Gig Review: Thorpe and Morrison + Darach- Centrala, Birmingham. Sunday 22nd February 2026

 

There is a creative stir at the heart of post-industrial Birmingham. In the dimly lit quarters of backstreet Digbeth, grimy relics are brought to life beneath the surface. Disguised bars, food joints, performing spaces and improvised studios align to regenerate. A single two level unit located in Minerva Works would likely once have been humming to one of the city’s thousand trades, tonight it purred to a brace of fiddles and guitars. Centrala was born from Central and Eastern European culture; on this Sunday evening the sounds were more Western Europe or to be more precise a curved spine from the west of Scotland through parts of England to the Iberian peninsula. Its performing space was commandeered by two duos, similar in set up, different in sound. Thorpe and Morrison were the hosts but Darach were far more than mere guests. Together they filled the air with mesmeric sounds, and hearts with the vibrant beat of grassroots music. 

6:45 is a good time to begin a Sunday evening gig. 9:10 is an even better time to start the journey home. In between, subjecting yourself to a pair of sets packed with tunes, jigs, reels and the odd song was a cathartic experience. Birmingham was the scene for the tour finale, and also the place where the duo act of Thorpe and Morrison was born. Friendly faces filled this converted venue, expert videographers were positioned to capture the evening and a sense of camaraderie prevailed.

Darach

Darach came to the stage first and proceeded to thrill with a 45-minute captivating set. This relatively newly formed duo of experienced musicians consists of Glasgow-based fiddler Roo Geddes and Spanish guitarist Hugo Franco. Galician is to be more accurate as that part of north-western Spain is where the real Celtic influence resides and an affinity with Scottish folk music lies. The fiddle playing of Geddes is swift and rhythmic while Franco has a deft and delicate guitar style. They meld as one tracking tunes from the traditional archives and conjuring up original pieces from their own creative whim. Melodic moods emanate with a parting shot that often contemporary musicians are often just ‘custodians’ of the past. You can add that future musicians may be likewise for the fruits of Darach.

Harry Thorpe (guitar and hailing from Suffolk) and Sean Morrison (fiddle and hailing from Ayr) are well-known musicians on the folk scene. They have played many festivals and joined collaborations such as Filkins Ensemble, while recording a couple of albums. After meeting in Birmingham, locale arrangements split as Morrison headed first to Manchester and now to Dresden. The result is live shows have become limited hence the drive to make the ones that happen extra special, For over an hour on this Sunday night, the pair played their hearts out. Morrison appeared more innovative and adaptive to how he played than his fellow Scot, though the effect to the audience was the same. Likewise Thorpe generated a fuller guitar sound than the Galacian guest, albeit both played in perfect unison with their fiddle counterparts. Thorpe and Morrison did interject their tune sets, both borrowed and original, with a couple of songs. Morrison dealt his favourite Pogues song ‘Rainy Night in Soho’, while Thorpe wrapped his English vocal charm around ‘The Girl I Left Behind’. 

Thorpe and Morrison

The finale was inevitable, two tunes with all musicians present. A fitting end to a super night and an emotional conclusion to a tour where it was evident that four players had bonded. If this is what’s lurking in the creative re-emergence of a beaten up past then city’s can flourish once again. To Birmingham’s thousand trades, you can add fiddle and guitar playing of the highest order.