When Hedgehogs Cry.

             It was a balmy Sunday evening in June,(in more ways than one), as the good citizens of North Warwickshire gathered to see out the final stages of Atherstone’s  Stonefest. Three days of Love Peace and Confusion, climaxing in the final show. An open air event in the commodious beer garden of the mighty Angel Inn, situated in the old Town’s market square. 

      As we traveled to the venue the omens for it being a slightly different evening were there for all Roman Emperors,to portend. A long journey over to Coventry and back collecting the component parts of Nunc began with a jolt when we were damn near totalled by an Ice Cream van coming like a bat out of hell straight outa Earlsdon. Then,as we parked up in Atherstone alongside the pub, the world’s tiniest hedgehog was spotted, staggering about on a large expanse of asphalt. 

        Needless of my own safety, I leaped from John Kearney’s safari wagon and approached the wanderer. Fearlessly it turned to confront me. A stand off ensued until I gathered up the little urchin on a copy of our Set List. I knew that would come in handy some day. I carried him (or her) carefully to the nearest expanse of vegetation and as  I was about to release it, it let out an impressively loud shriek which scared the pair of us half to death. The release came a few seconds earlier than planned as it rolled off,curling into a ball as it fell,and landed in a clump of Dock. Flossy recorded this scene for posterity and we made our way towards where we could hear the music coming from.

              JK and I had played The Angel for a Stonefest Fundraiser earlier in the year. A fine old Tardis of a pub, with  nooks and crannies everywhere a pleasant staff and a bar heaving with beer pumps and handpulls. No wonder it has won CAMRA awards-not often I get the chance to have Oakham Citra as my stage tipple. (Rude not to). 

             Just a few minutes late and after a very efficient sound check from a very friendly and competent Sound guy,  we were under way,kicking off with John's "Come Lay Your Burden Down." It was a Sunday, after all and we could see the impressive Church Tower looming over the pub roof. John's " Irish Spiritual," was politely received by a very mixed audience which contained a broad age range. I was pleased to note that (unlike the canines attending Sly Old Dogs gigs) the large Chocolate Labrador pottering about the garden seemed utterly unmoved by my colourful shirt. 

              By the time we'd got onto "Weather with You," a few people were singing along. Things seemed to be going well when we had our first stage invasion. I'd first spotted far off,  way up the other end of the garden.Making her way towards us during "Bring It On Home." A woman of indeterminate age, with a pint in her hand and wearing a Dutch Girls hat with artificial pigtails. (Amongst other things). First she plonked down heavily on a chair up the front. She seemed to be enjoying herself but something in "All Gotta Die Some Day," inspired her to rise and continue her journey. She whispered in my ear so noisily that some bodily fluids were exchanged and I had to wipe the spit out afterwards. I won't embarrass her any further, because she might be someone's Mum or Auntie just a bit far gone. But as far as we could we complied with her request. It wasn't rude..just mildly odd and slightly irrelevant. But it got the thumbs up from Tilly The Little Dutch Girl. 

          However, buoyed by her success, she returned during "After The Gold Rush," and asked for another favour just as Flossy was trying to give Neil Young's lyrics due reverence. Annoyed by this second incursion,Flossy used her best Team Teach technique to make a placatory (but firm) palms outward gesture in the "Please go away and sit down" kind of area. Which in fairness, she eventually did. I last saw her being led out of the moshpit by a kindly steward. Saved staff using the water cannon. 

             We had got at least  half of the audience singing by this time, sometimes even in the right places. Unfortunately, Flossy's spirited rendition of "Perfect" seemed to galvanise the space invaders again and another lady came right up to my mike during "Angel From Montgomery" and interrupted by asking if we could do any Beautiful South numbers. (I declined. A bit cheeky of her really. After all, I didn't go up to her afterwards and ask her husband if he'd ever thought of trading her in for a new model.). 

