November Treats
Once again, time has been at a premium this month, and I haven't been able to log any activities since the 1st!
Tim van Eyken
We went to hear Van Eyken at the Ent Shed in Bedford on the 3rd. Wow! The CD is good, but the live show is even better! Tim's voice just improves every time I hear him, and the band (Oliver Knight, Nancy Kerr, Pete Flood and Colin Fletcher) were just magnificent. Great arrangements, well-chosen songs, good sound. Stagecraft needs improvement, in my opinion (too many gaps/silences/tuning sessions). It is just me, or do other people think that a lot of modern artists on the Folk Scene have lost the plot when it comes to presentation? Personally, I hate a gap when I'm performing, and I always want to keep the pace up.
Many of the younger group of performers seem quite happy to let the audience wait in embarrassed silence (or - worse - start chatting to each other) while they tune, remember what the next tune or song was to be, have a drink, exchange pleasantries with the rest of the band. Not good enough, say I!! Take a look at seasoned professionals like John Tams, Vin Gartbutt, Nancy Kerr & James Fagan, John Kirkpatrick and see how to really engage an audience.
Blueharts fireworks were spectacular this year in Hitchin - there were certainly some colours and shapes I haven't seen before! Always a very enjoyable evening around November 5th.
Tried some French dancing at the new DanseHerts session in Ickleford. Quite a few musicians turned up, and lots of dancers (many from Kent, where the style has plenty of devotees). A good session, with a workshop to start the dancing off, and a musicians' session as well.
Cosi fan Tutti - Glyndebourne Opera
Glyndebourne on Tour were at Milton Keynes Theatre this month. We went to Cosi fan Tutte and The Turn of the Screw. Cosi was a lovely production, beautifully sung and staged, and quite edgy in its treatment of the opera's central theme of fickleness/betrayal. The Turn of the Screw was new to both of us, and we absolutely lapped it up! A superb set, combined with fine singing and acting, made Britten's score jump off thepage. The audience were riveted to the action and story right from the beginning. Definitely one to watch!
The band had a wonderful gig for a group called the Lairds of Caledonia at Cuffley Outdoor Centre. The room was cold and damp, condensation dripped from the ceiling, the floor was muddy, the dancers were dressed mostly as Scottish warriors (with the occasional animal, zombie, ghoul) - and we had a great time!! The occasion was a role-playing weekend, and the dancers were probably the most intelligent, attentive group I've called for in a long while (despite the amount of alcohol that had obviously been consumed prior to the event!!). The Lairds belong to an organisation called The Lorien Trust. Looks like a lot of fun, if you've got the time to devote to it as a hobby.
Life & Times did a floor-spot at St. Neots Folk Club. It's a long while since we were last there, and good to see a real traditional-style club still running, with plenty of room for floor-singers, and an attentive audience for the guest. Well done, Roger and Patti, for continuing to keep live music happening!
We were invited to join a coach-party to see Evita at the Adelphi Theatre in London last week. What a great show! Formidable singing and acting brought this production to life, and we left feeling we had been properly entertained (as well as learning something about Peron and Argentina).
John Tams & Barry Coope
Finally, a really excellent evening at Hitchin Folk Club with John Tams and Barry Coope. Some fine new material, lots of great songs from the repertoire, unusually good singing from the Hitchin audience (such that Tammy actually had an emotional moment at the end of All Clouds the Sky). Great stuff!
posted by caller @ 8:41 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home