The venue this evening was formally Fletcher’s Dance Studio before being bought and refurbished and renamed over twenty-five years ago and has played host to artists such as Nizlopi, Ed Sheeran, Newton Faulkner, Scott Matthews, Imelda May, Ellie Goulding, Bowling For Soup, The Damned, Wheatus, Dreadzone, and Skindred, amongst others. This evening was the final show of six dates that Seth Lakeman has undertaken this month and this 250-capacity intimate venue was the perfect setting for this final sold-out show.
Seth Lakeman has a new studio album `The Granite Way` due in February next year and an eleven-date tour planned. The album is a collection of songs that was recorded within a week alongside a group of longtime collaborators of Seth’s, staying true to his roots and referring to ancient stories that inspired early West Country storytelling.
It`s been over four years since I last saw Seth at the wonderful Norbury Theatre in Droitwich when he was promoting his album `A Pilgrim`s Tale` an album inspired by the English sailing ship The Mayflower, four centuries on from its departure that transported a group of English families, known today as the Pilgrims from England to The New World.
There`s little fuss as the singer appears and the opening salvo `The Hurlers` rings out, a name given to a group of stone circles on Bodwin Moor, Cornwall a legend, in which men were playing Cornish hurling on a Sunday and were magically transformed into stones as punishment.
We enjoy a fair selection from what is this artist`s extensive back catalogue with flowing numbers like `The Giant`, `The Rambling Sailor`, the thoughtful `Underground` and `The Bold Knight`. But for me, like I’m sure a lot of others we have our favourites and songs such as `The Colliers` about the tragic Gresford coal mine disaster and `The White Hare` a legend of a hare that turns into a woman with long hair really gladdened my heart.
There`s always songs that you`d forgotten about and really touch you and `The Ballad of Josie` and `Higher We Aspire` were two such. The contemplative `The Setting Of the Sun` and rousing `King and Country` are classics as `Lady of the Sea` and the stunningly tender `Portrait of My Wife` with the line ”raise your glass to the one you love` had everybody singing along before closing out this ninety minute set with the stirring `Kitty Jay` despite it`s dark lyrical undertones.
We enjoy Seth`s new Christmas single `One More Before You go` in the brief encore before we head off into the bleak winter Worcestershire night with a real glow in our hearts. It`s only two months before this artist is back out and touring and I for one can`t wait.
