There are those that will tell you that live music is struggling, that people just don't go and see gigs since Covid. Those people should have told the packed house for GRANNY’S ATTIC at one of the best folk clubs in the country. Downend was heaving, with hundreds of people only too pleased to welcome one of the UK's finest trios back to South Gloucestershire.
Granny’s Attic have, unbelievably, been going for fifteen years. Over that time Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, George Sansome and Lewis Wood have made themselves into one of the most reliably excellent folk bands in the country.
Their first set is, more-or-less, made up of new ones taken from two of their more recent albums, The Brickfields and Wheels of the World. Whilst they might be new recordings, they're hardly new songs. The Ship in Distress, Lovely Joan and Jack the Sailor are all from the trad cannon but Granny's Attic re-energise all three. Braithwaite-Kilcoyne's voice carrying with it echoes of folk clubs from years gone by, Sansome's just as strong, just as pure. Melodeon, guitar and Wood's fiddle seamlessly meshing together to help tell the old tales.
Braithwaite-Kilcoyne's concertina is fabulous on Wheels of the World, matched only by Sansome's wonderfully exuberant acoustic guitar as they build towards one of the best choruses of the evening. The harmonies, once again, absolutely spot on.
The Devil's Arch is an instrumental and sees the three of them crouched together, plotting and scheming, making danceable magic. Odd Thoughts/James’ Maggot sees the pace slowly increase until, as the first half ends, all three are bouncing with glee.
That feeling of glee spills into the second half too. Royal Oak is a set of tunes that Wood wrote when he was seventeen but they are as fresh and manic as they've ever been. A demented country dance ensues as each band member tries to out-do the others with ever-more ridiculously moves. Eventually Braithwaite-Kilcoyne falls over, much to Sansome’s amusement. These are three friends simply having the best time, playing music that they clearly love.
Another tune by Wood, After the Floods, is dedicated to the people of Valencia and is a stately, gentle waltz. Guitar, fiddle and concertina are respectful and restrained. Away to the South'ard sees an outbreak of audience swaying and, finally, Paddy on the Railroad has all three members, and a decent amount of the audience, bouncy, dancing and clapping.
To start things off, accordion virtuoso HEATHER FERRIER played a short set of wonderfully danceable, impeccably groovy folk tunes. Circles takes off at break-neck pace, Ferrier's fingers unbelievably nimble as they buzz over buttons and keys. While there are strong echoes of trad tunes in her playing, she is also innovative and questing, pushing her instrument to be more versatile, more expressive than it has any right to be.
A paean to her favourite cake, Lemon Drizzle, sees her gazing at the sky in wonder, while carefully picking her way through the greenwoods. Apple One, taken from her latest EP, is full of clever twiddly bits and a bass-y hum while Northern Frisk smashes together a church-organ depth, lightning-fast fingers and a delightful nod at the dancefloor. Ferrier is seriously brilliant.
If there’s one band that will get people out of their houses and into folk clubs then it is Granny's Attic. Fifteen years young and as much fun as it's possible to have.
Words: Gavin McNamara
Photos: Barry Savell
Photos: Barry Savell
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It’s hard to believe that GRANNY'S ATTIC have been playing and touring together for 15 years, but they have… and the highly-rated trio headline our monthly concert on Friday 15 November.
With exceptional musicianship and boundless energy, Granny’s Attic are going from strength to strength. Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne (melodeon, anglo concertina, vocals), George Sansome (guitar, vocals) and Lewis Wood (violin, vocals) have honed their skills touring the UK and Europe since 2009. They are much loved by audiences up and down the country, with bookings everywhere from Cambridge Folk Festival to Cecil Sharp House.
The trio have been heralded for their lively performances and skilled delivery of traditional material, playing with verve, energy and their own inimitable style. Though grounded in tradition, they are keen to push new boundaries by exploring fresh approaches and writing their own compositions. In October 2021, they released their latest album, The Brickfields, an instrumental collection that sees them reach new heights both as performers and composers. Described by Folk Radio as “one of the most exciting and accomplished English folk acts on the scene right now”, this outstanding trio can hold audiences in the palm of their hand.
