Derby Folk Weekend – 29 September 2023
A summary of music from the first night of the Derby Folk Weekend 2023.
5th March 2022- Phil Beer at Wesley Centre, Maltby
We have recently had the pleasure of visiting the opening night of “Wesley Centre Live”, a series of folk gigs that has started in Maltby. We wanted to share our experiences with you, for more information about upcoming gigs, go to https://www.facebook.com/wesleycentrelive/?ref=page_internal. Heading out in your car a little East of Rotherham you come to […]
Robert Lane – Only a Flight Away – Review
Released 27th April 2018 With “Only a Flight Away” there is a gear change from the “Country Lane” to the “Highway Lane”. Working and skillfully taking influences from all round this is an artist who is more assured, more confident and more accomplished. What comes to mind when you think of refinement? Fine wine, some […]
Bella Gaffney- Heaven Knows – Album Review
Album: Heaven Knows With: Bella Gaffney (Vocals and guitars, concertina, and more) Lauren Deakin Davies (Bass guitar, keys and percussion) Nick Hall (Backing vocals and lead guitar) Tim Spencer (Drums) Chris Elliott (Fiddle) Heather Sirret (Bass Guitar) James Gaffney (Piano) Tracks: 11 Produced by: Lauren Deakin Davies FOLKSTOCK RECORDS […]
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) […]
Look Back: Saskia G-M “Gentle Heart” (review)
This is a “Look Back” post, one that brings an older review (from shedancesinthemind.blogspot.com) here to my new website. Since my writing in early 2016, Saskia Griffiths-Moore has continued to grow with a series of concerts and some well-shot covers of some well-known tracks on her Youtube channel here. “Gentle Heart” is seriously an album […]
EP Post #3 Melanie Crew and James Black
As the veil of winter is beginning to fall, I continue to bring news of some Autumn EP releases which I have given some time to listen to. For my third EP roundup post I will talk about acoustic singer-songwriter, “Melanie Crew” and folksinger “James Black” and they releases in the past months, following a […]
Steve Pledger’s – “Somewhere Between” Album Review
A self-assured album from Pledger, whose writing has clearly grown in skill. The lyrics are pleasingly concise, yet emotive and manage to capture other people’s viewpoints very well. It always persuades, but sometimes astonishes. Introduction to Album Steve Pledger is back with “Somewhere Between” his second acoustic-offering that continues to move across the themes […]
EP Post Autumn 2016 #1: Steve Grozier (Take My Leave)
Hi all, I have had some interesting things coming through the mailbox in recent weeks (several in some cases). I have finally had a chance to listen to it all and wanted to share the musical endeavours these artists are striving for early on their road to fame. It is always exciting to find something […]
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 […]