Recent gigs

[wayne stote]

Jim Causley's Christmas show, the other night. A terrific selection of rather obscure - at least, for me - carols, songs and poems, sung & played to perfection. Brilliant evening.

Was it in Liverpool??

No, it was in Shipley, near Bradford. Topic Folk Club.

[Will S]

Didn't see his Christmas show this year, but we have done the last couple of years (he's a local boy), and is another of those 'why isn't he better known' conundrums!

[Peter Allen]

Saw the final night of the Albion Christmas Band at Ropery Hall , Barton , last night
Everybody in fine form , some moving arrangements along with singalongs , Kellie in really fine voice , I was on the front row , I could hear gasps of astonishment at the quality of her voice
Blair joined the line up for the full second half , which gave an extra dimension
Afterwards , all happy to mingle and sign , even Simon N (!)
As always a fab way to kick off Christmas in style

[David V B]

Wonderful night at the West Coast Folk Festival, one of the best evenings I have ever had at a festival. Martin Simpson on brilliant form. What he can do with a guitar is phenomenal. Lovely tribute to Linda T preceding Down Where the Drunkards Roll, and the best version of Deportees I have ever heard.

First time seeing Merry Hell and like rest of the audience I was blown away. Not sure how I have missed them before but this won’t be the last time. Bought their ne compilation so my Sunday should be livelier than usual!

And the the Oysters. Came away a little sad to think that will be the last time I see them, but how appropriate to finish a show in Blackpool with Put Out The Lights! Bit of sound problem at the beginning but once they got going a great set of the “hits”. They will be leaving us with some great memories.

[blagden]

Wonderful night at the West Coast Folk Festival, one of the best evenings I have ever had at a festival. Martin Simpson on brilliant form. What he can do with a guitar is phenomenal. Lovely tribute to Linda T preceding Down Where the Drunkards Roll, and the best version of Deportees I have ever heard.

First time seeing Merry Hell and like rest of the audience I was blown away. Not sure how I have missed them before but this won’t be the last time. Bought their ne compilation so my Sunday should be livelier than usual!

And the the Oysters. Came away a little sad to think that will be the last time I see them, but how appropriate to finish a show in Blackpool with Put Out The Lights! Bit of sound problem at the beginning but once they got going a great set of the “hits”. They will be leaving us with some great memories.

Wonderful weekend, highlights included the Doonicans, Martin Simpson, Merry Hell and McGoldrick Drever & McCusker. I thought the Oysterband were disappointing for lots of different reasons the main one being that John's voice has deteriorated significantly since I last saw them.

I was talking to the promoter Stephen from Solid Entertainment last night and he seemed to be saying all the right things about it returning again next year - let's hope so. All this and getting to see Bruno, Simon Cowell and Ant & Dec in the flesh (they were filming auditions for Britain's Got Talent in a different part of the venue).

[David V B]

Martyn Joseph at the Liverpool Phil. Martyn is just getting over a 17 day dose of flu so no meet-and-greet after and instead of two sets, he played straight through to protect his voice. Still did one hour 50 though and the longer set gave him the chance to relax. Bit croaky on the first song but then warmed up and the rest of the gig was up to the usual high standard. No new album so chance to revisit older songs from the past, some not heard for several years. A great evening, which MJ clearly enjoyed enormously.

[DarrenWilliams]

The Oldham Tinkers at a sold out Band on the Wall last night. My dad used to play their records quite a lot when I was growing up, and also others of that ilk - Houghton Weavers, Fivepenny Piece etc. I don't think any of them are due a critical revival anytime soon but I always thought the Tinkers were a cut above the rest. Sure, they sang the usual daft songs but they also set 19th century dialect poetry to music and seemed to have a deeper knowledge of the region's traditional music.  I also like their medleys of children's playground songs - probably one of the last examples of the folk process in action.  Some funny stories too, really put a smile on my face. They also have a new-ish album recorded in 2022, their first since 1979 and just as good as anything they did in the 70s.

I took my mum and she really enjoyed it too

[Peter Allen]

Darren , I'm just pleased you thought to invite your mum along , a bonus if she really enjoyed the evening too !

[mickf]

Windborne - St Mary's Church, Barry (Part of Barry Arts Festival) I only discovered this group a couple of months ago, but I've fallen in love with their sound. They are a four part harmony, mostly acapella group from the USA. They perform folk music from all over the globe and they are wonderful. The songs were well chosen and delivered in style. The inevitable encore was a rewritten version of the old folk song 'Fourpence a Day' With a nod to the changing times and online sites, such as Spotify, it became '0.4 Cents A Play.' Well worth catching on their current UK tour, if you can.

[William]

Aaron Catlow & Brooks Williams at Anteros music room, Norwich, last night. Excellent performance in an intimate venue (approx 75 chairs). Beautiful matching up of fiddle with bluesy acoustic guitar and vocals.  

[Lubiloo (Lorna)]

We saw Spiers and Boden on Saturday, we worked out we had not seen them in any guise since Bellowhead,  Cropredy 2012.

They didn’t disappoint, did what it said on the tin…traditional folk performed with musical expertise as always. Good and witty explanations of the backgrounds and stories to the songs. It was noticeable how the crowd reacted in a more lively fashion when they did a couple of songs they do with Bellowhead, e.g.  

