Thanks to everyone who came to play and listen at last night’s Loudhailer Acoustic. It was great to catch up with some regular guests and fantastic to welcome newer performers and great audience who brought a fab friendly vibe along. There were so many amazing and varied performances and stunning songwriting that it really did feel like we’d been on a voyage by the end of the evening, a kind of a roller coaster ride through everyone’s imagination. There were ten acts to perform so Rich & I opened up with a folky sea song we’d worked on for Filey Festival last weekend – The Goole Captain – before settling down to listen to the music. First up, our buddy Tim O’Connor continued the trip along England’s east coast with a set of Whitby and cricket inspired songs and a lovely sounding guitar.
Dexter Magic followed Tim, taking us on a piano journey round the world on a donkey – nice to hear everyone joining in the chorus – and then to Japan with the theme from Studio Ghibli’s Laputa: Castle in the Sky.
It was terrific to welcome Katie Shepherd back this month with her unpresuming American College sound and two very cool new original songs, What’s Right, and one yet to be titled – The Time of Our Lives?
Next up we were mesmerised by Jim Orwin’s trio of originals – superb songwriting. I thought the chorus in his first song – with a political edge – was one of those perfect choruses – and all delivered with a rich and easy vocal. But it was Jim’s final autobiographical song A Half Ballad For Bobby Pearce that Rich and I were talking about back at home. Can’t wait to hear it again.
We were delighted to welcome the first of our new guests to close the first half. Katie Spencer treated us to a gutsy set with her accomplished style and songs, Violent Rain, Western Man and We’re All Children. Katie’s style is animated and full of emotion, her voice controlled yet raw and powerful, great stuff.
Cake time! Thanks to everyone who baked, especially Jules & Andy, Mark and Chris who brought lovely friendly vibes and delicious home baked sticky ginger cake, scones and blackcurrant jelly, and Irene for her now legendary pesto swirls.
Cakes devoured and back to the music! Graham Beck opened up the second half with his inimitable style and subject matter – dry, deadpan irreverent wit all wrapped up in some superb keyboard playing and classy vocals. There was a surprise break (especially for Graham) in his first song – A Good House (E flat minor), The Lone Ranger was swinging for sure, and Graham’s ode to a certain supermarket and it’s stock of plastic gnomes never fails to entertain. It’s that refrain ‘so much bigger than your little pointy head’ that turns the whole set into a surreal experience for me. Fab.
Next up it was lovely to welcome Effie Bassett-Scott to Loudhailer Acoustic for the first time. Effie was delightful, with a beautiful clear voice and charming natural stage presence. Her set of a mix of a capella traditional songs and her rendition of Half the World Away was a joy, we loved it.
Penultimate performer, Pete McLeod hit the stage rockin’ with his rollercoaster Bob Dylan set and epic acoustic version of Green Manalishi, all delivered in his easy style and mellow voice.
The finale of the night came from amazing guitarist Dick Appleton whose instrumental opener and then his moving original and thought provoking The Bell’s of Wooton Bassett were followed by his dynamic jazz blues starting on a theme from Thelonious Monk with a nod to Dave Kelly – all topped off with a big dollop of Dick’s particular humour – what a show!
Rich took the photographs, click on an image to enlarge and scroll through.
Thanks again to everyone who came to play, listen, eat cake, and for bringing a great friendly atmosphere to the night. Thanks to Chris and the Willerby MC Hall for having us. The next session is June 14th (second Saturday of the month as usual), all welcome – please come back and join us again!
Rich and Lou Duffy-Howard
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