The arts
Show of Hands
delightfully into the modern age, fusing jazz, rock and prog with a swagger and conviction that is thrillingly reassuring. New collaborations feature the exquisite vocals of Eliza Carthy. Don’t you know: The name was taken from a piece of local dialect for a scruffy, unkempt person or scarecrow – which the boys judged to be apt. • Monday 7 May
Amy Wadge Who? Cardiff singer-songwriter, here appearing with Liverpool songwriter Pete Riley. Listen up: Rivers Apart – recorded in March 2011 at a private gig in Liverpool during Amy and Pete’s successful debut tour. Say what? “Pint sized poetess with valley- quaking voice. Her songs have a raw vibrancy that suit her earthy voice and emotionally mature lyrics.” Q magazine Don’t you know: Amy’s a collaborator of Ed Sheeran; Ed’s Songs I Wrote With Amy stayed six months in the iTunes Top 10, while she co-wrote Goldrush on his début album, which made it to number 1 in the UK. • Monday 7 May
Ewan McLennan Who? The 2011 BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award winner is an emerging folk artist, combining the sounds of traditional folk with an unsurprising focus on his native Scotland. Listen up: Captivating debut album Rags & Robes. Say what? “‘One of the most exciting new voices. I was completely and utterly bowled over by his music.” Mike Harding, Radio 2 Don’t you know: He may be best known today as a folk singer and guitarist, but Ewan began his musical career on classical and jazz piano. • Monday 7 May
Seth Lakeman: folkie beefcake
The patron of this year’s Bristol Folk Fest has been making waves on the folk scene since adolescence. Feverish touring, supporting acts such as Jethro Tull and Billy Bragg, and a reputation for energetic live shows involving lengthy fiddle solos and sing-a-long-able songs, have brought his music to a wider audience than is usually attracted to folk. Output occasionally veers towards the populist, but historical context and lyrical storytelling keep it grounded in the folk tradition. It probably doesn’t hurt that he has the beefy good looks of an American TV star, either. • Sunday 6 May
We grabbed Seth for five minutes and asked him to put us in the picture regarding this year’s Folk Fest.
Clifton Life: Is there such a thing as a ‘new’ folk scene, and if there is, what or who characterises it? Seth Lakeman: I think there is a huge interest in acoustic music at the moment and that includes folk music.
CL: Because folk music is relatively simple music, much more can be done with it – surely it has reached it’s apogee, and the next generation is merely copying what the previous generation did? SL: Folk music is always evolving and simplicity is part of its popularity.
CL: Have the lines between folk music and rock become ever more blurred, with ‘folk singers’ now appearing more like rock stars? SL: I believe that all music genres are merging and musicians are able to
Five minutes with… SETH LAKEMAN experiment more now than ever.
CL: Why do you think folk is having such a resurgence? SL: Young people are playing and writing more songs on acoustic instruments and this has spurred on a resurgence.
CL: Which musicians have inspired you? SL: I’ve always been inspired by rhythmic violinists like Frankie Gavin and Liz Carrol, and jazz violinists like Joe Venuti and Stephane Grappelli.
CL: As music from Ireland, South America, Africa and the US southern states has all been pressed into the service of world and roots music, where do you think the next ‘big thing’ in roots music is going to emerge from?
SL: I’ve always been interested in Scandinavian folk music so I hope from there.
CL: What young bands/solo musicians would you tip to do well over the next few years? SL: I really like a band from Penzance called The Flats and Sharps. Check them out!
CL: What’s the best (and worst) thing that anyone has said about a performance of yours? SL: Someone once shouted from the back to turn the folking bass down.
CL: In a nutshell, what should we expect from the Bristol Folk Fest? SL: There are lots of great acts playing and I’m looking forward to seeing some up-and-coming artists too. Cara Dillon will be a big part of this year’s line-up.
xx Xxxxxxx Life
www.mediaclash.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk Clifton Life 41
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