Last updated 05:36, Friday, 25 July 2008

Show of HandsLike a cup of cocoa before bed time, or the light in the window of home after a long journey, Show of Hands keep you warm.

Steve Knightley and Phil Beer have the ear of the nation’s foremost folk and acoustic broadcasters, musicians and traditionalists as well as pleasing many music fans. Individually their talents are sought after; collectively they strike a richly harmonious balance of calm and turbulence. Their album Country Life hit some nails squarely on the head and hopefully made some people in power take notice.

Their practically perfect song Roots gives us something to think about, its sights are set on the often-ignored British minority of the rural poor and a maligning of urban dominance. There is a hard edge that may well sneak past the less attuned listener, covered as it is in the smooth coating of brilliant instrumental playing.

Joining SOH on stage for the Saturday headline slot was Miranda Sykes on double bass. With Phil and Steve, playing several instruments beautifully, she gave a pristine performance and made us forget the slick mud soaking our feet.

Rain, rain, go away, a new song by Knightley, was perfectly apt to the soggy conditions at the festival.

Words that rang dangerously true were delivered with humour and warmth in the richly stirring voice of Knightley.

The politics are un-harsh and humane. What they have to say makes more sense than you will ever hear from the powers-that-be. Radically, refreshingly, they even advocate that people copy their CDs.

FI EXON