Monday 28 June 2021

Gig Review: My Darling Clementine - Kitchen Garden, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Sunday 27th June 2021

It was of little surprise when My Darling Clementine announced they were swapping the northern climes of Manchester for the southern suburbs of Birmingham once gigs in some format were given the green light. As has been recently the case, if the artist can re-adapt, the Kitchen Garden can do likewise to at least bring some remnant of normality to both performer and audience. So it was old friends reunited for Lou Dalgleish and Michael Weston King with a visit to their old West Midlands stomping ground and a venue that has been kind to them in the past. 

With the new gig landscape taking shape and My Darling Clementine being the subject on these pages many times over the last decade, focus turned onto nine things to take away from a gig that both bathed in the odd and the norm:

Dedication

On the journey to the venue it was decided to dedicate this gig to the late Biddulph-based promoter Craig Pickering who held My Darling Clementine and Michael Weston King in such a high esteem. He even had a credited hand in influencing The Other Half project which the band undertook with Mark Billingham. Craig lost his battle with illness during the lockdown and despite only attending a couple of his Biddulph shows, we crossed paths at many festivals and gigs over the years ranging from the folk gatherings at Shrewsbury, Moseley and Cambridge to a ritualistic annual meeting at Maverick. Michael wrote the most beautiful eulogy on Instagram and I know would be the first to fondly remember Craig as he tentatively mounts the gig carousel again.

Poignancy and Power

The song 'Ashes, Flowers and Dust' took on a new dimension tonight and was among the strongest felt in a long time. When heard live before you always felt it with Lou and Michael, however this time its pounding presence belonged with every single body in the crowd. The poignancy was emblematic as it rattled even the most hardened of bearing souls.

Happy New Year

Have you ever thought at what point you stop greeting newly met colleagues in January with the ritual seasonal greeting? Likewise at what point will the pandemic cease to be the greeting bond between artist and audience. The answer is unknown and maybe a little soon to ponder as both parties get back on that proverbial carousel. This evening was my sixth gig and ninth music day since May 17th. My Darling Clementine had played a show the evening before. Yet for many, each gig is a first experience, so I suspect it will be a while before this greeting fizzles into the ether.

Costello

Lockdown has been a different experience for different artists. My Darling Clementine had a focus on releasing the fruits of their Country Darkness project where an album full of re-interpreted Elvis Costello songs were given the duet treatment in tandem with legendary musician Steve Nieve. A handful of these were shared in the second set where 'I Lost You' and 'I Felt the Chill Before the Winter Came' joined the previously heard 'Indoor Fireworks' as exhibits from a very fine album.

Decade Anniversary

A quick check on the dates and the debut My Darling Clementine album was released in 2011, so we are now in the year of a milestone anniversary. Admittedly it was about a year later when I first acquainted myself with that release, but it has been no turning back since with countless shows and appearances plus not being late to the subsequent releases. Songs from HOW DO YOU PLEAD? still sound as fresh as they did on first listen and '100,000 Words', 'Going Back to Memphis', 'Departure Lounge' and 'Goodbye Week' proudly flew the flag for the debut across the pair of sets this evening.

The Odd

Maybe the re-configured performing space spanning out over the covered patio played a part or the pyrotechnic-styled heaters, or even the raised stage which has appeared since the duo last played the venue. Understandably artists are initially going to have to find their feet having been denied this platform of their craft for a considerable period. Most, including Lou and Michael, are quite open about this challenging situation and asking for the audience to bear with them. It may feel odd for the artists playing live, but any apprehension evaporates once the music hits the ears of the grateful listener. 

Familiarity

The polished satire of My Darling Clementine hasn't taken a dip in lockdown, nor the shine of their stunning songs such as the viperishly cutting  'No Matter What Tammy Said', the slick 'The Embers and the Flame' and the deeply personal 'Eugene'. Lou and Michael are experienced enough to know what works and rightly tend not to tinker with a successful formula. Familiarity does form a major part of a My Darling Clementine show and that is one victim not to succumb to Covid-19.

Our Race is Run

The previous My Darling Clementine show at the Kitchen Garden is December 2019 was also hailed as the final review of this blog. It was too tempting not to use the 'race is run' analogy as the song of this title made the setlist. Eighteen months on and a lot of water under the bridge (give or take the blog's six month hiatus), the song still makes the list, yet this time was dedicated to the hapless (or hopeless) Matt Hancock as this blog survived the blip and is alive and kicking. 

