OTBT Mix 11 May 2026

Playlist for the next Off The Beaten Tracks radio show on Ginger Feather. The Fairport song was originally recorded for their first album with Judy Dyble on vocal. This is a different version from the Sandy Denny compilation album A Boxful of Treasures with Sandy on vocals. 

Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman are playing at Garstang Library on Thursday the 14th of May. Tickets are £15 cash on the door and it starts at 7:30pm.

The Unthanks - The Scarecrow Knows
Bert Jansch - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Thea Gilmore - London
Janice Burns & Jon Doran - As I Roved Out
Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman - Call My Name
Richard & Linda Thompson - The Great Valerio
The Unthanks - Magpie
June Tabor - The King of Rome
Daimh - Harris Dance
Benji Kirkpatrick - Stone Free
Fairport Convention w/ Sandy Denny - I Don't Know Where I Stand
Judy Dyble - Better Side of Me (Unreleased Demo)
Pentangle - Lady of Carlisle
John Lennon - Crippled Inside
Daryll Scott - The World is Too Much with Me
The Stanley Brothers - Angel Band 

Listen now at - https://www.mixcloud.com/cmbertram/otbt-mix-11-may-2026/

The Unthanks at Lancaster Grand Theatre

Most of the entertainment provided by The Grand Theatre tends to be tribute bands along with comedy gigs and am-dram productions so it was a rare treat to have Rachel and Becky Unthank come to town with their full backing band.

The first few numbers were as a 4-piece of Rachel and Becky with Adrain McNally on piano and Niopha Keegan on fiddle and harmony vocals. The three of them singing together was just beautiful. Niopha then joined three other string players and one highlight was hearing The Testimony of Patience Kershaw with the string quartet accompaniment. 

One thing I noticed is that they do like having a lot of trumpet solos and while Lizzie Jones is certainly a very good trumpeter, I did find that it got a bit excessive during the first set. The second set was more enjoyable partly due to it including Magpie / The Scarecrow Knows the latter song having been on the soundtrack of the Mackenzie Crook TV series of Worzel Gummidge.

Being used to June Tabor's recording of The King of Rome, it came as something of a (pleasant) surprise to hear The Unthanks perform it with their full band which also included Chris Price on guitar, Dan Rogers on upright bass and Martin Douglas on drums. I'm hoping I've got the names right - I couldn't make out much of the band introductions but the three of them all played on the Mount The Air album.

Throw in a bit of clog dancing and they got a standing ovation at the end, though the encore was spoiled a bit when the lights on the stage were directed right in our faces up in the circle. The lights had been very effective earlier when they shone on the theatre ceiling but the encore rather took the shine off things, so to speak.

The expanded line-up plays in Bristol tonight and then the four of them carry on with the rest of the tour. 

https://www.the-unthanks.com/schedule/

Off The Beaten Tracks playlist 4 May 2026

Mainly old stuff this week with a few tracks from more recent releases in the middle. 
Tune in on Mixcloud now or on Ginger Feather FM from Monday at 1pm or 8pm.

Crosby, Stills & Nash - Shadow Captain
Carole King - So Far Away
America - Don't Cross The River
Canned Heat - Sugar Bee
Led Zeppelin - That's The Way
Aoife O'Donovan - The King of All Birds (live)
Daniel Kimbro - River's Daughter
Elle Cordova - Honey From The Bee
Pokey LaFarge - Made To Be Loved
Rosanne Cash - I Don't Want To Spoil The Party
Asleep At The Wheel - The Wheel Boogie
Neil Young - Long May You Run (live)
Phil Ochs - Flower Lady
Marianne Faithfull - Scarborough Fair
Crosby & Nash - Southbound Train

OTBT Irish music mix April 2026

Having heard of the death of Clannad singer Moya Brennan I've put together a mix of music by mostly Irish singers and bands. You can listen to it now on Mixcloud.

The Pogues - Dirty Old Town
The Dubliners - Whiskey in the Jar
Polly Barrett - P Stand For Paddy
Cara Dillon - Black is the Colour
Van Morrison - Dweller On The Threshold
Nuala Kennedy - Death and the Lady
The Alt - What Put The Blood
Clannad - Theme From Harry's Game
Karan Casey - The Fiddle and The Drum
Oisin Leech - Malin Gales (ft. Dónal Lunny, Tony Garnier, Roisin McGrory)
Kate Bush - Hello Earth
Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh - Western Highway
Simon Murphy - Ghosts
Grainne Duffy - Killycrum
Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and John Doyle w/ Heidi Talbot - Bedlam Boys 

Off The Beaten Tracks 13 April 2026

Playlist for my Ginger Feather FM show for the week starting Monday the 13th April. You can listen now on Mixcloud. 

The Unthanks play Lancaster Grand theatre on Friday the 1st of May. 

Show of Hands - Roots
ATFK - It's Meant To Feel Better Than It Looks
The Unthanks - Nobody Knew She Was There
Billy Bragg and The Blokes - England, Half English
Kathryn Roberts - Baby Can I Hold You
Belshazzar's Feast - The Wild Rover
The Haar - The Lakes of Pontchartrain
The Chair - The Dark Maid
The Alt - Falkirk Fair
Skipinnish - Alba
Ewen McLennan - Wild Mountain Thyme
Richard Thompson - Train Don't Leave
Bonnie Raitt - When The Spell is Broken
Tom Waits - Frank's Song 

Easter Mix

I felt like putting a mix together with a vaguely religious theme for Easter weekend. 

Listen on Mixcloud 

Patti Smith - Gloria In Excelsis Deo
The Black Crowes - Good Friday
Nirvana - Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam
Raphael Rudd - Magic Grace
Frank Turner - Glory Hallelujah
Kula Shaker - Great Hosannah
John Mellencamp - John The Revelator
Manic Street Preachers - Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel
George Harrison - P2 Vatican Blues
John Lennon - God
Johnny Cash - Personal Jesus
Blind Boys of Alabama - Jesus Gonna Be Here
Jackie Venson - Down By The Riverside / Up Above My Head
Reverend Freakchild - Death Don't Have No Mercy
Bob Dylan - Gates of Eden 

Off The Beaten Tracks 6 April 2026

To coincide with the Artemis II moon mission I've selected songs and instrumental pieces with a lunar theme including two numbers from Fairport's most recent studio album Shuffle and Go. 

Listen now on Mixcloud or from Monday on Ginger Feather FM

The Imagined Village - Space Girl 
John Renbourn & Wizz Jones - Balham Moon 
Fairport Convention - Moondust And Solitude 
Megan Henderson - Flight of Fancy 
Karine Polwart - Whole of The Moon 
Salt House - Staring At Stars 
Kate Rusby - Daughter of Heaven 
Eddi Reader - Moon River 
Bill Malkin & Band Wagon - Expecting To Fly 
Honey & The Bear - Everything Will Be Ok 
Bella Hardy - Full Moon Over Amsterdam 
RURA - Journeys Home 
Fairport Convention - Shuffle and Go