Live Review: Stroud Folk Festival 2015

Stroud Folk Festival, Stroud Subscription Rooms, Saturday 19^th September 2015

The following is a review of the Saturday night concert during the 2015 Stroud Folk Festival.

Hattie Briggs

Opening proceedings this is evening is Stroud-based singer Hattie Briggs. With only 40 minutes to perform, her set list is mostly derived from her debut album Red & Gold, which was released in April. A Beautiful Mind, her tribute to folk singer Pete Seeger, is well received; undoubtedly there would have been fans of his in the audience. Tilly’s Song, originally from EP My Shepherd’s Hut, is a story of friendship and childhood memories. The song has recently been reworked (with added banjo, double bass and backing vocals) and was available as a limited CD single after Hattie’s set. Just before the performance an audience member notices them and is heard remarking that her Granddaughter is named Tilly. When Hattie completes her performance this lady is witnessed buying the CD, a first hand example of Hattie’s ability to create lyrics of real meaning to others. A new song entitled You Only Live Once speaks of living for the moment and echoes Hattie’s decision to quit her Oxford University degree in early 2014 to pursue her music career.

For the next four songs Hattie puts down her guitar and switches to the piano. Share Your Heart contrasts with the previous song as it speaks of times where Hattie had a bleaker outlook on life. All About Love is sung either side of an anecdote about a friend’s wedding which Hattie had played at earlier that day. She said both the bride and the groom had secretly arranged her to play the song, causing slight confusion when she arrived without the other realising. Lyrically it is the perfect choice for such a romantic occasion.

Still With Hope I See remains one of her best songs with its emotionally crafted poignancy. Pull Me Down is Hattie’s words of wisdom to herself about not falling into the pitfalls of changing due to fame and success. She has never performed the song with more determination and purpose than tonight; as a result it is the strongest part of this set. Her final song is a cover of Fields Of Gold. It draws heavily from Eva Cassidy’s version and is of an equally high standard. It is even more fitting that Eva’s brother Dan performs violin on the album version of this song.

Despite being on stage for the shortest time this evening Hattie continues to deliver performances which stay in the audience’s hearts and minds long after she leaves the stage.

8/10

Set List

• A Beautiful Mind
• Tilly’s Song
• You Only Live Once
• Share Your Heart
• All About Love
• Still With Hope I See
• Pull Me Down
• Fields Of Gold

Lisbee Stainton

London based singer-songwriter Lisbee Stainton has already released four albums and toured with the likes of Seth Lakeman; at 27 years old still has many albums and tours ahead of her. Her unique selling point is that she plays both eight string and ten string guitars, a pleasant change from the omnipresent six string.

Opening song Is Whispering has a gentle ambience, but backed by fellow musicians James and Andy on guitar and drums, who throughout the evening give an extra layer to the songs. Eloise, from Lisbee’s most recent album Word Games, tells the story of a person’s life falling apart but desperately trying to stay strong. The album’s string laden version is sadly missing but lyrically it shines with positivity. Girl On An Unmade Bed, taken from the 2010 album of the same name, was written when Lisbee was still in her final year at university; feeling confused and unsure about the future. Anyone who has been in a similar situation will emphasise with the uncertainty and expectation of this crossroads in life. Around six years have passed since this song was written and Lisbee seems to have overcome these barriers as she performs with ease and confidence.

For her next song, Go, Lisbee attempts to split the audience into three so they can sing the chorus in a sort of “round”. Whilst this does engage the audience to a certain extent it doesn’t work as well as it should, mainly because the audience is not familiar with the song and numbers wise the parts are slightly unbalanced.

Red invokes memories of Lisbee’s time growing up in Basingstoke and spending time in her garden. This is one the best songs of the set and the ten string guitar really adds to the gentleness of the lyrics. New song Leaving is about her decision to move from Hampshire to London to pursue her musical career. Its drums are heavy, perhaps indicating the direction for the next album. In contrast, Sidekick is the only song she performs solo. The music video for the song, which she advises the audience check out on You Tube, involves Lisbee dressing as a superhero and looking for her “sidekick”. The song’s lyrics are about looking for that person to share your life with. It is one of the best elements of her set because without the other instruments her guitar and vocals shine through.