 It was in Sage Two, a tiny venue, capacity just 600 and we were very close to the stage, just above it, close enough to read the setlist, but no…I didn’t get my phone out! They were both out signing merch at the interval, then there again after the gig.

All in all, a pleasant evening. Couldn’t stay for the other ‘boys’’ winter tour gigs in that area, unfortunately.

[Will S]

I went to see The Salts last night at Launceston Folk Club - having seen that they were on the bill for Cropredy, I was interested to see what they were like.  I have seen them described as 'Bellowhead redux' - being a 5 piece band who play rocked up versions of shanties and other sea songs  - some trad, some original.  In the end I didn't enjoy them as much as I had expected, though I have trouble working out why.  The musicianship and between songs humour was great, but something didn't quite click for me.  But maybe that was just me - I'll still look forward to seeing them again at Cropredy, and seeing if I get it then.

[John From Austin]

The Mighty Blue Oyster Cult 2025 Edition: Jules Radino (drums), Richie Castellano (keyboards/guitar/vocals), Eric Bloom (vocals/keyboards/"stun" guitar), Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (lead guitar/vocals), and Danny Miranda (bass/vocals), last night at the Paramount Theater in Austin! A great time was had by all. Time has not slowed these guys down. According to Wikipedia, the rhythm section has been with BOC for 21 years, Richie since 1995, Bloom since 1969 and Dharma since its founding (as "Soft White Underbelly") in 1967.

[davidmjs]

The Mighty Blue Oyster Cult 2025 Edition: Jules Radino (drums), Richie Castellano (keyboards/guitar/vocals), Eric Bloom (vocals/keyboards/"stun" guitar), Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (lead guitar/vocals), and Danny Miranda (bass/vocals), last night at the Paramount Theater in Austin! A great time was had by all. Time has not slowed these guys down.

80 and 77, eh...Keep on Rockin' in the, um, 'Free World'

[John From Austin]

The Mighty Blue Oyster Cult 2025 Edition: Jules Radino (drums), Richie Castellano (keyboards/guitar/vocals), Eric Bloom (vocals/keyboards/"stun" guitar), Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (lead guitar/vocals), and Danny Miranda (bass/vocals), last night at the Paramount Theater in Austin! A great time was had by all. Time has not slowed these guys down.

80 and 77, eh...Keep on Rockin' in the, um, 'Free World'

  Don't Fear the Reaper, indeed.

[Alan2]

We saw Spiers and Boden on Saturday, we worked out we had not seen them in any guise since Bellowhead,  Cropredy 2012.

They didn’t disappoint, did what it said on the tin…traditional folk performed with musical expertise as always. Good and witty explanations of the backgrounds and stories to the songs. It was noticeable how the crowd reacted in a more lively fashion when they did a couple of songs they do with Bellowhead, e.g.  

 It was in Sage Two, a tiny venue, capacity just 600 and we were very close to the stage, just above it, close enough to read the setlist, but no…I didn’t get my phone out! They were both out signing merch at the interval, then there again after the gig.

All in all, a pleasant evening. Couldn’t stay for the other ‘boys’’ winter tour gigs in that area, unfortunately.

I like Sage 2, or Glasshouse as it now  is (no i don't like the new name). Have seen a goodly few acts  there.  I think i even prefer it to the main hall.

[davidmjs]

600?  Tiny?  My Sue went to a sold out John Bramwell gig on Sat - 50 tickets

[Lubiloo (Lorna)]

We saw Spiers and Boden on Saturday, we worked out we had not seen them in any guise since Bellowhead,  Cropredy 2012.

They didn’t disappoint, did what it said on the tin…traditional folk performed with musical expertise as always. Good and witty explanations of the backgrounds and stories to the songs. It was noticeable how the crowd reacted in a more lively fashion when they did a couple of songs they do with Bellowhead, e.g.  

 It was in Sage Two, a tiny venue, capacity just 600 and we were very close to the stage, just above it, close enough to read the setlist, but no…I didn’t get my phone out! They were both out signing merch at the interval, then there again after the gig.

All in all, a pleasant evening. Couldn’t stay for the other ‘boys’’ winter tour gigs in that area, unfortunately.

I like Sage 2, or Glasshouse as it now  is (no i don't like the new name). Have seen a goodly few acts  there.  I think i even prefer it to the main hall.

Yes, the theatre is now The Glasshouse but the internal zones are still Sage One and Two. I read somewhere it's because the new business centre being built will be called Sage due to sponsorship I think?

Ha ha David, the. Music venue equivalent of the four Yorkshire men?

[Alan2]

600?  Tiny?  My Sue went to a sold out John Bramwell gig on Sat - 50 tickets

I saw Bridget St John at the Old Cinema Laundrette a few years ago  - capacity 35-40.  I think it was about half full.

[davidmjs]

600?  Tiny?  My Sue went to a sold out John Bramwell gig on Sat - 50 tickets

I saw Bridget St John at the Old Cinema Laundrette a few years ago  - capacity 35-40.  I think it was about half full.

Really?  That's shocking...Poor Bridget...  Then again, I did once see Loudon Wainwright in the Guildford Civic Hall ('83, capacity 1700) with an attendance of well under 50.