The Future

The missing piece from tonight's gig was 'what next for My Darling Clementine?' Perhaps post-pandemic we should all learn to live more in the present and not be so impatient. However for a duo who wrote so many super songs between 2011 and 2017, it is hoped that the well isn't dry. Patience will apply for now and a short wait will be worthwhile if the creativity returns.

The re-emerging gig world over the last six weeks has featured both the old and the new with My Darling Clementine firmly in the former camp alongside Kathryn and Sean, Emily Barker and Danny Wilson. It is fitting that these artists are swiftly out of the blocks as they gel so well with their fanbase. It has been an exhilarating and emotive return to live music with My Darling Clementine playing their part in a wonderfully curated Kitchen Garden renewal. 

www.mydarlingclementinemusic.co.uk

Wednesday 23 June 2021

Gig Review: Emily Barker - Kitchen Garden, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Monday 21st June 2021

It is of little surprise that within a few weeks of restrictions easing Emily Barker is out there on the road playing shows to her impatient fan base. This impatience is born from the release of a brand new album in lockdown that is aching to be taken on the road. Of course many fans bought various versions of the album from outlets like the artists own Bandcamp page, but that never really compensates the physical exchange at a gig especially where many of the songs have been showcased. 

We had lost count of the number of times this gig at the Kitchen Garden had been postponed. The final potential spanner in the works was avoided with the venue utilising their new outdoor covered patio space and applying creative seating arrangements thus rendering any delay of the infamous June 21st date redundant. By the time Emily and husband Lukas Drinkwater took to the stage, all parties were ready to cast off the frustrations of the last fifteen months and rejoice in a sentimental renewal.

The format, or more aptly formats, discussion always crops up at an Emily Barker gig as we fondly look back at all the different types of shows she has played in the region over the last decade and more. For a change, tonight's wasn't revolutionary, just the standard duo that tends to be the norm in recent times. Likewise there is not a radical change in the quality of the music as it glides on the same lofty plane that has housed it for years. In fact the stripped back lo-fi sound to DARK MURMURATION OF WORDS is very reminiscent of her earlier material when albums such as DESPITE THE SNOW and ALMANAC brought some elegance and grace to the scene she was operating in. We didn't have 'Nostalgia' in the set list tonight, but we were treated to 'Billowing Sea' from the latter of the albums just mentioned. 

However this evening, especially in the earlier stages, was all about the new album with songs such as 'Geography', 'Where Have the Sparrows Gone', 'The Woman Who Planted Trees', 'Any More Goodbyes' and 'Sonogram' all moving up the scale now they have the breathing space of the live performance to add to the recorded version. Needless to say, the immaculate delivery was brimming with all the beauty that continues to adorn the music of Emily Barker. The themes carrying on engaging, and hanging onto the coat tails of a creative journey as luscious and compelling as this is the place to be for the chosen few. Although Emily wouldn't mind if there were a few more. 

Of course any Emily Barker show is not going to stand still and dwell too much on one facet. We learnt of her latest collaboration with Frank Turner via the song 'Bound for Home' and some of her intermediate old favourites from the DEAR RIVER and SWEET KIND OF BLUE albums kept regular fans happy. The song 'Dear River' is my favourite Emily Barker track born from the time heard live with full electric at her Bromsgrove Halo gig back in 2013. No full on electric tonight I'm afraid but it still sounds great in any form. Also from the album that named this top track we had 'Ghost Narrative', while from the soul album SKOB 'Sister Goodbye' has become a staple and was joined by 'No.5 Hurricane' on this occasion. 

While we all have our favourites and the artist has records to sell, sometimes it doesn't matter what is sung such is the captivating presence of a performer so immersed in their art and capable of turning their innate talent to literally anything in the field of the creative song. This is Emily Barker in a nutshell. 

Despite being a constant live performer springing up all over the country, solo/duo shows at the Kitchen Garden have been few and far between, if any from memory. Hopefully the magical aura generated from this evening's much loved show will prompt a more frequent return in future years. I'm sure Emily Barker would concur with this sentiment. 

