The Live Room
The best all round roots music club in West Yorkshire
Sunday 29th January 2023
Photos by Keith Belcher
An evening of stunning songs, harmonies and musicianship from Lisa MacIsaac and Brenley MacEachern plus their friend Jake Dawson. We’d seen them at Folk Alliance in Montreal a few years back but we were still taken aback by just how brilliant a live performance they give. Technically brilliant, but like all great artists, moving, challenging, engaging and entertaining. For our capacity crowd, this was an evening not to forget.
Sunday 22nd January 2023
Review & photos by Keith Belcher
Sunday 22nd January 2023 at The Live Room at Saltaire
Illinois born, Nashville based multi instrumentalist Rachel Baiman opened the evening. This was Rachel’s second visit to TLR. The first being 27th April 2019 doubling with friend the fabulous Molly Tuttle. Rachel will soon be making her 3rd TLR appearance on March 17th as a headliner with her trio.
Rachel gave a great and varied opening set playing banjo, guitar and fiddle with vocals and songs to to match her musicianship. Rachel also made an appearance joining Sierra and Justin for their encore. This show could have been sold out twice. The enthusiastic audience coming from far and wide.
Playing hardly begins to cover the virtuoso performance of Sierra Hull and her hsband, Justin Moses. Sierra is Tennessee born and bred, now residing, where else?, but Nashville.
What a track record for one still so young. A Grand Old Opry debut at age 10, Rounder Records contract and first album at age 13. No wonder Sierra is so highly regarded by the Nashville cognoscenti.
What we got on Sunday night was nothing short of a musical masterclass and it all looked so so easy. I found myself counting the fingers on Justin and Sierra’s hands, so melodic, so fast and so synchronised, if there were notes dropped I wasn’t aware. Just breathtaking, the audience were both very appreciative and not surprisingly very, very impressed .
A superb gig. Sierra’s friend and opener Rachel Baiman joined Sierra and Justin on stage for the unavoidable encore. I don’t think the audience would have left without one.
Friday 20th January 2023
Review & photos by Keith Belcher
Friday 20th January, The Live Room.
Opening for Canadian Trio The Lonesome Ace Stringband were Phrase and Fable, a duo consisting of Maria Wallace and Phil Stott . Maria Wallace on vocals, claw hammer banjo and fiddle and Phil on vocals and guitar.
This was Lonesome Ace Stringband’s second visit to TLR. Last time was 15th September 2019. I saw them earlier that year sharing a double header with The Local Honeys at Celtic Connections on 26th January 2019. They would have been back a long time ago had it not been for you know what.
Like a fine wine they just carried on getting better and better and the audience had a real treat on Friday. They are Chris Coole on banjo, John Showman on fiddle and Max Malone on upright bass. Singing is divided between all three in both as soloists and harmonies.
Not surprisingly the show had been sold out for quite a while. A double gig weekend with Sierra Hull and Justin Moses (also sold out)on Sunday 22nd January. Judging from the very rapturous response from the audience they will be back.
Plus support from Henry Parker
Friday 6th January 2023
Review, photos and video by Keith Belcher
Friday 6th January 2023: The first gig of four at TLR, Saltaire this month. Local Keighley resident Henry Parker opened the gig with a short but very sweet set comprising a selection of his 4 CDs to date. The latest being a live limited issue release entitled Life After Lammas.
It had been a 3 year wait for the long anticipated and awaited debut of Leeds based songsmith Iona Lane with Malin Lewis. Singer Songwriter Iona Lane on main vocals and guitar and Malin Lewis award-winning piper, fiddler, composer and instrument-maker from Ardnamurchan and Skye playing fiddle, pipes and whistle. Iona studied for a BA (Hons) Music (Folk) with a scholarship at Leeds College of Music.
Since 2015, Iona has released three EPs: ‘Dry Stone Walls’ (2015), ‘Solace’ (2017) and ‘Pockets’ (2017) studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Recently releasing a first debut CD Hallival. Last year Malin makes Music released their first book of original music and was a winner of the “In tune with Nature” composing competition run by Scottish Natural Heritage and Feis Rois.
Sunday 11th December 2022
Review, photos and video by Keith Belcher
Sunday 11th December 2022, The Live Room at Saltaire, Caroline Street Social Club, Saltaire. Very cold outside but a warm welcome with complimentary drinks and food in abundance for TLR’s last gig of the year and the 300th gig since opening in May 2012. A great spread generously provided by Ron and Hilary to mark the event. A debut appearance for one of the UK’s premier Bluegrass Band The Often Herd.
