Category: Gigs

Categories
Dark Folk Folk Music Gigs Historical

Harp and a Monkey @ Village Folk – 25th February

Once again I was released from the steel gates of Sheffield and able to descend the long-winding roads to Derbyshire. There I went to see the latest artist “Harp and a Monkey” to perform for a throng of rapt Derbyshire people at the “Village Folk” session in the The Lawns Hotel, Chellaston. Continuing to draw crowds and some distinctive guests (Sam Kelly and the Lost Boys next) it is an honest pleasure to have travelled to see a great venue and lovely bunch of people that are really doing things right. Furthermore, they will once again be at Derby Folk Festival this year (as will I); so if you get a chance (and can get a ticket) get yourselves down to Chellaston, site here and to the Derby Folk Festival, (see here).

On this day it was “Harp and a Monkey”. Before the gig, I cannot say I had heard their musical repertoire before, the name conjures images of either the most exotic folk group or a children’s book that encourages the shyest of animals to take up an instrument (it is more the former, but someone should write the latter!) There seemed a lot of bustle before the performance; social media and conversations seemed to revolve largely in excitement around their anticipated rendition of “The Molecatcher” (Roud 1052) largely associated with Bernard Wrigley (with an awesome singular voice). On reflection, this was indeed well justified; but before we get to the heart of historic infidelity and why wronging people in dangerous professions is a bad idea for your health (and pocket), let me talk more about Harp and a Monkey.

Dressed as if going to find the Mancunian equivalent of the Haggis creature they cut a rather interesting sight. Lancashire with a capital “L” they are rather good ambassadors for the county, it is pleasing to hear songs around local industry and history, and they have found an eclectic way of telling these stories. Lead singer, Martin Purdy reminds me an awful lot of Christopher Eccleston. Perhaps if he weren’t playing a tune and singing he would be method acting as the guy who is soon going to unleash all crazy hell on some poor soul. As it happens he was rather more collected and (as per his stories on previous feedback from folk veterans) he instead gave his furious intention and movements to the glockenspiel instead of a line of dialogue. He certainly gave his glockenspiel all he’s got; you don’t hear enough glockenspiel really in the general sense of music. Harp and a Monkey do present an awful lot of glockenspiel but all of it welcome and part of the overarching charm is how it’s keys allow us a glimpse into some of the different characters of songs. The last time I heard it being played with great effect was Princess Chelsea’s excellent “Lil’ Golden Book” album and that was 2011 (and it’s not strictly speaking folk), so kudos to the group for this choice. Along with the banjo, guitar and sometimes the aforementioned harp we get a wall of sound that illustrates tragedy (e.g. The Manchester Angel) or even some sweeter sounds (Flanders Shore), and this continues with their addition of electronic sampling and voice. These later inclusions permeate through several songs and give the air an otherworldly feel to the extent that when listening it sounds a bit like the veils of reality have been shaken and you are peeking into a parallel world. This other dimension would be one where mainstream folk went somewhere slightly esoteric in the 80s and never stopped for air to the present day. It is a definitely something to experience, and also something quite evocative.

This is all great stuff, “Harp and a Monkey” use some quietly, elegant application of their instruments throughout which leads to a rather unexpected but solidly authentic capturing of the tone and subject matter of their songs. The idea of folk music that tells stories is always appealing, and “Harp and a Monkey” have a few to tell especially as their set splits across their earlier and later work, as well as songs from their work, “The War Show” taking into song some accounts of the first World War. They do cover a lot of ground be it people’s experiences in the war “The Soldier’s Song” or the heartfelt tribute of “Bowton’s Yard”, a putting to song of Samuel Laycock’s poem about his neighbours at Stalybridge, a textile town. The band’s version of this is quite homely, celebratory and proud; it has a chasing glock, and successfully paints a bird’s-eye view of ordinary people living in a street and their lives. It’s warm vocals and roots in describing community is a great addition to the set. “Pay Day” likewise touches on these themes as it exemplifies the workers laments, “oh no you’ll never know how far you’ll fall, oh you’ll never know how deeps the hole.” Some slightly understated accordion, crisp banjo and accompanying guitar build a nice, slightly jaunty track amongst a set with a reasonable amount of darker material.

Speaking of the dark, “Willow and the Ghost” is a favourite of mine. A song about a ghost sighting and a tragedy is probably as folk as you can get in this musical set and in the genre fully. That being said there is something rather stripped back about it here. It isn’t the arrangement, because the glock, banjo, and guitar are quite a moving storm and when joined with some background samples you could believe that it was a folk turn for “The Human League” (going back to the earlier analogy). Instead it’s main appeal is to do with the content (though it is performed very well too). A song with melancholy, it is itself a spectre as it has the sad visage and a fatal accident within the lyrics, but unlike many songs there doesn’t seem to be a resolution; nothing is learned, someone’s life doesn’t suddenly prove worthwhile, and the skeletons of family history are not laid to rest. I quite like the fact that it is stark and simple in this regard with the lyrics, “there I saw a young girl slip into the deep” and then it turns particularly miserable, “I saw her drown, I saw the dress weigh her down.” It doesn’t let up, “Harp and a Monkey” should not stop writing these songs, that’s for certain.

So as mentioned at the beginning of this page, we have to talk about “The Molecatcher.” Coming with as much menace as you like (and then some more); the band’s take on the cuckold’s reaction to a young man visiting his wife is pretty grey in morals. The harp is eerie, the whole affair sounds like it is wrapped up in a fairytale as much as history, but the type of fairytale where right and wrong has no place. After all, the Molecatcher in the story is in every sense a cuckold, he seems content with the financial recompense and  blissful ignorance of what is happening despite the trap setting for the unwitting lover. An old song and one from history showing people at their most complex and morally ambiguous, the group do such a good job with their interpretation with the odd jangle here and a grim turn of voice that somehow casts judgement on the listener as if asking “what is wrong with this scene?” It will clearly ring out in times and years to come with it’s catchy, black nature,”Woe to the day, woe to the wedding vows, woe to the day”. In absolute contrast, the set finished on “Katy’s Twinkly Band.” Conceived following a comment by a young daughter at the pub that the band started playing in they have imagined an upbeat song to match what she called them (the “Twinkly Band.”) Ending on an optimistic, child-like and light note it talks of the sea, the birds and a kaleidoscope of other imagery it sets. Perhaps there is still time, perhaps it is the “Sasha Fierce” to their “Beyonce” but instead with the grittier role being the everyday, and the cheery the other face? Either way a humorous and exceedingly sparkly entry.

Who will like “Harp and a Monkey”?

Fans of history to be sure, my review has barely scratched their works  around World War I (and there is a lot of poignancy to be had there).

They are not a standard setup by any stretch of the imagination, but their songs are gloriously steeped in the family and working class to the extent that it takes centre-stage throughout. Furthermore their sound is very needed; folk with some modern influences, but ones that actually draw a lot of emotions that are often neglected in this material through the glockenspiel, harp, and banjo together. When playing the stage becomes like a kind of human echo chamber, it is how you’d imagine people’s stories travelling across space and between the stars, there is  a certain beauty in the darkness and “Harp and a Monkey” has found it.

Check out their webpage here, if you are interested in upcoming Village Folk gigs, please go to the page here.

See a couple of samples below (the first from the excellent Bury Met). Give them a go- they are on tour too, so check out if they are playing near you!

 

 

Categories
Acoustic Gigs Political

Merrymaker at Village Folk, Chellaston 28th January 2017

During a brief  hiatus to the excessively cold weather last month,  I had the pleasure of heading down to Chellaston in Derbyshire for a gig at the Lawns Hotel to see Merrymaker.

