Recent gigs

[Chris]

Olivia Dunn is his usual fiddle player

[ColinB]

An excellent couple of sets from Irish guitarist John Doyle in Lancaster last night. There was a good crowd in at the Storey Institute and John was in fine form laughing his way through one song where he was struggling to remember the words. He told us how he'd asked Tim O'Brien and Joan Baez, when touring with them, how they remember song lyrics and Joan's reply about how she sees a white horse fly through the sky and drop a sheet of lyrics on her head made me wonder if she'd perhaps over-indulged in psychedelic substances back in the day. That was matched by John recounting a dream he'd had about being a selkie and a story about Irish druids making a telescope out of treebark to see into the spirit world after taking mind-expanding herbs.

But the music was very good too. There were songs about rounding the Cape Horn (no, not that one), being transported to Botany Bay and a chap who in 1915 was on a ship bound for America that was torpedoed by a U-Boat. Also a lovely number written for his daughter when she was a toddler called Little Sparrow.

He's off to Brum next, then a gig with Michael McGoldrick in Manchester and a solo gig in London. Well worth going to see.

[Chris]

Plenty more dates - see here

Well recommended!

[Will S]

An excellent couple of sets from Irish guitarist John Doyle in Lancaster last night. There was a good crowd in at the Storey Institute and John was in fine form laughing his way through one song where he was struggling to remember the words. He told us how he'd asked Tim O'Brien and Joan Baez, when touring with them, how they remember song lyrics and Joan's reply about how she sees a white horse fly through the sky and drop a sheet of lyrics on her head made me wonder if she'd perhaps over-indulged in psychedelic substances back in the day. That was matched by John recounting a dream he'd had about being a selkie and a story about Irish druids making a telescope out of treebark to see into the spirit world after taking mind-expanding herbs.

But the music was very good too. There were songs about rounding the Cape Horn (no, not that one), being transported to Botany Bay and a chap who in 1915 was on a ship bound for America that was torpedoed by a U-Boat. Also a lovely number written for his daughter when she was a toddler called Little Sparrow.

He's off to Brum next, then a gig with Michael McGoldrick in Manchester and a solo gig in London. Well worth going to see.

His Shadow and Light album, which contains most the songs you mention, is highly recommended too.

[ColinB]

Plenty more dates - see here

Well recommended!

Those 3 gigs were the only ones he could remember last night. And it was his first ever gig in Lancaster.

For those musicians among us he has an instrument which is the head and neck of a bouzouki and the body of a guitar. If I remember correctly, his preferred name for it was a bouzar. Sounds pub-related to me!

I see it says the Manchester gig is with the Foghorn Stringband. But googling the venue I see that...

"The Carousel Sessions was set up in September 2014 by Mike McGoldrick, to promote the best in live trad, roots and acoustic music at the Chorlton Irish Club, Manchester."

... so that's the McGoldrick connection.

[Chris]

Didn't Maart have one of those?

[David W]

Didn't Maart have one of those?

I believe at one time only three had been made - Maart owned one making him one of the top 3 (but also the worst 3) bouzar players in the world. Details on Maarts "gear" section on the website - his bouzar is a Stefan Sobell.

[Jim]

Didn't Maart have one of those?

I believe at one time only three had been made - Maart owned one making him one of the top 3 (but also the worst 3) bouzar players in the world. Details on Maarts "gear" section on the website - his bouzar is a Stefan Sobell.

like this , just copied from Mr Allcock's website



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[dog-nap (Ian)]

A full house for Anna and Elizabeth at Kings Place.  I love their cds, but they are such visual performers that it really adds an extra dimension seeing them live.   They brought along their ‘crankies’ – homemade spools of illustrations that are ‘cranked’ round to accompany the songs.  The duo remind me a little bit of Gillian Welch.  Lots of old-timey, Appalachian music, but delivered in a very quirky and imaginative way.  Riveting stuff.

