Category Archives: Gigs

Nepotism played a part tonight, the support act was Jon Boden’s younger but taller brother Tom. He played a few solo songs, then Jon joined him on stage for a couple more before he finished off with a couple more solos.

About 9pm the main act saunter up onto stage for the first half of their set, they were as good as I’ve ever seen them. A few songs seemed to have a slightly different arrangement, although that could be the beer and my memory playing tricks on me.

The Rochdale Coconut Dance
Rambling Robin
Cheshire Waltz
The Birth of Robin Hood
Jiggery Pokerwork / Haul Away / Seven Stars
Brown Adam
Three Tunes / Sportsman’s Hornpipe
Tom Padget

Old Maui
Bold Sir Rylas
The Three-Two Set: The Shropshire Rounds / Rusty Gully / The Three-Footed Chestnut
Horn Fair
Jack Robinson / Argiers / Old Tom Of Oxford
The Gooseberry Bush / Laudanum Bunches
Prickle Eye Bush
Captain Ward

Sloe Gin Set: Frozen Gin / Vinegar Reel / The Sloe

A rather eclectic venue for the gig tonight, a Spiegeltent on the Rec. It’s a big tent fleshed out with stained-glass windows, mirrors everywhere, and wooden seating booths around the edge. The latter were slightly uncomfortable, particularly for those of a lesser stature who’s legs wouldn’t reach the ground when sat on the bench seating.

Support came from Emily Portman, followed by Jim Causley, both of whom I’ve already seen performing alongside Martin Carthy as part of the Frost and Fire tour comprising Waterson:Carthy and The Devil’s Interval. Both acts were very proficient, Jim Causley being slightly more to my taste with 45 minutes of music, anecdotes, and finishing off with a silly story.

Martin Carthy eventually appeared on stage about 10:30 and did a 70-minute set, which at times was slightly difficult to listen to, one song in particular having a particularly random cadence, almost as if the words didn’t actually fit the tune being played. Other than that he was very good, seamlessly segueing from retuning into a new song.

We eventually left the venue around 11:45 and had a very warm and pleasant walk back across town.

An excellent evening of entertainment and smut from the Doctors. I’ll never listed to Come on Eileen the same way again.

A fantastic night rocking out to the sounds of Hayseed Dixie. Plenty of excellent songs including the fastest version of Bohemian Rhapsody I’ve ever heard. Definitely a band to go and see again, although if it’s at Komedia they’ll need to get more beer, we drank the place dry tonight.

It’s not often you see a band fronted by a father and son, but Ranking Roger and Ranking Junior (you’ve got to hope that they never get interviewed by Jonathan Ross) did sterling service keeping the capacity crowd entertained. They played all the crowd pleasing favourites including a particularly good cover version of Rock the Casbah dedicated to the original rude boy, Joe Strummer.

All in all a fantastic night despite the preponderance of bass early on in the set.