Tuesday 22 June 2021

Gig Review: Beardy Folk Festival, Hopton Wafers, Shropshire. Friday 18th June to Sunday 20th June 2021


To say it has been a tough two years for festivals is a gross understatement, but Beardy Folk continues to be a beacon of hope on the homegrown front. Adaptability is the key, and this Shropshire based festival has now been staged four straight years since its inception in 2018. On the back of last September’s strategic move to operate within the restrictive parameters via a site rejig and a reduced occupancy arrangement, it was déjà vu as this organic event dodged the latest cultural bullets to once again bring thirty-six UK folk acts to the sumptuous surroundings of Hopton Wafers, and the famed walled garden.

How it is done is within the creative and industrious mind of organiser ‘Beardy Dave’. Regardless of the twists and turmoil, both artists and folk fans alike are mightily grateful that the show continues to go on. So from the striking of the eleventh hour on Friday morning to well past the other eleventh hour late on Sunday evening, a continuous stream of high quality diverse music flowed from a supply line that has been tested but not switched off over the last fifteen or so months. 


When it comes round to doing a festival review there has to be a few stakes in the ground. Closely observing thirty-six acts up front and in person is an enduring and a slightly improbable task give or take the odd moments to refuel, socialise and take a breather. Admittedly you can already cross one off the list as yours truly didn’t arrive on site until midday on Friday and thus Garden stage openers The Meadows were missed. Although to my credit every other act at least caught the ear and eye, even it meant a few words have gone astray as we try to revisit what happened, but most importantly what floated the boat on this mid-summer weekend.


Merry Hell

Folk music in its many guises was present across the weekend, which cannot be said about the sunshine and missing British summer. Folk fans are a stoic bunch and as long as you were prepared to wrap up against the unseasonably cold air of the Shropshire Hills especially as the headliners took to the stage, you were faintly rewarded by the rain largely staying away during the day and duly warmed from the stirring displays put on for you by artists hungry for some live music renewal. 


Let’s put these meteorological irreverences to one side for a moment and focus on what Beardy Folk served up in 2021. At the end of each day, I decided to nominate four of the dozen acts who made the most impression during the previous twelve hours. This is a wholly personal process and not necessarily guided by eminence or perceived technical superiority. So here are the twelve to shine in these quarters, with a bit of room left for a few general mentions.

Phoebe Rees

The first of Friday’s quartet was a known entity in the shape of Suffolk-based duo Honey and the Bear. They were noted in advance on the back of reviewing their new album earlier in the year. Music is so refreshing when you can match an album deep dive with a live show. Maybe an hour long festival set is not the same as a gig, but growing the duo format to a four piece paid dividends and the elegance and subtlety of JOURNEY THROUGH THE ROKE shone through from the palatial surroundings of the main stage on the Meadow. 


In contrast to the familiarity of Honey and the Bear, Roswell were a new name to me, although it turned out one half had crossed my path with a little post-set checking. Roswell is a female duo comprising of Zoe Wren and Jasmine Watkiss and they sprinkle their style of folk with a dash of Americana gold dust. It is the solo work of Zoe that I am aware of, but it didn’t twig at the time. However, the Friday afternoon set on the smaller Garden stage was a delightful place to be.


Jacob and Drinkwater

Staying on the Garden stage and the third key set from Friday was delivered by Lauren Housley and her accompanying three-piece band. Headline is not necessarily the right term for last on the Garden stage due to the balancing of set times right across the day, but Lauren was a fitting act to close things with her classy brand of all things Americana, classic pop and a nod to many genres. There was even a touch of folk, but as US band Dawes once said, ‘all music is folk music when you strip the layers away’. Despite following the career of Lauren Housely since her debut album surfaced a few years ago now, this was a live christening and she didn’t disappoint by knocking out loads of top songs from her recently released acclaimed album GIRL FROM THE NORTH. 


So bringing Friday to a close was left to feisty folk ensemble Merry Hell to inject some passion and spirit into the pot with a tub thumping, barn stomping, anthem chanting display of socially conscious protest music. They have been on my periphery for a number of years, but this was the first real exposure and it was an inspiring hour-plus to warm the chilly extremities. We had a preview via co-front person Virginia Kettle playing a mainly mid-afternoon solo set and this neatly segued into a rousing finale. 


Apologies for not diving deeper into the other Friday acts, with The Haar, graced by the beautiful vocals of Molly Donnery, coming closest to gatecrashing the final four. 


