BELLOWHEAD – The Orchard Theatre, Dartford 28.01.12

Dartford is an unforgiving one-way nightmare – let my mate Les Elvin tell you about it sometime. Arriving at The Orchard Theatre just as Bellowhead were starting neither of us were in the best of moods but our frayed tempers were immediately put at ease by the brash delights of the band striking up. This personable eleven-piece don’t just effervesce, they EXPLODE

BRAM TAYLOR – Jokers And Rogues (Fellside Recordings FECD246)

With the current trend from younger artists trying to be cool by writing ultra-clever lyrics with instrumental arrangements to match isn’t it refreshing to hear ‘folk’ music the way it used to be? No frills, just good, down to earth performances and songs which are easy on the ear. OK, so I might have turned fifty (my goodness…surely not) but I still gain as much pleasure now as I did way back when hearing songs the calibre of Ralph McTell’s “Weather The Storm” and Huw Williams “ Rosemary’s Sister” performed by Taylor’s clearly delivered vocals, backed by the sumptuous cello courtesy of  Wendy Wetherby. This kind of recording may be a throw-back to the late 60s early 70s but is none the less enjoyable for that – in fact

Cara Dillon Tour News…

Cara Dillon has just announced a string of UK tour dates which start at the Theatre Royal in Winchester on February 24 and end at the English Folk Dance & Song Society, Cecil Sharp House in London in April 26. Those of you that keep an eye on the folking 2012 Festival List (http://wp.me/P10Ohn-gm) will also know that she is confirmed as one of the headline acts at the Bristol Folk Festival in May.

Cara has been blessed with a staggeringly beautiful voice has the ability to reach inside the soul of a song and imbue material with not only profound sweetness but also poignancy and depth. Born in Dungiven in 1975, she was brought up in a close musical family immersed in the rich cultural heritage of her native County Derry. Having won the All Ireland Traditional Singing Trophy aged only 14 she went on to sing with Oige, De Dannan and then Equation. It was in this band that she met her husband and musical collaborator Sam Lakeman. The combination of Cara’s expressive vocals and Lakeman’s rippling piano and fresh production squeezed new life into ancient material. Their original songs sit happily alongside the traditional, reinforcing the debt they owe, whilst pointing to a distinct and distinguished musical identity all of their own.

RHYTHM FESTIVALS ANNOUNCE NEW FORMAT & FIRST ACTS FOR 2012

After six solid years of building up a loyal following, Bedfordshire’s Rhythm Festival produces offspring. The 2012 Rhythm Festival will not be a single weekend, but three festivals in one: RHYTHM FESTIVAL, RHYTHM FOLK & RHYTHM & BLUES.

All three festivals will operate simultaneously over the August Bank Holiday Weekend in different parts of the same 500 acre site, with some shared facilities (children’s entertainment; camping, toilets and showers; certain bars and entertainment) plus unique, specialist stuff in the Folk and Blues Fields. A “Land Train” is being booked to ferry people around.

GILBERT O’SULLIVAN ‘A SINGER AND HIS SONGS – ‘THE VERY BEST OF GILBERT O’SULLIVAN’

Gilbert O’Sullivan, one of the country’s most revered singers, songwriters and musicians, celebrates an amazing forty-five year recording career with the release of ‘A Singer and His Songs – The Very Best Of Gilbert O’Sullivan’ on 5^th March 2012, through Union Square Music.  The album will also be supported by a full UK tour beginning on 17^th March through to 15^th April.

Part of a major Gilbert O’Sullivan reissue campaign, the album chronicles songs from his debut album, ‘Himself’ in 1971, through to his most recent album ‘Gilbertville’ and features no less than 14 top 10 UK hits, including the multi-million US selling and Grammy-nominated, ‘Alone Again (Naturally)’, the unforgettable UK number 1 ‘Clair’ and ‘Get Down, for which he won two Ivor Novello Awards in 1973, for Best Song and Best Songwriter.

FAR, FAR FROM YPRES – ONE OF THE EMOTIONAL HIGHLIGHTS OF CELTIC CONNECTIONS 2012

A stage show featuring songs, music, poetry and images of WW1, and inspired by a double CD published by Greentrax Recordings, ‘Far, Far From Ypres’, played to a packed audience at The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Saturday, 21st January, as part of Celtic Connections 2012.

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Big River Big Songs (Mawson-Wareham Music MWMDVD78)

Perhaps this tremendous DVD should be re-titled “Big Hearts, Big Soul” such is the impact it’s had on me! It goes without saying that Geordie-land has spawned some of this country’s best musicians and actors and (as if you needed any) here is proof that artists the calibre of Kevin Whately, Tim Healy, Jimmy Nail, Lindisfarne, Billy Mitchell, Sting and Mark Knopfler are as welcoming as a freshly pulled pint of ‘Newky’ Brown. Produced with consummate skill by Lindisfarne’s Ray Laidlaw and with commentary jointly provided by Emmerdale’s Charlie Hardwick and Eric Robson they segue between the stunning visual landscapes of the Northumberland region with musical and thespian contributions (apart from those already credited) from Alun Armstrong and a particularly nice rendition of “Still I Love Him” performed by current Emmerdale favourite Chelsea Halfpenny.