Regular readers (I believe there are a few!) will not be surprised to know that Last Night's Fun have been added to FolkingAbout's list of bands with that special "must see" rune, and so it was that we organised ourselves to get over to Shaw (an undertaking not considered without some gravity as it involves getting around Manchester in the rush hour and the rain) to see the lads play their second gig of this Autumn's UK tour. The Playhouse 2 in Shaw is a lovely venue, small and friendly with a good size bar with comfy seats, cheap beer and a singing barman. We found ourselves on the very front row, which, for some reason the locals seem to shun and sit a few rows back, but it meant that we were literally on the stage and close enough to catch Denny's cold should he sneeze too much. LNF were very ably supported by local duo "Better Late" who warrant a separate report which will follow later, but it was with keen anticipation that we cheered Denny, Nick and Scott onto stage and wondered what the night might bring.
Chris was on form with his introductions and banter, merciless to Nick who remains the butt of so many comments, the audience taking some stick tonight s well, but once the first notes of a piece are played, the laughter is put aside and their 3 faces become intent, their eyes sometimes closed, their fingers and elbows and lungs and minds all become part of one entity, that of Last Night's Fun, whose sum exceeds that of Sherburn, Bartley and Scott as individuals. It was a joy to be so close to the band - it meant that all the usual distractions of movement and other peoples' heads being in the way were gone, and we could concentrate fully on what was unfolding in front of us:
A trio of instrumentals to start, then Denny's voice came to life for "The Moving On Song", thankfully not showing any ill effects from his cold, and his fingers working their stuff on his strings, visibly bending the notes, his strumming hand a blur. Nick's piping gained a genuine and warm compliment from Chris (it's not all banter, see) following another set of 3, including "The Tempest" , all of which had Nick to the fore, then it was back to Denny for "Next Market Day". I reckon Denny must have one of the most talented little fingers anywhere having watched it reach across the fretboard and pin down a string seemingly miles away from any of his other fingers, and his use of the lower strings as a bass while the strumming the higher strings plays the rhythm is quite remarkable. Meantime Chris was lovingly drawing out long notes from his concertina, barely moving at times, and we could see him mouthing the words as he was drawn into the song.
This song progressed into a sort of jazz guitar/concertina instrumental, slowly raising the ante, then, with a snatched word from Chris, they change up a gear, Nick's pipes start to soar and Denny slides his capo up 2 frets mid-strum and they're off into another fabulous tune! In "Roseville Fair" we find Chris playing a flute-like part on his concertina during the singing, the band joining together to end the first half with a cracking instrumental. Many of these are un-announced so I'm not able to tell you what they're called.
The second half started as the first with a few un-announced tunes before we were treated to the more subtle side of the band's output, Denny singing "Sammy's Bar" with Nick providing bass drones on his pipes and Chris using his concertina very gently to play those long quiet notes over the drones. In "Doxford Hall" things were much more up-tempo and I swear Denny was producing some bass notes without touching the strings! It was fantastic, no other word.
Mal had buttonholed Chris early on and requested a song, so at this stage we got "May Morning Dew", sung by Denny, no guitar, eyes closed, hands reaching out imploringly at times, simply accompanied by a pipe done and a few concertina notes, Denny's voice has a power that does more than justice to the songs he sings, and this was a major highlight, such control and passion in his voice - and all done without notice or rehearsal - just sublime. The song was actually preceeded by Nick playing a solo "I am asleep, please don't wake me" which gave us a chance to concentrate on his playing, and watching his fingers it seemed that they have evolved into pipe playing fingers, somewhat more agile than most and able to quiver and shake under control to wrest the magical sound out of the instument.
Then a dose of what Chris called "Double Garage Music" - "The Cliffs of Moher" in which his concertina seemed to develop into something much bigger and produced a huge sound, and suddenly the half was over.
For an encore they started with "Autumn Child", Nick managing to on his pipes slide between the notes on his pipes in a beautiful and haunting manner, a "top in" from Chris - he was locked into this piece now, you could see it on his face, and as they progressed the tunes featured call and response between Nick and Chris, the atmosphere was incredible, the players were rapt, Denny with his cheek on top of the guitar listening hard as he played, eyes closed, Nick too, eyes closed, head back, feet pounding the floor and Chris was bouncing on his seat, side to side and rocking as his feet too joined the rhythm - the sound was almost orchestral, "so much energy here" I wrote and the air must have been crackling as they drove on to a climatic ending.
It was a huge cheer they got at the end, and the band were buzzing after that, they had it seems, reached that extra level where everything was just en pointe and all three minds, souls and bodies moved in absolute union to produce something so special - an experiment Chris said later, and one that worked!