           We had the big finish with "Don't Worry" and ended to  warm applause, and a few cries for more. (At least I think that's what they were shouting).   After 50 minutes, we'd certainly doubled the size of the audience since we'd started. The sound was pretty good,thanks to monitors and a very useful Sound Man. Gamblers, the act that followed us were very good too, and got feet tapping. But as the sun set, the audience thinned a little. Not because the entertainment had waned any, more because it had turned quite cold as darkness fell. And so it was left to Weavers to close the event.

        I know Atherstone fairly well. I've played a couple of their Folk Club venues at Ridge Lane and Baxterley. I've done Wednesday lunchtime Folk Sessions in The Larder just round the corner from The Angel. ( A few customers can get very hands on on there, too sometimes). I've been to football matches at Sheepy Road and I've eaten in several of the town's hostelries. Its townspeople are an interesting bunch.   Eve Bryant and her team worked very hard to get this festival up and running,and to attract and hold the audiences.  Eve also did her personal best to accommodate the wishes of performers.  She admits to still being on a learning curve, but her willingness to be flexible, and to adapt, and her panoramic view of music bodes well for future Stonefests. I hope they'll invite us back-but I might bring a minder next time. 

Happy 14th Birthday to The Tump

       Karen Orgill has  been running this club, at three different venues, since 2003.It began in the Warwickshire village of Brinklow,named after the mound in the village which once supported a  Motte and Bailey Castle. When The Tump re-located to the outskirts of Coventry,at Coombe Social Club, I got to know the club properly. Black Parrot Seaside did a few spots there. Then it moved closer to the heart of Coventry,settling in The Humber Hotel. There BPS also  did a couple of Guest spots. 

       What an honour then, to be invited, by Kristy Gallagher and Karen to share in the Tump's 14th birthday celebrations by closing the evening at The Humber. I love this pub for several reasons. I grew up nearby, in Northfield Road. As a kid, a railway line spanned by a huge footbridge gave access from my street to all the factories which once surrounded The Humber.  

Kristy Gallagher

         Eleven years after I had moved away from the area, first to Wyken and then to Binley, I worked as a gardener for Coventry Parks Department helping to maintain all the surrounding parks and playing fields.  I spent my penultimate night as as a single man in there, when my mates in the Gosford Green staff bothy decided that they could not send me off to London to get married without a celebration. We knocked off early that afternoon and walked across to The Humber.  I was taken home afterwards in the back of a three wheel Lister truck with a 28lb bag of grass seed as a wedding present. Unaccountably, I don't remember that journey at all. 

          I also love it because of the fun I've had performing there. With Black Parrot Seaside, or solo and latterly with Nunc. I've seen the back concert room filled to bursting for Roddy Felton's Tribute night. And I've trialled a few of my own dodgy songs in the Front Room on Singer's nights,when a cold winter evening meant that only the brave and the foolhardy would set out to play sing or listen to music. 

           It is impossible to list all the artistes I've seen there simply because there are just so many.  Karen has established a reputation for kindness and generosity of spirit. So many poets, singers and bands have cut their teeth at The Tump in the Humber. So many revivals-first tentative steps back into public performance after a long break. So many debiuts-first steps along the Road to Somewhere. Some anxious, some over-confident,some inaudible. She has done her best to balance this with attracting top class names in as Special Guests. The public of Coventry have not always reacted kindly. The place deserves better support. But last night was one of the better ones. 

             Kristy opened proceedings with one of her own songs and a lovely version of "Dont Think Twice" before she selflessly handed the floor over to others. That's typical. She's a kind and thoughtful lady as well as being a wonderful artiste. She too has  worked hard to nurture and encourage new talent and to open doors for Coventry and Warwickshire audiences.  The photos that follow by the way, are mostly all courtesy of John Wright and John B. Smith. 
              Thereafter she linked,clapped,cheered and offered moral support from the floor as Rob Oakey, a long time stalwart supporter of The Tump (and host at The Sty across the other side of the city), led a procession of floor spots . Rob gave us a couple of tunes including a bit of audience participation with "Bonnie and Clyde." 

