Recent gigs

[Lubiloo (Lorna)]

West Coast Folk Festival last weekend in Blackpool.

Very Good - Blackbeard's Tea Party

Good - Nick Harper, Seth Lakeman, TRADarr (who were short staffed), Baskary, Louise & Chris Rogan and Hazjak(?).

Could Do Better - Honey & The Bear (dull to my ears although they seemed very nice people), Jon Boden (he's never been my thing) and Webb Sisters (who I didn't get last time and my opinion wasn't any different this time).

Well run festival without any drama - roll on to the fourth.

We saw Nick  Harper locally on Sunday and it was really quite surreal. My bestie is unable to go to many gigs as his wife is confined to bed/wheelchair with Parkinsons and he is full time carer .We went for a stroll with them last week and stopped at a cafe and noticed on our phone that Nick was playing at a craft ale bar within walking distance of home. As my friend was a big fan of Roy , he showed interest . Mrs Reg pipes up Nick will bring me to sit for your wife and give you a lift (they are 30 minutes away ie 2 hours driving all told). I was happy to oblige as he needed a break. However it was sold out(only 80 capacity) but he managed to get 2 returns at £13 (instead of £20 ). It was billed as Doors 7 PM , start 8 PM with 2 x 45 minutes sets, playing music from the recent album featuring songs by all the folkies who had visited Roy's flat in the sixties . We arrived at 7.15 to be told by the doorlady that he had been playing for a while already, he had done a soundcheck and just kept going doing stuff not related to the main sets and chatting. He was wearing a flat cap, scarf and coat and sat on a low settee with a table from Roy's old flat complete with lava lamp and "herb box" (which we were invited to touch in reverence). At 7.45 he asked for a Tequila as he got nervous before gigs. He was formally announced at 8PM and played for about two and a half hours!! The main set was all songs by the old folkies , some of whom were on the album ( and pictured on the backdrop) Davy Graham , Bert and John, Jackson c Frank , Roy, Sandy Denny and some not Paul Simon, Bolan, Bowie, John Martyn etc. Anji was featured of course, (recorded by at least 3 of the forementioned) and he claimed that the original recording was financed by Bob Monkhouse. The last song before the encores was WKWTTG. The anecdotes were highly interesting and amusing. One of the most rewarding 13 quids I've ever spent.

This sounds like a truly special evening, such a bit of luck getting those tickets and precious time with your friend!

[Will S]

The only time I have ever heard Nick Harper was when he played Cropredy (2004, I think), and all I can recall is that I absolutely hated it!

I thought he was awful at Cropredy, the Zappa song didnt help, but I have enjoyed him every time since.

Glad to hear it wasn't just me, but maybe I will give him another chance if he comes near some time. Not that I think I have had to go far out of my way to ignore him in the past 20 years...

[mickf]

My daughter and her friend saw Nick Harper quite a few years ago. They both loved him. They told me how he broke a guitar string and carried on playing while changing the string, which sounded remarkable. Anyway, a year or so later, I got the chance to see him. He broke a string and carried on playing while he changed it. I thought, 'hang on!' Anyway, it seems that was his party piece. Other than that, I enjoyed the gig, but I've never felt compelled to see him again, or buy any of his CDs.

[Jules Gray]

My daughter and her friend saw Nick Harper quite a few years ago. They both loved him. They told me how he broke a guitar string and carried on playing while changing the string, which sounded remarkable. Anyway, a year or so later, I got the chance to see him. He broke a string and carried on playing while he changed it. I thought, 'hang on!' Anyway, it seems that was his party piece. Other than that, I enjoyed the gig, but I've never felt compelled to see him again, or buy any of his CDs.

It is indeed his party piece. He did it the only time I saw him play too. But hell, it's a great party piece.

Jules

[Yorkshire Chris]

I thought he was amazing at Cropredy 2004 (my first one!) but there you go...!

[davidmjs]

I thought he was amazing at Cropredy 2004 (my first one!) but there you go...!

I really enjoyed him too (although was very familiar with him by then so knew I would).  Horses for courses and all that...

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

I thought he was amazing at Cropredy 2004 (my first one!) but there you go...!

It was also my first Cropredy and we enjoyed him, but we were a bit giddy with it all!!  

I’ve seen him twice since and enjoyed him but I doubt I’ll go to see him again.

First gig of the year last Saturday was the incredible Barsteward Sons of Val Doonican. More Val offspring have been discovered and they are now a 5-piece.

What an evening! No wonder they are selling out   energy, superb musician-&-wordship, hilarious. What a night!

[ColinB]

A belated Xmas present from MrsB was a trip over to Gateshead to see the Transatlantic Sessions at the Glasshouse, formerly the Sage.

The house band included McGoldrick, McCusker and Doyle plus the ever present Aly Bain, Donald Shaw and James Mackintosh with Jerry Douglas doing the between-songs patter and adding his fine dobro playing. The younger generation was represented by bluegrass duo Tatiana Hargreaves & Allison de Groot. Their album Hurricane Clarice is well worth a listen if banjo and fiddle music is your bag.

Of the guest singers Karine Polwart was the best of the bunch and there was a lovely tribute to Danny Thompson written (I think) by Michael McGoldrick and featured new double bass player Daniel Kimbro. Whether it was by accident or design that they got another bass player called Danny I don't know, but Mr Kimbro is certainly a worthy replacement and has a nice sense of humour as we discovered when he got to sing a song with a borrowed guitar.