FolkingAbout are scheduled to become LNF groupies over the coming weeks as the tour regulary comes in range - join us and catch them if you can - three men in the rare altitudes of ability - one top group.
Tour dates etc at http://www.lastnightsfun.com/index.html where you will also find details of the new live album "Live from the Mac"
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Rachel Unthank and the Winter Set - Shrewsbury Folk Festival - 27/8/2006
It was a bit of a suprise to find that Rachel Unthank & The Winter Set were going to be on first, it was after all the main reason we were at Shrewsbury - Gilly had picked up on them beforehand and marked their name with a special rune that allows no obstacles to our attendance! The running order for the afternoon had been re-arranged because somebody was absent, or late, so we had to settle down quick and concentrate hard. "Quick! They're on." Rachel Unthank sang solo and unaccompanied "A Man Like Johnie" and the other 3 members of the Winter Set stood or sat slightly self consciously while we all tuned into Rachel's voice. No standing around for the next number though, Cyril Tawney's "Monday Morning" used 3 voices and the piano - and yes Belinda was deliberately sitting on that metal case as a cushion on the chair while she played piano, they must have left the stool at home! The two Unthank sisters and viola player Jackie Oates sang a verse each of this weekend drinker's lament - the harmonies different each time, sometimes two part, latterly in three and always beautiful.
Instantly noticeable was the rapt attention that pianist Belinda O'Hooley pays to the other artistes, her eyes wide and steeley as she immerses herself into the song and places her notes just right, her playing is skilled and sensitive and is a major feature in the band's sound, often more like another voice than a backing instrument. O'Hooley's other assett to the Winter Set is her dry humour, whithering put-downs and acerbic asides keep the audience happy between songs, the band's close friendship's showing through well - they are all clearly close and comfortable in each other's company, on and off stage.
A few numbers into the set saw the sisters change into clogs and dancing, and then Rachel (back in her wellies) switched to cello for "My Donald" - whaling from the wife's point of view. This song brought out Becky Unthank's breathy vocals and then the band became almost a chamber orchestra during a dramatic instrumental break. The effect was spoilt slightly by the intrusion of some loud drumming going on nearby - a complaint I heard metioned several times from various sources - something for "the committee" to sort out for next year.
Later on, Becky would appear mid-piece, and, all clogged up, dance a brief impetuous dance like a child vieing for the attention of grownups, too usy with something else to appreciate her moves. A swift, low bow and she was off again to shed he clogs before re-appearing for the next piece.
Further highlights included "For Today I Am A Boy" sung by Becky and accompanied by Belinda, followed by Alex Glasgow's poignant "Twenty Long Weeks" - again Belinda's sparse piana comlementing rather than backing the vocals. A rowdy "Away from Hexhamshire" concluded the afternoon set, an interesting and exciting first view of the band, and certainly enough to ensure that we would see them again later in the day.....
..... in the smaller marquee in the evening in fact, where we managed to get front row seats in a fairly well attended concert. "Thanks for coming to see us rather than Eliza Carthy" they quipped, but not without the hint of self-doubt as somebody added "or couldn't you get in there?" Well we were there by choice, and I suspect a fair few of the others were too.
Rachel sang "Cruel Sister" with just piano accompaniment and then the marvelous "Monday Morning". I have one small complaint of the Winter Set, they have tendancy, and it noticeable here, to abandon the last note of a number just a tiny bit too soon - I'm sure it's just a nervous thing, but it grates a little - they need to just savour that last note a little longer, let the audience hang on it before downing tools or stepping back from the mike. (Incidently the same is true of the CD, where the tracks have next to no silence between them.)
The sisters' father is no mean musician either and his "Tar Barrell in Dale" was a good highlight (and currently available as a free download on the band's website) The evening atmosphere seemed to suit the set - Beck's "My Donald" was hauntingly good tonight, with Rachel's cello adding to the instrumental section. "I wish" was fantastic - featuring Jackie playing a Sanuté purchased from eBay - a complex piece of light and dark with some excellent vocal harmonies, and then Becky delivered the coup de gras with Nick Drakes' "Riverman".
Becky sings this lovely song with such a fragile vocal that you want to treat it like precious porcelain, breathy and once again with the ever attentive Belinda providing the piano part - this was just brilliant and will be one of the top songs of my year for certain. Again there was sound, particularly deep beats leaking over from the main marquee that slightly marred this fraglile performance.
After such a pearl we were brought firmly back to earth by the next song "Til I'm Cold and Stiff", introduced by Belinda and her Irish Auntie and including a fair chunk of "Abide with Me" before the Winter Set left us again with "Away from Hexhamshire".
