Moondust - Book report

I just want to mention in passing that I am currently reading "In search of the men who fell to Earth - Moondust" by Andrew Smith. A simple concept - to interview the surviving astronauts that have walked on the moon, well executed. Smith is the same age as myself, and whilst his childhood interest in the space race was somewhat more limited than my frank obsession, he makes up for it in later life by seeking out those men that held us rapt in those heady days and looks into how the experience of walking on the moon, and the "afterlife" has affected their lives.
It has already been enlightening and inspiring - Amazon may well do well out of it as I come across other titles that sound interesting, it is well written, funny, moving and "a great read."

Rachael Wright - De Bees - Winsford - 11/10/2006

A trip out to Winsford to catch one of Gilly's MySpace friends - Rachael Wright fronts a trio consisting of herself on vocals and guitar, Tim Wright on guitar and Bob Burton on electric bass. The two acoustic guitars sound sweet together, with Burton's bass used sparsely - Rachael has a voice that seems somehow familiar, strong certainly. Opening with "Honey" and moving on to "Storm in my Heart" where we find Rachael's voice soaring and reminiscent of Mindy Smith, and Tim providing intimate guitar backing. The crowd was growing steadily now as the music gathered people away from the football on the many TV screens in the bar, and they were treated to some beautiful music, the twin guitars, both picked on "Tall Ships", Bob's surprise use of a tiny xylophone adding occasional sparkle behind.

A short but sweet set, we particularly enjoyed a new song: "Loosing Hand" which has definate potential, the trio are deservingly picking up lots of gigs, not just locally, but all across the country.

CD REVIEW - Last Night's Fun - Live from the MAC - 2006

Last Night's Fun - Live from the MAC - LNF Records - LNFR006

I have often felt that live recordings are the best kind that artists can make, capturing the fire and the hunger that makes the music come to life, and recording the atmosphere - the crowds' applause and the performers' own reactions.

This is a second live CD from Sherburn, Bartley and Scott's Last Night's Fun, recorded earlier this year at Birmingham Arts Centre MAC and released to coincide with the current UK tour. The sparse sleeve notes point out that the album was recorded straight from the mixing desk and Chris Sherburn was keen that I let you know that apart from removing his introductions, this is a faithful reproduction of what went on that night - "and it hasn't been near a computer either!" This is unusual in this day and age, when you can take a track to bits on a computer and re-assemble it any number of permutations, no overdubs, no retakes, not even a collection of the best bits from a tour, just one gig and just one recording.

That said, how does it stand up as a record of the gig? Well I wasn't there that night, but I have heard Last Night's Fun a few times this year and they are still using a similar set list for their live performances, and this is a fair representation of what an audience would expect to hear, although there are a number of favourites missing, but to include everything would probably require a double CD. Sound wise, this album is a joy - there are only three instruments and one voice when the band is in full flight, and the recording has captured each one of these well, Nick's pipes and Chris' concertina blending well but remaining separate, and Denny's voice strong and clear. If there is anything wrong with this recording, it's that Denny's guitar looses a little of it's lovely bass tones - and this is a mild criticism I would level at most of the Last Night's Fun albums - this is a shame because there is much to loose. The other voice on the CD is that of Chris Sherburn who "conducts" the band verbally, and this unique aspect is well captured, his acerbic introductions and merciless ribbing of Nick Scott are mostly cut, although the keen eared will be able to pick out and recognise a few tidbits that are captured behind the music at the start of some tracks, and there is one left in where all three of them get a turn.

Traditional and contemporary, instrumentals and songs, the mix is very representative of the current live sets, with haunting rendition of "Whiskey in the Jar" being one of my highlights. Mind you, it's hard to pick out highlights, this is a brilliant album, packed full of delights. Each of the players is a master of their instrument: Denny's guitar style is unlike anything else you will hear, his voice is, as I recently described after seeing them in Lymm , "when Denny opens his mouth it feels like a storm blowing in across the room, something else all together, it's a powerful force with a major emotional crack in it that is not at all sentimental, but sounds like its been hard won from a difficult seam." Nick's pipe playing is exemplary - his control over his complex and cantankerous instrument is masterful, and Chris's concertina playing can range from barely audible drone-like backing to breath-taking runs and all stations in between - and the result is, for me, one of the most enthralling live performances currently to be had.

Last Night's Fun make music like good coffee - strong, rich, smooth, soothing when you need it, with a nice bite to energise you, a long lasting flavour - and it addictive in a nice kind of way!

Van Eyken at Hendre Hall, Tal-y-bont, Bangor - 8/11/2006

A thin crowd were scattered around the edges of the impressive stone walled hall, a few warming themselves on at the large fireplace where a wood fire was crackling away nicely and one or two were buying drinks at the bar. The lights had been dimmed for some time, and then, without any introduction or pre-amble, a band appeared in the room and took to the large stage, already crammed with instruments tuned up, and began to play - actually there wasn't a clear boundary between the tuning up and playing because the first song Van Eyken played has an introduction of tortured electric guitar, clattering percussion and other eerie sounds with Tim Van Eyken picking out the tune on his acoustic guitar. Its not raucous, but it's not your standard folk intro! I can't verify this, but I suspect that the band might have had more instruments on the stage than there were people in the audience, such was the diversity of the "weaponry" available to them. The bass player alone had 3 different basses to play, and a euphonium.

