Reviews
Artist:Tinderbox(Album Launch)
Venue:Bournemouth Folk Club
Town:Bournemouth
Date:25/05/08
It was a very special night at Bournemouth Folk Club. The venue was jam packed with standing room only in places. The average age of the audience was down a few years on normal and there was a palpable sense of anticipation in the air. Some had travelled vast distances to be here.
The reason for the excitement? Dorset's top duo, come band, Tinderbox, are launching their new album, "Golden" and Poole/Bournemouth have responded by giving them a full house to launch it to.
Having been thoroughly warmed up by Bob Burke, Pete Christie and Marianna Madded(sp) were ready for the main event. There's a hush as club compere, Paul Burke gets on the stage to give the band a heck of an introduction and it's away we go.
Tinderbox are in full band configuration this evening. They play as anything from a duo to a five piece. They are also one of the few bands I know that allow the drummer/percussionist, Gav 'ok' Jones, two kits on stage.
Lead vocalist, Monique Houraghan, lights up the stage with a beaming smile and a warm thank you, to everyone for turning out, like any of us were going to miss this. It's into the set, the first choice being the lead track from the new album, "Golden", a real pick you up track, "Fall Down".
Having started as a four piece, Bob Burke providing bass duties, Catherine Burke joins the band to bring them up to five. She adds a haunting whistle to the next song for Monique to weave her lilting Irish vocal around. In the setting and te occasion it provides a very magical feeling and I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck start to rise. It also becomes apparent that Monique's smile is going to be a permanent fixture for tonight. And why not, it's not everyday you get to launch a new album.
Guitarist and co-founder of Tinderbox, Dan Tucker, takes over the between song banter to introduce another song from the album, "You", explaining that having taught Monique a few chords on the guitar, he came back from work to discover that she's written this song without him. Monique smiled and referred to a master plan:
"You" is a poignant piece, almost torch in it's construction, particularly live, you can really get the sense of emotion that's been poured into the song. After the piece there was time to thank the album's producer, Andy Stone, who is also the regular sound man at the venue. He does a cracking job at both.
It also turns out that Andy is the man responsible for Gav acquiring the 'ok' moniker, having decided to leave an 'ok' at the start of a song on the album.
The band, except for Dan and Monique, clear the stage as Pete Christie joins them for a guest appearance. Monique has become a big fan of one of Pete's songs. The song feels darker than most of what's gone before it and provides a scintillating contrast. Tinderbox have really come of age as showman as well as performers.
Following Pete's appearance, the rest of the band rejoin Dan and Monique on stage. A number of songs from "Golden", including the title track and a new version of "Fallen", build the set to a dramatic conclusion. Tinderbox have had a launch night and a half.
Inevitably, the requests for a encore are met, almost inevitably with one of the band's signature songs, "Travelling". It also looks like the band maybe pushing Spiers and Boden's recently established record for cd sales as the brisk sales throughout the evening gets a serious push as the end of a really great night.