This year Flook celebrate being together for twenty-seven years. The lineup may be different and that might be a relatively arbitrary number but, quite frankly, Flook will use any old excuse for a celebration. The Anglo-Irish four piece are an absolute powerhouse, a flute and whistle-led, eight-legged jig machine. Sarah Allen, on flute, and BrianContinue reading “Flook – The Redgrave – November”
Author Archives: tallfolk
Ben Folds – The Forum, Bath – November
Can you imagine what it must be like to have so many classic songs that you don’t know what to do with them? That you can just ignore them? Most bands would kill for one classic album, Ben Folds has (at least) six. That’s six albums filled with some of the greatest pop music thatContinue reading “Ben Folds – The Forum, Bath – November”
Trials of Cato – The Jam Jar – November
On a rainy November evening, with loads of other Folk-y bands playing around the city, it is a testament to the excitement building around Trials of Cato that so many are packed into The Jam Jar. In 2018 their debut album, Hide and Hair, was justifiably critically acclaimed. A brilliant band, formed in Lebanon butContinue reading “Trials of Cato – The Jam Jar – November”
Leveret – The New Room – October
Sometimes magical things happen by accident, completely spontaneously, with no planning. A few moments into folk three-piece, Leveret’s, second set at The New Room, the lights fizzed, popped and went out. All that was left in The Wesleyan Chapel were a handful of candles, a breathless hush and three of the most remarkable, acoustic musicians.Continue reading “Leveret – The New Room – October”
Skipinnish – The Fleece – October
To lose one member of your band just before a tour might be considered unlucky. To lose two is just damn unfortunate. A year after Celtic folk-rockers, Skipinnish, last played The Fleece they return with a line up with a couple of holes in it. Singer Norrie MacIver is off on paternity leave while ArchieContinue reading “Skipinnish – The Fleece – October”
Miranda Sex Garden – The Fleece – September
Katherine Blake, lead singer and founder member of Miranda Sex Garden, stands centre stage. Bathed in blue and red strobing lights, thunderous drums just about receding, the last echoes of feedback bouncing from the back wall, a squeal of violin slowly dying, and says “it’s so awesome to be doing this again”. It has, inContinue reading “Miranda Sex Garden – The Fleece – September”
Opa Rosa – The Jam Jar – September
How do you find the words to describe Opa Rosa? How can you capture this feeling with simple syllables? How can you convey the dip and sway, the swirl and twirl, the pulsing, heart racing, uproarious glory of clarinet and violin, of accordion and rhythm? How can anyone properly write about the collective, hands-in-the-air dizzyContinue reading “Opa Rosa – The Jam Jar – September”
Cinder Well – Cafe Kino – September
Storytellers need contrast. There needs to be hope in the hurt and light in the dark. There needs to be warmth in the iciest of places. Amelia Baker is dark-folk singer songwriter Cinder Well and contrast was all around her in Bristol’s Cafe Kino. For an artist that is able to conjure the most barren,Continue reading “Cinder Well – Cafe Kino – September”
The Schmoozenbergs – The Wardrobe – September
If there’s one thing that Bristol does ridiculously well, it’s furious musical cross pollination. Where musical styles go, the welcome mat is always out, the kettle’s always on, there’s a bottle of wine open and everyone (and everything) is always welcome. It stands to reason, therefore, that The Schmoozenbergs, a Gypsy jazz, klezmer, folk-ish, francophoneContinue reading “The Schmoozenbergs – The Wardrobe – September”
The Black Feathers – Downend Folk & Roots – September
“I love it here”, says extroda-vocalist Sian Chandler, “it combines two of my favourite things – playing at Downend and drinking alcohol in church”. There’s a chuckle and the tell-tale fsst of a can opening. You might think that this makes the wonderful Black Feathers a hard drinking, good time rock n roll band. They areContinue reading “The Black Feathers – Downend Folk & Roots – September”
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