Rob Oakey

           I was delighted to see that Terry and Jan Wisdom were fit and well again. Earlier in the year they had to pull out of an appearance at Nuneaton Folk Club due to ill health. Everyone was disappointed so it was a relief to see this talented duo back to top form. I've just reviewed the much-hyped Shirley Collins album "Lodestar" for a magazine. Accomplished as Shirley still is,  I have to say that Jan's voice appears to be holding up much better. Her vocals are crystal clear,her syncopated guitar provides a solid framework for Terry to weave patterns of his own guitar magic.A bonus last night was that I finally managed to get my hands on their excellent album,"Highly Strung." 

Terry and Jan. She's on the right. 

      Amelia  Gascoigne-Roberts demonstrated that unique vibrato-style vocal brilliance with two of her own songs. Both thought-provoking in style and content,with excellent musical accompaniment. 

Amelia Gascoigne-Roberts

      On the night, we were treated to not one but two poetic recitations. Ray gave us two interesting reflections on some of the more hypothetical aspects of Life including time management. And trying to remember, at the top of the stairs,what you actually went up there for. 

Ray

             John B. Smith demonstrated that his talents extend beyond excellent photography and into Poetry,with a clever poem about a part of Kim Kardashian's anatomy. Later on, John would demonstrate a third gift, that of providing the most soulful vocals during the call and response section of "Bring It On Home To Me." 

John B. Smith

       A set from John Wright and Hilary Wilson closed the first half. They were better than I had ever heard them. Which is not to say that they are not usually pretty good anyway, but this was a sophisticated and very tight musical performance. Atmospheric songs,some self-penned, and an excellent finale featuring "Ride On," with the audience taking up the choruses enthusiastically. Two guitars and voices perfectly synchronised. Nice. 

John and Hilz

           During the interval there were cakes and nibbles laid on by Karen's mum, to reinforce the party atmosphere. Then it fell to the enigmatic Cliff Hands to start the second half. His very first plucked note broke a string,and so a replacement instrument had to be quickly served up. I'd seen him before and had enjoyed his mean and moody delivery then. Some quality lyrics and his economic,mesmerising chord runs got us into a very atmospheric place. He led us through a series of cleverly spun imagery and a clutch of dramatic, songs like "Things are going to change", and "Hometown Love Story."  I hope he won't mind me saying that he sings and a writes a little like early Dylan,and has a hungry,lean look and sound about him.  It's meant very much as a compliment. On the strength of his set I bought two of his albums. I was not disappointed with either of them. 

Cliff Hands

        So it was Nunc's turn. We took to the stage, though we didn't stay on it all the time, and took the audience through a series of covers each of which had a chorus. The usual run of songs by Caey Chambers,John Prine,Sam Cooke et al. A new-ish CSNY mash-up seguing "Find The Cost of Freedom " into Neil Young's "Ohio." And  "Knocking on Heaven's Door," which has emerged from nowhere over the last couple of months to be a proper crowd-pleaser. The audience hollered along gamely with them all, including our encore- John's fabled composite of Bob Marley meeting The Irish Rover.

Looks like we are all singing.

      A glorious night. A lovely night. We always feel good driving away from The Humber, Perhaps it's because Uncle Bill and my dad used to work across the road assembling rear axles in 'A' Shop? 

Paper Daisies

       Sometimes you can overdo the superlatives. Sometimes even the most erudite will run out of new adjectives. But in truth, there wasn't much about July 2017's Nuneaton Folk Club session last night that wasn't quite extraordinary. 

      The title "Folk Club" scares some people away still,with its connotations of knitted ties, pipe-smoking sandal-wearing beatniks and crusty old warhorses still murmuring long-forgotten tales of woe or bellowing out shanties. People sitting in circles,or in rows, perhaps knitting as they nod their heads wearily in time to the music. In truth I don't know of many places like this, but that myth still scares away some potential audience members,and it makes some relatively new performers think that,well ,maybe their material might not meet with audience approval. 

       We gave a lot of thought to naming our club before the launch in October 2014,but we went for simplicity and just hoped they'd come. Boy, did they! Another full house last night. Beforehand we had doubts about the weather. Remembering a July night at The Crown when Sean Cannon had them queuing to get in,despite it being 36 degrees centigrade outside even before we got under way.