A cracking good set from the band to celebrate the event. Great harmonies, songs and musicianship as well as great banter. Some shots below. I’m sure I speak for the regulars and many occasional visitors to TLR in thanking Ron and Hilary for all the shows and introducing us to many artists of all musical genres. Here’s to the next 300. Starting next year with the visit of Iona Lane and Henry Parker on January 6th.
plus support The Silver Reserve
Thursday 10th November 2022
Photos by Ron Pengelly
We were thrilled to see a sold out TLR for Thea’s first visit here and also really pleased that she asked our friend Matthew Sturgess aka The Silver Reserve to support her. The pairing of the two was inspired and their music complemented one another perfectly and made for superb evening.
While her material, specifically from the most recent album, Afterlight, was challenging, dealing with her experience of domestic abuse, Thea was anything but gloomy on stage. She was very funny, chatty and self deprecating, especially when talking about her choice of equipment and its shortcomings.
Using a mixture of live looping and a little backing track to enhance her songs, she gave us a stunning show. She really has one of the most beautiful and intimate voices you’ll ever hear. It’s no surprise that she has built a huge and dedicated following over the years.
We were also treated to a brilliant support set from The Silver Reserve, who won a bunch of new fans. We can’t wait to see him back here in March next year when he’ll be co-headlining with Bella Gaffney.
Sunday 13th November 2022
Photos and review by Keith Belcher
Sunday 13th November 2022, The Live Room, Caroline Street Social Club, Saltaire. The penultimate gig of 2022. A debut appearance from Irish/Scots trio Cua : John Davidson (fiddle, percussion, vocals) Shane Booth (guitar, vocals) and Ros O’Meara (bouzouki, guitar, percussion, vocals).
Their 5th UK tour, another band I was unaware of, thanks again Ron & Hilary. All live in Co Laois, John started life in Edinburgh but now lives in Co Laois also. A truly eclectic blend of musical styles and influences that delighted the very attentive and appreciative Live Room audience.
The range encompassed predictably the music of Ireland and Scotland but also ranged from the middle east to South America and all points in between (a Venezualan two step from Shane and John while Ros changed a bouzouki string!). By anyone’s standards this was a seriously musically diverse show whilst retaining a very personal stamp throughout.
Musicianship was superb as were the vocals. Several songs performed acappella that were just a treat for the ears. It wasn’t just the music though, the banter and bonhomie were also wonderful. All paces of music, soft and delicate at times very fast and driving at others. Indeed at some points in the show if some part of your anatomy wasn’t attempting to keep time with the music then you may need to check your level of medication or consult an audiologist. Hopefully they will be back in the near future.
Photos by audience members Grace Alderson, Gillian Harrison and Neal Heard
The first visit to TLR by this charismatic musician, originally from Guinea but now based in Cardiff. Another sold out show saw a brilliant performance from this fabulous 5-piece band who had most of the crowd up and dancing by the end of the night. It was a joyous occasion and many thanks to Grace and Neal passing on their photos of the night, in the absence of a regular photographer!
Friday 4th November 2022
Photos by Ron Pengelly
The third visit to TLR by John, this time on his 30th Anniversary in the Music Business tour, which is now probably his 32nd anniversary after postponements due to the pandemic! He was accompanied on this occasion by his stellar band, Sam Kelly on vocals, guitars and bouzouki; Helen McCabe on vocals, fiddle and harmonium; Toby Shaer on pipes and fiddle; and Ian Carr on guitar. It was a stunning performance in front of a sold out crowd, by five incredible musicians.
Sunday 30th October 2022
Review and photos by Keith Belcher
Sunday 30th October 2022: The debut appearance of Dublin based 5 piece band I Draw Slow at The Live Room, Caroline Street Social Club, Saltaire. Full marks to Ron and Hilary for this booking. One of only 3 shows in this “tour”.
At the end of this show I was mystified why I hadn’t heard of this band before. Like many great modern Irish bands they may be better known in The States than UK. They’ve played very prestigious festivals such as Merlefest, Rockygrass and Wintergrass and the calibre of musicianship at those festivals in extremely high.
Five albums to their name to date. The band are : On main vocals brother and sister Dave Holden and Louise Holden, Dave also playing acoustic guitar, Adrian Hart on fiddle, Konrad Liddy on upright double bass and Colin Derham on clawhammer banjo. A vast and varied soundscape covering traditional, old time, bluegrass , pop, jazz elements , Americana. It all gelled beautifully and was without doubt their own sound. Intelligent songs, great musicianship, vocals and banter and lovely people. What’s not to like. Not surprisingly no merch was left at the end of the night. I sincerely hope they are back at TLR soon.
