Seth Lakeman

Tonight's venue wins my personal list of most surreal locations for a gig. Bemused anticipation is probably the best description of feelings washing through me as we walk through the main worship area to the bar behind the main building - It appears that you can buy Thai curry and enjoy your tipple of choice in the austere surroundings before the gig! We take the chance to have a drink in the back room and marvel at the wonderfully high ceilings before making our way upstairs to take our pews and get a great vantage point overlooking the main 'stage'. The wonder continues as I spot a lady offering ice creams at the front. She seems to be doing quite a trade too!

The crowd is growing nicely and its diversity amazes me – there is a rich combination of people that span many generations from children to the elderly, and it seems to me that there is a higher concentration than usual of ladies...



As Seth Lakeman and the band make their way to the front, they are given a great welcome and his diverse group of supporters show their appreciation before he bursts straight into 'Setting Stone'. The vast space above the stage treats all of the sounds slightly differently and some seem to travel to our ears better than others. The vocals are not as clear as they would probably be down in the front row but the overall impression is still amazing. Coupled with the brilliant view and the dying sun still shining through the stained glass windows, it creates a magical effect that fits the music and lyrics perfectly. 'Hearts and Minds' seems like a fusion of traditional folk played by Led Zeppelin with an energetic fiddle-wielding front man. The floor starts to shake to the rhythm of tapping feet as the sound of the double bass reverberates through the stone and wood of our surroundings.

Seth swaps his fiddle for the tenor guitar for 'King And Country' and the foot tapping grows to support the cut back percussion for this one. The dark song of 'Solomon Browne' named after the lifeboat whose crew set out on a rescue mission amidst terrible conditions to rescue the crew of a floundering ship is delivered passionately but the poignant lyrics don't quite reach our ears and are bounced around the cavernous interior. The much more upbeat 'Tender Traveller' helps bring my mind back to happier times though the cymbals crashing like waves against the shore are a reminder of the inspiration for many of the songs played this evening. Throughout the set, Seth's right foot pounds a bass drum peddle and when he's not singing, drumming with his foot and playing the fiddle or tenor guitar, he's bouncing around the stage with infectious enthusiasm and energy.

'Lady Of The Sea' - which was my first introduction to Seth's music - really evokes memories of recent summers spent in the fields where I'd first heard him and it seems that this is common to many of my fellow audience; the song reaches its finale and is given the best reception yet!



The Bluesy sound of 'Preaching Ghost' seems a short walk away from what's been heard so far tonight but the departure from the more folky sound is more of a measure of the talent of the musicians and perhaps their wider musical tastes. 'Riflemen Of War', described as a dancing song, delivers just that and the crowd need no more encouragement to leave the 'comfort' of their pews to get to their feet and shake about a bit.

The interval beckons and those in need take on further refreshments and stretch legs.

The second half starts as the light fades through stained glass windows, and the haunting atmosphere combined with the sounds of 'Changes' sets the scene for those still finding their seats. 'Hurlers' reminds me of a magical place on Bodmin Moor that I visit with my family each year. I'm not sure if it's the place that the song is written about, but it all fits in my head and the tempo seems to rise again. 'Setting Of The Sun' – a traditional folk song - is an amazing finger-shredding wall-vibrating display of what the double bass can do given the right hands (and a complete disregard for digit preservation). 'Poor Mans Heaven' and 'Kitty Jay' show anyone in any doubt that folk music does get faster and the rocker conclusion to the second half is almost complete as the stage is cleared temporarily.



The encore turns a corner for us upstairs as the speaker above our heads is turned on and the lyrics are delivered directly to our ears without the round trip time that we experienced previously. Seth slaps the tenor guitar for 'Circle Grows' and the party vibe spreads, reaching its finale with most on their feet for 'Blood On Copper' and the wonderful 'Race To Be King'. It's been an amazing evening and having only seen Mr Lakeman and company in a field previously, I have to say that despite my reservations, he works inside as well as out – even in the most challenging of surroundings - and I'm eagerly anticipating the summer when we can see him again!!

Set List:
The Storm
Hearts and Minds
King and Country
Solomon Browne
Tender Traveller
Lady of the Sea
Preachers Ghost
Riflemen of War
How Much

---Interval---

Changes
Hurlers
Take No Rogues
Signed and Sealed
See Them Dance
Hard Working Man
Setting of the Sun
Poor Mans Heaven
Kitty Jay

---Encore---

Circle Grows
Blood Upon Copper
Race to be King

FUTURE GIGS