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fleetfootmikeWent to see Show of Hands last night, with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
djbp, plaid_dragon and some of the latter's friends, in the utterly fantastic setting of the High Barn in Great Bardfield in Essex.
Show of Hands are Steve Knightley (on mandocello (like a bouzouki but richer), guitar, melodeon and tenor ukelele) and Phil Beer (on fiddle, mandolin, guitar and mandocello), ably assisted on this occasion by Miranda Sykes (on upright bass). Quite how three people can produce a sound with such depth amazes me: in fact, there were points when the entire backing was Steve alternately picking the mandocello and using it as a percussion instrument, and it was still amazingly full.
They joking described themselves as falling between two stools; the folk community think they're rock, and vice versa. And perhaps they are, but they're so my kind of music. The original songs have such a *depth* to them, as well as that of the arrangements: they tell stories; sometimes, whole tales, like the ghostly Widdecombe Fair (done WITHOUT a PA, just Steve walking the audience, suddenly joined by Phil on fiddle from right behind us...), and sometimes less complete but no less evocative, like "The Keeper", a tale of how a gamekeeper and grouse-beater's life changes after World War 1, with its chilling image of a line of men walking towards the guns. It's hard to put into words what makes the songwriting so good, but... there's a depth, a resonance: a feeling that they're written by someone who gives a shit, who believes in what they're writing and singing about: there's passion, in the dictionary sense of powerful emotion, in both the song, the delivery, and the characters being sung about.
Then there was "The Oak", whichbedlamhouse and ladyat need to learn NOW, and "Roots", a song about the death of English live music, which stevieannie likewise. Rich arrangements, usually Phil's fiddle (although he's a mean mandolin player, as well as making use of strange things like an Ebow on an acoustic guitar) over mandocello or guitar, with Miranda's bass (as often bowed as plucked) threatening underneath, with superb two and three part harmonies. On top of that, they do odd covers, things by Little Feat, the Band, Dylan: as Steve said, the advantage of being somewhat uncategoriseable is they can play what the hell they like. He then proceeded to do a quite stunning solo version of Dire Straits' "Romeo And Juliet", backed just by his mandocello, which for me was one of the high spots of the night.
Only one, mind you. I came away with the double live CD from last year, which has loads of stuff on it that I heard last night, all of it brilliant: the band are quite open (Steve said so in as many words from the stage) about folks burning, borrowing or otherwise bootlegging them to get their music to anyone who wants to hear it. So, if you do, there's some here, or bug me for a copy of the live CD.plaid_dragon and friends have access to more (including a DVD). If you like it, go buy more off the website, go see 'em live, go spread the word.
Quite, quite breathtaking. I know I bang on about the magic of music being played live, but I rate this as one of the best live gigs I have ever been to. No gimmicks, no fancy lights, synths, recorded samples, any crap like that. Just three people, acoustic instruments (and, incidentally, a DAMN fine live sound - kudos to the guy on the mixing desk: it was basically the sound of the instruments, barring some very occasional use of tap-tempo echo).
Go see 'em.
Oh, andfivetrees (disclaimer: he's their hostmaster): you were right. They rule. :)
djbp, plaid_dragon and some of the latter's friends, in the utterly fantastic setting of the High Barn in Great Bardfield in Essex.Show of Hands are Steve Knightley (on mandocello (like a bouzouki but richer), guitar, melodeon and tenor ukelele) and Phil Beer (on fiddle, mandolin, guitar and mandocello), ably assisted on this occasion by Miranda Sykes (on upright bass). Quite how three people can produce a sound with such depth amazes me: in fact, there were points when the entire backing was Steve alternately picking the mandocello and using it as a percussion instrument, and it was still amazingly full.
They joking described themselves as falling between two stools; the folk community think they're rock, and vice versa. And perhaps they are, but they're so my kind of music. The original songs have such a *depth* to them, as well as that of the arrangements: they tell stories; sometimes, whole tales, like the ghostly Widdecombe Fair (done WITHOUT a PA, just Steve walking the audience, suddenly joined by Phil on fiddle from right behind us...), and sometimes less complete but no less evocative, like "The Keeper", a tale of how a gamekeeper and grouse-beater's life changes after World War 1, with its chilling image of a line of men walking towards the guns. It's hard to put into words what makes the songwriting so good, but... there's a depth, a resonance: a feeling that they're written by someone who gives a shit, who believes in what they're writing and singing about: there's passion, in the dictionary sense of powerful emotion, in both the song, the delivery, and the characters being sung about.
