The best all round roots music club in West Yorkshire
Category: Gig reviews
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 ……
videos by keith belcher
Amanda Rheaume - I Won't Hide
Amanda Rheaume - Keep A Fire in the Rain
Hannah Scott - The Boy in the Frame
Hannah Scott -
Nov 10 2024
Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra
Sunday 13th October 2024
Photos & Video by Keith Belcher
It was a sparkling evening with Rob and the band on their second visit here, this time with their new album, Feet First. A great night of honky tonk, Western Swing, old school rock & roll and country. Rob is a sharp and very funny songwriter.
videos by ketih belcher
Blood In The Water
Honest Man Blues
Good Lovin'
Oct 16 2024
Owen Spafford & Louis Campbell
Sunday 6th October 2024
Photos and video by Keith Belcher, review by Mike Latham
Well, that was interesting. I think that I should have paid more attention to the information supplied when the concert was announced. The first two tunes, to me, followed the usual pattern of tunes and then, subsequent ones went in different directions whilst remaining true to the original themes. I thought, ‘Hmm, a bit of experimentation going on’; then Owen referred to the experimentations that Louis performed in his other guitar duo. The penny dropped.
I have recently read the Robin Denselow update of ‘The Electric Muse’ where he looks at the developments within ‘folk music’ in the latter half of the last century and in to the current period. He was emphasising the changes and experimentation carried out by Davy Graham and Shirley Collins, Fairport and Steeleye, The Incredible String Band and Pentagle. All used the songs and tunes from the past and updated them to attract new listeners and that process continues through Bellowhead, The Imagined Village and Lankum.
We have seen Jon Boden and the Remnant Kings, The Paul McKenna Band and now Owen and Louis using those self same tunes and creating their own interpretation of broadside and parlour songs, folk songs and dance tunes. Each taking the popular tunes and songs of the past and putting them into a contemporary context, proving that ‘folk music’ is not a thing of the past but a living, continuous strand of people’s lives.
Last comment; I have found the musicianship and dedication of the younger performers we are seeing more recently to be truly astonishing. Owen and Louis were no different, a wonderful duo.
Videos by Keith Belcher
Pop Goes The Weasel
Two Brothers
Oct 6 2024
The Paul McKenna Band
Sunday 29th September 2024
Review, photos and videos by Keith Belcher
29th September 2024. The return visit of the Paul McKenna Band who last visited on 15th February 2022. It was a great night then and a great night in 2024 as well. A different line up, Paul on main vocals and guitar, two usual band members in Conal McDonagh on pipes and whistles, Robbie Grieg on fiddle. Adam Rhodes of Imar stood in for Conor Markey on bouzouki and Eoghainn Beaton playing bodhran. Last time we had Ewan Baird on bodhran. Conor was tending to urgent family matters.
I’ve pretty much given up detailed reviews but here’s one that may help to investigate Paul’s back catalogue.
A great night of music with Paul’s very distinctive voice leading the way. The pace and delivery were mixed. Opening with the uptempo Mickey Dam, the only song that features the town Milngavie (pronounced Mil-gai) in the lyrics. From that into Beyond The Day, a gentle and delicate song, a Paul co-write with Canada’s Dave Gunning. Paul continued with a tip of the hat to Christy Moore’s singing of One Last Cold Kiss, a story of a bereaved Nantucket Swan whose mate for life was shot by a hunter. Strangely, that song had heavy rock origins as it was written by Gail Collins and Felix Pappalardi of Mountain who gave it a heavy rock treatment by their band, Mountain. I think the versions by Paul, Christy and Luka Bloom are more apt and fitting to the song content.
One Last Cold Kiss was the first song played from the new CD EP Setting Sun. Solid Ground from the CD followed, a Dougie MacLean song. Dougie being best known for Caledonia but he has written a lot superb songs than Caledonia which is probably the unofficial Scottish National Anthem. On a roll, Western Island, also from the new CD followed.
A cover of another Scottish legend, Archie Fisher. A Paul song Indiana was next. Some great audience involvement during No Ash Will Burn, a song I first heard by Molly O’Brien (Tim’s sister), covered by many people but written by Walt Aldridge. Paul taught the chorus to the audience and they took it from there. Throughout the set the interplay between all instruments was superb, Adam Rhodes stayed mainly in the shadows at the back of the stage but the bouzouki playing was excellent.
The bodhran playing was also excellent, reminding me of the great Andy Cutting on boxes, everything was there without being prominent or getting in the way of the song, there were some lovely touches which brought comments from Paul and applause from the audience. Paul gave detailed back stories about all the songs, what they meant to him, how they came about. Even a tale of living in Orlando for a year (in a Mickey Mouse suit!). It’s always great to have the song introduced properly, so many artists give no background or even titles. Many could learn much from Paul’s rapport with an audience.
