Three Chords and the Truth UK

Good things can wait and the latest Courtney Marie Andrews gig review falls handsomely into this camp. The normal quick turnaround had to take a backseat as less than five hours after returning home from this Nottingham gig it was bag packed and off on the annual pilgrimage to the Edinburgh Fringe. Among the onslaught of artistic chaos from the world’s greatest creative extravaganza, thoughts on another stunning performance from Courtney did not stray too far. What chronicle of a gig year could omit one of its chief protagonists? Therefore, it was hand to the task at the earliest opportunity when the dust finally settled five days on from the gig. From memory,  this was the third leg of UK Courtney Marie dates in 2018, and the first one to stop off in the West-East Midlands corridor. The centerpiece of the August trip was a slot at the Green Man Festival, so there was a full band in tow this time. Earlier in the year, she had played some solo dates including a sublime show in...

The festival scene can affect local gigs in various ways. While the mid-summer months often see audiences dwindle in the venues and artists focus on the outdoor season, circumstances can throw up productive opportunities. The decision by Siobhan Miller to postpone her Kitchen Garden debut in the winter and tag it onto the long journey south to play the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival handsomely paid off. Not only did it assumedly enable the four-band member set up to travel down, but it filled a gap in the venue’s schedule before the late summer/autumn extensive programme kicks off in earnest. It also helped that a packed Kitchen witnessed one of Scotland’s brightest young folk singers, an artist adept at using her blessed talent. Although an inaugural visit to the Kitchen Garden, this was not Siobhan’s first show in Birmingham as she recalled playing the Hare and Hounds in the past with a fond recollection of the Beatles walking through the crowd. In fact, it will be a Brummie t...

The promtion behind Cambridge Folk Festival generated the MyFolkFest hashtag to coordinate online interaction in 2018, thus hitting home the assertion that festivals are very personal experiences. Large acts or smaller ones; Cash or First Aid Kit; Moreland or Smith were all questions to arise across the four days of this year’s renewal. First world dilemmas I know, but immersing yourself into a multi artist gathering, on a moderate scale to a degree, does require a thoughtful approach, even to the extent of the casual roam versus the meticulous planning. For this look back at four sun-drenched days in the packed confines of Cherry Hinton Park, a project titled 50:20 was born. The challenge to write fifty words about twenty sets has been modified slightly as the number witnessed in their entirety on the two main stages came to eighteen. However, and in pursuit of that round number, who can resist a little summary of what stood out in the Den and the Club Tent, alongside the most me...

Although appreciation for Eilen Jewell traces back to the 2007 album LETTERS TO SINNERS & STRANGERS, opportunities to see her live have conspired to leave this ambition unfulfilled. Finally, circumstances fell into place to make the trip up to the Potteries on the eve of the Cambridge Folk Festival and catch a show at Biddulph Town Hall. Her previous visits to the wider Midlands area have tended to concentrate on the eastern side with last year’s Nottingham date attaining sold out status during the run up. That show was on the back of her 2017 album DOWN HEARTED BLUES, which once again saw Eilen take a break from original music and explore another fascinating aspect of the roots world. The clue to the style is in the title and it was set to feature prominently this evening. The early and middle parts of 2018 has seen Eilen and her long time trio of travelling musical companions cram in as many dates around the globe as possible before once again embarking on a little family downti...