        Once again we had a few logistical problems beforehand, and a few who did not make the final team sheet because late illnesses had poleaxed them. And although The Crown has its assets,it is not always an easy room to manage,with its stairs, the heavy traffic outside and a long trek to the bar. But as we so often do, in the teeth of adversity, we provided a first class FREE entertainment for those who came along. And yes, it was hot by the way.  Inside and out,but once the sun had gone down and we'd flung the fire escape doors open, the background rustle of Folk Monthly magazines employed as fans subdued to a murmur. 

         We have never shied away from showcasing new talent at Nuneaton. Young, fresh talent. With Nunc having done a fair amount of Open Mic as well as Folk Clubs, we have come across relatively youthful performers on our travels who employ innovative and precocious skills to give older material a new face to wear. Rarely has this not worked for us, and last night was a prime example. Combining the best of the local scene in terms of experience and tradition, and adding to it a dash of fresh air, this is a heady recipe guaranteed to stir up a night of pure enjoyment. 

           Of the former, you won't get much more grizzled and experienced than John Kearney and Geoff Veasey, two thirds of Nunc pressed into service as the divine Flossy McDougall was taken ill shortly beforehand. In a hastily re-arranged opening, we cobbled together a combination of our own songs which have served us well when appearing as a duo. Fortunately they are songs a lot of the audience know and enjoy singing. They did not need "warming up"-far from it-but that's what we did. And so it was that "Albert Balls,"  "Di Di The Ice Cream Man " and the shamelessly filthy "Folking Liberty " got them singing straight away.

John and Geoff modelling modest sunwear

       JK stayed on to keep up the momentum with " Jolly Boys" and a song he dedicated to his Appraisal meeting earlier in the day.  He then stayed on stage to accompany Sue Sanders. They got the feet tapping and the hands clapping with some robust guitar and fiddle magic. I'm sure I heard "Marie's Wedding " and "Captain Pugwash" in there somewhere. Given the long road Sue has travelled, she has shown remarkable courage resilience to bounce back. It was lovely to see her back on a stage again and to hear the magic she coaxes from the bow.

Sue Sanders. John is there. But you can't see him.

         We had to give JK a rest then before he passed out. Bob Brooker,a popular visitor, and bravely eschewing his beloved shorts, climbed onto the stage and entertained us with two songs and an instrumental. "Wild Geese" was a request. I had thought to ask him to do "Stockton Town"-another cover of a Sean Cooney song he does full justice to,but I had no need, as that followed second.

And then he pulled off one of the comedy stunts of the evening by announcing "I always like to name this after the town I'm playing in," and then mischievously introducing it as " The Beduff  Hornpipe " to a storm of theatrical pantomime hissing and boos from Nuneatonians..

Bob Brooker. He's a right Wag.

         Paul Moore and Jon Harrington, two thirds of Blues Monkey took to the stage next and gave us three songs again hallmarked by masterful guitar playing and harp-blowing. These two had guested in Mac Awe On Tour's 2x 50 minute marathons at Nuneaton Beer Festival last month. That Paul. He's so damn versatile. Does Ceilidh's as well. When does he ever stay home? 

Blues Monk-Jon and Paul. (Where's Ringo?) 

             What better counterpoint to all this musical dexterity and wide-ranging repertoire than to introduce Glyn Finch to set up our opening guest spot. With his bell bottom loons,flowing hair and black beard, Glyn is every inch the personification of Rock.

Glyn on a chair. dave behind trying to free the di lead. 

Those who had seen him at NFC before knew they were in for a treat,but those who hadn't looked a little anxious as he launched into a percussive rendition of " Hard Times" The fireworks don't just come from the guitar,either. Glyn by turns growls,howls and croons his vocals-he has an impressive range. As the light outside faded, I had to interrupt to switch the stage lights on, so we could see him better.  At this point, to better enhance his dramatic and unique rendition of "The Pink Panther " theme he jumped onto a chair, giving our sound man apoplexy as the guitar lead strained to break free from the D.I. box.