The sound in Hendre Hall was great - clear and loud without being overburdening - it was a real shame that more people didn't make the effort to attend. The high roof and wooden gallery all add to the special atmosphere in the venue, which is staffed and run be friendly and helpful people who are obviously trying hard to make a real go of this venture. My only real criticism of the venue would be a lack of signage when you arrive - we ended up using the tradesmans' entrance - but this is a minor point really.

Van Eyken then brought the same 5 peice band that we saw earlier in the year at the Shrewsbury Folk Festival, and they played a 2 part set consisting mostly of tracks from their current album: "Stiffs Lovers Holymen Thieves" It's a great line up too - Tim Van Eyken plays acoustic guitar and several concertinas as well as having a really strong a distinctive voice that is a pleasure to listen to. Tim shares the front of the stage with the near legendary Nancy Kerr, top viola player and vocalist in her own right (and probably the only member to stick to the one instrument too - which at least made it easier for her later when packing up!) Behind them, Colin Fletcher on upright, acoustic and electric basses and euphonium, Pete Flood on percussion - loads of it - and Oliver Knight on electric guitars.

The band have a very distinctive sound - or perhaps I should say a range of sounds, because it's a very flexible outfit. Whether Tim plays one of his various boxes or guitar, or just sings, or which bass is used, and whether the viola is used or not - there are many combinations available. One particularly marked aspect of their sound though is the use of the electric guitar, often enhanced by various effects, but virtually always used subtley rather than as a sledgehammer, and providing a layer of sound onto which the rest of the band can hang the tune. This is used to great effect in "Bold Fisherman" where an simple phrase played with an echo effect underpins the entire song.

In truth you could say that Van Eyken is very much a band of individuals, each of which could be singled out here, but it would be wrong not to mention the fantastic percussion that is used throughout the performance. Watching Flood play is a real treat - he has a small drum kit but it is surrounded by a vast array of instruments, toys and household items, all of which can be either banged, shaken, rubbed or, well just plain dropped - to give that precise sound that is required, and I'm sure I witnessed the cymbals being hit by pan lids at one stage. This is no playtime melange though, it's, well thought out and expertly performed, witness to the piercing and eerie use of bowed cymbals also used throughout "Bold Fisherman", along with the ultra subtle tapping of a bodrhan with just fingers in the same song. I could go on to mention Nancy Kerr holding the viola like a guitar and plucking the strings, the first use I have seen of a semi-acoustic bass on stage, the euphonium, the wind up toy, but I'm sure you're getting the drift by now!

By the time the band marched off the stage - still playing - leaving us banging away at the various bits of percussion that had been handed out, we were in little doubt that out conundrum over which of some half a dozen events we should attend on November 18th had been settles - Van Eyken at Whitchurch - we'll be there!

=Playlist=

Worcester City
William at Waterloo
The Pearl Wedding/Nancy Taylor's
Fisherman
Pretty Bessy Milkmaid
Gypsy Maid
Barleycorn

=Interval=

? Glory
Young Alvin
Australia
Pie (Fair Ellen of Ratcliffe)
The Taylor and the Flea
Bonny Breast Knot/Barseback Polka
Babes in the Wood

=Encore=

Twelve Joys of Mary

UltanJohn & Sabrina Dinan

That explains the keyboard then....

Just imagine for a moment if you will, FolkingAbout arrive eager and excited at Slattery's in Dublin, order up the Guinness, confirm that the gig upstairs will start at 9pm and settle down after a long day, early start, drive to Holyhead, ferry to Ireland, train to Dublin, trams and buses, check in at the hotel and all has gone so well. Only to be told at 9pm that we were in THE WRONG PUB! "UltanJohn? Not playing here mate!" Despondency sets in - it seems as though the FolkingAbout's first international gig may have gone horribly wrong at the last minute - fearful flashbacks of other recent debacles cross our minds as we troop back down the stairs - questions, questions "Why would anybody do this to us?" UltanJohn have been Gilly's MySpace friends for so long that we felt like we knew them already - so where are they? Or have we been set up for one massive practical joke? We regroup - sup some more Guinness, ask the barman - no, he's never heard of them either - but maybe they're playing at the OTHER SLATTERY'S? Other Slattery's? You mean there's two? One quick phone call later and the Guinness is downed in one, the barman profusely thanked and we're in a taxi hurtling across town to where, at last, we are enthusiastically greeted by Ultan, John and Bernie the band's publicist.