Fine Lines

The unfortunate episode of not making the start on Friday was appeased with an earlier Saturday arrival to catch Lunatraktors on the Garden stage. It transpired that the daily 11 till 12 slot was curated by Fatea Magazine under the auspice of ‘giving artists a voice’. While this inventive and innovative  duo didn’t make the final four, they certainly entertained and duly broadened the scope of where folk music can take you. 


In fact it was the next artist up on the Garden stage that were first entrant into this day’s most impressionable quartet. Phoebe Rees required only a fiddle, a fine voice and a headful of fascinating tunes and stories to tempt those who like their folk in transatlantic mode. Blending Appalachia and Cheshire from a traditional perspective worked wonders and this artist definitely became a name to mark for the future. Beardy Folk in its four-year tenure has unearthed several young performers to show a glimpse of a flourishing future, and they delivered again with the talents of Phoebe Rees. 


Calum Ingram

Lukas Drinkwater is one of those artists omnipresent by association, influence and steering the talents of others, but not so much in the spotlight sharing the spoils by name. This is corrected when teaming up with his colleague Tobias Ben Jacob and hitting the stage under the duo name — surprisingly called - Jacob and Drinkwater. Two o’clock on the main stage in the meadow was the appointment time for them to show a wider audience what they can do in tandem. Those settled in their chairs on an afternoon markedly warmer than the previous day were dealt a real treat as the duo set about laying the foundation for an upcoming album release and tour. Jacob, now based in Poland therefore logistics are presently proving a challenge, drives the act vocally and operates very much in the singer-songwriter sphere rather than a folkie wandering down a traditional path. Drinkwater falls back on his trusty stringed talents and together they blend an exquisite sound to reach out far from the confines of genre purists. A stellar performance that eased into one of Saturday’s four peak slots.


A couple of hours after veteran DJ and folk luminary Mark Radcliffe had vacated his Garden stage slot following wooing an attentive crowd with candid tales and shared song, he turned up playing drums for a band from his fellow north west. Fine Lines is the name of this band and they set the stall out of being the weekend’s leading flag bearers for a style of music now commonly bound in the sphere of catch-all Americana. Of course, folk music can be very loose and encompassing around its fringes and this tight-knit seven-piece combo complete with the sole pedal steel spotted over the weekend stole the spotlight with a finely curated and assuredly composed performance. Away from its core, any folk festival can throw up an act that could easily slide into an alternative universe and Fine Lines walked away with this prize alongside a wealth of new admirers.


Honey and the Bear

Just before the fourth key highlight from Saturday is revealed, a quick mention for the virtuoso musicianship of Inlay, the eminence of Benji Kirkpatrick that requires very little introduction and the stirring job Holy Moly and the Crackers did sending a rather sodden audience dancing away into very nearly Sunday morning. 


However the final spot on Saturday’s fab four went to the evocative and awe inspiring Sam Brookes bringing the Garden stage to a close with a fully impassioned performance blending shades of experimental rock with the subtleties of alt-folk. This full band performance epitomised how much an artist can totally immerse themselves into a transfixed zone and take an eager audience on a shared journey. This wasn’t the last we saw of Sam Brookes over the weekend as he played an integral part in the closing presentation of The John Martyn Project on Sunday evening.


Sam Brookes

Before we get to Sunday evening, let’s turn the clock back ten hours and give some appreciation to the talents of Rowan Godel who opened the Meadow stage in duo mode alongside the aforementioned Benji Kirkpatrick. In a line up which could tweak its billed gender balance a touch in the right direction, it was a pleasure to listen to a cherished female voice delivering classy singer-songwriter tunes in the guise of many esteemed names who have trod the boards of the popular side of folk music. Rowan was one of two late additions to the line up due to a pair of travel-related withdrawals and made the most of her time in the spotlight to share some fine songs from a soggy CD, which also had some dry copies for sale. Apologies for the in-joke if you weren’t there. 


We stay on the Meadow stage for the second Sunday highlight and the luscious coastal and Cornish inspired Celtic sound of Brother Sea. Two-fifths of this band are better known as the folk duo Harbottle and Jonas, but they seamlessly blend into a more expansive act when teamed up with the exquisite fiddle of Anna Baylis, the haunting cello of Calum Ingram and the charismatic leadership of exiled Scot Kris Lannen. A fully absorbing set won over many new fans with the added spice of an upcoming new album to look forward to when these busy musicians smooth the path for a release that will warrant their talents. 