With captivating musicianship and a sound that is unapologetically her own, HEATHER FERRIER is a force to be reckoned with, and she will get the evening underway with a short solo set. An “engaging talker and magnetic performer” (NARC magazine), the Stockport born accordionist, clog dancer and composer is changing the perceptions of alt-folk on her own terms. Her latest EP Engine for the Sound creates music that sets the accordion free from its stereotypes, and with an extended line-up of musicians, expresses everything Heather stands for using powerful melodies and jazz-influenced harmony. Bold, passionate and enthralling; the EP has been played on BBC Radio 6 music, and well as being favourably reviewed in local and national publications.
Tickets for the concert, which takes place at Christ Church Downend on Friday 15 November 2024, are available online HERE and from MELANIE'S KITCHEN in Downend (cash only). They are priced at £14 each in advance or £16 on the door. Doors open at 7.00pm and the music starts around 7.45pm. This event is also included in our Autumn/Winter Season Ticket.
There will be a bar, stocking cider, soft drinks, wine, hot drinks and real ale from locally-based HOP UNION BREWERY. Audience members are encouraged to bring their own glass/mug/tankard, as well as reusable bottles for water, as part of the drive to be more environmentally aware; there is a 50p discount for those that do. There will also be sweet treats available at the bar courtesy of Radstock-based THE GREAT CAKE COMPANY, as well as a prize draw, which helps to fund the support artists for each concert.
For further information, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or find us on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM or X.
ADVANCE SALES CLOSED - BALCONY TICKETS AVAILABLE ON THE DOOR
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There's something very special about a Saturday afternoon spent watching live music. Everything just stops. All of the hassle, all of the heartache just melts away. This is the second of Downend Folk & Roots’ 'Live at Lunchtime' gigs and JACKIE OATES proves herself to be the perfect guest for a laid-back, inclusive, gentle hour (or so) of lovely folk music.
Best known for her own take on the English pastoral tradition, a string of brilliant collaborations, and a multitude of BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Oates is a singer and fiddle player that has long had an affinity with children and songs of childhood. Which is a good thing, because there are plenty of little ones tottering and grooving about this afternoon.
These Saturday lunchtime concerts at Downend follow a simple pattern; there are two short sets, everyone is welcome, children can make noise, there’s squash and colouring (for young and old) and the whole thing is beautifully relaxed. Oates is as charming; as smiley, as welcoming as you could wish.
Starting at the piano with Isle of France, which she learned from the incomparable Nic Jones, she is warm and sweet. Her voice high and lovely, telling the tale of a shipwrecked convict, and human kindness. It is the perfect way to start, a welcoming embrace that is as beautiful as it is thoughtful. The piano lulls Dream Angus into a gentle lullaby and, later, issues a warning to Young Leonard on the dangers of going swimming. At all times, Oates is the delightful, and delighted, host; she chats and grins, tells stories and simply soothes.
She doesn't play the accordion very often but, in this relaxed atmosphere, uses her recently learned “three chords” wonderfully endearingly. There’s a false start here and there, an apologetic giggle, a quick check that she’s playing the right key but then there's a set of Christmas songs that are gorgeous. Bergers, Écoutez la Musique and As I Lay on Yoolis Night are both Breton carols, filled with the buzz and huff of an old, old fireside. You can almost taste the mulled cider. Both songs are taken from her forthcoming Christmas album, A Midwinter's Night, that she's made with Bellowhead's John Spiers.
Robin Tells of Winter is also snow-dusted, it is slow and gentle, her fiddle carefully plucked and her voice filled with a hot-water-bottle glow. The Sweet Nightingale is unaccompanied and “quite wiggly”, full of trills and curlicues. Both fill this room with smiles.
Oates finishes where she started, back at the piano. May The Kindness, taken from her classic Hyperboreans album, is exactly what needs to be taken away from this afternoon. It's stunning, a warm-hearted encapsulation of everything that Downend are doing here.
Watching live music on a Saturday afternoon is, undoubtedly, brilliant. Jackie Oates makes it magical.
Words: Gavin McNamara
Photos: Barry Savell
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