SETH LAKEMAN AT THE PRINCESS PAVILIONS, FALMOUTH (12TH APRIL)

Reviewed by Brian Damage

The anticipation in the atmosphere could be cut with a knife on the night Seth Lakeman chose to grace the stage with his up beat modern folk music, while the audience watched the opening act on stage at the Princess Pavilions, Falmouth last Wednesday night. Dan Donnelly strolled on to the stage like a stagehand doing a sound check, but started to play his guitar. Support acts are usually trying to upstage the headliners or riding on their coat tails, but Dan Donnelly was a true musician. By that I mean that he let his music do the talking and never once made the audience feel anything other than lucky to be witnessing such a talent. (The only other time that I`ve seen such an event was at the old Cornish Colisium in St.Austell when an old man with a wooden chair and a battered old acoustic strolled to centre stage without introduction or fanfare and played the most wonderful blues in support of the equally fabulous Rory Gallagher, back in `87). Donelly’s music was a breathe of fresh celtic air for all those who are sick of bands that use hype over talent as a way to rise to the top.

And then it was the turn of the evening`s main turn, mercury music award nominee and radio 2 folk musician of 2005, Mr. Seth Lakeman. He strolled onto the stage as if it was his frontroom and we were all house guest of his. As the lights went down the excitement levels went up creating an electric atmosphere. As a multi-instrumentalist, Seth whips out his guitar, violin and then ukulele at the drop of a hat, amazing the audience not only with his powerful voice but also with his passionate delivery. The tight backing band enhancing his vocal talent have been with him for many months now and created an almost instinctive style that turns on a note like surfers on an aural wave. Song after song from his award winning Kitty Jay album was intermingled with the new material from this year`s Freedom Fields, creating a spectural and bewitching evening in the presence of one of the West Country`s most skilled musicians. Folk music for the soul.

(Interview with Seth Lakeman by Alex Kendall above)