Three Chords and the Truth UK

  There is something quite special about Thimblemill Library as a gig venue, and Demi Marriner wholly concurs. On multiple occasions, she gushed about the unique surroundings and thoroughly enjoyed her first performance on its adaptable stage. Look up and ahead to see a piercing night sky flood through the arc of windows. Look straight up to catch a sight of multiple quirky light shades adding fine touches to the art decor. Look all around and packed book shelves provide a cultural backdrop to the welcome frequent invasion of nighttime music. This arts hotbed at a junction where outer city issues blend into phases of vibrant suburbia epitomises everything innovative about grassroots venues mixing and matching multiple diverse events adding buoyancy to a thriving operation. For the second week running, tickets for the music side of the Thimblemill offering poured out to around the three figure mark. It was a tough road getting people back to live music especially as weekends tend to...

  The Unthanks are contemporary folk royalty in the UK. Led by sisters Rachel and Becky, they and their countless collaborators have reached far and wide from a north east base to fill many halls and venues throughout the land. At the end of 2024, they have struck a significant seasonal note by both releasing a double winter album and touring its entirety. IN WINTER hit the shelves in November, but a record of this essence really comes to the fore on the turn of advent. On its various formats (vinyl, disc and digital), the running time of 19 tracks runs to 72 minutes. Over the course of a brace of 45 minutes sets, the 8-piece onstage ensemble allowed a little time for inter song chat and introductions. The jury was out on the value for money side of a slim set for a pricey outlay, but never in doubt is the quality of arrangement and musicianship on offer.  As you would expect, the presentation was slick and plush. The sound choreography was seamless with brass, strings, percus...

  www.dylanleblanc.com The Kitchen Garden was looking and feeling its quirky best. Christmas lights ever present since lockdown resumed a status of seasonal presence. Surreal Brummie paintings adorned the wall behind the artist including two iconic bulls locking horns. The infamous mirror adding depth to the side view. The 'L' shaped configuration testing a performer's dexterity. But most importantly, a packed house hooked onto the every word and musical note. There's no hiding place in a sold out Kitchen. Dylan LeBlanc knew the feeling as he ambled down the wooden stairs to the performing space. Just over a year ago, his full band had commandeered and conquered the tight playing confines to deliver a masterful show for the ages - arguably the venue's finest moment of recent times. For the return, the comfort blanket of familiar sidekicks was stripped. This was just one man, a guitar and a heart blasted open. The rest was history. 8:15 and the call went out, where...

Since the summer, each My Darling Clementine show has likely been a poignant and moving experience. Yet from the darkness of despair, music has the power to light up the road to better times.  Over the last eleven years, these pages have been filled with many reflections and accounts from the My Darling Clementine music experience, both live and on record. In a case of art inspiring art, the Kitchen Garden Christmas 2024 show is captured in a few stanzas of self-penned verse extolling  the worth of music. Seeking strength in the song Grappling grief with the guitar Honing in on the healing highway Hour by hour Each note piecing together a shattered mind Each lyric sowing the seeds of recovery Each beat showing the resilience of time Day by day Tracks signalling a brighter place Grooves etching a road to reality  Words working wonders Week by week The sanctuary of a musical harbour Tuneful, melodic, cathartic  A broken soul soothed Bring on 2025 and more My Darling Cl...

  www.ramblinrootsrevue.co.uk Ramblin' Roots brings a fine array of artists to High Wycombe across a long weekend each April. These artists represent their status and niche with exceptional class and commitment. When the surprise announcement came that there would be a mini extension into a busy December of seasonal events, you could be sure the fare served up would be top notch and up to the usual standard. So instead of entering the dual rooms of the Bucks Student Union on a Friday for a full weekend slate of sets, it was a cosy gathering in the main room on a Saturday evening for three home-based acts to showcase how they transmit their music so well. On a day where travel was severely hampered by Storm Darragh, it was a testament to commitment that artists travelled from the north, west and east of England alongside those of us ditching the Chiltern Line for the more reliable M40. Once settled it was a case of Annie Dressner, Steady Habits and Matt Owens and the Delusional Vani...

