While this wasn't the Kitchen Garden's first live show in the new post-second wave world, it was the gig rehabilitation for yours truly and a return to the scene of that moment in March 2020 when unknowingly at the time live music was about to grind to a halt. There was one low key gig in the autumn and a single outdoor festival day, but that now appears an apparition in a sea of streams and home-based entertainment. Early on in this gig Sean Lakeman confessed to being a little rusty with comments like 'dust the rust' and striving for 'match fitness'. To follow on the sporting analogy, initially there was a pre-season friendly feel to this socially distanced fairly low key gathering.
However it didn't take too long before the established pedigree of Kathryn's accomplished vocals, in addition to her effortless piano and flute contribution, and Sean's exquisite guitar playing began to shine through. Midway through the show the near fifteen month hiatus of a live music barren landscape was cast aside and the feeling of never being away rushed back. A key moment just before the break saw the heart rendering '52 Hertz' blissfully float around this much loved venue and all points focussed on the big picture of getting the show back on the road.
In many instances, this was your typical Roberts-Lakeman show. While steeped in the mystique of the traditional song, the duo frequently switch to original songwriting mode and deliver something that blooms in a contemporary light. In some aspects, their music is a lot broader than the conventional confines of a rigid folk structure. This is especially pertinent in Kathryn's expansive vocal repertoire that gives the impression that it would blossom in any multiple genre settings or the general popular music world.
Obviously you are not going to take the folk out of any Lakeman inhabited operation and we had a solid stock of traditional English and further afield songs, of which many have appeared on a Roberts-Lakeman album. My personal favourite from the non-original set was the 'Tribute of Hands' with its European slant. In support there were entertaining renditions of others like 'Willow Tree', 'The Red Barn', 'The Buxom Lass' and 'The Knight's Ghost', all informatively explained and beautifully conveyed.
From a personal perspective, the highs of a Roberts-Lakeman show tend to be when they share their original material or delve into a carefully selected contemporary cover. Although the aforementioned '52 Hertz' was the overall highlight, self penned tunes like the sole love song 'Piano and Me', 'The Wisdom of Standing Still' and show closer 'Tomorrow Will Follow Today' all brimmed with majestic elegance. On the covers front, it was the turn of Tom Waits to be interpreted with an enjoyable version of 'Georgia Lee', to join Warren Zevon from previous Roberts-Lakeman shows as iconic American songwriters celebrated. On a slightly alternative note, an eighties Paul McCartney No.1 was covered in 'Pipes of Peace' as inspired by a search for songs on special dates.
The most poignant moment of this triumphant return to the live arena was an emotional tear at the end. We, as fans have missed live music, but it must be minuscule to the gap in the lives of those who base most of their living around the experience. Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman barely needed a fraction of a gig to get back in the groove and likewise, the Kitchen Garden resumed where it left off as a very special space to host live intimate music.
www.kathrynrobertsandseanlakeman.com
