The Unthanks with their big band last night at Lancaster's Grand Theatre.
The first few numbers were as a 4-piece of Rachel and Becky with Adrain McNally on piano and Niopha Keegan on fiddle and harmony vocals. The three of them singing together was just beautiful. Niopha then joined three other string players and one highlight was hearing The Testimony of Patience Kershaw with the string quartet backing.
As MrsB commented, they do like having a lot of trumpet solos and while Lizzie Jones is certainly a very good trumpeter, it did get a bit excessive during the first set. We both enjoyed the second set more which included Magpie / The Scarecrow Knows, The King of Rome and The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry.
Throw in a bit of clog dancing and they got a standing ovation at the end though the encore was spoiled a bit when the lights on the stage were directed right in our faces up in the circle. The lights had been very effective earlier when they shone on the theatre ceiling but the encore rather took the shine off things, so to speak.
The expanded line-up plays in Bristol tonight and then the four of them carry on with the rest of the tour.
Thanks Colin. Looking forward to seeing them for the first time in a couple of weeks' time when they close the Bude Literary Festival.
Back on topic, John Jones, Chopper and Al Scott were very good on Sunday night in Exeter. A lot of old Oysters songs (although surprisingly to me, most not from Chopper's time in the band), going all the way back to Hal-An-Tow, as well as a few from John and Chopper's solo albums.