Aaron Catlow and Kit Hawes

The Brother Sea connection means we have to skip over the third Sunday pick and land on the fourth and final slot which had to go to Calum Ingram’s solo performance. You could plant it on this guys ability to improvise the electric cello to wild new places or to filter in how he mashes jazz, blues, folk, indie and even electronica into an enthralling and slightly raucous act. Yet the main effect has to be a brief emotional meltdown on stage which pricked the sentiment of every pair of watching eyes. This guy had missed live music probably more than any punter in front of him and the sheer relief of playing for real people again stole the moment. This was Beardy Folk's most important two minutes and with no shame, a moist eye was shared.


Finally we come to the last of the twelve acts, who were technically third in Sunday's list, to make the cut on this virtual highlight of what was a very real festival. Kit Hawes and Aaron Catlow were introduced with a quote likening them to an updated version of Dave Swarbrick and Martin Carthy, and this lauded praise floated high in a Shropshire sky as the combined talents of fabulous fiddle and gorgeous guitar serenaded a dreamy late afternoon Meadow mellowed audience. Their music took you to far away places in a haze of stringed supremacy. To bring us back down a little, we saw Kit Hawes later in the evening as another key cog in the cleverly curated presentation of The John Martyn Project.

 

Brother Sea

While not making the final cut, this polished and atmospheric celebration of the work of a true great of English music was a fitting finale for Beardy Folk. Also pushing Sunday’s final four to the limit were Faustus, a band with more superlatives attached to their music than the whole of Beardy Folk put together and the intoxicating world music vibes flowing freely from the chosen instruments of Solana.


While for practical and purely personal reasons there was a need to draw up this highlighted summary list, there was effectively a truly holy trinity of winners across the weekend: every artist taking to the stage; every fan returning to their spiritual home in front of the stage; every active person creating the entity of a festival that Covid-19 can’t conquer. ‘Beardy’ might be figurative, humorous or just plain catchy, but it has played a significant part in rehabilitating live music. 

Friday 18 June 2021

Gig Review: Ellie Gowers - Kitchen Garden, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Wednesday 16th June 2021

 


www.elliegowersmusic.com

The real value of a full gig hit home tonight; one where you are absorbed in an artist's presence for a couple of hours. The music of Ellie Gowers has emerged over the last nine months. Firstly via a slot at last autumn's socially distanced staging of the Beardy Folk festival, and subsequently by performing in one of the twice-weekly Green Note streams that involved an in-the-round type setting for artists to interact with each other largely on the art of songwriting. A thirty minute festival slot and a four song showcase on the stream were sufficient to open the door to the music of this young Warwickshire based artist and now attending a full gig has sealed the deal.

Forty eight hours after live music had been given yet another kicking from the Government's lockdown strategy, at least the Kitchen Garden was persevering with a 'show must go on' philosophy and this gig went ahead within existing restrictions. An added bonus was the show moving performing space to the newly created outdoor patio stage in a beautifully curated covered setting. For those who know this iconic Kings Heath venue it is the outdoor space linking the cafe and the garden centre. The assembled audience were in the mood for some seriously good live music and Ellie Gowers didn't disappoint.

There are many fine facets to the way she goes about presenting her music. Not only equipped with a voice to awaken the dormant angels and guitar playing to adorn her finely spun songs, Ellie has quickly developed an engaging stage persona to warm an audience and build a strong foundation of projecting her beliefs, philosophies, feelings and fruits from a productive dive into the folk archives. In essence an all round entertainer.

As expected from artists emerging from the darkness of 2020-2021, lockdown plays an integral part of an artist's reflection on the last twelve months or so. Ellie was quite candid about some of the effects and alterations, but ultimately had the pleasure of the release of her latest EP to hold onto. PARTING BREATH came out in March and was the result of yet another tap into the services of Stroud's musical genius Lukas Drinkwater who provided the infrastructure and guidance to commit Ellie's latest music to a commercial format.