  www.chriscleverley.com What is the earliest date for a 'Christmas' show? To be fair, this 1st of December gathering was generally low key on the festive front leaving space for things to gather pace as the month bounds towards the 'big day'. A quick trawl through the archives revealed a much deeper into December gig for Chris Cleverley when he teamed up with Kelly Oliver to play a duo show at the Kitchen Garden in 2017. The abiding memory from that night was signing off with ' Wombling Merry Christmas '. Now that's a festive banger deserving more airing. Seven years on from that appearance, the evolution was marked by growing the stage presence from two to six and doubling the audience. The second room in the Hare and Hounds was packed to its near capacity for a full band show and the formal launch of a new seasonal EP. In the Shadow of John the Divine is available to the wider public on December 6th, but the good folks of Kings Heath had live versions and...

  www.martinsimpson.com One certainty is that you leave an evening with Martin Simpson with a stretched and enhanced mind. It may take a few braincell exertions to fully absorb the breadth of stories, links and lyric-laden songs, yet when accompanied by the finest of folk blues picking you can expect to see on the UK circuit, everything clicks into place for a rewarding experience. Even the wintry blue MAC lighting emanating tranquilliser-like vibes couldn't quell the wealth of two hours exceptional music. This Sheffield-based musician is still as active as ever, dashing around the country for shows and exploiting any opportunity to further a musical odyssey. After a period of the Midland Arts Centre being unable to host events in its main theatre due to well documented construction issues, it was good to re-frequent a space the scene of many fine folk performance over the years. A few more customers would have matched the quality of the music, but experienced musicians aren't ...

  www.bellahardy.com Bella Hardy is stacked with all the attributes of an accomplished musical performer. Gilt-edged vocals nestle alongside a flair to bring the best out of the violin. A keen ear detecting eminence and value in traditional song inspires her own songwriting chops to respond and creatively curate original material. A stylish poise illuminates the performing space. These qualities have served this Derbyshire-based folk luminary well over the years ensuing treasured status and a wealth of acclaim. A sense of renewal is in the air as we approach the middle years of the decade and an advancing landmark of being 20 years in a recording realm. The presence of Bella Hardy fills a room with vitality and freshness. An added spark to this evening's show was a debut performance at the Kitchen Garden, partial oversight and partial lure of frequenting larger venues. In one of her peak years, 2015, a Birmingham Town Hall stage was shared with Mary Chapin Carpenter. There has been...

www.deanowens.com The final instalment of the THE RIDGE TRILOGY is released on 29th November. SACRI CUORI is the third sampler ahead of the new Dean Owens album due out in early 2025. In a similar vein to its two predecessors, the collection is a mix of a demo, preview track and three pieces from the wider process of recording the new record titled SPIRIT RIDGE. The latter are exclusive to the EP adding a touch of necessity for collectors. 'Spirit of Us' is the preview track and opens this five-song recording featuring John Convertino of Calexico. This haunting track proudly displays the Dean Owens quality trademark. It exposes the soul to life's fundamentals, while possessing the double pleasure of being both hugely personal and eminently relatable.  Fast forward to the final slot, which is filled with a demo of the heartbreak number ' A Divine Tragedy'. No Dean Owens record would be complete without a dash of life affirming misery. This demo version has that exp...

  Jason Isbell is stitched together with imperfection, but boy how he heals with guitar in hand and lyrics in tow. A modest exterior shields an interior rich in ideas of creation and expression. Connection is the key. Other artists parade talent, Jason Isbell fires volleys of redemptive words, poetic phrases and blistering guitar straight to your head, heart and soul. He's the best of his kind in a subjective world. Evidence compounds with each performance.  Was it the scintillating guitar solo in the second song? Was it a trio of tear-inducing moments? Was it finding the perfect song combo? Was it a final guitar duel with the devil sitting back admiring? You could argue it was the impact of the 400 Unit: a truly great backdrop whatever the line up. The answer lies in the mind of every single person crossing the threshold of a Jason Isbell show. "We're gonna have good night." "We've had a good night". "That was Alabama Pines". Toss in five band...

  "I played a folk club at the Hare and Hounds in Birmingham. Is it still there?" Yes it is, Anais. Not quite a folk club, but we get the drift. That Birmingham appearance can't be recalled as opposed to the Glee Club in 2014 and Moseley Folk Festival in 2022. There may be others, but clearly we don't see enough Anais Mitchell in the West Midlands. "It's the Birmingham debut for these songs tonight." Eric D Johnson didn't really need to remind an eagerly awaited gathering at the XOYO Club that Bonny Light Horseman were playing Birmingham for the first time. Connections making it happen deserve to take a bow and these debut songs purred with blissful elegance from start to finish. "I've got a different setlist to everybody else." Josh Kauffman hurriedly changed guitars to play the right song. Whatever guitar he played had a luscious tone and the key to putting the 'rock' into 'folk rock'.  Bonny Light Horseman are a band ...