High over the street like a small fortress on top of a rocky outcrop; the Lawns Hotel is indeed a hotel (and pub) that has a partnership with a rather pioneering and friendly organisation called Village Folk. Village Folk is a family (not just in saying, there are family working together here) who host an evening a month with a band or folk artist to bring a little entertainment and heart to the local area. I came across both the band (Merrymaker) and organisers (Village Folk) last year at Derby Folk Festival and situated within the Clubrooms they did a great job continuing the tour de force of Derby known as Winter:Wilson (see their site here). Introducing some newer and lesser known groups and giving them a chance to shine they were a great companion to the main acts in the square and more than the added bonus of being out of the heavy rain that weekend.

 

Relatively new to the organisation of live music, Village Folk are doing exceptionally well. They are getting good attendance and in a time of uncertainty around the viability of live music they are also attracting some recognisable and influential names to their midst (e.g. Sam Kelly soon and Martin Carthy in a couple of months), but it would not work if they were not lovely people with some serious love of the events that they are showcasing. Not a huge venue and also not a folk club; it manages to combine the good running and sound quality of the former with the intimacy of the latter, and it does it well. I certainly have my fingers crossed that they will have an involvement in Derby Folk Festival this coming year! What about the gig?

The great urban sprawl of my my younger years always comes racing back when I hear the dulcet tones of Dan Sealey (vocals, guitar) and Adam Barry (keyboard and others) with their West Midlands swagger, a series of sights and sounds never really seen or heard in my now native Yorkshire (much to it’s loss). They were joined by Nikki Petherick (whose accent is a direct contrast, perhaps sounding like an Inspector Morse extra) and Hannah (whose surname they could not decide upon) who brought additional guitar and violin respectively. In terms of a general sound, Merrymaker are a kind of entertaining scattering of folk with large elements of acoustic rock, which proves a good foundation for an interesting night out and it makes sense as Dan heralds from 90s rock outfit, Ocean Colour Scene. They have a boyish charm too on stage which is offset to some degree by Nikki giving as good as she gets in retaliation to the guys banter. The recent addition of violin is a boon too as Hannah’s classical training brings an extra dimension to Merrymaker’s more guitar heavy numbers whilst also having the potential to bring back the urban rock sound of the 90’s if needed. How would I describe Merrymaker’s songs?

Their songs are much like their stage presence in that they often come with a high dose of humour and/or self-deprecation (Adam spent a large amount of the gig concerned with his “fresh from the laundy-but-not-yet-dry trousers” that he apologised for wafting into the audience). This all creates a good environment for their slightly political angle as they performed songs with a focus on Donald Trump (which they played a rather 60’s pop “Coming Up Trumps” that they described as “a stupidly stupid song for a stupid person”) and another about the Syrian Refugee crisis which they curated from comments on Twitter “Nobody Here Wants a War.” With videos of these song posted online they show a versatility in form to their songwriting. The Trump song is indeed “a stupidly stupid song” but it is so good at being it, “Nobody here Wants a War” is more solemn but really well worked from the source material. Merrymaker’s music as a result has a bit of a bite, but rather than the deeper laceration from a jackal it is more like a nip from a well-meaning Brittany spaniel. And while the present world is too much for some, the band also delved into some nostalgia which was to be had from the Ocean Colour Scene days with a slower paced version of “The Riverboat Song” (admittedly not my favourite re-envisioning), and the Stranglers’ “Duchess” (quite good indeed).

However they go about things, there is always some sunshine and comedy too. “Midst of Summertime” is a song from their time as the band Merrymouth and it is played in earnest with a really a cheerful, leaping in the rays kind of quality. Once again the violin in it’s live state lifted the track even higher; making it a heather-tinged song that leads to quite a smile. Some might say it makes one exceedingly “merry”. The biggest laughs come from a song about a man having to do chores on a Sunday (because he doesn’t mind what he and his wife does all day, when the amber glow of ale is at the back of his mind) which goes down really well the audience alongside “This is England”, a comedic song with some sober thoughts within. A song about the attitudes of their local pub regular, Roy, who at 88 is miserable and bemused in equal measure by the changes that have happened in society it paints a hilarious but empathic picture of a person that everybody knows.

The band unapologetically have fun throughout and this helped by their setlist that combines their political leanings and observations, but also the everyday without a Poe-face to be seen.

A great venue, a caring and passionate organisation and a fun, relatable band amount to a good night out. Check out Village Folk’s website for some great upcoming artists here, and for more information about Merrymaker, click here.

https://youtu.be/6C_1etMwBos

 

Categories
British Folk Music Gigs Political

Show of Hands w/Megan Henwood Live @ Royal Northern College, Manchester

I am happy on this Wednesday in November…. I am in Manchester.
Christmas stalls are up, but it is not that seasonal treat that interests me. It is instead the chance to catch a music group, a well-established roots band that is characterised by many years of playing and writing. I am talking of course about Show of Hands, who on this cold night are taking the stage at the Royal Northern College of Music. They aren’t alone though.

Joining them is Megan Henwood. Megan is a singer-songwriter with her second album “Heart, Head, Hands” (in 2015) under her belt but she is also well known for her collaboration with the cherished Jackie Oates on the EP “Wings” that came out in July 2016. She has also won the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award with her brother, performed at the Cambridge Folk Festival, and Glastonbury Festival in 2010, and on this night she opens for Show of Hands with a 30 minute set.

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Megan Henwood

With the energy of an auburn pioneer and with hints of self-deprecation thrown into her set, she is a true joy to watch.

She also plays some great folk with an added idiosyncrasy that she brings to a few songs with some unusual themes, “Painkiller” for example. Not the name of your migraine protection or some Scandinavian metal group, but rather a song about an Uncle who worked as a physiotherapist. Lightly paced and thoughtful with words she sings a mindful track. It is relatively simple words and arrangement, but it is understated and shows an obvious affection and respect for a person working in a field that is rarely covered by music at all. This positive observation on the good work and hearts of people gives it kudos alone, but she has a great voice too.

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“Puppet and the songbird” is a more of a jumping, intense and cryptic number in comparison. With more baroque-style lyrics, “look what I have done, I have been directed by the moon and the sun” combined with a modern beat, and lightly rapping delivery it creates a great lyrical exploratory space. She is a more of a folky and jazzy Alanis Morrissette here with lyrics that lead you on stories with a personal but pretty oblique meaning. Winding a path and knowing the way, her music has an effect that like a muse, you want to get lost with it. Henwood then plays some other folk-rock and roots such as “The Dolly” and the mildly heart-stopping”Chemicals”, an apology for a breakup with someone due to molecular makeup.

Despite my ambivalence towards songs about breakups (they are hugely popular at the moment), there is something more substantial and special in “Chemicals”. It is something to do with the lyrics and her emotional delivery. Cracked and affected, it hits all the right notes and makes jolts your memories of awkward breakups.

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In the time she was opening for Show of Hands she got a great reception and no end of people queuing for her merchandise (including as she put it, “a tote bag with my face on it”). Like a mahogany supernova she is colourful and swirling; she crossed genres by touching on aspects of folk (and in some tracks a strong Americana influence), acoustic numbers and blues influences not unlike many other singer-songwriters. There is something different in her delivery, and the songs themselves don’t feel like commercial shells, there is something else there and she is willing to share it. I strongly recommend you to listen to her, a growing talent to watch out for. Then there is the interval and then Show of Hands, who are Show of Hands?

