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Sir Robert Peel
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« on: August 05, 2005, 09:37:58 PM » |
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I arrived at the club-tent 45 minutes before the start of Seth's set and I was too late - every square inch of turf had been bagged and we stood 8 deep on the outside of the auditorium, shoulder to shoulder.
The Trio started to set themselves up. Ben Nicholls was the first onto the stage, with his wry, dry smile, a double bass, and a fag dangling from the side of his mouth. Seth was centre-stage, in his customary black t-shirt, jeans and 'tenner' guitar, communicating with the sound-desk and nervy. Sean Lakeman, Seth's older brother, looked as though he'd stepped out of a photo-shoot for Armani - a flamboyant brown silk shirt, high cheek bones set off by a haircut like a roman centurion.
'I'm going to have to ask all the people sitting in the tent to stand up and allow the crowds inside', said the announcer, as he looked in astonishment at the hordes arriving by the second. Without the slightest grumble, everyone stood up, and smiled at us, as we joined them. We filed in gratefully, and stood together. There was a magical buzz that foretold of something big and special about to happen.
When the trio appeared on stage, the Club Tent had been transformed. No longer the preserve of lounging sunday promenaders, it was a seething, teeming mass of expectant, 'up-for-it' smiling faces. I don't think I'll ever forget the roar of greeting and the way Seth gulped with emotion as he felt the size, energy and warmth of his audience.
If you thought that the Mercury-nominated album 'Kitty Jay' was good, then you'll be delighted and astonished by the songs from the new album. You would have thought it couldn't be bettered, but these songs maintain the high standard Seth Lakeman has set for himself. Quite, quite brilliant, in fact.
The announcer signalled to them to get off the stage at the allotted time, and the audience let out a groan - we'd just got going! Sean and Ben left the stage, while Seth hurriedly picked up his fiddle to finish with 'Kitty Jay'. The tent went wild, and the announcer knew that the trio had to be brought back for an encore.
During the encore, I prised my self from the people standing close to me, and looked towards the back of the tent, watching the reaction of the audience. How many of these people were new to Seth Lakeman and had just come to assess his chances of a Mercury Award, I wondered? I thought I'd be able to recognise them by their distant facial expressions and non-committal body language. I couldn't see anyone who wasn't caught up in the excitement of the performance, so my question went unanswered.
When I got my breath back, and after a swift snifter at the bar, I wandered over to the MOJO tent. A long, long queue of people had already formed, and in the distance I could see a young man in black t-shirt and jeans signing CDs, with a suprised look on his face.
I wasn't suprised at all, though.
Sir Robert Peel
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