However like many folk artists, Ellie rarely stands still and musical influence and enterprise continues to flow from a multitude of sources. While understandably the recorded catalogue may yet be thin, we were treated to a healthy mix of collaborative work, newly worked material, a dip into the mystical world of the traditional song and a some well curated covers. All these are eloquently laid out in an affable stage manner that is also unafraid of tapping into that longstanding art of audience participation. The new world may soon be upon us, but don't count on everything from the old world being discarded.

By the time Ellie had finished her second set, we were well versed in what drives her to be a folk singer. From issues and folklore of her native Warwickshire to something more personal and open to sharing, the songs soared high in a Birmingham sky on a warm summer's evening. The future of folk music was never in doubt. Ellie Gowers just provides a name to that future. One to look out for whether you like to engage with your music in a live setting or choose to take a punt from the ocean-like pool of new music that floods an ever changing market. 

Thursday 3 June 2021

Gig Review: Hannah White - Kitchen Garden, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Wednesday 2nd June 2021

Gig No.1 was the tearful renewal. Gig No.2 saw friends reunited. Gig No.3 cracked the code. At the end of the first week of the new gig era, three very different shows have crossed my path, each spinning a different slant on the live music experience. The third of these saw Hannah White expand her horizons from London into Birmingham for the first time, at least professionally. There were no tears at this one, though plenty of emotion. It wasn't the case of friends reunited like Ramblin' Roots as this appeared to be a brave new venture for all parties. However the code of what gigs are for and meeting the epicentre of an artist's soulful exposure was well and truly cracked on yet another candid and intimate Kitchen Garden evening.
I am a fully paid up member of the 'show us-don't tell us' club and Hannah White demonstrated from opening song to finale being a suitable hypothetical candidate for queen of such a brigade. No cowboy hats, sparkles, boots and homages to Dolly were required. The 'C' genre or 'N' city were not mentioned. All that was needed was an artist ripping open their soul to the solace of deep thinking personal music. No fancy playing (that is left to the premium guitar picking of her sidekick and husband Keiron Marshall), just the epitome of that old cliche 'three chords and the truth'. Now that sounds a familiar phrase.

The music of Hannah White first appeared on my horizon during this blog's six month hiatus in the first half of 2020. In fact the eponymous album Hannah White and the Nordic Connections was a standout release from a batch that inspired a return to the saddle as time became more available during the first lockdown. Well over twelve months on, some coverage is long overdue and an inter-connected scene has brought the music closer. 
Delving a little deeper into Hannah's past reveals a string of previous releases, but it was the 2020 effort complete with a weird off-the-wall Norwegian collaboration, though one which sadly had its momentum curtailed, that catapulted the recognition. This was mainly through a nomination for AMA UK British album of the year. Joint runner up to Robert Vincent is not a bad place to be, and while on the topic of Americana, we all know that genre is the current true home of real country music, especially on our shores. 

Without sounding disrespectful, vast swathes of this gig had me racking my brains of who Hannah's voice reminded me. Lots of contemporary names cropped up on the right side of the tracks until the image of Margo Price was settled upon. The personal nature of so many of their shared songs likely tipped the balance as well. At one point the guitar was ditched leaving just a voice alongside Keiron's guitar and this worked well. We even had a return to those much loved Kitchen Garden moments at the end when an artist ditches the mic to the ultimate unfiltered effect.
Robbie Cavanagh
For this moment, Hannah and Keiron were joined by Robbie Cavanagh who has been their chosen artist to open for them on this short tour that has jumped ahead in one of the first post-lockdown sorties around the country. He brought his own songwriting skills to the table during a short opening set that was mindful in its role, but informative enough to sow some seeds of what is on the horizon. Robbie Cavanagh, like Hannah White, was a recipient of acclaim at this year's AMA UK awards with the Bob Harris emerging artist pick alongside his partner Demi Marriner. Although it was Hannah's night this evening, there is the potential for Robbie Cavanagh to replicate things when his new material finally reaches its intended audience. 

There are so many aspects of a Hannah White show that stay within the intimate arena of the artist-audience sphere. Needless to say, the candid nature of the inspiration clearly fuels the impact of expressing the message. The impact of this expression is dependent on an artist having some sort of innate ability to transmit through the emotive self-penned song and heartfelt delivery. This is clearly in the DNA of Hannah White. It may not always be clear sailing, but when the dice rolls a pair you appreciate the power of music especially in its live capacity. Cracking the code doesn't happen that often, but when it does the treasure trove of a certain type of music showers its wealth.