CWLWM CELTAIDD: Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl, March 9-12, 2017: The good folk of Porthcawl didn’t know what had hit them; packed away in the Grand Pavilion, a flood of wonderful Celtic Magic bubbled, steamed and roared, and dancers and musicians from Wales, Cornwall, The Isle Of Man, Ireland and Scotland played, partied and delivered such jaw-dropping,…
JIM BAINBRIDGE: Llantrisant Folk Club, Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club, March 8, 2017 Jim has been travelling all through his long life, far and wide; from the Marsden Folk Club in the Tyneside town of South Shields, where he was a member of The Marsden Rattlers ceilidh band, to Kent, West Cork in Ireland (where he…
TORNISH: Llantrisant Folk Club, Pontyclun, February 22, 2017 Tornish are Yorkshire-born flute and whistle player Tim Orrell and Gwen Màiri Yorke, who plays the clàrsach and pedal harp; she was bought up in Scotland by a Welsh mother and a Scottish father and now lives in Glasgow, making her living by playing for classical orchestras.…
THE CELTIC FIDDLE FESTIVAL: Roots Unearthed, Lefel 3 Lounge, St David’s Hall, Cardiff, February 21, 2017 The Celtic Fiddle Festival were celebrating 25 years of performing together with a special tour, and the Lefel 3 Lounge was crowded out with eager punters all hoping to see and hear the latest fireworks – and they were…
CONNLA: Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl, February 16, 2017 Connla, according to Northern Irish mythology, was a giant warrior, the son of the Ulster champion Cú Chulainn and the Scottish warrior woman Aife. On his return to Ulster, Cú Chulainn put three geasa on his little boy, and in order to fulfil these he must not turn back,…
SPIRO: Roots Unearthed, Lefel 3, St David’s Hall, Cardiff, February 17, 2017 Spiro are… well, a musical enigma. Even in their home city of Bristol, they remain pretty hidden, inconspicuous and mysterious; but when they come together, the sparks truly fly and the Spiro magic is ignited. Guitarist Jon Hunt, piano accordionist Jason Sparkes, mandolinist…
MARTYN JOSEPH: Roots Unearthed, Lefel 3, St David’s Hall, Cardiff, November 29, 2016 It was a brilliant, celebratory homecoming for Martyn Joseph. The Penarth-based guitarist, wonderful singer and unique songwriter was just into his Winter Tour, with shows and concerts all over the depth and breadth of the UK, with America and Europe beckoning on…
SHOW OF HANDS: St David’s Hall, Cardiff, November 2, 2016 There’s no doubt about it: We have listened to their fabulous albums, including the much-heralded and recently-released Centenary Live At Exeter Cathedral, but seeing a Show Of Hands concert in the flesh is sheer and complete artistry. The audience is totally blown away by…
WE BANJO 3: Roots Unearthed, Lefel 3, St David’s Hall, Cardiff, October 20, 2016 The packed Roots Unearthed audience and never seen or heard anything like it; the Irish band We Banjo 3, after a storming set, had cajoled the ecstatic punters to remain standing while they lit the blue touchpaper for the final, triumphant piece…
LYNCHED: Roots Unearthed, Lefel 3, St David’s Hall, Cardiff, September 20, 2016 It was the early 2000s, and Dublin brothers Ian and Daragh Lynch hit upon the plan of forming an experimental psychedelic folk-punk duo. That duo has metamorphosed into Lynched, the spellbinding and alluringly mesmerising young quartet who are fiercely proud of their traditions…