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Show of Hands

Show of Hands are a well known trio on the folk and root circuit, their current (and fairly established) line up are Steve Knightley, Phil Beer, and Miranda Sykes. They play a heavily rock and roots influenced sound; their musical experience together goes back to the 80’s with studio albums from the 90’s and 00’s so they have performed and written for quite a while. They have performed at the Royal Albert Hall numerous times, and all have been a part of some influential and recognisable folk bands (Phil Beer being in The Albion Band for example). Be it Phil Beer’s musical hand that turns to any number of music of instruments, Steve Knightly’s earthy, scholarly mind as vocalist and instrumentalist, or Miranda Sykes’ captivating voice and bass; there are many elements that bring richness to Show of Hands. The sound can only really be described as a musical broth that has had time for it’s natural flavours to harmonise. Steve and Phil’s brand of elevated and accomplished roots with a hard rock halo is truly enhanced by the addition of Miranda’s natural, confident and (relatively) recent addition as double bass player and harmony vocals. The set then begins.

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Appearing a bit like a monkish choir with dark silhouettes (a kind of medieval Dartmoor Bohemian Rhapsody) the trio bring a solemn sound to the beginning of the set. Unlike the Queen mega hit, it is a track celebrating and remembering the historical funeral processions of England past. “The Old Lych Way” (written by Chris Hoban) is one of my favourites of the night despite it’s earlier play and difference in tone to some later tracks. The subject of death is jokingly referred to by the band as a “cheerful” start to proceedings, but it captures the attention and is a good bridge from the support to main act. It’s inclusion in the setlist highlights a key part of Show of Hands’ sound, the concept of remembrance that flows through their body of work like a delta on the floodplain. Whatever influences they turn to in their material (and they do cove a few bases) it is undoubtedly there, and their performance brings out a passion and commitment to these ideals that we can see in the gig.

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They also preview some of their newer tracks and some covers (that are both timely in nature and about time itself) such as a warming tribute to the recently passed Leonard Cohen with their version of “Suzanne”. Also in the mix is their version of “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper with some incredibly enthralling vocal harmonies, marching strings and a resolute lead voice from Knightley. I am glad they perform this cover, their performance ranks as one of the best 80’s ballad covers that I have heard, one that adds something through their trio of voices. One of Knightley’s new songs that is introduced is “Have no secrets” that is being showcased by Show of Hands on their YouTube channel. A frank piece of advice written from Steve Knightley to another man who is just getting married for what you should do including, “..no place to hide away, no treasure in a far away cave” seeks to  impart worldly experience to a guy stepping into a transition. I prefer this to the other track previewed, it speaks a little more to me and it’s words cover the uncertainty, the joy and the caution in the young man. The crowd give it a good reception too.

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Not that the group needs it, but another boost to proceedings is the venue. The Royal Northern College at this point in my writing is probably the best venue I have been to to hear folk music of this type. The instruments sound sharp and powerful, the lyrics are distinct and crystal clear, and the sound mixing is nothing short of breathtaking, I suppose the University involvement and dedicated space to music make this a necessity. There is certainly a marriage of sorts going on and unlike two hippos flapping in a mud-pot, there is no murky sound to be heard anywhere. It lends especially well to their more bombastic, anthem numbers that the crowd are undoubtedly waiting for such as “Roots”, the well-known call for the preservation of English music, the working class uniting “Country Life”, and powerful anthem “Cousin Jack”. In this last track in particular there are powerful anthems from the band.

Knightley’s peppery sawdust voice, Beer’s rum and golden syrup vocals, and Sykes’ splashes of lemon, high notes come together amazingly. There is a rich, thumping baseline and exquisite mandolin in “Cousin Jack” too, the stand-out anthem from a gallery of likely contenders. The crowd join in, there is singing back, the chorus erupts, a guy in front of me practically squeals in happiness, it is all going very well.

Conclusions

Would I recommend? Definitely, it is a show that entertains, which is melodic and friendly all round (something all the family can enjoy).

They are a band that is clearly influenced by history and their songs also talk about class and identity, the same stuff people of the 60’s, 80’s and today can relate to in their everyday lives. An earthy, accessible and well practised band they bring the joy in during these cold months. Megan Henwood likewise has a great acoustic presence and with her fascinating take on subjects in her songs she is a lively addition to the show. On stage they are all full of character and charm and their personalities are such that they can close the distance between the audience and stage to make the show and intimate one.
Check out your local venue they are playing at on their website and grab yourself a ticket, it is a great night.

Show of Hands are on tour. They are touring from “peak to fen” through to December including Portsmouth, Oxford and many others.
Check out their website here for details.

If you are unfamiliar with Show of Hands, check the videos below!Check out Show of Hands if you do not know their work below!

 

Categories
Folk Stories Gigs

Adverse Camber- Fire in the North Sky at The Crucible Studio, Sheffield 11/10/16

For one night only the Studio space of the Crucible was turned into a a kaleidoscope of story, wonder and history with a combined storytelling and musical performance of “Fire in the North Sky” by Adverse Camber. There were birds, bears, men forging with gold and silver, and other incredible creations told and performed from the Kalevala, a hundred thousand lines of collected story traditions from ancient Finnish history so rich in material you feel that the show barely scratched the surface of the epic. Collected by Elias Lonnrot in the 19th Century it was brought to life by Adverse Camber, an independent production company that curates original, expansive stories from another time and another place, and works with artists and venues to transmit these tales more valuable than silk to a modern audience. They are quite local too coming from Derbyshire, and much like their other recent work I reviewed, The Shahnameh (here), there is an energy and excitement to their show which balances the need for telling stories that stand up on their own merits. Not only this but the company manages it without unnecessary set-pieces of over-the-top props that could dilute the richness of the story, the oral tradition takes centre stage. Credit to the producer, Naomi Wilds for shaping the show and director (Paula Crutchlow) for moving the pieces, the Studio was a particularly good choice to host such a program. The decision to use the Crucible Studio meant that quite an intimate connection could be forged with the audience that neither cramped the audience or dwarfed the performers; much like in Goldilocks, the size was just right. The words flourished on the boards of the stage and there was no danger of there being much empty space in the audience as the pre-show interest must have been immense with the studio being fully packed out to the gills and rapt in attention.

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“Fire in the North Sky” does not have a single theme as such running through it. It is a series of stories with certain characters rotating, appearing and disappearing into the ether which echoes the variation and improvisation of these sung stories in antiquity. Like a river the whole thing moves a winding course as a necessary and inescapable aspect of storytelling but there in presentation there was evidence that the tales chosen are sufficiently different in order to provide at least one tale of interest to each audience member. There is a cast of four and all are utilised in connecting to the audience in a different way; Nick Hennessey took the lead in the engagements and telling stories, Anna-Kaisa Liedes and Kristiina Ilmonen brought a bewildering myriad of voice improvisations and Tima Vaananen performed his kantele playing skills throughout linking the stories together. It does mean there is something that everyone will enjoy and given as the performers are folk story and music academics, there is a feeling of being part of something that is well researched and conveyed that adds an extra dimension to the raw draw of a pub yarn from old friends.

With the stories themselves there is certainly an interesting array with several of them touching on the notion of humankind, godhood and the pure power of knowledge. As expected there is morality seeping through the seams where some questionable choices are made by the characters but there is also the heroic ideal shown with individual mortals making bold and beautiful choices in this a strange ancient world. A favourite is the story of Ilmarinen, the blacksmith who upon losing his wife decides to forge a new wife from gold and silver to “fill the space” on her pillow and bed where her head and hip were.

