11 December 2022 (gig)
14 December 2022
Lichfield Arts closed their Autumn 2022 season with a sold out performance from Folk singer-songwriter Seth Lakeman. With Alex Hart accompanying him, the popular singer played songs from throughout his career to an audience that were both enthusiastic and attentive.
With a stage littered by violins, viola, acoustic guitars, tenor guitars, banjo, harmonium, and foot percussion the duo played newly arranged versions of Seth Lakeman’s songs that showed the duo strengths.
With harmony singing that had something of the melancholic ache of The Everly Brothers, old favourites such as The Bold Knight, or The Colliers were given a new life, whilst the new ballad Bury Me, with only violin and the duo sharing one vocal microphone was an early highlight.
The first set started with a solo reading of The Hermit, with just viola, foot percussion, and live looping giving life to the song. As well as the folk influence in many of the songs, there was also a gentle suggestion of modern contemporary dance in the rhythms, particularly in the closing number, Kitty-Jay which is one of Seth Lakeman’s better known songs.
New songs also littered the evening, with No Grey Skies being a particularly affecting tune. During Raise Your Glass, he sang off-mike, the haunting violin and his stirring vocals being the only audible sounds. The audience, in strong voice, all joined in.
The encore of Change was an upbeat hoe-down which featured telling Banjo playing from Alex Hart throughout.
For information about Lichfield Art’s Spring 2023 season visit www.lichfieldarts.org.uk
