Christchurch Folk Music Club
Iain Mitchell
Review: Iain Mitchell, 5th July
By Dave Hart
What a breath of genuine Scots air, in more ways than one. A voice like a Scottish gale indeed. I’ve known this wee lad for some decades now and his ability to regale with song and yarns is legendary.
He is steeped in his traditional roots and from an early age has surrounded himself with the music and songs of performers of a very high calibre, such as The Corrie Folk trio, Archie Fisher and Hamish Imlach. He has also appeared on the same bill as such luminaries as Dick Gaughan and Billy Connelly.
His concert at The Christchurch folk club in early July reminded us all of Mitch’s fine stage presence and ability as a folk raconteur. He shared his material as warmly as ever, assisted by three of Christchurch’s finest; Jimmy Young and Davy Stuart and the silky voice of Denny Stanway.
Mitch started with “Spencer the Rover” and “Paddy lay back”. Good to hear his rendition of “Haughs of Cromdale”, reminiscent of Dick Gaughan. A song which always does it for me was “The Flower o’ Northumberland”, with Jimmy on small pipes, contrasting nicely with “Slieve Gallion braes”, with Denny.
The second half kicked off with “Lads of the fair” and “At a country fair dance”, the latter being one of Mitch’s forays into a very different song style. Davy joined Mitch for the next two, “Nor’ land wind” and “Udnie’s wa’s”. No Mitch concert would be complete without “The Engineers’ picnic”, a song of shore leave, followed by a fine version of “If I had a boat”, ably assisted by Denny.
The general mood was then transformed by another of my favourites, Mitch’s very personalised version of Richard Thompson’s “Vincent 52”. If Mitch thought that he could escape the stage after his final song, “Rambling Rover”, he was mistaken as he was forced back to give us “Mary and the Soldier”.
What a refreshing night. It was so good to have songs with which the crowd could join in and so good to have this fine performer in our midst again, to share his love of things Scottish. (To Mitch, “Bantam Of The Opera” have long since forgiven you for taking off up north…please return to us soon to give us all more of our and your favourites.)
Dave Hart & James Bowen
Club concert - 21 May, by Tony Kiesanowski With the evening billed as an English double feature, James "Bar" Bowen began by introducing us to his view of some of the world's characters he has come across in his travels. Reminiscent of the in...
Darrell Scott: CD- “Live in NC”
Reviewed by Christine Smith Darrell Scott: Vocals, guitar(electric/acoustic), songwriter Danny Thompson: 'Victoria' (Acoustic Double Bass) Kenny Malone: Percussion If you're looking for a CD which will leave you gob-smacked, then this is the...
Cam Ye Oér By Bus?
By Vic McDonald, New Edinburgh Folk Club They came frae the north, the bogs and the moors attacking the heartland as oft times before They came armed with guitars, accordions and more and one had an organ and played it full sore It became with...
Babelfish
Feb 12, By Jan Driscoll One very hot night in more ways than one, having missed Babelfish the last time they appeared at the Club, I was looking forward to a good evenings entertainment and I was not to be disappointed. For those, like myself...
Andrea Zonn – Love Goes On
If you are anything like me, the name Andrea Zonn means absolutely nothing to you, but, rest assured, when you hear this little gem it will spend hours in your player of choice. She's a Nashville gal. Her mother and father are musicians and she...
Fat Boy & Slim Review
Sunday 1st March, 2009 By Marjorie Mitchell God Bless the Queen! Victoria that is. Dave Hart (Fat Boy) and John Jones (Slim) right royally entertained us at the Folk Club last night. Vaudeville is what Fat Boy and Slim excel at - like you have...
‘Pulling the Ton’: The Muddy Mama Blues Band
22 March 2015 At 9:30pm the satiated audience rose to its feet as the encore of St Louis Blues faded away. The somewhat staid interior walls of the Irish Society Hall had rocked all evening to, at times, a 10-piece band intent on remaining...
Gats, Gats and More GATS!
Guitarist Tony Hale had been working on an idea to bring together some of our best local finger- pickers for a guitar-laden concert. It came to fruition recently as 'Fingerpicking Delights' and was warmly received by a full house at the...
Ryan Neville and the Midnight Blues Show Band
Born in Christchurch New Zealand, Ryan Neville has been entertaining for 25 years. Having a huge appetite for Blues and its Colourful legacy, Ryan has with guitar in hand, song in his back pocket been taking the world by storm.. Having an...