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Despite his toil and looking like he would fail at some point. he does indeed forge a new women but comes to to the realisation that she is cold to the touch. It is part allegory for the futility of substituting human love for material love and part warning of the limits of man’s power (especially well communicated by Nick Hennessey who you can practically smell and feel the sweat and scorching tools as he works the blacksmiths fire).

In another story, Ilmarinen is being forced to forge the Sampo, a magical mill that creates grain, salt and gold, a veritable philosophers stone plus. An enigmatic device to us, but clearly the most life sustaining and valuable commodities of the age. Here both Anna-Kaisa and Kristiina Ilmonen create a vivid scene as the metal goes in the fire and comes out in a number of forms such as a crossbow, a ship. a cow; in the audience the tension rises and the instrumentalists add layers of wails and hisses that are somewhere between creature, human, and material. There is a noticeable breadth and variety of sounds that emerge of a degree and quality I have not yet heard in equal during another storytelling event. At times in the show it felt like you could get lost in thick conifer forests that had sprung up around, and the lush grasses had risen from our seats for the precision of the elements of the soundscape that are introduced are second to none.

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There are also some other familiar figures such as shape-changing witches, the magical musical player Vainamoinen who brings to things to life with his kantele, and Lemmionkainen a youth restored to life through the maternal questing on his mother; it is an exciting spectacle from a rather unknown storytelling region from my own experiences, but on that draws parallels to other more familiar cultures, e.g. Osiris in Egyptian mythology for example who body is pieced back together. Tima Vaananen certainly brings some magic with the music throughout and the authentic addition of this old instrument seems as essential as the Finnish self-deprecating wit. It’s presence acts like the thread that holds the seams of the epic together. The theatre experience is encapsulated with a free programme that is given out which explains the song and story style, the history of the region, and crucial information about the characters focused on. It is a good starting point for anyone keen to learn about Finnish myth an itself a nice souvenir.

In just the two Adverse Camber productions I have seen I have been impressed. There is a great variety between the two but both share a great selection of stories, the curation of some less obvious but interesting material for the audience, and some warm story-telling. Out of the two, Fire in the Sky had a bigger cast, probably more musical and backing variety (but then there is a bigger cast) than the Shahnameh. The Studio allowed the story to progress across the bigger space but the Shahnameh necessarily had to make more creative use of the space and set pieces when I saw it in the smaller Derby venue (which did add some charm). They are minor comparisons and differences, both are a great showcase of talent, a veritable saga of morality and creation, and most importantly an enjoyable night. If you get the chance to see an Adverse Camber work go and see, prepare to be educated and entertained in uncountable ways!

If you want to check out Adverse Camber and their upcoming work, check out their website here.

 

I do not claim ownership or copyright on the above publicity pictures, see Adverse Camber’s website for more information.

Categories
Festival Folk Music Gigs PR

Derby Folk Festival 2016 – Some of the Happenings – Megapost

Hi all.

Derby Folk Festival has been a really good event, I have seen some great acts over the three folk-filled days and wanted to give a rundown of the bands that have come on to my radar since the weekend. There were many big names, there were some energetic new acts and a variety of performances that covered the entire folk spectrum, some I have written about more than others- it is no indication of who I thought was the best (that would be a hard task).

Grab yourself a hot drink, sit back and have a peruse below. Feel free to add comments, let me know what you enjoyed and who you’d recommend to see in the future!

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The Shahnameh: Book of Kings

Filled with stories heaving with imagery, colour and flash in a series of tellings from the poet Ferdowsi over a thousand years in the past, “The Shahnameh” feels like the influential, cultural artifact that we have never heard of. Persian in origin and epic in nature, the atmospheric music (from Arash Moradi), sheer experience and versatility of the main storyteller (Xanthe Gresham Knight),  creative use of scenery, and the gentle, engagement of the audience all contribute to an extra special piece of theatre. See my full post on it now here.

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The Rattlers

Derby has it’s own brand of Celtic Folk Rock. I never knew because it has been hiding for a few years, but the Rattlers are back.

The Rattlers were big in the 90s, a local treasure of sorts but split in 1999 to do their own solo work and things apart from each other.

Coming back together at the Old Bell ballroom for the first time in a good while it certainly felt that anticipation was going to be high from fans. Playing to a mixed crowd of some young, some older. the room seemed to teeming with gold memories and remembered riffs, and it is fair to say that as they did come back, they accomplished a powerful and dedicated set. I will be the first to admit that I do not run towards folk-rock as my first choice in a festival but The Rattlers gave me a taste of what I was missing in having this misapprehension. One of my favourite songs had to be “Down, Long Way Down” a highly rocking, energetic snake of a song from yesteryear telling of misfortune and the poor educational qualities of gun-play. It struck a chord (in my heart) and reminded me of the great variety of folk music and rock and how sometimes you want something with a bit more legs. The much more folky number, “Roll Away the Blues” was also an encouraging and rousing song and worth the entrance alone to see these guys.

The Old Bell Hotel was a cool venue, the oldest pub in Derby with wonderful memories carved into the wood and fantastically situated in the heart of the city. In a sense they are a bit like guardians of Derby’s rock soul, Thor in Asgard. The Rattlers were rocking with the best of them and even if this grandiose description is too much, on another level it felt is like a few hours with some good mates. Time doesn’t seem to have faded their joy and with their slight blues influence,throng of electric guitar and hint of fiddle they are certainly a gem of a band that Derby needs to return in full. A showcase for homegrown live music, it’s honest and melodic rock which blows away the pretension of lesser musicians into the water with their solid, polished performance.

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Mawkin

This is the first time I had seen and heard Mawkin in any shape or form. As I often do, I heard several good things about them all over the place and wondered if they lived up to the hype attributed to them.

On the stage they performed a number of songs from their third studio album “The ties that bind” and Mawkin were good. In fact they did live up to the hype and then a bit more. A defining part of their music is it’s energy and crossover feel. It would be wrong to categorise their music as second wave ska, but their guitar anthems and undeterred lyrical style does feel like jelly from a similar mold. “Jolly Well Drunk” particularly illustrates that as it shares as much with ska-based drinking songs as it does folk singing songs (see Reel Big Fish’s “Beer” as an example). It isn’t quite as fast as some punk, and it’s not as deliberate as some folk, but being driven by a young, brash and per the title “Jolly” approach it is more the planned staggering of a night out at pub stops than the “lets see what happens” night that ends incredibly messy. One of the added intriguing aspects of performance is the division of their singing voices. The songs where David Delarre lead are kind of rougher, folk and rock for the everyman who is working by the sweat of his brow; songs led by James Delarre are more like the nobleman watching the landscape with mild interest and amusement; these contrasts and differences really build a versatile band. Another great song was “Shangai Brown” described as an “anti-shanty” song that talked about the horrors and misfortune of going away on a boat and warning that the better life is the simple married one. Fresh with great punch and a killer chorus, it lingers in the mind and shows great inventiveness in flipping the concept over. This is all incredibly fun, quintessential folk that I would gladly see again.

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Granny’s Attic

Granny’s Attic are a group that is definitely needed, their very existence could single-handedly quell the fears of any traditional folk fans worried about the continuation of the form in years to come, but Granny’s Attic are making a concerted effort to take primary interest in folk of this kind.

