink folk” in the way that you think of a Northern play, but kitchen sink implies dark and gritty; Megson is not this, they approach with a much more optimistic take on things. This is all underwritten with experience as Stu has worked with several folk artists producing their records, and it shows in their own work which is exceptionally sharp, clean and punchy. Debbie is classically trained and adds a great musicality.
Energetic and upbeat throughout, Megson are a duo that appear to have a lot of craft in their connective tissue. Among the set there was a satisfying mix of traditional, an Appalachian number, some mild pokery-satire and some political tracks (both new and reappraised numbers) that keep things moving. There is some cute banter throughout, I don’t think we’ve heard as much about plaid and air fryer chips at a gig before.
In terms of songs, there are some notable inclusions that certainly entertain like “The Longshot”, a parable of hope framing within a football match, “The Old Miner”, a musing on working life led with Debbie’s glass vocals, and a cover of Chris Rea’s “Road to Hell” which seems to address the anticipation the audience had for this as a desired encore song. In our sights there is, “Every Night When the Sun Goes In”. We love that the Appalachian track is in the set like a cottontail raising it’s head above the embankment on the first day of Spring. There is some stillness to be had here in a quiet, spiritual; perhaps like a prayer in between peeling the potatoes and carrots. A fellow listener commented on the delicateness of the guitar playing which we could not disagree with.
One aspect of Folk Music we have discovered in out time of listening is that we love conceptual albums with a strong basis in the environment, the psycho-geographical pull of the mountain, the brook, the stream. Here, the duo brought back an older track, “The River Never Dies”, in lieu of out current landscape where polluted bodies of water full of sewage discharge are high in the news cycle. Catchy and evoking the song pulls on those fears rooted and analogous to the what has happened to the North East, it’s history and industry. It is personal, a tight and urgent number, a bit of an anthem and not at all a James Bond movie.
A song truly fitting to the “anthem” moniker is “We are better than this”, a number from their latest album which seems squarely in protest territory. It is bright, it’s light a bunsen burner cooking with a full open eye, the songs lyrics talk about “lords” and “ladies”, “carriages”, raising “veils” and so forth. In arms with some Dylan and well known riddling songs from the past (i.e. American Pie) it asks for something more, which will butter a lot of people’s bread. We do like a song or two that spin a yarn about these power structures.
This is quite a deceptive set. Megson do excel at the personal, but when you go back and look and at what they have written and performed you realise that there are quite a few bases covered through their musical career. The set includes a wider remit then we were expecting, and variety is always welcome. As performers they are slick and rehearsed as a barista made hot beverage team; Stu is like an early morning espresso, Debbie is a spiced chai. Together they are premier recorders of lives from this time, and their folky undertones should not be under-estimated. You are expecting a folk jab, but watch out for that folk hook- it might be closer than you think.
For more information about Megson and their music, check out their website here.