Blog

Feb 10 2025

Jeff Cohen Writers Round – in association with Nashville Meets London

Sunday 26th January 2025

Review, photos and video by Keith Belcher

The Live Room, Caroline Street Social Club, Saltaire

Jeff Cohen with Ashley Campbell , Kezia Gill, Jade Helliwell and Steve Chrisanthou

Conducted along the lines of Songwriter’s Circle, the BBC 2 show from circa 2010/12. Three artists taking it in turn to introduce and sing a song. This show had 2 additional guests. Take my word for it , this was a truly great show. See the quotes below, taken mainly from TLR WhatsApp Group. Some shots of the night.

Quotes: (Thanks to Ron, Mike, Alun, Andy, Graham and Eric)

Someone (quite a few people actually ) left saying “Well, That’s show of the year sorted”

“It was fantastic entertainment from start to finish and everyone who took part was terrific”

” It was one of those truly magical nights, stunning from start to finish”

” Last night was such a warm, revealing and engaging experience. Each performance brought the individuality of voice, playing and writing of each artist and was enthusiastically received by the audience”

“Awesome, loving it, especially the girl from Batley”

“Off the scale”

“What a brilliant show. The girls singing was awesome – each different. Loved the way the Campbell girl paid so much attention and joined in on songs she didn’t really know”.

“Ashley’s song for her Dad Glen Campbell was a highlight of the evening. Very moving”

videos by keith belcher

Jeff Cohen - Holy Water

Ashley Campbell - Remembering

Kezia Gill - Sky High

Jade Helliwell - Lighthouse

Steve Chrisanthou - Put Your Records On

Feb 9 2025

Showman & Coole

Friday 24th January 2025

Photos and video by Keith Belcher

Two thirds of the Lonesome Ace Stringband from Canada, John Showman and Chris Coole showed us just what a great fiddler and banjo player can do. Superb harmonies and funny stories too! A wonderful evening of top class acoustic music from two of the best.

videos by keith belcher

Medley: Don't Leave Your Records In The Sun and Skippin' In The Mississippi Dew by John Hartford and a Chris Coole original, The Echo.

Feb 7 2025

Tim O’Brien & Friends

Friday 17th January 2025

Review, photos and video by Keith Belcher

Tim O’Brien with Jan Fabricius and Seamie O’Dowd, TLRFriday 17th January 2025. The Live Room, Caroline Street Social Club, Saltaire.

The first show at TLR last year was Tim O’Brien. Roll on a year and Tim O’Brien , Jan Fabricius and Seamie O’Dowd opened the music for 2025. Family reasons prevented Dermot Byrne appearing. Such is the calibre of these musicians that they adapted the arrangements to give a superb performance lasting over 2 hours. Tim & Seamie swapped instruments throughout the night.

Both played guitar, bouzouki and fiddle to a great standard. Jan played mandolin throughout and also contributed some lead vocals. Tim was in comedy mode in between songs and regaled the audience with humourous banter. Some new songs were played from a forthcoming album and the back catalogue was visited even including older Hot Rize classics as well as many old favourites.

2024 was a superb year for music at TLR. We were treated to some really awesome (a much overused word but appropriate here) performances . The line up for 2025 shows no sign of letting up. Two of the 3 shows this January are already sold out with few tickets left for the third. Tim and band got the year off to a great start. A capacity crowd were entertained with both songs and music of the highest standard. He can open again next year if he likes.

videos by keith belcher

Arthur Darley's Jig

I Breathe In

Keep Your Lap Trimmed and Burning

Dec 13 2024

A Winter Union 2024

Sunday 8th December 2024

Photos by Richard Leach

We don’t normally repeat shows year on year, but we made an exception with this one, as it’s such a brilliant and heartwarming Christmas show and a lovely way to end the year. The stage was suitably garlanded, the Christmas tree and lights up, sherry, prosecco, chocolates and mince pies out and the room full; we couldn’t have asked for more. Except for great music, which is exactly what we got from this wonderful quintet of superb musicians and singers. By the time the last few bars were played, everyone had sung their hearts out, enjoyed the munchies and were ready to wend their way home with a smile on their faces. Merry Christmas everyone!

Dec 6 2024

Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Hass

Sunday 1st December 2024

Review, photos and videos by Keith Belcher

Sunday 1st December 2024. The Live Room, Caroline Street Social Club, Saltaire. Another TLR debut, Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas graced the stage of The Live Room. The definition of graced being: “bring honour or credit to (someone or something) by one’s attendance or participation”.

We were certainly honoured by their presence and performance. They’ve been playing together for 25 years and it certainly shows in the best possible ways. Both were obviously virtuosos on their instruments but their mutual understanding, timing, phrasing was instinctively (seemingly) effortless.

Of the numerous comments on WhatsApp Eric possibly summed it up best: “Another stunner! This has to be the best year of TLR so far . So many great shows! Alasdair and Natalie are up there with the best. Many thanks to Hilary and Ron who are also great stars!”

