Music > Live Reviews

Seth Lakeman

OPEN

12/12/16

Back in 2008, shortly after the release of Poor Man's Heaven and just before a performance at Norwich's Waterfront, Seth Lakeman was described in an interview that appeared in our illustrious Eastern Daily Press as 'the poster boy of modern folk'. It is probably is not a tag that sat comfortably even on his broad shoulders, although with his clean-cut appearance and rugged West Country good looks one can almost see where they they were coming from. Far more important, though, is the way that Lakeman has evolved and honed his craft, from first performing alongside his two brothers, through a spell in the band Equation, and finally to solo singer-songwriter. Along the way he has toured with the likes of The Pogues, Tori Amos, Billy Bragg and  The Levellers. He has never been afraid to absorb influences, and then cut his own groove.

Six years on and Lakeman is performing in the banking hall at Open to a seated audience bristling with anticipation. His latest album, Ballads of The Broken Few, gently pushes the boundaries yet again, this time towards a blues and at times gospel feel that some folk purists may not feel comfortable with, and features a vocal trio from Exeter who go by the name of Wildwood Kin.

It is Wildwood Kin that also provide tonight's opening support. Well, two of them. Sisters Beth and Emillie Key are with us but cousin Meghann Loney, who plays drums and acts as front-person, is poorly and not able to appear. Beth and Emillie may not be used to handling the formalities on stage, but are absolutely endearing and pull off  a wonderful set that wins us all over. Without Meghann's vocals and percussion the sound is like a gentler and more ethereal version of Ward Thomas. Beth plays bouzouki to Emillie's guitar, and the vocals blend beautifully, simply floating across the auditorium. We now need them to return to Norwich at some point to experience the trio's sound in its entirety.

Seth Lakeman opens with The Courier, the imagined tale of an ancient messenger hurrying along a track on Dartmoor. It is dark and foreboding, and classic Lakeman, with swirling fiddle livened with squeeze-box from bass player Ben Nichols. Lakeman switches to tenor guitar for Take No Rogues, whilst the remainder of the band, Jack Rutter on guitar and Cormac Byrne on percussion, assume respective duties and Nichols picks up the double bass. The traditional broadside Stand By Your Guns, and Soloman Brown, Lakeman's tribute to the 1986 Penlee lifeboat disaster, then precede the welcome return on stage of Wildwood Kin.

Anna Lee, a stripped back and raw cover of the country blues song by Laurelyn Dossett is our first taste of what Lakeman and Wildwood Kin have managed to achieve in Ballads of The Broken Few. With just fiddle and the combined vocals the atmosphere created is simultaneously tragic and breathtaking. The nine verses of the title track give us our first chance to clap our hands and sing along to the chorus, and it is soon clear that Lakeman's new ground has alienated nobody.

There are other highlights, the explosive High Street Rose contrasting poignantly against the mournful Portrait of My Wife. The irony of performing Poor Man's Heaven in a former banking hall is not lost on Lakeman, and the audience favourite Kitty Jay brings the set to a dramatic close. The entire evening has been a triumph for Seth Lakeman, a folk artist unafraid to push boundaries and ruffle a few feathers if necessary in the pursuit of his craft.

The encore commences with Wildwood Kin and Lakeman singing a-capella on Bury Me Deep before we are invited to our feet for the climactic Blood Upon Copper and a final hoedown to Race To Be King. We are all still buzzing as we spill out onto Bank Plain. Yes, it is undoubtedly a Yuletide thumbs up from Norwich.