Seth Lakeman

You could say this is Seth’s biggest local gig, as he returns to Exeter not as a support act but as the main event for tonight in the largest venue in Exeter, it’s a kind of homecoming for the indie-folk singer/fiddler/tenor guitarist and his band.

Cormac Byrne the usual rhythm player is absent and instead there’s a lady called Lucy who provides the rhythm on a box called a 'Cajon' or bodhran and does a great job of it too. Seth’s brother Sean is a flourish on guitar and really layering up the sound around Seth tonight and big Ben Nicholls has his double bass set up loud and it really works to have the bass booming above all the instruments.



Dressed in black Seth’s guitar and violin playing are extraordinary as usual and the whole band are clearly happy to be here as headliners. Huge grins are plastered on their faces as they unleash an amazing first track of ‘Riflemen of War’ that gets a hearty response and it’s a celebrated homecoming tonight. Seth promises to play most of his third album Freedom Fields and Ben swaps his bass for a banjo and we get a storming version of ‘Blood Upon Copper’ the band have no nerves playing such a big venue and seem to relish it, there seems to be a lot of friends in the crowd tonight.

‘Lady of the Sea’ has Lucy and Seth playing the song unaccompanied by the rest of the band. What a fantastic song and Seth plays it wildly his body straining and in full voice.

The band rejoin them for a Dartmoor tale the wonderful ‘White Hare’ and there’s a few of us swaying in the audience and the front few rows of mainly female admirers are enrapt. The band doesn’t need clever light shows or video backdrops for the music carries us with its infectious rhythms and the subdued lighting and plain sheet mean there are no distractions from the music.



The band really let rip on ‘Colliers’ and Seth dedicates ‘King and Country’ to his Grandparents and it really is a terrific song. ‘Final Lot’ is full of energy and Seth says we’re about to get ‘Solomon Brown’ giving it a big introduction only for him to swap his tenor guitar for his fiddle and the band play ‘Fight for Favour’.

The power of the music is shimmering from the stage and everyone is captivated for ‘Take No Rogues’ surely the song of the night and by the time Seth introduces ‘The Storm’ there isn’t a single person unimpressed in the house, the applause is nearly as impressive as the music. A drinking song with a jig feel to it ‘How Much?’ has me dancing but not much of the crowd are joining me, I do hope album four has Seth returning to the more lively tracks from this his debut album Punch Bowl.

The band leave Seth alone again for ‘Kitty Jay’ from his Mercury nominated second album of the same name with Seth unaccompanied cept for his foot stompin’. ‘Ye Mariners All’ has Ben’s bass turned up incredibly loud and both songs have me dancing away happily to, possibly because of the beefed up rhythm. The Punch Bowl song is traditionally Seth’s closing number and sure enough the band leave the stage before Seth returns for the gentle tune ‘Send Yourself Away’ before the band let rip with a knees up with Christmas cheer - lively reels and ‘the Scrumpy Song.’

And cheer we do after the reels close, and we’ve had a good dance. The crowd wildly applaud. I have to say I wish Seth would throw in a few more lively tunes like this and get the crowd up and dancing. Perhaps drop a couple of ballads and add a bit more oomph Thumping feel good music and a mesmerising homecoming. Seth and his band are a prodigious talent, as everyone keeps saying he’s bringing folk back home.

FUTURE GIGS