What can I say then? Gilly was right, they were terrific and left us eager for more. It's been a great year already and this was one of the highest of the highlights, the Unthank sisters and their friends will be a bright star in the folk firmament for some years.
Instantly noticeable was the rapt attention that pianist Belinda O'Hooley pays to the other artistes, her eyes wide and steeley as she immerses herself into the song and places her notes just right, her playing is skilled and sensitive and is a major feature in the band's sound, often more like another voice than a backing instrument. O'Hooley's other assett to the Winter Set is her dry humour, whithering put-downs and acerbic asides keep the audience happy between songs, the band's close friendship's showing through well - they are all clearly close and comfortable in each other's company, on and off stage.
A few numbers into the set saw the sisters change into clogs and dancing, and then Rachel (back in her wellies) switched to cello for "My Donald" - whaling from the wife's point of view. This song brought out Becky Unthank's breathy vocals and then the band became almost a chamber orchestra during a dramatic instrumental break. The effect was spoilt slightly by the intrusion of some loud drumming going on nearby - a complaint I heard metioned several times from various sources - something for "the committee" to sort out for next year.
Later on, Becky would appear mid-piece, and, all clogged up, dance a brief impetuous dance like a child vieing for the attention of grownups, too usy with something else to appreciate her moves. A swift, low bow and she was off again to shed he clogs before re-appearing for the next piece.
Further highlights included "For Today I Am A Boy" sung by Becky and accompanied by Belinda, followed by Alex Glasgow's poignant "Twenty Long Weeks" - again Belinda's sparse piana comlementing rather than backing the vocals. A rowdy "Away from Hexhamshire" concluded the afternoon set, an interesting and exciting first view of the band, and certainly enough to ensure that we would see them again later in the day.....
..... in the smaller marquee in the evening in fact, where we managed to get front row seats in a fairly well attended concert. "Thanks for coming to see us rather than Eliza Carthy" they quipped, but not without the hint of self-doubt as somebody added "or couldn't you get in there?" Well we were there by choice, and I suspect a fair few of the others were too.
Rachel sang "Cruel Sister" with just piano accompaniment and then the marvelous "Monday Morning". I have one small complaint of the Winter Set, they have tendancy, and it noticeable here, to abandon the last note of a number just a tiny bit too soon - I'm sure it's just a nervous thing, but it grates a little - they need to just savour that last note a little longer, let the audience hang on it before downing tools or stepping back from the mike. (Incidently the same is true of the CD, where the tracks have next to no silence between them.)
The sisters' father is no mean musician either and his "Tar Barrell in Dale" was a good highlight (and currently available as a free download on the band's website) The evening atmosphere seemed to suit the set - Beck's "My Donald" was hauntingly good tonight, with Rachel's cello adding to the instrumental section. "I wish" was fantastic - featuring Jackie playing a Sanuté purchased from eBay - a complex piece of light and dark with some excellent vocal harmonies, and then Becky delivered the coup de gras with Nick Drakes' "Riverman".
Becky sings this lovely song with such a fragile vocal that you want to treat it like precious porcelain, breathy and once again with the ever attentive Belinda providing the piano part - this was just brilliant and will be one of the top songs of my year for certain. Again there was sound, particularly deep beats leaking over from the main marquee that slightly marred this fraglile performance.After such a pearl we were brought firmly back to earth by the next song "Til I'm Cold and Stiff", introduced by Belinda and her Irish Auntie and including a fair chunk of "Abide with Me" before the Winter Set left us again with "Away from Hexhamshire".
What can I say then? Gilly was right, they were terrific and left us eager for more. It's been a great year already and this was one of the highest of the highlights, the Unthank sisters and their friends will be a bright star in the folk firmament for some years.
Here's one we prepared earlier....
This is no gig, this is Gilly on MySpace with her first recorded song, recorded in our bedroom, mixed by Mally and available for you to listen at :
www.myspace.com/gillyfarrie
Congratulations Gilly!!!!!
I'm surrounded on all sides now by Farries playing music, with Gilly and Mike here, Mally over in Wheelock and Peter down in Exeter - not to mention Thomas and Katie coming up in the next generation - look out the Wilsons and the Coppers, the Farries are coming!
Update:
There are some new reports nearly ready to post, I've been really busy of late, (recording this song for instance) and there are some exciting irons in the fire for later in the year.
I'm delighted to see that Folk North West magazine have printed my report on the Kate Rusby gig at New Brighton in the autumn edition. This is the first time in print for FolkingAbout!
Keep it live!
John
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