Mike said: “The combination of both instruments was absolutely superb. It was often difficult to hear which was leading or which supporting as Alasdair and Natalie meshed them so closely together. Did I mention that it was superb?”

videos by keith belcher

A Lien of Alesund/The Kelburn Brewer

MacAlpine Strathspey & More

Nathaniel Gow's Lament for the Death of His Brother/The Gallowglass

Dec 6 2024

Track Dogs

Sunday 24th November 2024

Photos by Nigel Plant

It was the third visit of the Madrid-based quartet to TLR and their biggest crowd to date. In fact, the band said it was their biggest crowd – as a stand alone act – of their career! They have been building a reputation for their live shows over the past few years and they never leave an audience without huge smiles on their faces. Tonight was no different as they delivered another fabulous performance of their rootsy blend of folk, Americana, Latin rhythms and friendly air of chaos – a great night!

Dec 5 2024

Hannah James & Toby Kuhn

Friday 15th November 2024

Review, photos and video by Keith Belcher

Friday 15th November 2024. A rare Friday gig at TLR from Hannah James and cellist Toby Kuhn but what a gig!! I’m not going to say much about it. At the end of the gig after stopping the video recording I turned to Ron at the sound desk and said “that was just beautiful”, Ron nodded in complete agreement. It was superb. If you weren’t there , check them out.

Comments on WhatsApp included:

“A very different show which was a complete delight. Hannah James and Toby Kuhn wove a spell with their wonderful playing and songs…..One of the best gigs of the year in my opinion”

“Well, what a fantastic gig it was tonight. It will take me a few days to process and absorb it all….Overall their set gave me a feeling of warmth towards humanity and we need that”

AND….if , like me, you love the cello, we have another real treat coming up in a real scoop for TLR when Natalie Haas and Alasdair Fraser grace the Live Room stage on 1st December. That really is not to be missed. Track Dogs also make their third appearance on November 24th.

A few shots of the night. To be honest I felt a little churlish to be taking photographs and disturbing anyone’s enjoyment so I cut the photography a bit short..

Videos by keith belcher

Jealousy

Sheila's Tune

Tuulikki's Tune

Dec 5 2024

Joachim Cooder

Sunday 10th November 2024

Review, photos and videos by Keith Belcher

Sunday 10th November 2024. The debut appearance of Joachim Cooder at The Live Room. Accompanied by virtuoso old time fiddler Rayna Gellert. I hadn’t seen Joachim before but had seen Rayna a few times many years back when she was playing in the late lamented Uncle Earl band.

Rayna played fiddle and viola tonight as well as backing vocals and harmonies. Joachim was playing an electric Mbira and main vocals (photo below). A very interesting and intriguing, infectious sound in that the Mbira, an upsizing and adaptation of an African instrument obviously imparted an African vibe to the sound, this merged with Joachim’s self penned songs and several songs from the catalogue of Uncle Dave Macon (David Harrison Macon October 7, 1870 – March 22, 1952), known professionally as Uncle Dave Macon an American old-time banjo player and singer.

The banjo was originally an African instrument also so in many ways the adaptation of another African instrument continues a logical pairing (Darrell Scott’s Banjo Clark tells the story of the banjo in music-that’s today’s trivia!) Rayna contributed to the old timey vibe with her playing and 2 solo fiddle tunes. This was a rapidly sold out gig, well received by a very enthusiastic audience, some solid eclectic rhythms and sound, ably narrated throughout by Joachim. The tour and albums have been getting very good reviews.

videos by keith belcher

Hold The Woodpile Down

I Thought You Were A Goat No.1

Morning Blues

Nov 20 2024

Stephen Fearing

Sunday 3rd November 2024

Photos, videos and review by Keith Belcher

The long awaited, overdue visit of Stephen Fearing. It was worth the wait. Born in Vancouver in 1963, he moved at six years old with his mother to Dublin, his schoolmates included future members of U2. He is now based again in Canada.

Judging from the number of requests from the audience he had brought along a small army of dedicated followers. A really superb night, great songwriting, humour, storytelling and exceptional guitar work. I can’t really say much more other than I am also going to the sold out Filey show tonight (4th November) AND I’ve managed to travel to Filey and also done the shots.

Sound was superb (as usual), the lighting (not as usual) was also great. I really hope the next visit is next year when his new album should be available. A very satisfied and happy crowd went home in a great mood to start the coming week.

keith belcher videos

Early Morning Rain

Red Lights in the Rain

Someone Else's Shoes

Nov 20 2024

Hannah Scott & Amanda Rheaume

Sunday 20th October 2024

Review, photos and video by Keith Belcher

A double header of Amanda Rheaume (Canada) & Kyler Tapscott (Canada) and Hannah Scott (Suffolk)and Dave Banks (Bedford) In all honesty , not one of the best attended gigs at TLR BUT those extremely happy attendees who were there were VERY glad they attended.

A bit of a mixed audience in that there were those who had never heard of either act (but trusted Ron & Hilary’s judgement and taste) and those who had driven huge distances to follow the artists. So many people came up to Ron and Hilary at the end to just say how much they had loved the show.

Both acts were superb. The musicianship was superb, the storytelling sublime and concise and extremely personal. Great introductions to all the songs. The only thing wrong was that time didn’t allow us to hear more of each act. Perhaps in the future ……