On Red Dog Running the audience joins in with part of the chorus, she finally achieves their backing. The song is very melodic, memorable and gives and insight into Lisbee’s view of “…the red dog leading the hounds”. It has a strong moral lesson for those who choose to take part in such activities. The final song, Find Me Here, is a lovely end to her set; the audience clap along.

Overall Lisbee is a very competent and confident performer. However throughout the set for both her and her musicians, the volume level is set too high. It is a great shame that this tended to overshadow the sound of the eight and ten string guitars. This should have been the most fundamental element of her performance The ballroom at Stroud Subscription Rooms has a beautiful raised ceiling and as a relatively small venue is perfectly equipped to provide the natural acoustics required. Perhaps she is more used to noisy pubs or festival stages where a higher level of audio is needed. Whilst her style of contemporary folk- pop may not have been appreciated by the more traditional musical tastes in the audience she is a very talented lyricist, vocalist and musician and her songs do hold relevance for the younger listener. Next time, an acoustic performance would allow the intricacy and delicacy of her guitars to shine through. The Girl On An Unmade Bed may still have some mountains to climb but for Lisbee Stainton may all her dreams continue to come true.

6.5/10

Set List

• Is Whispering
• Wrench
• Eloise
• Girl On An Unmade Bed
• Go
• Navigating
• Red
• Leaving
• Sidekick
• After Every Try
• Red Dog Running
• Wait For Me

Steve Tilston

Born in Liverpool but raised in Leicestershire Steve Tilston released his first album, An Acoustic Confusion, in 1971. An impressive career of forty five years includes over twenty critically acclaimed albums, Radio 2 Folk Award nominations/wins and appearances on Later With Jools Holland. He has become one of Britain’s most admired folk singer-songwriters. Having never heard his songs, but being a fan of his daughter Martha Tilston, there was much expectation preceding his performance.

His opening song, Weeping Willow Replanted, is a rewrite of an older song. The bluesy guitar lifts the song just like the wind lifting the tips of the tree’s branches as they skim the surface of a river.

Yorkshire’s Fisherlad Of Whitby is a song which Steve found in a book in his local library. Set in the Napoleonic Wars; it tells the tale of a fair young maiden awaiting the return of her lover, a local fisher boy. It is clearly familiar to the audience, because without prompting; they join in with the chorus.

The Way It Was is dedicated to former member of The Steve Tilston Trio, Stuart Gordon, who last year lost his battle with cancer aged 63. Steve admits that a sign of getting older is that sadly the number of departing friends is increasing. The song’s poignant lyrics are a fitting tribute and those in the audience who knew Stuart would have shed a tear or two.

 Steve introduces Jacaranda as the token happy song. Originally from Australia it sings the praises of the blossom of the Jacaranda tree, and is made even more uplifting by the jumping guitar chords.

The Road When I Was Young is Steve’s journey through the past forty five years, from telling his father he wanted to be a folk singer up to the present day. Grass Days, taken from his current album Truth To Tell, is a thank you too all the people who helped him move to London to start his music career in 1970. For this song he uses a ten string guitar; adding further dynamics to the song. Yo Me Voy (Spanish for “I Am Going) receives the biggest applause of the evening.

Steve then recites an anecdote about his daughter Sophie’s wedding. She had asked him to sing Jacaranda after the wedding speech, but that he had decided to sing something else; launching into a version of Let’s Face The Music And Dance. The audience roar with delight. After the song he remarks that she still hasn’t forgiven him.

Steve leaves the stage to rapturous applause.  He is invited back for an encore, Oil And Water, which he has previously performed on the Jools Holland programme. It consolidates his set and for his many fans in the audience it has been an enjoyable evening. Although his music may appeal most to the more traditional folk fan; his songs have kept a similar style and sound throughout his career; there is much to admire about Steve Tilston. The songs are lyrically reflective and his skilled guitar playing is the testament to the longevity of his career. No matter what your opinion of his music, forty five years after he perused his music dreams, Steve Tilston will continue to entertain audiences for a long time to come.

7/10

Set List

• Weeping Willow Replanted
• Fisherlad Of Whitby
• That Man Is Running Out Of Road
• The Way It Was
• Jacaranda
• The Road When I Was Young
• Grass Days
• Yo Me Voy
• Let’s Face The Music And Dance

Encore
       ·         Oil And Water

 

New Rope String Band

Comedy folk trio New Rope String Band, previously Old Rope String Band, are embarking on their farewell tour. Since 1988 they have gone through various guises but after its founding member Joe Scurfield died 2005 they wanted to continue in his memory. The group now consists of: founding member Pete Challoner, accordionist Tim Dalling and violinist Jock Tydeley.

