Reviews
Artists: Cole Stacey + Support
Venue: Bournemouth Folk Club
Town: Bournemouth
Date: 6th March
Website:
http://colestacey.net
There are some evenings where you just know you've made the right decision, Sunday the 6th was one of those evenings. I'd been in two minds about going to Bournemouth Folk Club, it hadn't been the best of weeks, but I was also keen to catch up with Cole Stacey. I'd missed his last appearance at the club, but had always been impressed with his recorded works.
As it was it turned out to be a perfectly balanced evening and one that highlighted many aspects of the singer-songwriters craft as well as that of the solo performer, though in fairness Cole did have a percussionist along as well. There were four acts playing on the night, all pretty much, vocal, guitar and songs, but, boy, what a contrast in how they used their instruments.
Andy Stone(above), Bournemouth Folk Club's highly accomplished soundman, was taking one of his all too rare stints behind the mic. As well as being a top writer of songs in the traditional vein, Andy is also a great interpreter and arranger of songs. When he said that he was going to be building his set around the theme of home, I was hoping that would mean performing some of his fen songs, I was not to be disappointed.
Always an impressive performer there always seems to be that something extra that slips into his delivery when he's singing songs from the area that he was brought and raised up in. There's a dark edge to a lot of his songs, but in their day the fens were a dangerous place to be, they were also full of close tight knit communities and the songs really brought out that aspect very well. Though his set was short, it was highly evocative, you could easily forget that you were in Dorset as you felt Andy living the songs.
After too short a set, he returned to the desk and was followed up onto the stage by Antonia, a much more contemporary styled singer-songwriter, Antonia. More influenced by singer songwriters than folk performers, her style was lighter, though still thoughtful and reflective. The theme of the songs more about feelings and relationships rather than relationships with places and events.
Antonia's mother was in the audience and she dedicated the last song of the set to her. It sort of summed up her collection of songs perfectly as it once again reflected on personal interactions with people other than a lover. An honest contemporary set, that provided an interesting counter point with its darker predecessor.
The mood was going to get lighter still with the next set. Ed Mortimer didn't know he was going to be playing until he took a call a couple of hours before the gig as one of the other performers had broken down, not that it showed, Ed being a stalwart who knows the ropes.
Comedy songs are a often forgotten part of the folk idiom. People often prefer the high body count, illicit sex and gothic orientated aspects of folk, but historically folk has always had a fair element of lighter material more filled with smut and innuendo.
You don't see artists like Ed Mortimer that often and it's a shame as having been reminded of folk's more humorous side, I very quickly found that I'd missed it. Too often wit is considered to be a folk cover of a well know pop song, but hearing the light in Ed's delivery, you know it's in the words and the pauses.
It's also got to be done well otherwise it does feel cheesy rather than comedic. The old saying about it all being in the timing is spot on. Ed Mortimer has got the timing off pat and a twinkle in his eye helps sell the songs to boot.
If the first half of the evening had been about three artists, the second half was about one, Cole Stacey. Cole has a debut album and a couple of eps behind him. He's in the process of working on his next album in between lots of hard graft on the road getting himself better known.
Hard graft is one of those things that seems to be more beneficial the more talent that underpins it. It seems to give aspiring artists a confidence that time doesn't erode, if success isn't an immediate thing and ultimately I think the apprenticeship really pays dividends when success does come calling.
Performance isn't just about delivering the songs, it's about the set and particularly about the relationship between singer and audience and I get the feeling that Cole is really starting to get that side of his performance together.
Supported by Terry, a sympathetic percussionist and proud father, Cole showed himself to be a talented songwriter and arranger. He may not have the guitar dynamics of some of his contemporaries, but makes up for that with really strong melodies and a measured use of vocal power, both across the set and within individual songs, allowing real emphasis on mood and feelings.
That's now mirrored in the between song patter, he speaks with a natural authority as though he expects you to listen to what he's saying. Where that relates to the songs you begin to understand him more. He carries that confidence into expecting his audience to join in, cutting his own vocal to gauge his success.
It was a great way to round out a really good evening, four very diverse artists that brought something different to the night and a great way to start the week.
Neil King