Embedded Files
We went to a couple of real live gigs at the start of the year, the Askew Sisters and Leveret at King's Place, and then Jim Moray at the Storey's Field Centre in Eddington. But after that all the gigs have been online. To start with they were very homespun afffairs, mostly from people's front rooms. But although the sound quality wasn't always very good they were often surprisingly personal and intimate, almost as if the artist was in your own room. We enjoyed them, and it brought a lot of comfort.
During this pandemic a lot of people have been helping in their local communities. At our age we were too vulnerable to the coronavirus to help in this way, but we decided that all the folk musicians who we normally support were actually our community, and we started helping out by donating if we'd seen an online gig, or buying tickets if they were available, or donating on Bandcamp Fridays.
Some organisations were very good at putting on gigs. Folk On Foot put on three amazing "festivals" with multiple acts, just like a real festival. Folk By The Oak also put on a festival, and Live To Your Living Room put on dozens of gigs via Zoom. At these Zoom gigs the performers could see the audience, and even hear them clap at the end of each song. It seemed a bit weird at first, but the artists really liked it! Later on artists put on concert sets, well filmed and recorded, for later streaming.
The first photo on this page is a poignant reminder of the lockdown. Jim Moray did a gig at St Georges Bristol, and as you can see, there is no audience! Very sad.
Jim Moray, online streaming gig from St George's Bristol.
Rowan Rheingans at a Patreon gathering from her new studio.Lovely!
Trish Clowes, streamed from the 606 Club during Lockdown 2.0
John McCusker, Mike McGoldrick and John Doyle. A real gig in February at the Cambridge Junction.
Martin Simpson put on lots of streaming gigs. Very nice.
Lucy Farrell, Rowan Rheingans and Sam Lee. One of the best gigs we saw!
Trish Clowes and Ross Stanley
Lauren McColl (a new discovery) and Rachel Newton
Cutting, Simpson & Kerr, reformed for the Folk On Foot Festival
Lucy Farrell and Andrew Waite. A real gig in February! Brilliant!
Emily Portman, backed by a jazz band!
Sam Sweeney and his band, at Cecil Sharp House.
Cara Dillon and Sam Lakeman put on two great, well-filmed concerts.
We watched a lot of classical music on youTube. This is Jean Rondeau playing Bach's Goldberg Variations.
Gilmore & Roberts, put on by Green Note.
Richard Thompson and Zara Phillips, from their home. Folk By The Oak.
Jim Moray was the MC for the excellent Folk By The Oak Festival.
Chris Wood - from his garage. One of the highlights!
Andy Cutting. What a star!
Kate Rusby and Damien O'Kane did one-song gigs all through the year.
Lucy Farrell - from her sitting room. Brilliant!
Sam Carter at his album launch gig for "Home Waters".
Nancy Kerr and James Fagan. Very uplifting!
Karine Polwart at a Folk On Foot Festival (talking to her teddy!)
Mystery Train's only gig of the year, in Girton in March.
The last ever time Rob played with us. Very sad. He was on fire though!
Leveret. They brought out a wonderful double live album in 2020.
Jess Gillam - concert at the Cambridge Corn Exchange
We wore EU badges at the concert on Brexit day.
The Askew Sisters - this was a real gig at the start of the year.
Karine Polwart as part of one of the streaming festivals.
The traditional end to the gigging year, Kate Rusby's Christmas Show - online this year, but still wonderful.
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