Upstairs at MB Slattery's in Rathmine Road is a lovely warm place, long and thin with open fires and warm people - the wallpaper is ancient, painted glossy dark red and with dark varnished wood everywhere - the decor is aided by two posters - one for Nick Cave's fantastic double album "Abattoir Blues / The Lyre Of Orpheus" and the other for Jeff Buckley of whom, more later. We were first in and soon being "made a fuss of" by Bernie and the band. More Guinness and soon it was time to settle down and do what we'd come for - listen! Bernie said that "before the boys play, there's somebody else going to do a spot who I think you'll enjoy." So listen we did, to Sabrina Dinan who wandered on and picked up Ultan's guitar, looked up at the crowd and breathed a few deep breaths before admitting to some serious nerves before playing anything. I had honestly assumed that she was "just a friend", or a relative even of somebody who was just setting out, so nervous and unassuming she seemed, but when she started to play and sing, all that changed in an instant. No starter this, Sabrina's songs are fine things, her guitar playing is positive and dexterous, her lyrics are marvelous. I was busy trying to write snippets down during her first two songs, but failed to do them justice, anyway we bought her CD later so I could hear them all again. Sabrina played 5 or 6 songs, three of them used the capo on the 6th fret which I suspect is unusual, but it provided a nice ringing sound from Ultan's Taylor guitar, her voice earning positive comparisons to Billie Holiday, although she looks for all the world like Janis Joplin. "Train Song" came mid-way and is powerful both lyrically and musically, but is also delicate and fragile at the same time.

The crowd were being quite noisy behind us, lots of loud chatter, and it was to their credit that both Ultan and John placed themselves in front of Sabrina and gave her plenty of visible support, even turning the PA up a couple of times to help with the background racket. It's a shame the chatterers weren't listening because they missed a real treat. The Billie Holiday influence shined through brighter as Sabrina sang her own bluesy "Captain's Little Mama" and finished her set with Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing", took the guitar off and almost ran off the stage! Lots of well deserved applause followed her back to her seat and we drew breath and agreed how good she was.

Later we learned that Sabrina is already well on her way, having toured with Luka Bloom in the USA, but not before we said goodbye as she rushed of into the Dublin night at some unearthly hour, apologising for having to rush as she was due in work at 7.30am later that morning. Rock and roll eh?

So we're well prepared now, and into the groove for the main feature. UltanJohn are John Conneely and Ultan Conlon, John is a refugee from Charis and Ultan is a singer/songwriter in his own right, the two joining forces recently when Charis split up. Both are singers and guitarists, and the two play mostly their own songs. Gilly and I have nearly worn out MySpace's copies of the 2 songs UltanJohn have put up there, so we knew the first song right away - "2019" features John's immediately recognisable distinctive voice and Ultan's flowing and delicious guitar playing. Next up, "The Will" reverses the vocals, with Ultan leading and John providing beautiful soft, high harmonies, a real feature of this duo is the way the 2 voices blend so well, whichever takes the lead, the other is weaving around the melody somewhere nearby, and in "Flying", next, we find them singing in the round!

Ultan seems more shy and quiet, dark and brooding, whereas John has the more striking look and hardly stopped talking all night, it's a good pairing. "All I need now" then "Dark Desert Sky" in which John's voice sounds like the winds blowing around those tall rocky spires out there in the desert, then, after "Without You", we get the new single "Really Gone". The single features vocals from none other than John Martyn, and whilst he wasn't at the gig, the 2 voices managed to provide something close to the gravelgrowl of the man himself. It's a fabulous song, and it's just out, available any time now from the band's website, and, apart from having John Martyn on vocals, it also features some achingly good trumpet playing from Stefano Muscovi. Back with the live version, Ultan was playing his heart out, his knees knocking together as his legs jumped around to the tune! "Old and Wise" is a slow burning song, and was followed by "I don't want to know about evil" a classic John Martyn song done well and then a lovely close vocal performance in "Niall T." The band were still struggling a bit with people chatting loudly at the back, who were asked several times to "shush!"

Suddenly though there is a change. John had told us earlier that they had been up late the night before, following the launch of the single, and that they were feeling a little jaded, but that sometimes he got the energy while performing that allowed him to go on longer and... well at this point the energy clearly arrived. A Tracy Chapman cover (sorry it has escaped my notebook which one - "Behind The Wall" - thanks Bernie!) was neatly dovetailed into "Minnie the Moocher" and suddenly there was a buzz in the room - the crowd finally shut up chatting for a bit and joined in and it was like somebody had lit a fire under their stools. "All that I believe" produced some Dylanesque phrases, then an energised version of "Isn't it Clear" - the other track from the CD/MySpace and "Something to Give" took us up to the band's closer - a cover of Jeff Buckley's version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" which was sublime - John's vocals becoming Anthony (and the Johnsons) like, ripped apart by emotion and finally giving out on the last phrase - a very rare event apparently.

A long break for us all to recover before the band returned to finish us off with Tom Waits' "Heartattack and Vine" then "Whiskey Bar" to end the night. It's hard to describe the high that we all felt after that - it was a truly good night of music - and everybody milling around afterwards seemed to agree.

UltanJohn should be a big thing - if they can keep up the energy they will be - there is a unique quality in their music that deserves to be heard everywhere - and they are really nice people too. We'll keep you informed of any developments and especially if any of the plans for UK festival dates come off, as we'll be there for sure!

Keyboard? Well, UltanJohn don't use one and we wondered why one was taken upstairs at the first - wrong - Slattery's- that explains the keyboard then!












FolkingAbout with (l-r) Sabrina, Ultan, John and Bernie