When they perform, the joy is in their energy as they literally cannot keep still. It’s not the well co-ordinated, choregraphed jumping of 30+ year olds like myself working out their moves and hoping to appear younger, but it doesn’t need to be; they are loving what they are doing, and they are doing it well. Much like hot air being breathed through a furnace of folk they have a certain amount of swagger but immense humbleness and respect for the audience. Their organic being is supplemented with confidence in more spades than a deck of cards, “Death of Nelson” is sung with grandeour by the members of the group and “Royal Oak” kicks along at a frightful pace before mentioning their other songs. They are a likeable bunch with one happy, one happy go-lucky, and another with the prophetic voice of doom you get in traditional folk that adds a wonderful character. They are quite possibly a glimpse of the future, it is hard not to feel that they are having some good mentoring and at are building up their repertoire for times to come. One thing is certain, they don’t really need any help with stage presence or enthusiasm, the love is deep and honest without a shadow of a doubt.

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9Bach

What can I say about 9Bach?

Before the festival I listened to their video, saw all their promotional material, and stared into their neat publicity pictures that see them looking either (a.) cool or (b.) enigmatic. Then they appeared like the still centre of a whirlpool in the Marquee as the rain swept around outside and the festival tent shrugged off the typical Derby weather with indifference. I was not entirely sure what to expect, a question mark hung over decidedly idiosyncratic music and their seeming religion of ignoring genre, but their performance made things pretty clear.

It was actually something special. Before you even attempt to go any further, the songs are quite haunting, ethereal and somewhat spectral without consideration of the meaning of the lyrics. “Anian” (also the name of the 2016 new album) is like a funk loop, in it’s performance and tension it fills the gap that exists between full new-age soundscapes and traditional folk based on (and describing the relationship with) the land. There are hints of this within the performances, and as a non-Welsh speaker I would possibly have skirted around the meanings in the songs and relied on my own imagination for what the lyrics were conveying (which might not have been the worse thing, but probably a reduced experience) but Lisa Jên did a good job of explaining and conveying their reasoning for each song’s existence and character. Anian for example it is about the sensory and spiritual connection between people, something untranslatable in English and the song “Llyn Du” on the other hand describes a tormented, frightening black lake Queen that lives in the body of water and haunting your dreams. Jen’s voice is a rising, piercing sound amongst the amorphous cold waters, and the bass sounds like it is propelling a river of stone through the waves. The whole thing is primal and atmospheric and in a positive way, unsettling.  The song, Witch Place,a story about a man who disappears and the ominous appearance of red-tinged soil that is discovered by his wife soon after near a church steeple. The song is penetrating, dark and clandestine and reason itself for us to hang, or at least dangle the folk label above 9Bach for disbelievers. My favourite track was “Wedi Torri” (It’s Broken), the harp solo was immensely cerebral, the harmonies enthralling and gentle, and the whole song is balanced on a knife edge of fragility, like a crystal swan figurine on the edge of a shelf. It is a poor comparison, but the last time instrumentals moved me in a similar way was the unstoppable nightmares I got when listening to Radiohead’s Kid A album. It’s not nightmares as such here, the music is really good and emotive; it feels like it is opening the floodgates between imagination, reason, and wonder and giving you a glimpse of musical spiritualism. The whole performance was great and in content it was a huge contrast to the other folk at the festival. Somewhere between Enya and the dark, gritty industrialism of 1990’s Portishead, the band is unabashedly confident and deserving of praise. Much like Jên’s fantastic star dress she appeared in their music is only just of this earth and lustrous in it’s beauty.. I will certainly be getting my hands on the albums when finances permit.

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Merrymaker

I had a bit of time and managed to catch Merrymaker in the Clubrooms at Derby, I have recently written about their recent charity single “Nobody here wants a war” here. A worthwhile cause in itself, it was especially good in such an intimate venue. Village Folk took the room and filled it with some fine folk paraphernalia; photographs of the artists they have previously hosted (at their regular Chellaston sessions, see here) and gave a warm welcome to guests within. Their first year in the role (last year it was Winter:Wilson who spent a good time this year in Derby Cathedral) they were a great addition to the festival. Merrymaker themselves are also undergoing a readjustment and change of scene with Dan Sealey (Merrymouth, Ocean Colour Scene) and Adam Barry (Merrymouth and The Misers) being joined by solo artist Nikki Petherwick from Oxfordshire, bringing some new ideas and direction. As part of their set they played “Nobody here wants a war” with some class, as well as some of their older material which worked well such as “In the Midst of Summertime” a pacy, springy number that felt like rolling meadows and a fresh breeze. Their performance was well rehearsed, yet casual and the addition of Nikki gives them a fuller flavour of sound, her performance of “The Oak Tree” was acoustic simplicity but also categorically beautiful. Towards the end they played”This is England” a definitive track detailing an 85 year old’s perceptions of the Country that he grew up in, in my line of work something I hear quite often. It’s content, empathy and humour is not unlike Oyster Band’s more famous hits, but less bombastic taking aim and hitting out at celebrities and modern culture in equal measure.

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The Young ‘Uns

The Young’Uns were in attendance on the second day and brought their signature, popular and rather denuded version of folk music to a rapt audience. Much like that bit in films where a noble warrior puts down his weapon and fights with fists alone, the Young’Uns opt for folk in it’s rawest, human crux form with several a capella numbers combined with interesting modern influences and topics. The Young’Uns also have the bonus of having gut-wrenchingly strong, exploratory voices and a timeless tradition to their sound and craft which is rightly recognised by folk artist aficiados. Their song “Carriage 12” is like a song from a Western, you can imagine whipcracks, dusty sand and people drinking very bad rye whisky in the background. This it might sound like but in subject it tells a tale of the foiled terrorist plot that occurred on a carriage from Amsterdam to Paris in recent news but as if it had happened over a hundred years ago. The Young’Uns are creating modern mythologies using old standards and showing good mastery of Americana while they are at it. They really are the real world equivalent of the “Soggy Bottom Boys” with the amount of people that packed the room out to see them. Another one of their songs “Dark Water” made a lasting imprint too as is a poignant song constructed from the broken English of a refugee coming to this country on a raft. Resonating outwards and engulfing the audience there was nowhere to hide from this track. There is a braveness to The Young’Uns music which doesn’t shy from modern attempts to hide ugliness in society or how human beings treat each other. It plainly and melodically communicates what is happening and lets the audience make’s it’s mind up. It all still manages to entertain and move despite the risk that the music could use the veneer of the past to shroud the significance of what is being sung about, in fact it holds up the stories for all to see. This talent and driving moral compass makes the Young’Uns a force of authority for the heart of folk within the music community.

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Ninebarrow

On the third day Ninebarrow had the task of entertaining following the aftermath of what seemed like torrential weather. Despite this, their early slot, and a few minor technical hitches early on they went on and impressed me and the rest of the audience enormously. They have a particular brand of folk music that returns to nature and explores it’s uses (hence their name), and it is these inspirations that make their sound as inspired as it is. In this regard they have a gentle folk sound with hints of Simon and Garfunkel in their delivery and harmony. When singing “The Weeds”, a song about a man who has lost his home and life when he makes the rash decision to leave his wife or “Bold Sir Rylas” their darkest cover about the exploits and murder of a bloodthirsty witch, they sound quite uplifting no matter how dark the material. Their frank joy makes opening a bag of moths in a sack factory seem like the most innocent, happy thing you could ever do. Playing fairly light instrument-wise they rely on their affable voices to sweep the songs along which they do with aplomb, but there is an added distinction to their soundscape for they use a reed organ quite extensively. This is a relatively modern sounding take on the folk heritage, and such an integral part of the band that I would fear that removing it would likely remove the modernity, edge and anything of value still present within the song. As a band that  Growing all the time and turning a few prominent heads we have certainly not seen the last of Ninebarrow.

