Round two of the Barrel House tour and it’s clear things have been shaken up a bit since I last saw the set. Gone is the queen style opening and in it’s place a more atmospheric start which leads effortlessly into More Than Money and it’s stomping beat. Likewise Blacksmith’s Prayer is treated to a does of sweeping double bass, echoing the emotion of the album whilst Hard Road brings the night back to the foot stomping numbers, which Seth’s fans have come to know and love.
It’s clear that many in the audience are keen to hear the older numbers,...
Photos of Seth Lakeman at The Assembly, Leamington Spa on 24th March 2012. Taken by Jo Cox – www.jocoxphotography.co.uk
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From the first few beats of tonight, there’s a sense that it’s going to be loud; even the opening drum beat mimics Queen’s We Will Rock You, a perfect summary perhaps for what unfolds. As someone who loves Seth when his arm is moving at 100mph across his fiddle, there’s a sense of dismay with the newer songs, Blacksmith’s Prayer in particular feeling somewhat middle of the road. It’s almost as if somewhere someone has picked a set of songs based on radio friendliness rather than highlighting Seth’s natural abilities.
That being said, opener More Than Money is instantly catchy,...
Ahead of the release of his new album Hearts And Minds, Seth Lakeman took the time to talk to us about his new direction, working with producer Tchad Blake and his songwriting inspiration.
More Than The Music: You were building up to it with Poor Man’s Heaven but there’s a definite shift on the new album towards tackling modern day issues such as recession and the banker’s scandal. Was there anything in particular which inspired you to take this new direction?
Seth Lakeman: I started writing this 18 months or maybe even longer ago and I was directly influenced by friends and...
Seth Lakeman has achieved something quite rare for a contemporary folk artist and that is commercial success. Whilst The Punch Bowl and Kitty Jay represented the best of modern folk, his later albums seem to have bridged a gap with pop and rock which, accompanied with a Mercury Prize nomination, have brought fiddles and banjos to a much wider audience and made him into a household name.
Hearts And Minds opens in a similar vein to Poor Man’s Heaven and the title track blazes with thunderous violins, driving and passionate. As ever this is a strong starting point and you would be forgiven...
The East Wintergarden may on first inspection seem an odd sort of venue for a St Patrick’s Day concert. A glass covered atrium in the heart of Canary Wharf surrounded by skyscrapers and modern office blocks, it’s a world away from Cara Dillon’s home town of Dungiven and a far cry from her Irish roots. But tonight is no average concert and it seems appropriate to give it an extraordinary venue. Accompanied by an expanded band and with a guest performance by former Equation band mate and folk sensation, Seth Lakeman, those lucky enough to secure a ticket are unquestionably to be granted a...
Seth Lakeman creates a certain expectation amongst his most ardent followers and whilst his performance rarely faltered technically, tonight lacked the kind of electricity and rampant charge he and his band revel in. On the opening night of a one month ‘mini-tour’ of the UK and ahead of the release of Seth’s fifth solo album Hearts and Minds, you could be forgiven for questioning the decision to play this kind of toe-tapping, crowd whipping, folk fiddling music to an all seated crowd. Much as you might question putting a gazelle on a treadmill.
That being said, the first half of the set...
