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Songs For The Voiceless

Venue: The Met
Town: Bury
Date: 5/11/14
Website: http://www.songsforthevoiceless.co.uk

While there may be many musical celebrations/commemorations of both world wars which remain too numerous to mention, particularly in the folk field, when it comes to the 'Songs For The Voiceless', there can't be many which have displayed better timing. The recorded project, with all profits going to the poppy appeal, curated by Sheffield musician Michael J Tinker, gathered together a quality cast ready to pump their expertise and willingness into a worthy venture. Where some might see the opportunity as a bit of a cash cow, the folk community has clearly shown due respect understanding and reverence. Leading up to Remembrance Sunday, the cast put together a short five date tour - the 'Remembrance Week Tour' - the final gig being on Remembrance Sunday itself and kicking off at what is slowly becoming, if not already set as, the bastion of folk music, The Met in Bury.

With a couple of the recording cast unable to play some or all of the dates, a couple of worthy subs came off the bench; Jackie Oates subbing for Josienne Clarke and Matt Downer adding his double bass to the mix for the absence of Ian Stephenson. There was of course, all the material from the album to play plus several additions which the cast had assembled which fitted in with the general theme and mood of the concept.

Opening the evening were the trio who make up the Young 'Uns - never a more perfect band for this type of project. In fact, throughout the night they plyed their trademark humour and warmth to full effect and offered up moments of light hearted humour amidst what was generally quite a sombre and thoughtful set. Going back to their North East roots, their 'Theo Jones' set a solemn mood with Michael Tinker's deep harmonium conjuring up images of being in chapel as they sang of the Hartlepool headteacher going off to war. Similarly, the remarkable tale of 'Private Hughes' (no relation to the band's Michael) who sent a message in a bottle as he went off to war for it to be discovered in 1999 and returned to his daughter then in her eighties - there could hardly have been a more poignant moment. They added a touch of Tommy/trench humour and a touch of cor blimey cockney to their little medley of 'The King's Horse/Dawson's Prisoners/The Calculation' - a perfect example of the type of social singing which is making folk music rather fashionable again and bringing folk music back to the masses. It provided a brief respite before a second half which Michael Tinker admitted to getting a bit more depressing than we'd had so far. Mind, there was Tom Oakes' 'Harry And Nellie's First Dance', a bright waltz written for his grandparents, yet beyond that not much else to smile about, but plenty more chance for lumps in throats to rise. Add to that Kat Gilmore's 'Letters' with reference to the Second World War which had a more bluesy and rootsy feel, made for a broader musical palette.

Of the new material which didn't make the record, Jamie Roberts added 'Rose Of York - his guitar accompanied by the strains of three fiddles as he sang of petals falling from the rose of York never to bloom again, plus there was a typically delicate piece from Jackie Oates - a discovery from the Full English collection by Frank Kitson, 'Take This Message To My Mother', the sensitivity being accompanied by swelling voices and strings.

Bella Hardy took considerable time to talk about the longevity of folk songs and in particular the ones with the war connotations before she delivered 'Bonny White Horseman' with the aid of the Young 'Uns choir and then closing the main set with 'Jolly Good Luck To The Girl Who Loves A Soldier'. Again, with an introduction which was almost as long as the song, it went some way to uncovering the background to this song on the trials and tribulations of women at wartime as well as actually giving the focus of 'Songs For The Voiceless' its clear vision and purpose. A worthy project which pays due respect to the material, its stories and does the service of bringing them to a wider audience.

Mike Ainscoe
Pics Neil King, not taken at gig

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