 

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Ange Hardy and Lukas Drinkwater

Like a pint of the black with a rum chaser the pairing of Ange Hardy and Lukas Drinkwater effectively portray a duo of mutual somber jibes and a suppressed manic, mutual deprecation of each other which works for the audience’s amusement. It is of course how many double acts work but their use of stage presence and humour is really well-timed; a few bad pun-like jokes (I actually love bad puns) and a bit of tomfoolery, they would not be out of place at some good venues of the Edinburgh Fringe should their muses depart in the same direction. If this sounds like it is uninteresting chaos and a slight, it certainly isn’t because much like their approach to music and use of technology they are innovators and their performances feel well practiced and organised. In order to add depth and fill a space around the two artists, several instruments such as harp and double bass (and sometimes voice) are recorded by Ange on a loop pedal and used throughout the song performances to great effect, but it would be nothing without what is played and Ange Hardy’s singular voice. Playing several tracks from her quite wonderful Findings album the corners of the Guildhall Theatre shook with the immense concentration of the crowd upon the musical performance. Together they pay wonderful, constructive tribute to songs of old with renditions of “The Pleading Sister, “The Trees They Do Grow High”, and little-heard “Bonny Lighter-Boy”. Her voice seems limitless, their chemistry undeniable, and all-in-all a very good addition to Derby Folk Festival.

 

Apologies if your favourites are not mentioned, I would love to hear your impressions of the Festival in the comments below.. this just a snapshot of a wide range of exciting folk artists that were there on through the weekend. I cannot wait til next year.

Categories
British Folk Music Gigs

South Yorkshire FRW Music Festival – Sep 2016: Gilmore and Roberts

Folk tales done somewhat contemporary with audacious combination of source material, rhythm and wonder.

In Doncaster the day turned to night, the amber lights came on and Gilmore and Roberts came out, though vampires I am sure they are not.

On their 10th year working together Katriona Gilmore and Jamie Roberts are going strong, as strong as ever really. In my email inbox and those flyers you get through with your cd purchases I had seen the references, heard the signs and probably passed by much of the folk audience holding their breath as to how I had not come to listen to them. After all, the adoration from people has come from far and wide. I had heard of their recent Radio 2 Folk Awards nominations (3 times in total), their extensive support of other bands (and of course 4 albums together and numerous other projects) and like a monkey with a broken peanut was trying to put the pieces together in my mind. Even before hearing them, I felt like I would kind of have to agree with everyone especially as I often do a merry dance quite regularly with the Dovetail Trio and Kerfuffle which Jamie has a hand (and probably a foot) in.

After seeing them live I began to stop being grumpy, after all it is no understatement to say that they pretty much tick all the boxes for innovative, peerless folk music. Their arrangements are interesting, their selection of story and song subjects are varied, and every crinkle is their works are doused in myth and set alight by sparking good humour and excellent performance.

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Starting their set with “Dr James” they narrate a true song about a woman pretending to be male doctor considered a “lady’s man” who was credited at saving a woman and child during labour with caesarean section. It impressed me enough that despite me being the tortoise in this folk race, I have decided to make it my folk video of the week (for other reasons too, post here). Then there is their song about a bad scarecrow “scarecrow”or the man with the with arm transplant who continues the life of it’s previous occupant (theft) in “stealing arm” . Their reach (see what I did there) is long indeed, and whilst many artists make the veil separating history, myth and society flutter in their music, Gilmore and Roberts instead bring the curtain down, let the rapture in and play a wry chorus while things are burning all around. Their attitude and chemistry on stage was relished by the audience here, Gilmore was like a coiled, cool ringmaster and Roberts like the musical guy who would know how to fix your boat if you asked nicely. Whatever their appearance was outside of my imagination, it worked really well with everyone else too and they are obviously well rehearsed.

The set wasn’t restricted to older subject matter either, we got the added pleasure of an almost debut of a new song, “All the Way to Rome” about a particularly intriguing relationship between a nun and a priest (based on American Horror Story) and it ended on “Selfish Man”, a song penned on the Isle of Man which rolls and curses and talks of torment and anger. Throughout the lighting cast a white heaven, or deathly red on the stage, in seriousness it seemed to be more rotating on a random setting but nevertheless added something. Roberts’ guitar playing was precise and leading with an emotive voice, Gilmore’s singing felt enriched and expressive, all-in-all an impressive duo to get into this festival in Doncaster.

I sadly did not get time to catch some of the other artists who were there, had I been able to it could have gone a different way, but as it stands they were the clear stand artists  of the day. I will now rush out and buy all their albums (actually maybe wait til payday).

Give them a try, but don’t wait for several years (like myself).

 

Gilmore and Roberts are currently on tour going all over the place, I would check them out if I were you, here.

 

Categories
British Dark Folk Gigs Uncategorised

South Yorkshire FRW Music Festival – Sep 2016: Said The Maiden

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Authentic energy brought to dark, traditional numbers and original work.

http://www.saidthemaiden.co.uk/

 

Admittedly one of the two acts that drew me to the the new festival in Doncaster (South Yorkshire Folk, Roots and World) at the Leopard, “Said the Maiden” fantastic in name, and beginning to flourish in notability. They are like a group on their way up to the horizon, the sun might be setting in other places but they are rising. Having played with the late, highly-influential fiddler Dave Swarbrick on tour, occupied their own tour spaces and won the Isambard Folk Award in 2015, they occupy a particular niche which they do surprisingly well in. Their delivery and subject matter is generally traditional folk elements, but their enthusiasm and confidence gives it an exceptionally original edge.

For anyone not familiar with their work they are Jess Distill, Hannah Elizabeth and Kathy Pilkinton, a trio of women that bring the sea, mystery and the best sensibilities of folk music storytelling to an acapella form. Somewhat like Lady Maisery (though earlier in their journey) but choosing to dwell on the darker side of things for now they wind a story here and there and bring a kind of light menace to the subjects of their work through their harmony.

After an initial release of “a curious tale” in 2014, and their their recent maturing of sound EP “of maids and mariners” they have also been involved in a great collaborative work with supergroup “The Company of Players” with the likes of Kelly Oliver, Kim Lowings, and Lukas Drinkwater (and many others) in celebration of the works of Shakespeare. Alongside other fledgling and interesting sounds must have been a boon, they are working on a new album and expectations are unsurprisingly high for what they will bring next.

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At the Leopard in Doncaster their set included a number of great songs including a rendition of  1870’s “In the Pines (also known as “Where did you sleep last night?”) where they gave a grand and solemn focus to the tragic and well known number, a faithful and interesting “Spencer the Rover”, and a slowed down, more punchy cover of “Jolene”. These all shared a high benchmark of quality though the highlights of their set were probably their version of “The Soldier and the Maid”, and their own song “Polly Can You Swim?”

The STM version of “The Soldier and the Maid” (Trooper and the Maid) sounds the marching energy of the soldier at war, in this respect it arguably trumps some of the more traditional renditions which seem plodding in comparison. Their three voices are almost like spirit narrators or the young maid’s turmoil manifest on stage. As they sing they details her joy, her worry as the voices of reason within the Maid’s mind; the aforementioned pace fits both the growing lust and the speed and urgency of the call to war within the song. If you can get hold of a copy I recommend it.