 

They enter the stage dressed as stage hands, moving scenery and props into place before swiftly exiting. Once more they enter the stage playing instruments: two violins and an accordion, stomping in time to the music. The first act is “The West Coast Of Scotland”. The violin makes the sound of rain and a long plastic tube is used to create a howling wind. Jock climbs behind a large screen, his head appears above it. Then, unbeknown to the other two he presses a large sea shell to his lips and blows through it. Similarly he holds up a large bell; despite a certain level of expectation the audience jumps with surprise as the sonorous tone breaks the tranquillity of the hitherto calm underscore. They have only been on the stage a matter of minutes yet the audience are already transfixed.

A key to this type of performance is creating the perfect deliberate mistake, for example when the rainstick’s ball-bearings cascade all over the floor. Another element is the ability to push the boundaries between shock value and comedy value. Scotsman Tim sheepishly raises his hand asking to go to the toilet, like a six year old asking a teacher to be excused from a lesson. Desperation ensues and he “relieves” himself into a pint glass conveniently hidden under his kilt. He tells his fellow band-mates it is a new ale named “Old Speckled Hen”, which is drank to gasps of disbelief and disgust.

Their second act is based on the very English tradition of Morris dancing, already the subject of many a jibe. The sketch begins with the trio performing a traditional circle dance to a backing track. This starts as expected with the gentle sound of violins and the trio dancing around in the circle; however the audience should expect the unexpected. The pace of the music increases; the dancing becomes more frantic; all before launching into Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees; then returns to the original tune as if nothing extraordinary has taken place. New Rope String Band successfully brings new laughs and a totally fresh take on a clichéd joke.

Technology is also used to innovative effect during their show; they use a video camera and projector as for the next section. After a few “failed” attempts of trying to get the camera to work (magnification, focus in/out) is another example of the well planned deliberate mistakes. What appears on the screen next is astounding. The trio appear in silhouette standing on a music stave. The music playing is depicted by the musical notes on the screen. As the music continues the bars of the stave divides, the time signature changes to an increasingly more complicated tune. They each grab onto a crochet note and ride it along the stave like a horses galloping to the end of the music. The end of a quaver is lit, and like a fuse fizzes until it reaches the black, circular “bomb”. It explodes scattering musical notes, bars and rests cascading across the screen.

Following this the trio return to a seaside theme with a rendition of “I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside”, whilst wearing sailor’s hats. More inventive instrumentation is present when fish bones are transformed into a wind chime; including a melody which sounds suspiciously like the Nokia default ringtone. A Scottish jig entitled “Seagull From Scotland” has no Bagpipes but the trio have another trick up their sleeves. The drainpipes are used to create a complex melody, spectacularly exploding in colour and confetti. By now the audience should expect the unexpected; when Peter emerges from the back of the stage dressed as a mermaid; the audience once again fall into hysterics. 

They leave the stage to cheers and stomping feet of stampede level. The encore is received with the same appreciation. The trio begin to imagine life after the group has disbanded. Technology is brought to the forefront once more; the projector screen shows a line of ZZZZZZs; Tim has fallen asleep. He dreams of lying on an airbed, a flying airbed. He fly’s past the Statue Of Liberty, finally landing in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. His new show “Time Live” is about to begin. The fictional audience are enjoying it; but then is all goes wrong; they start to boo and jeer. The hilariously inevitable cliché of wearing your underwear in public comes true and he runs off stage with embarrassment. Back in the real world Tim wakes up; but is still in his underwear. The audience laugh with a mixture of sympathy, awkwardness and amusement.

So with a tremendous of applause, enough to raise the roof of its rafters, the trio level the stage for almost the final time. Their farewell tour will conclude at the end of October and only time will tell in what guise they will return, if any. The trio have produced an incredible and unforgettable twenty seven years of intelligent and inspiring comedy. They have explored the intricacies; often bizarre traditions of the folk world, whilst never fearing to make fun of themselves. Their departure will leave a gaping hole in the folk arts scene. There are few who are able to entwine the theatrics, humour and consistency of The New Rope String Band.

9/10