Laura Veirs @ The Boileroom

 

Last night was the Covid-rescheduled visit of Laura Veirs to Guildford's premier music venue, the Boileroom.  I was bought a ticket by my mother-in-law for my birthday last year, and the original date for the gig was in October 2021.  That got pushed to last night, and I went along to see her play.  The support act was Joni - a singer-songwriter from LA, now living in London, who sung a set of sweet folky songs, a little reminiscent of Edie Brickell (though looking up the blurb for tonight's gig in Brighton, I see she is also described as "evoking the feelings of indie darlings Cat Power, Feist and Charlotte Gainsbourg."). 

Then came Laura Veirs.  The last time I saw Laura Veirs was a few years ago also at the Boileroom.  Last time, I'm pretty sure, she came with a band.  This time she was by herself, so although she is overall quite a folky and acoustic artist, some of her songs are a bit rockier and she did not play those ones last night.  There was quite a range of material played covering her many albums, including from the period of hers that I know best (around the time of July Flame and Warp and Weft).  She played some new songs from her soon-to-be-released album which (she explained) were a bit more experimental, using alternative tunings, and playing off beat for example.  I liked the new stuff and look forward to listening to the album.

Near the end she said she'd take requests and I didn't shout anything out, but she finished pre-encore with the song I probably would have shouted for, I can see your tracks.  I see that I posted a video to that before when I went to see Laura Veirs play.   This time, I'll post another one.  It's from the same album (July Flame) and she played it about half way through the set last night.  It's called When You Give Your Heart.  This version is a live-on-radio take:

 

Lord of the Dance

 Hot on the heels of my trip to GLive on Monday to see the Unthanks, I was back to see Lord of the Dance.  This was quite a different event to the minimalist and intimate folk music of Monday night.  Lord of the Dance featured a giant projected screen starting with a mini hagioraphy of Michael Flatley, dancer and founder of the show.  After that the live dancing started, along with grandiose scenic accompaniment on the projected screen.

The dancing was very impressive, with a mixed group of dancers playing out scenes in story of a battle between good and evil (loosely, and to the extent that I understood the story).  The music was augmented by the rhythmic sounds coming from the dancers' hard shoes, and I enjoyed seeing brilliant well-practiced artists doing their thing.  Monday night was more my scene, but I'm glad I came to see the dancing.  

From where we were sitting we had a good view, but it was quite far back, so my picture taken as the cast were coming on to take their bows is not the clearest

The Unthanks at GLive

 Last night I went to see The Unthanks play at GLive in Guildford.  I was excited when I heard that they were coming and managed to be online when the tickets were released, so I and my partner were right in the middle of the front row.  They played a 2x1hr set with a break in the middle, where I had the pleasure of talking to my colleague Wilton and his wife Andrea at the bar. 

This is the start of an unusually hectic week for me.  I'm back at GLive on Wedensday for Lord of the Dance, out for my ice skating lesson on Thursday and at book club (for Elena Knows) on Friday.   Perhaps once this would not have been so unusual, but since having children it is.  I guess the youngest is now getting to the age that going out and leaving him with a babysitter is doable.  Still, the fact that he wakes us up at least an hour before we want/need to get up is still a hindrance to having too many late nights!

 Here's a picture taken from our plum seats in the front row: