Gigs 2022

I'm not back to pre-pandemic gig-going levels but this has partly been down to me catching various bugs including Covid at the end of May. Of the gigs I did go to in 2022 here are a few brief reviews...

Fairport Convention - Morecambe

Good to see the chaps again, as they are affectionately called. My first Fairport gig in a while and I enjoyed hearing songs from their latest studio album 'Shuffle and Go'. Support was from Luke Jackson who was someone I'd been wanting to hear for a while and he didn't disappoint. A great young singer.

Faustus - Helmshore

Not a band I'd seen before though a friend had given me copies of a couple of their albums. The gig took place in the textile museum which may not have seemed like an obvious place for a gig but the acoustics in the former mill were fabulous and the three of them were on very good form. I bought a cd from Paul Sartin and little did any of us know that fate would deal such a cruel blow to his family, friends and fans by taking him away from us later in the year. 

Flook - Kendal

My only gig at the Brewery Arts Centre this year and while Flook were up to their usual high standard unfortunately the gig was somewhat spoiled by the over enthusiastic (and quite unnecessary) use of a smoke machine. Seemingly it was something outwith the band's control. Maybe the venue felt it was creating an atmosphere but instead they just made people cough and basically got that one wrong big time.

Lake District Folk Weekend - Staveley

An excellent afternoon's music with Bob Fox headlining and support coming from Hannah Saunders & Ben Savage and Scolds Bridle. Not a huge number of people in the audience but plenty around the village in other cafe venues and there were even some youngsters playing and singing in the car park as we left.

Martyn Joseph's Pipefest

Another opportunity to see Hannah and Ben at the annual Pipefest at Lancaster University along with Stephen Fearing and poet Patrick Jones which I've written about elsewhere on this blog.

Martin Stephenson & The Daintees - Glasgow

My first Daintees gig in I don't know how many years though I saw Martin in Settle a few years back. We missed the support act due to getting to Glasgow later than anticipated but Martin and his latest line-up of Daintees did not disappoint. There are so many great songs from the three albums they released back in the day and they played a good selection with plenty of banter from the man himself in-between songs.