Reviews
Artists: Gilmore Roberts + Support
Venue: Bournemouth Folk Club
Town: Bournemouth
Date: 11th April
Website:
www.myspace.com/gilmoreroberts
They say the best things in life come in threes, something confirmed by the line up at Bournemouth Folk Club on April 11th, except this batch of three came in pairs. Headlining the night were BBC Folk Award nominees Gilmore Roberts, ably supported in their task by Steve Skaith, performing the majority of his set with Cathy Burke, and 2009 best unsigned Dorset band The Douglas Firs.
It says something about Bournemouth Folk Club and it's Centre Stage venue that on a single bill they managed to attract three outfits that are really starting to make waves nationally as well as locally.
Steve Skaith opened the evening on his own. The first number, with folk at its core, rapidly picked up the more global sound for which he's become renown, first as a constituent part of Latin Quarter and subsequently with the Steve Skaith Band. Cathy Burke, a key member of the Steve Skaith Band subsequently joined him for the rest of the set.
The band will be releasing an album at the start of May on the WestPark label, but with tongues firmly in their cheeks announced 'we won't be playing any material from the new album, we're too cool for that!' It's also practical you want to show your material at it's best and having been lucky enough to get a sneak preview, I think I'd like to hear it live with the full band, before hearing how they reinterpret it for their different lineups.
What they certainly managed to do was give a flavour of what we might expect as the combination of voices, guitars and occasional mandolin offered real hints of a sound that might truly be considered multi-cultural. The songs reflective of life and politics, the standard set for the evening, high.
By contrast the Douglas Firs took the opportunity to showcase much of their forth-coming ep during their set. For regular Firs followers, it was a set with many surprises even for the relatively short set we were treated to.
Jimmy Douglas used to be known for quietly getting on with providing guitar backing from his seat alongside Suzy. Recently he was seen playing the guitar from a standing position and also joining in the between song banter, even so nothing could have prepared the audience for Jimmy getting up the mic and singing lead vocals and he made a really good job of it. It gives the Firs a new dynamic, which should really come into it's own as the band play longer sets as headliners.
Also adding to the dynamic was Suzy going in the opposite direction, sitting down and picking up a guitar. It's how she writes most of her songs so it was really good to see her gaining the confidence to replicate the experience in a public place.That, combined with the new material, shows that the Douglas Firs are making real progress as performers and definitely making a move towards the top set.
Kat Gilmore has played Bournemouth Folk Club with Rosie Doonan as part of the Snapdragons, but together with Jamie Roberts, it was time to take Centre Stage under their own names and make it their home.
During the course of their set Dorset actually came to feature quite a lot, including the wood of Upper Badgers Bottom, I kid you not, and other local place names with rude connotations.
Before I get on with the music, I'd just like to comment on the between song banter. Through no fault of their own, except youth, a number of younger bands struggle with what to do between the songs, they haven't got a reservoir of anecdotes to fill the gaps. Kat Gilmore is a natural, a life as a comedian/after dinner speaker beckons in the unlikely event that music kicks back. Her wit and charm just flow naturally and complete the set in a way that would have many more established artists frothing at the mouth to be able to deliver. It doesn't detract from the music in anyway, just adds to the quality of the event.
It's the music that remains the most captivating part of the evening. A stimulating combination of traditional songs, arranged into a contemporary folk style and self penned songs that capture the world we grow up in.
A case in point is, 'Hunter Man' from their recent debut album, a song inspired by an urban myth that Kat Gilmore made up and like her, one I hope slots into twenty first century folk lore, it also reminded me of a song called 'Primitive Man' from a band that used to be a favourite of mine, Ruby Blue, bonus.
Under pinning this is the glorious guitar work of Jamie Roberts, who spends a lot of time with the guitar on his lap and uses it as a percussion instrument as well as something to pick and strum at. You really know how good a guitarist is when you close your eyes and you can hear at least two on a stage when you know there's only one and he's not using loops.
He seems to be equally adept at support the vocals as he is in providing the push and energy for the instrumentals. Even when playing in a more conventional style he makes you well aware of his talent without letting it detract from the piece he's playing, a rare talent and modesty indeed. He's no mean vocalist either, lead or backing.
As well as being a fiddle singer, Kat is also a mean mandolin player, which comes out for the more bluegrass numbers, again highlighting the versatility of duo. She'd noticed that Cathy Burke also uses an F Style Mandolin and that one was left handed and the other right, she briefly mused on the idea of setting up a breeding colony before kicking into the next number.
Gilmore Roberts are already working on material for their next album, I'm already sitting in expectation. This was, without a doubt in my mind, one of the best performances I'd seen in a long time. That it came off the back of two other really good performances and left clear water speaks volumes. Gilmore & Roberts are a duo worth taking the time out for as the reward is top draw.
Neil King