The Live Room
The best all round roots music club in West Yorkshire
Friday 2nd May 2025
Photos & Video by Keith Belcher
We were treated to a wonderful show by New Zealand/USA duo who we first saw at the Folk Alliance Conference in New Orleans in 2020. Great harmonies, songs and musicianship, and great humour too.
Sunday 27th April 2025
Photos & review by Ron Pengelly
A mesmerising fusion of music from around the world from guitarist & producer Justin Adams and violinist & percussionist Mauro Durante on Sunday evening.
And once again, top tier musicians who loved playing to the hugely appreciative Live Room audience and the very warm welcome they received.
Another brilliant show, one to remember.
Friday 11th April 2025
Photos by Ron Pengelly
What an incredible night we had with Earl, the band and Sister Leola! We were transported to the US South and into a Sunday church service with Earl as the pastor! Supported by a fantastic four-piece band: Ed Cleveland, drums; Roger Inniss, bass; Daniel Moriyama and Noah Williams on keys, Earl and Sister Leola (Brittany Cooper – Contralto, Danielle Dredden -Alto, Symphonie Johnson – Soprano) almost took the roof off the club and had everyone in the audience on their feet. It was an incredible show and one we were so lucky to see here in Saltaire.
Earl really loves playing here at TLR and genuinely wants to bring the whole band back to play for us again. We bet there won’t be many who won’t be queuing up to see him again!
Sunday 6th April 2025
Photos and videos by Keith Belcher
Sunday 30th March 2025
Photos, review and videos by Keith Belcher
Sunday 30th March 2025. A superb show from The Sean Taylor Trio, accompanying Sean tonight were Mike Seal on upright bass and Paulina Szczepaniak on percussion and keyboards. Great songs, great lyrics, great and very skilled and varied music, not to mention great humour and enjoyment. Well worth a night out if you can make one of their gigs. A really cracking night.
Sunday 16th March 2025
Photos, review and videos by Keith Belcher
Happy St. Patrick’s Day. On St. Patrick’s Eve, Sunday 16th March 2025 we had the first visit to TLR in the flesh of Daoirí Farrell. He had appeared to TLR viewers via streaming during the lockdown (20th November 2020 to be exact).
It took a while but eventually we had a cracking real live show from Daoirí. Having followed Daoirí Farrell since his career started, and having seen him many times, I was overjoyed to eventually see him at TLR.
I’m admittedly very biased but it was a brilliant night with Daoirí displaying his musical virtuosity on bouzouki and shruti box. His superb voice also being a magnificent instrument in it’s own right.
There was also some very amusing , comical banter and jokes to keep the audience well amused between the songs. A very good time was had by all.
plus support Rob Shore with Lucio Rubino
Sunday 9th March 2025
Photos, review & video by Keith Belcher
Joseph Arthur & Melanie Gabriel on Sunday 9th March 2025. By the end of the night I understood why the promoters Ron and Hilary were so excited about the prospect of this gig. I can only say WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If anyone would like to explain to those not there just what was going on during this show please feel free. It was quite exceptional.
Some shots of the night including two taken off stage in the darkness when Joseph joined the crowd and did a couple of laps of the room.
There was an opening set from Joe’s ex-manager, Rob Shore, accompanied by guitarist Lucio Rubino.
Friday 7th March 2025
Photos & review by Keith Belcher, video by Folkscape Live
Friday 7th March 2025. The long awaited visit of Josienne Clarke and band singing the songs of Sandy Denny. It was superb , Josienne’s wonderful voice doing immense justice to the songs. They quite rightly got a spontaneous standing ovation. The band were Matt Robinson keys, Dave Hamblett drums, Alec Bowman- Clarke bass, Lukas Drinkwater, guitars. The entire event was streamed via Folkscape , people tuned in from Canada, USA, Ireland and many other European countries.
Sunday 2nd March 2025
Photos & videos by Keith Belcher
What a show we had from the ‘Queen of Oklahoma’ on Sunday night. Carter and her band were absolutey superb. She’s a great songwriter with a soulful voice and a magnetic stage presence. Her album, Gold, is not far from our turntable here at TLR central, you should grab a copy!
Opening for Carter is TLR favourite, Joe Martin, who we’re looking forward to seeing with his band and a new album here in 2026.
Sunday 2nd February 2025
Review, photos and videos by Keith Belcher
Lewis ‘Burner’ Pugh gave us a very strong opening set this evening. His songs particularly struck a chord with me because my dad was conscripted into the coal mines during the war and he also told me that he had demonstrated against Oswald Mosely. Lewis has strong song writing and performance skills. A very strong and strong performer. Good voice and guitar work too. I wouldn’t mind seeing him given his own TLR show.
Yes, Lewis had a very impressive voice and another great guitarist. Loved his songs with the mix of his own and from other, older writers. His own writings reminded me of how people used to get the news of local events from the ‘broadsheets’ or ‘broadsides’, in that he related stories of disaster, murder and retribution or communities rising against those con artists who most definitely didn’t have their best interests at heart. All done with a very human aspect.
Ron and Hilary at The Live Room have wanted Parker at Saltaire for a long time. He didn’t disappoint. A solo show, one man, one guitar, a great bunch of songs and a fantastic voice. He was pleased to announce that his shows so far, had all been sell outs. He’d travelled down from Edinburgh , going the scenic route and seeing many multi coloured sheep en route which intrigued him. Far better than branding as they do in the States , he said. His songs are very observant and heartfelt. His diction while either talking or singing is crystal clear. Its a real asset for a songwriter. A lot of the crowd were attending TLR for the first time. He had drawn people in from far and wide and stating it again , he didn’t disappoint. I would say everyone left feeling very satisfied, nay , very happy.
There was a couple sitting next to my videoing perch who obviously knew his music far better than I did. From the oohs and aahs they were in raptures throughout the show and I guess this was a feeling shared by many in the audience. When he sang Palisade towards the end of the show they upped and did a slow dance, oblivious to the room.
Great guitar work and a truly passionate soulful voice which could go from zero on the scale to 11 (in true Spinal Tap fashion). He opened the show with Your Water, a song he has duetted with the great Sarah Jarosz . He has extremely good taste in his female collaborators . On his new album he also duets with the very wonderful Gillian Welch on the title track, Wilderness Within You. The songs were old and new, soft and powerful, ranging from his first album Palisade to the latest, Wilderness Within You, there was also a superb Van the Man cover as well. He finished with a new , as yet unreleased song , Before The Curtain Closes .
This was a truly great show by a magnificent singer, writer and performer. I’d love to spend far more time reviewing to do it justice but take my word for it , go and see him and you won’t be disappointed. There was a serious queue for merch and many, many requests for photos with Parker. It would be fair to say that the TLR crowd would really like him to return.