“Polly can you swim?” is a song entrenched both in subject and delivery of the sea shanty. It has the themes of classic folk and theatre (women dressing as men), the romanticism of setting (on a boat at sea), and the piratical chanting of the eponymous title of the song. When it came on there was a slight buzz, the audience got right into it. Much like my recent review of Jenny Sturgeon and her song “Raven”, there is a rhythmic hymn within the song; it mocks, it excites, and it fits seamlessly into history. People in times to come will think it is a much older song than it is, which is some achievement as it is extremely hard to establish convincing modern mythology in the traditional style and not look like a maligned smuggler of floral tea.
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Said the Maiden more than lived up to expectations. Their set was brooding and professional, their voices were like vanilla coconut, sweet but textured with the grit of hard living which sounds great from a relatively young band.

I strongly recommend you see them, their next appearance is at the Great British Folk Festival in December, Skegness where there are some amazing groups (I wish I was able to go at: https://www.bigweekends.com/the-weekends/specialist-music-weekends/great-british-folk-festival.aspx).

Check out “Polly Can You Swim?” and “The Soldier and the Maid” below.

 

Categories
British Folk Music Gigs

South Yorkshire FRW Music Festival – Sep 2016: Lucy Marshall

Later in the day I was able to catch Lucy Marshall, a Hull-based acoustic artist with three EPs and experience of touring across festivals such as Cambridge Rock and Blues, and Cornucopia, her website is very nice indeed I am totally jealous http://www.lucymarshallsings.com/.

She was playing in the 1st floor room of the The Leopard pub, Doncaster, a fairly dark, industrial venue space above the pub. It was a tight room and probably better in design towards rock rather than folk, but this did not matter so much for the artist. After all, Lucy did bring a variety of tracks though such as Beck’s “The Golden Age” and Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child” which would be more at home here; she also furnished the audience’s attention with the traditional “Three Fishers”, and her own song “Fragile.” In respect to singing and acoustic guitar playing she all these genres in her acoustic style, which takes some effort. Her version of “Three Fishers” eschewed the dulcet, pronounced or mildly operatic sound of John Baez instead going for an equally emotive, more rugged sound that more than hearkened to her own family’s time at the coast. Lucy does appear to carry a large number of musical elements with her, the breadth of influences is a refreshing one, and an indicator of someone who loves music without being chained by recent fads.. Her whole performance was sustained with good singing and a sense of honesty and friendliness in her stage manner. She undoubtedly has a lot of singing talent and a potential hook for success, especially as she is early in her career it feels like her progression lies twofold.

Her performance itself was confident. She is but a few steps from treading in the shoes of other young singer-songwriters, I can see the similar attitude and niche of Lily Allen, Kate Nash and folk’s Lucy Ward (who she has supported on tour). On stage there were times where she was excessively modest, and maybe it was not intended, but there was a feeling of uncertainty in her discussions about her musical direction (she references about the old band at one point). We have all been there in different parts of our lives; it sounds cliche but she just needs more belief in herself because really sounds good. I think the key to this lies in a second point of development. Her music choice suggests a reverence for the past while reconciling her own music together in a show. If she has a tighter-knit themed ensemble of music, it will allow an audience to connect even more. Her rock catalogue fits the rock and blues scene, her own material is more aimed at her generation, and the folk tracks are a different audience again. Credit is due, the audience really liked her and that is the hard part, the rest can be arranged around as seen fit.

An interesting and unique mix of songs, I think she could capitalise on it through consideration of her character, manner and stage identity. She has a pretty powerful voice and you can see there is something there, something more. I hope to hear more of her in the future and see where this path takes her.

Check out her music from her website http://www.lucymarshallsings.com/music!

Check out the sample video below of “Fields of Gold”, she is there doing a great job.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4wq0hu0ARs

 

 

 

Categories
Folk Music Gigs

The Silver Darlings: Watermark- Single Launch in Sheffield (review)

A band with fire enjoying their musical influences without putting themselves in a box


I recently had the pleasure of attending the single launch with The Silver Darlings, a Sheffield-based indie-folk group at The Heeley Institute (Sheffield) and was more than pleasantly surprised.


The Silver Darlings are part of Ankle Breka Records, a growing independent music record based in Sheffield that is headed by Paul Littlewood, an artist in his own right. Before the Silver Darlings took the stage, Paul struck out and started the evening with a blues-tinged, acoustic voice quickly created an attentive, interested audience for what was yet to come. Paul himself is soon due to release a track, “Fire and Rain” with Neil McSweeney. McSweeney, if you are not sure. is pretty high on the Sheffield pantheon of folk artists not least due to his continued support of the stalwart figure Richard Hawley and some other high profile appearances in and around the city (I saw him at HARC’s last charity concert in Sheffield Cathedral with Nancy Kerr, Fay Hield and others), so there was a feeling that Littlewood would be pretty good, and he was. 



The main band played a warm set amongst the nautically themed space and whilst the band do not resemble their namesake (i.e. there is no passing resemblance to a herring in sight) there was everything else you might to come to expect such as a sea of candles in bottles, light-houses surrounded by shells and muted lighting… everything bar the sailing boat. It certainly looked the picture and set a good mood for the evening. Who are the Silver Darlings?

The Silver Darlings have changed line-ups a few times and now seem to be settling in stream and putting down some more solid roots. The band is made up of Andy Whitehouse (vocals), Lindsay Callaway (bass, backing vocals), Harry Corps (keyboard), Richard Master (lead guitar), Simon Joy (violin), and James Howe (drums and percussion). A good mix and the sight of a dedicated percussionist always brings a smile to my face whether it is drums of a box or anything, Simon Joy’s violin brought quite a bit to the show also. 



Prior to The Silver Darlings playing their new single, they played a some songs from their back catalogue such as “Pilgrims”, “Goldfish Girl” and “I’m Ready” from their 2011 album “Souls”. The songs that the Silver Darlings played covered quite a range like: jazz, folk, funk, and rock; it is all held together and works due to the song writing and ease at occupying this space between categories. “Goldfish Girl” is a a great jazz-infused, lovingly meandering and exploratory track. It floats in the air like the aforementioned subject’s attention and memories and plays nicely with the imagery throughout with the singer trying to “catch you in the little net.” It is a playful song for a playful band. Like loose fitting linen trousers in the heat of the Indian Summer, it is not everyone’s cup of tea, but few would complain that they didn’t make things cool. “Pilgrims” is a speedy and immediate number that thrusts you quite successfully into the varied, dizzying world travel, immigration and people trying to make connections with one another. “I’m ready” is like an indie-rock anthem with sincerity that uplifts, going for clarity and strength rather than the complexity of the previous songs but being positively memorable for it. It is safe to say that The Silver Darlings go for a catch-all approach with their music; it’s folk and rock influences familiar to an older crowd, but not inaccessible to newer audiences who enjoy the live music scene.



With the launch of “Watermark” we get a musing, folk-rock track that has the feeling of Spring due to it’s energy and movement. The track, much like the band occupies an interesting niche with it’s persistent and engaging guitars alongside lyrics with imagery (but ones that encourage gentle thought rather than the enigma of someone like Don Mclean). The song is (like many) about the complexity of love, describing love lost and love regained and has been reworked much like the relationship itself following a 27 year gap, with all the thoughts in between. In the song we get some nice turns of phrase such as, “And from time to time I blink and you’re gone, and it’s your face I focus on” and “she blazed down on me like the sun, the shadow lingers long after she’s gone,” it is all powerful symbolism. If the Silver Darlings were a pop-rock group they would not be a hundred leagues from REM, Andy’s voice is laid-back, but from the performance you can tell it is well-rehearsed and the band is clearly serious about entertaining, maybe he is a bit like Bill Bailey in his more serious musical moments or a more optimistic Ian Curtis. Perhaps it is the particular coupling of lyrics and rock, or maybe its the lighter backing vocals and harmonies of Lindsay Calloway that reminds me of the B-52’s Kate Pierson in “Shiny Happy People” that appeals, but nevertheless it is a merry number, for a merry band. The Silver Darlings feel like they are making a push in the live music scene, reminding us of music that rocks without dumbing down the core message, a group I would strongly recommend.


