Have you ever been there at the start of something new? Something exciting? Something that crackles with possibilities? Have you ever been given a little glimpse of what might be? Frankie Archer crackles with possibilities; on this, her first tour, she is entirely solo. Just her, a violin, a box of clever samples and aContinue reading “Frankie Archer – Folk House – February”
Author Archives: tallfolk
Sam Sweeney – Wardrobe Theatre – February 2023
Right at the start of this packed, intimate, wonderfully relaxed gig Sam Sweeney is lost in tuning one of his violins. He’s talking about Morris tunes and, with a grin, he says “Did you know, Morris is cool now?”. The audience chuckle because they know. They know that Morris has never been cool but theyContinue reading “Sam Sweeney – Wardrobe Theatre – February 2023”
Tom Moore & Archie Moss – Downend Folk & Roots – February 2023
Tom Moore and Archie Moss are artists. They’re magicians. They’re conjurers. They might hold a viola (Moore) and an accordion (Moss) but they could just as easily use paints, film or the supernatural to create their world. This is folk music by way of black & white European cinema, by way of haunting, fragmented sketching. Continue reading “Tom Moore & Archie Moss – Downend Folk & Roots – February 2023”
Hamish Hawk – Thekla – February 2023
Do you miss the early 90s? Do you miss those pre-Britpop days? Do you miss seeing Suede when Brett and Bernard were just so perfect together? Do you miss clever pop songs, delivered by a man in a well-cut suit? Do you miss gently fading glamour? Do you miss an arched eyebrow and a wryContinue reading “Hamish Hawk – Thekla – February 2023”
The Little Unsaid – Folk House – February 2023
As the first half of a helter-skelter set from The Little Unsaid came crashing to a close, John Elliott held an imaginary globe in his hand, squeezed it and dashed it to the floor; “You’ve just got to grab hold of life”, he said “like this”. With that his extraordinary band galloped off, singing aContinue reading “The Little Unsaid – Folk House – February 2023”
Charm of Finches – Folk House – January
There’s an ancient Japanese meditation practice called shinrin yoku. It’s the process of forest bathing; an opportunity to lose yourself in nature, banish the stresses of the everyday world, to be calm and quiet. If it’s permitted to hook yourself up to some music whilst you do it then Melbourne’s Charm of Finches, and theirContinue reading “Charm of Finches – Folk House – January”
Jackie Oates & John Spiers – Downend Folk & Roots – December
Not all Christmas concerts have tinsel and fairy lights, not all have you rockin’ around a Christmas tree or wishin’ it could be Christmas every day. Not all are polished to a high sheen or come gift wrapped. Some Christmas concerts are dark and frosty, they are full of shadows and the glimmer of aContinue reading “Jackie Oates & John Spiers – Downend Folk & Roots – December”
The Mary Wallopers – Thekla – December 2022
There’s something stirring in Folk World. Away from the grey hairs and the comfy jumpers, away from the beautifully played fiddles, and the endless Child ballads, something is going on. Whether it’s the weird electronic scratches and scritches of Stick in the Wheel (amazing at Rough Trade last week), the stripped back savagery of LankumContinue reading “The Mary Wallopers – Thekla – December 2022”
Skinny Lister – Thekla – December 2022
How do you get rid of the winter blues? Or, perhaps, on another evening of World Cup disappointment, the winter Les Bleus? The answer’s easy. You go to the Thekla, jump about like a lunatic, sing at the top of your voice and fall into the drunken, loving embrace of the world’s finest shanty punkers,Continue reading “Skinny Lister – Thekla – December 2022”
A Winter Union – Folk House – December 2022
Ok. It can all begin now. The halls can be decked, the Holly boughs bought in, the fa-la-las can be sung. The Trees can be trimmed, the lights can be turned on, stockings can be hung. A Winter Union are touring so the world can be made festive. This is the seventh Christmas that BenContinue reading “A Winter Union – Folk House – December 2022”
TallFolk 