       With a master stroke Glyn finished with a version of "Heartbreak Hotel."  The audience were desperate to sing along with it. But they just couldn't. Elvis eat your heart out. Next month,Glyn has a longer spot with an extended set before the interval. You have been warned. 

          Glyn's Rock God cameo was the first musical piece we had seen from someone playing whilst actually standing on a chair. (Most of our guest musicians tend to just sit on them. Or stand up. A few could not ever get onto a chair. let alone get off one again). The first of several historic and groundbreaking firsts last night. Jennian King,decided (wisely) to forego her boots, and performed barefoot. A brave decision. Had she seen that stage before i swept it at lunchtime. Well....she might have decided otherwise....

         For, with another personnel change (one of three trios on that night who had done some late juggling), it was then Paper Circus time. I just love watching faces in the audience when Jennian starts singing. You can easily pick out those who have not heard her before. Their mouths drop open. With masterful musical accompaniment from Siraj Nagar and Stephen Clarke (and a spot on the electric piano herself), she employed that beautiful,flawless voice to pick out classics such as "Wild Mountain Thyme" and " She Moved Through The Fair."  And still managed to have a go at a Massive Attack. Introducing it as apologetically as "not Folk." Yes it is. Not traditional maybe-but teardrop as they did it was delicious.  

          It was one of those moments. It must be how audiences felt when they heard a young Sandy Denny/ The Circus and their ebulient following the Paper Clipettes, tore the house down with haunting,melodic music. "Lagan Love" : " I am stretched on your Grave." And another first- "Dacw Nghariad," a song sung mostly in Welsh. I wonder if tpaper Circus realise quite how good they are? Mesmeric. Even The Folk Monthly improvised fans stopped flapping. 

Suraj, Jennian and Stephen

           With the audience almost punch drunk at their good fortune, we had a brief interval before an improvised House Band opened the second half with "Knocking On Heaven's door." This song has just emerged to become a staple item of Nunc's set list,and is characterised by wonderful audience chorus singing at every venue we've played. NFC audiences are renowned for their singing-but last night was exceptional. They must have heard Dylan's anthem  over in the Bus Station. 

The Astley Castle Collective. And Fan. 

        Another first followed (or so he tells us) in that a delighted Bob Brooker actually won a raffle prize. Just after he stood up waving his tickets about and moaning "How come I never win the bloody raffle?" That got one of the biggest cheers of the night. 

Bob does Seasick Steve

        It was then time to hand the evening over to the temporarily fragmented Daisybell for them to take us on home. At the end of quite a tour, they had virtually run out of CD's and had also lost Anya somewhere along the way. This not detract from their performance, but did mean that they had to re-arrange their set list at late notice. This was at its most evident when they did "Miners Winter." Those of us who see The 'Belle regularly know that Anya does a solo in that,but Katherine and Ginnie were sure-footed,exchanging a grin before moving seamlessly on to the second part of the song. 

Daisybell. Far Out. Man (or should that be Women?)

            There was a tense moment when Katharine seemed to be disappearing underneath a spaghetti of stage cabling. This caused a stir among the younger faction at the back of the room as Katherine squealed " OOH! I'm Tripping!"  ( I don't think she meant it quite like that m'dears!)  By her own admission she can be accident prone at times,but the moment was rescued. 
         Their well-deserved encore was the excellent Dave Taylor cover of a song about a Pirate Crew which was (definitely) more than it seemed. Very funny and very entertaining. Daisybell, whether depleted or not, always work hard, and deliver a varied catalogue of songs. They play loads of instruments, including Son of Ukele and Ginnie's Bongos-which have always drawn gasps of admiration from a certain contingent. They sing and play songs that make  you think, songs that make you tap your feet, sing along and smile. (Though not necessarily always at the same time).  They may well have run out of CD's and are going for a  re-pressing-but you can still order them online or via Facebook. 

            Exhausted, we all flopped out into another sultry Costa del Nunny night and made our way home to soak in an ice bath. Get well soon Flossy and Anya. You are loved and you were missed.