Give them a go, check out their website here, get yourself a copy of the single here, and check out their previous album while you are at it.

Categories
Folk Music Gigs

Steamchicken@Shakespeares “A dynamic, captivating performance that stays in the mind”

Steamchicken Live @ Shakespeares in Sheffield

Shakespeares’ Pub, Sheffield 2 April 2016


These chickens can play, in a dynamic, captivating performance that stays in the mind


I have recently had the good fortune to be very pleasantly surprised at a local gig in Sheffield; I scoured the ‘net looking for something I’d not heard of and the name “Steamchicken” leapt out at me from the digital screen. Part cuisine, part jazz sounding, it is a name which surely brings uncertainty and surprise so I decided to give it a go; I am so glad I did. Taking place at Shakespeares Pub at the beginning of their tour is a good choice, the pub itself is a good night out by anyone’s money in virtue of the boxes it ticks. Traditional pub? Check. Tons of whisky and real ale? Check again and that’s before checking the furniture that has turned a blind eye to modern pretensions. 


In virtue of it’s location as a kind of outpost from the real-ale rich pubs of Kelham Island it ranks up there with the more interesting and honest drinking nights out you can have in Sheffield. This praise comes without any commercial pressure to publicity plug the pub, I strangely only came across it’s existence last year despite living in and out of Sheffield for the best part of 12 years and genuinely find it as a great discovery.


On arrival I was handed one of Steamchicken’s flyers, it has a proud vote of confidence written on it from Blackbeard’s Tea Party who say that:


“It’s a scientifically certified fact that no mammal can listen to steamchicken and resist dancing” 


BTP have a strong reputation and this might be enough to seal the deal for many many live music enthusiasts especially if they are fans of the aforementioned band.. but then you hear Steamchicken amongst the pretty packed space at the top of the Shakespeares pub and realise that something quite special is happening and it’s not just all hype.

And they weren’t doing it alone either.



To start the gig had the pleasure of Robin Garside’s warm up act, which as a very well-known local folk musician is a mark of distinction. Robin has been involved in the business of folk for quite a while having as he describes it “done the rounds of the British folk club circuit for years” as well as being involved as a tutor at Barnsley College for their music degree and leader of Sheffield Traditional Fiddlers Society. He has obviously reached the heart of folk and is playing it for all to see as he selected a distinctive set of simplistic, powerful and often incredibly comedic numbers.


He starting with a mildly-disclaimered song “40 miles” warning that is has a rude subtext. In this song you can see some odd connections (most which are probably not intentional) with the Proclaimers. His “40 miles” might be less than their “500 miles” but the subject of Garside’s song is instead relieved that the object of his affection has “opened the door and let me in”. It is a sharp contrast to the pleading of the Scots brothers in “Make my heart fly” that they “can’t do any more to get inside your door”; is the lesson here that Robin has better dance moves and has the key? It is a delightful start that paints a picture of a witty artist who draws the crowd in through the clarity of his music and playing and size of his heart. 


He followed later with a song about vegetarianism, an unlikely topic to first springs to mind in folk (unless maybe you are a fan of Merry Hell maybe) but it is a comic wonder of a track where rabbits, fish, and English breakfasts together lament the fact they were going to be eaten and wildly protest to the singer. It is slightly surreal and incredibly jaunty number and a love the fact it is somewhat existential in that it sees a slight absurdity to existence. The humour would not work without Garside’s solid playing and strong voice though, so it is a good job he brought them too! 


Another highlight by Garside was a more than serviceable cover of “January Man” by Christy Moore. It is a relatively ballad with a economical arrangement about each month in the year and how it is a character much in the same vein as the nursery rhyme, “Monday’s child”. Robin maintains the simplicity, authenticity and wonder of the track as he strums through the phases of the year from cold to warm describing the frost and wonder within, “the poor November man sees fire and mist, and wind and rain and winter air.” There are some great descriptions here which leads me to feel that it is a song that clearly needs more widespread attention then what it currently gets.


All in all worth the price of admission, and that is before we get to Steamchicken. 



Steamchicken are a particularly energetic and fun group comprising the fantastic Amy Kakoura on vocals, Matt Crum on sax, Katy Oliver on trumpet, Becky Eden-Green on Alto Sax, Mandy Sutton on Tenor sax, Benn Wold and Joe Crum on percussion, Ted Crum on harmonica, and Andrew Sharpe on piano. As can be seen they are brass heavy, and it is this that brings an enviable character to their sound and creates bridges between the genres that they play.  


They are somewhat complex and also intriguing with definitive drumming and a sound which describes their interests in folk, jazz, soul and funk in equal measure. For myself it also brought flashbacks to the 80s and 90s too with more than a touch of second and third wave ska. Many of their original numbers reminded of the first and second No Doubt albums and Amy Kakoura certainly has the kind of genre defining sound of early Gwen Stefani and the sense of fun that came from this era of music. The group’s membership has grown over the 20 years that the artists have known each other but regardless of how long each member has been in the band, their coming together show a very apparent level of rehearsal and confidence and the more recent faces have added a nice diversity to their newer tracks. So what of the tracks?


“Boom boom, out go the lights” has the character and energy of a bombastic soul-pop number which contains a dollop of grooving interludes and an engaging harmonica input which is intensely and tightly woven into a light-touch film noire backdrop. It is both punchy and accessible and under the hot pink haze of Shakespeares you could almost see the cigar smoke and neon lights encircling as touching the night air. Similarly there was “Wake Up Juice” a fun, bluesy look at the idea of divorcing booze following a heavy session the night before. Regret might be a common theme in blues music (and this was no exception) but still it carried a resonance and was an interesting inclusion to the session, not least due to the rich of it’s imagery and exploration of “blood on the windows.. blood on the walls”. You can feel the agony wrought into the music here of the hangover and the wonderful passion of misery. We also got some foot-stomping action from some signature Ceilidh songs (old Joe’s jig) and a fine cover of the old song “O Mary don’t you weep” with a bit of audience participation for the famous chorus.



My favourite song of the evening was undoubtedly “Sailing in August” based on Becky (the Alto Sax’s) Summer Holiday. The holiday itself was said to be a mixed affair, but I couldn’t say that for the song. There was a briny, blazing vocal from the lead singer and the song sounded like where it was in absolutely the best sense. The brass moved left to right and there was the sound of the breeze along with the chorus “and the wind blew”. It certainly felt like you were taken out of a place and put into another (which is something for my internal cynic to learn from). Top notch in every sense, atmospheric to the hilt and a belter of a track. 


Steamchicken are melodic with a big band sound, an expressive blues singing voice and some accomplished forays with popular numbers as well as their newer tracks. It felt at times that the room struggled to contain them, it certainly feels like Blackbeard’s tea Party were being overly cautious with their remarks given the richness and energy of sound. Along with the great warm up of Robin Garside it is true to say there is something here for everyone too and it is family friendly. It is rare that I instantly think of seeing a repeat gig in the near future but on the strength of character, sound and charm that they bring, it is not too distant or unwelcome thought to have.


Steamchicken are still on tour, details here for a show near you all over the Country and at several Folk Festivals.


For further details of their band and album releases, go here.