Arts Reviews
Ukelele heaven in a grab-bag
Published 25 July 2008
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great BritainThe marquee is packed to bursting for the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and as they take to the stage in their tuxedos it quickly becomes clear that this is not your usual folk set.
Mellowing with age
Published 25 July 2008
ChumbawumbaFor most people Chumbawamba means either the massive ‘97 hit Tubthumping or the John Prescott incident at the 1998 BRIT awards. Those festival goers catching them for the first time must surely have been quietly surprised at this mix of sensitive, serious, humorous, thoughtful and clever songs.
Politics of humanity
Published 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.
Thea’s devil is in the detail
Published 25 July 2008
Thea GilmoreWith a voice that has been likened to the vocal prowess of Chrisie Hynde, Thea Gilmore can boast a quality fan base that includes Bruce Springsteen and Joan Baez. Her own bout of depression and a split with a long-term partner can be identified in the melancholy textures of some of her songs, as can her joy at motherhood.
Watch out for Sexy Seth
Published 25 July 2008
Seth LakemanThere is good stuff to see and hear from the golden boy of folk, Seth Lakeman. He is flavour of the month on Radio 2 and in the press, all the while maintaining a deeply-earthed folk root.
Evoking English’s folk’s heyday
Published 25 July 2008
Maddy PriorWith a voice this perfect Maddy Prior could sing the football results and it would still be lovely. It was her voice and her crystal clear singing with Steeleye Span in the early Seventies that ensconced many of us comfortably and permanently in a folk-based appreciation of music.
Hats off to Kila who came up on the inside
Published 25 July 2008
KilaKila didn’t have much luck on Sunday night. On at the same time as folk megastar Richard Thompson, at first they played to a half-full tent.
Intense lyricism and bounding rhythms
Published 25 July 2008
Findhorn TrioThe Findhorn Trio (Neil Mantle, Roderick Long and Gillian Gray) treated the Festival audience to a pair of works not, I guess, often performed in Cumbria - the horn trios of Berkeley and Brahms.
Hallelujah! And amen to the festival’s great gospel finale
Published 25 July 2008
Festival Finale – London Adventist ChoraleCongratulations to the artistic director of the Carlisle International Summer Festival, Jeremy Suter, for such a wonderful choice for the final concert of this year’s festival.
Spirituality of the subcontinent in the cathedral
Published 25 July 2008
Sic Deus Dilexit MundiFor the first time ever in Carlisle’s ancient cathedral, a classical Indian concert. A musically-experienced audience was mesmerised by breathless virtuosity that stunned the senses. Purbayan Chatterjee, the world renowned sitarist, travelled from Calcutta the previous day, and met, for the first time, Shahbaz Khan, his tabla accompanist. As with great jazz musicians, it was as if they’d always played together.
A celebration (and welcome revival) of the English song
Published 25 July 2008
Vaughan Williams and English SongFor 50 minutes the talented duo of tenor, Stephen Anthony Brown, accompanied on the piano by Paul Jeanes, delighted their listeners with an exquisite performance of English songs.
How Beth got big
Published 25 July 2008
Beth Rowley is speaking on her mobile while striding through the streets of Bristol, on her way to finish the video for her next single, Sweet Hours.
Sartorial and musical variety
Published 25 July 2008
Nicky Spence and Julia CobbyTenor Nicky Spence showed that his musical celebrity has been well-earned in a delightful recital in Carlisle Cathedral for the city’s International Summer Festival. His gift for communication together with a truly outstanding voice made this a real occasion.
Bach and Brahms inspire talented brother and sister
Published 25 July 2008
Bach and BrahmsTwo chamber music works featured in a recital played by the cellist Edmund Pendrous with his sister, pianist Stella Pendrous. Bach’s G Major Suite for Viola di Gamba, in an arrangement by the famous 19th-century cellist Alfredo Piatti, proved an inspired first choice. Throughout all four movements, both musicians gave their utmost attention to nuances of phrasing, dynamics and to the many subtle changes in harmony.
Fine, fresh makeover for Lady Bracknell and Co
Published 25 July 2008
The Importance Of Being Earnest, Theatre by the Lake, Keswick Having reviewed Oscar Wilde’s classic at least half a dozen times, I wondered just how the company would find anything fresh in this latest production.
Slick seducer, 100-string guitar
Published 25 July 2008
Richard ThompsonSuper cool from his teens and still cool after more than four decades, here he was, Richard Thompson, dressed entirely in slick black and his signature beret, the man who started something new way back when folk was associated with chunky sweaters and bad haircuts.
Vive La France and the truly talented Mr T
Published 18 July 2008
D’Arcy Trinkwon, Organ Recital, Carlisle Cathedral, Monday Olivier Messaien, born 100 years ago, composed some of the most evocative and influential music of the 20th century, and to hear some of his organ works performed in the cathedral by the concert organist D’Arcy Trinkwon was a delight.
Picnic, Pink Floyd and The Bard
Published 18 July 2008
Romeo and Juliet, Say Two Theatre Company, Brougham HallThe Say Two Theatre Company don’t seem to do things in half measures and this production of Shakespeare’s classic tale of doomed love was no exception.
Lost, found and celebrated
Published 18 July 2008
Voices of the North, Carlisle Cathedral, SundayThe rediscovery of an original musical manuscript must seem like a dream come true, especially for Voices of the North under the director of Jolyon Dodgson.
A great swashing of buckles
Published 18 July 2008
Red Priest, Carlisle Cathedral, TuesdayA good house saw Baroque ensemble extraordinaire Red Priest swash their buckles at Carlisle Cathedral in a cleverly crafted programme of treasures old and new.