  www.janiceandjon.com Folk duo Janice Burns and Jon Doran delicately put their twist on an array of seasonal songs spun on a different axis to what is generally delivered this time of year. GREAT JOY TO THE NEW explores many facets of winter tradition perceptively sourcing traditional pieces malleable enough for creative manipulation. Song notes have a raised level of importance as prior knowledge is unlikely to be widespread among general listeners. While raising your own awareness levels is a likely reward, finely curated music exquisite in vocal and instrumental adeptness defines the appeal.  Burns and Doran settle on 13 tracks to form this long awaited album as they finally convert many seasonal shows into a worthy recording. Inviting several top players to contribute including in-demand  double bassist Ben Nicholls and multiple brass musicians prove a subtle touch. One of the first songs to keenly catch the ear when reflecting upon the album is ‘ The Trees are All B...

www.agsconnolly.com Ask a range of casual country music observers to name an elder statesman of recent times and few would come up with the name of James Hand. With the help of one of his greatest advocates, the chance of this recently passed Texan being recognised will be greatly increased on the back of this carefully curated tribute album. Fans of Ags Connolly will be aware of his locked-in appreciation via the 2014 track 'I Saw James Hand ', which became a staple of his live performances. Now that awareness and reach for the UK's premier purveyor of traditional country music is considerably growing, the same will occur for Hand via a neatly curated twelve-song collection on the merch table at shows. YOUR PAL SLIM: SONGS OF JAMES HAND is a labour of love; a feeling overflowing in mutual appreciation upon sampling the fruits of this project.  There is a dusty timeless feel to the production. Oodles of fiddle and steel are a given, but you can never have too much of these ...

  Hearing a country song at the Kitchen Garden is a common occurrence; hearing it from a bonafide country singer is somewhat rarer. Sunny Sweeney fits the bill of both. A mainstream Nashville label stint, raised in Texas, residing in Tennessee, she has all the country credentials, and laying them on the table in a packed room is in her DNA. You get the impression the 2024 version of Sunny Sweeney is quite enjoying this UK renaissance, visiting venues to rekindle her roots. The 45-minute interval between a pair of similar timed sets is almost as important for both an artist to greet and a fanbase to meet. Selling a haul of merch is another motive.  It was a year ago to the month when a tentative Sunny Sweeney shocked a sizeable English Midlands following by playing Kings Heath in a surprise tour. That night she was perched on a stool next to guitar partner Harley Husbands hemmed up against the mirror. Tonight a more conventional standing position enabled a greater relaxed freed...

  www.lewisbarfoot.com   "Is Eileen in the room?" A recurring theme of this gig was a chance meeting between Lewis Barfoot and Kings Heath resident Eileen in the hours before showtime. Their brief encounter stirred Emerald Isle emotions and a singing of ' The Galway Shawl' . The meeting had a sad twist of loneliness, yet its warmth set the tone for the welcome this singer-songwriter received from a first visit to play Birmingham. The upshot was Eileen hadn't taken up the offer of a guest ticket. Those who were present had an extensive exposure to a musician on a mission, a person rich in creative artistry and someone right on the point of audience engagement.  Straight out of the gates, this London Irish-cum-current Cork resident exposed an identity via a vest plastered with the ironic motif - 'more dogs, more blacks, more Irish'. Politics with a small 'p'  thread through the songs, stories and ethos, though shades of beauty from an elegant voice e...

  www.lukepauljackson.com Luke Jackson had a spring in his step this evening. The extra verve for this charismatic performer likely lay at the feet of an upcoming new album. From a pitch of old and fresh songs, this Kent-based musician played to his strengths utilising the dexterity of an impressive vocal range and a commendable knack of leaving a packed room reinvigorated and content.  A sizeable crowd greeted Jackson’s return to the Kitchen Garden. His last two visits were on the brink, and in the aftermath, of the pandemic. Challenging times for touring musicians. Free of such constraints, the audience enjoyed a buoyant performance on an extended evening of entertainment.  Prior to the main set, which ran almost to an hour and half, a talented opening artist in Philippa Zawe grasped a forty minute opportunity to show why she is a burgeoning performer. Having once lived in Birmingham, the surroundings of the Kitchen were well known. Folks also remember her from the time...