Then there was "The Oak", which
bedlamhouse and ladyat need to learn NOW, and "Roots", a song about the death of English live music, which stevieannie likewise. Rich arrangements, usually Phil's fiddle (although he's a mean mandolin player, as well as making use of strange things like an Ebow on an acoustic guitar) over mandocello or guitar, with Miranda's bass (as often bowed as plucked) threatening underneath, with superb two and three part harmonies. On top of that, they do odd covers, things by Little Feat, the Band, Dylan: as Steve said, the advantage of being somewhat uncategoriseable is they can play what the hell they like. He then proceeded to do a quite stunning solo version of Dire Straits' "Romeo And Juliet", backed just by his mandocello, which for me was one of the high spots of the night.Only one, mind you. I came away with the double live CD from last year, which has loads of stuff on it that I heard last night, all of it brilliant: the band are quite open (Steve said so in as many words from the stage) about folks burning, borrowing or otherwise bootlegging them to get their music to anyone who wants to hear it. So, if you do, there's some here, or bug me for a copy of the live CD.
plaid_dragon and friends have access to more (including a DVD). If you like it, go buy more off the website, go see 'em live, go spread the word.Quite, quite breathtaking. I know I bang on about the magic of music being played live, but I rate this as one of the best live gigs I have ever been to. No gimmicks, no fancy lights, synths, recorded samples, any crap like that. Just three people, acoustic instruments (and, incidentally, a DAMN fine live sound - kudos to the guy on the mixing desk: it was basically the sound of the instruments, barring some very occasional use of tap-tempo echo).
Go see 'em.
Oh, and
fivetrees (disclaimer: he's their hostmaster): you were right. They rule. :)
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(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-27 08:29 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-27 08:29 am (UTC)Will look forward to hearing them - having enjoyed the richer sounds of the 'lower' mandolin family (Mandora, Mandocello Mandobass) in the context of Simon Mayor's group:
http://212.67.202.53/~simonmayor/mlq.htm
Or did you already know about them?
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-27 09:01 am (UTC)They're one of the reasons we're planning to go to the Swanage Folk Festival, tho' not the main one. The Joyce Gang (with the chance to see a wind synth used live) plus Paul Downes solo is really why (I don't have an MP3 player, I realize, I have a dedicated Paul Downes player).
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-27 04:24 pm (UTC)Paul Downes: http://www.pauldownes.com (somewhat more up-to-date - listings especially are maintained lovingly, by moi)
More free downloadable/streamable music on Radio fivetrees on my system (http://www.fivetrees.com
Steve
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-27 06:27 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-27 10:27 pm (UTC)Meanwhile, missed this bit off my previous message: ")."
Steve
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-27 11:05 pm (UTC)(If they (or the venue) don't allow it, no worries, I don't do recording without permission...)
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-28 12:17 pm (UTC)Eastbourne? How come I don't know about that one? What a sloppy giglistmaster I am...
Steve
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-29 12:55 am (UTC)(Blame it on your age. I've been blaming things on my age since I was about 14 (that's 34 years or so!) *g*...)
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-29 01:05 am (UTC)Re recording them - I suggest you have a word with the soundman well before the gig...
Steve
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-30 09:17 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-27 09:16 am (UTC)"Show of Hands" are on my list of "must see" bands, but I haven't managed to see them yet.
So baggsy a copy of the CD. FWIW, I always buy proper copies of things that I've had pirated, just as soon as I see them.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-27 09:22 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-27 09:19 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-27 11:36 am (UTC)(Presumably they don't mind people taking minidisc recorders to the concerts either and making recordings. I think I like these people *g*...)
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-27 11:52 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-27 12:02 pm (UTC)Fingers crossed it shouldn't be long now
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-27 02:05 pm (UTC)