Only one CD on the Merch table , Setting Sun, with due deference to the ever decreasing numbers of CD players there was also a coaster which gave the appropriate download code for Bandcamp. Anyone unaware of Bandcamp operations should check it out as you can download in a variety of formats and on certain Fridays all monies go directly the artists. Jeff Bezos doesn’t do that! It also takes many plays on Spotify etc to get enough money for a cup of coffee! The role of a grass roots travelling musician is generally not a glamorous one.
A Tim O’Brien song, John Riley opened the second set. You got the feeling that Paul is a great admirer of Tim O’Brien (who will be back at TLR early next year). I share the feeling. I am a long time fan. Tim and Molly O’Brien were the first artists to record a Gillian Welch song, way back when. A Paul composition The Dream followed. The much covered Banks Of The Moy followed, some debate as to the writer of the song, some list it as traditional.
An interesting co write between Tim O’Brien and Paul was next, Can You See Me Sister?, a song all about Thomas Jefferson’s many illegitimate children, they were born slaves but emancipated on his deathbed. To close the set Paul played Home, a song about his love for the city of Glasgow and how it always calls him home, no matter where he is in the world. Home will always be home. The usual pantomime of leaving the stage with Paul returning to perform a solo version of Cold Missouri Waters. The band then joined the stage for a cracking version of John Spillane’s song Passage West. The instrument playing and interplays was superb, the singing excellent, the audience participation and appreciation also excellent. I have no doubts that Paul and his band will be very welcome to return for a third visit.
Videos by Keith Belcher
One Last Cold Kiss
No Ash Will Burn
Cold Missouri Waters
Oct 2 2024
Jon Boden & The Remnant Kings
Thursday 26th September 2024
Photos by Ron Pengelly, review by Pete Lambert
What an absolute delight it was! Jon Boden and friends never disappoint, do they?
I was at least one who did buy the 2019 album ‘The Rose in June’. It is a fabulous song, but I think no recording could ever be a match to hearing and seeing and experiencing it live. It was a complete triumph of musicianship, tension, emotion, build and climax with a tremendous meld of instruments and then the vocals….. which were on a different, heavenly plane. Jon was not joking when he said it was a long one, and I counted 14 verses on the sleeve notes, not to mention the verse and double chorus of that beautiful hymn “Hallelujah, send the glory” (not sure that is the title but I am about to look it up!)
…………….a supremely talented bunch of people who swapped instruments with consummate ease through fiddle to oboe to cor anglais to slide to guitar to concertina to double to electric bass, to drums to keys and masterful vocals from Jon himself. And all of them sang in fabulous harmony and to top it all each of them played concertina together on one of the songs!
As a trumpet and flugelhorn player myself, I would have loved that addition, though they would have needed an extra stage!
Don’t miss it next time, whatever you do ! Truly awesome!
Pete Lambert
Oct 2 2024
Peter Bruntnell Band
Sunday 15th September 2024
Photos and video by Keith Belcher
A return visit from The Peter Bruntnell Band. Touring and playing music from new record (CD and vinyl) Houdini And The Sucker Punch The band is Peter Bruntnell guitar and main vocals, Mick Clews, drums, Dave Little , electric guitar and Peter Noone on bass.
videos by keith belcher
No Place Like Home
Out Of The Pines
Perfume River
Oct 2 2024
India Electric Company
Sunday 8th September 2024
Photos by Nigel Plant
Oct 2 2024
Kristian Bush
Sunday 1st September 2024
Photos & video by Keith Belcher
We were very lucky to secure the services of this multi-platinum selling, Grammy Award-winning artist here at TLR, and we weren’t disappointed, as Kristian, accompanied by his brother Brandon on keyboards, gave us a sparkling show, full of warmth and great songs. Another award winning artist, Jeff Cohen, opened the show and gave a very engaging performance that had the audience laughing. It was a mark of how popular the show was that we’ve rarely seen such a queue at the merch desk after the show!
videos by keith belcher
Jeff Cohen: Hey Love
Kristian Bush: A Different Way To Get There
Kristian Bush: All I Wanna Do
Kristian Bush: Giving It Up
Aug 28 2024
Andrew Combs
Sunday 25th August 2024
Photos, video by Keith Belcher; show comments from Kevin Thomas
We’d been chasing Andrew since about 2018 when we discovered him at Americanafest in Nashville, so we were very excited to bring this wonderfully talented singer songwriter to The Live Room for the first time. With a new record just released, Dream Pictures, Andrew was on a tour of the UK, Ireland and Europe. He was supported by Bradford Americana singer songwriter, Chris Dover.
Andrew Combs was a revelation to me. An excellent musician, very calm, composed and insightful. I really like his songs, delivered with a relaxed style that grows on you as the night proceeds. His modest, no bullshit patter is not typically American, another plus. The long queue to buy his albums at the end showed I was not the only one impressed. – Kevin Thomas