We kicked off 2022 at O’Riley’s recording a live show reel with the Loudhailer Electric Company in January. We ventured out for the first gig in February as Dexter guested with Lyn Acton’s band at the William Gemmell for Hull Jazz and then Kayhan Kalhor at the NCEM in York. In March Agent Starling released a Constellation of Birds with videos for Paqaratz, Valley to Mountainside, Scandiland, Princess Julia, Midsomer and the Stonemason’s Dream, Gifford Rolfe released Diamonds Among Hard Stones (featuring Lou on bass and Dext on violin) and we saw Life at the Welly, and M.G. Greaves and Bob Wayne at O’Rileys. April began with Andy Scott and the Jazz Makers Collective at the Lairgate in Beverley and saw the return of the Red Guitars with a UK tour that took us to Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow, Hull, Brighton, London and Birmingham with supports from Terra Fin and Fragile Creatures. Corey depped for Lou as Celtarabia opened their live year in Saltaire. Back at the Adelphi in May with POSH and Celtarabia played their first summer festival at Bearded Theory. In June Work in Progress played at Springboard in Cottingham and it was the first live outing of the year for Loudhailer Electric Company at Jeff’s Birthday bash but motored into July with LECo at the Where? Celebration at the Adelphi with the Oceaneers and The Last Bastions of Bohemia amongst others and then the Summer Jamboree with Sleeperman and Tom Kay at O’Riley’s before travelling to Small Seeds in Huddersfield with Here’s the Steeple. The month was rounded off with Work in Progress at Solos in Willerby and at Hessle Feast. There were two festivals for Celtarabia in August at the Northern Green Gathering and Nottingham Riverside Festival while Dexter played a classical concert in Hedon with his friend Tyler for Reuben’s Voice and at the Cottingham Folk Fringe with Work in Progress. A breather in September (for me) but Lou was deep into RG’s rehearsals and made Belle of the East from trips to Bridlington with Corey’s recording of bells in Copenhagen and Dexter on violin and Dexter started university in Leeds. LECo were back at York’s Victoria Vaults in October and our first trip to the Howard Assembly Rooms in Leeds for Courtney Pine. In November Dexter was back recording and playing with Robert Sharp for Rob’s new album and then live at Holmfirth Picturedrome opening the show for Skerryvore followed closely by Zero and the No No’s at Small Seeds. While Dexter was guesting with the Yorkshire Swing Collective in Huddersfield we were with Nick Harper at Wrecking Ball. November also saw the third album release by Agent Starling – Clandestine. With Agent Starling’s videos for Funambule, Hellebore, Midsomer and Napoleon in Morocco released in December, The Ensemble Moliere performing Good Soup at the NCEM and the year concluded for the Loudhailer Electric Company with the Last Bastions at the Adelphi. 2022 was perfectly rounded off as it started back at the William Gemmell with Hull Jazz. Last but not least we’d just like to say a big thankyou to Darren Bunting at O’Riley’s for all the rehearsals and gigs. Here’s to 2023.
On the calendar so far is Loudhailer Electric Co. with Wasted Youth at O’Riley’s in March and fingers crossed for more Red Guitars…
Photographs by Richard Duffy-Howard exept LECo photos by Sydpix and Brett Hambling and RG’s Crew by Jacqui.
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