[StephenGiles]

The legendary Robin Trower, yesterday at the sold-out One World Theater in Austin, Texas.  Here's the surreptitious photo my brother took.

No photography I presume? I've heard the Tuscon gig and he was superb!

[Chris]

Home Service at the Half Moon.

Under 40 payers, less than 50 in the house. Shame & sad, as the band played a blinder.

[Albie]

Hawkwind in B'rum. Great set musically for two hours, plenty of classics (Born To Go, Magnu, Arrival In Utopia, Steppenwolf, You'd Better Believe It and probably others) and the whole band as tight and solid as could be. Several tracks from the last two albums. Great band on top form.
Visually brilliant. Like, wow, man.  
A half hour acoustic instead of a support band, featuring a jovial and talkative Captain. Great to see him so happy, and enjoying playing with the people he has round him.

[JJ (Joanna)]

Daphne's Flight at Maldon. A first for me and wow, it was fantastic. An almost packed Town Hall and the atmosphere was amazing.

  

[GubGub (Al)]

Daphne's Flight at Maldon. A first for me and wow, it was fantastic. An almost packed Town Hall and the atmosphere was amazing.

  

So glad someone else on TAW has been to see them and has posted a review. They were so great last Friday. I was afraid everyone was going to miss them.

[Adam]

Home Service at the Half Moon.

Under 40 payers, less than 50 in the house. Shame & sad, as the band played a blinder.

That's a real shame. Do you think it was down to general lack of interest, poor promotion, ageing fanbase, or all three? By contrast, there must have been 300 or so to see Skinny Lister at a very packed and sweltering venue in Southampton on a Tuesday night. Biased towards young folk, but a fair smattering of oldies as well!

[Chris]

Certainly the latter two, promotion in particular. The Half Moon does very little that I see,.

[John From Austin]

The legendary Robin Trower, yesterday at the sold-out One World Theater in Austin, Texas.  Here's the surreptitious photo my brother took.

No photography I presume? I've heard the Tuscon gig and he was superb!

He's still at the top of his game, and he even sings a couple of songs now!

They had a no camera policy, but my brother sneaked that one photo midway through the show.

[JJ (Joanna)]

Daphne's Flight at Maldon. A first for me and wow, it was fantastic. An almost packed Town Hall and the atmosphere was amazing.

  

So glad someone else on TAW has been to see them and has posted a review. They were so great last Friday. I was afraid everyone was going to miss them.

Al, isn't it amazing when one discovers a 'new' band and is blown away by the talent and the wonderful atmosphere, what a voice Christine Collister has, together with all the others it was pure magic!

[bassline (Mike)]

A fabulous Dean Freidman last night at St Donat's Art Centre near Llantwit Major, a favourite venue of ours.

Mike and I are a bit fragile at the moment with the news of his brother, but the concert was just what we needed - we cried and laughed in equal amounts. Mr Freidman is a bit of a raconteur and has been around the world a few times in his career, garnering stories on the way. I have a soft spot for singer-songwriters, and if you add a bit of New York jazz into the mix it's hits the spot. He's an accomplished guitarist and pianist and is still able to let rip on a song, or gently weave his way though an ode to his old guitar, or a song about his mother (and yes, it's called Mother of Mine!).  

It ended with the audience singing the female part to Lucky Stars! and we all knew the words  

A brilliant night. I didn't want it to end  

Just got back from his gig at the Robin. He's coming back next year on the 40th anniversary of the ...Rocking Chair album to play the whole thing. He's just got the rights back to his recorded work, so I promised to upgrade my vinyl copy with a CD next year in return for hearing the Deli Song live....and a signed poster.

[Jules Gray]

Just got back from his gig at the Robin. He's coming back next year on the 40th anniversary of the ...Rocking Chair album to play the whole thing. He's just got the rights back to his recorded work, so I promised to upgrade my vinyl copy with a CD next year in return for hearing the Deli Song live....and a signed poster.

What, are you crazy?

Jules