Revew: A Grand Folk Concert, Shire Hall, Hereford, Saturday November 12th: 7 to 11 pm

The Performers: My draw to this concert was to hear Roy Bailey for the first time. The reputation of this left wing singer and song writer reached me well before I had seen him perform. It is an odd thing how some artists seem to have passed one by. This is hardly surprising. Work, commuting and family life does tend to prevent one from ‘getting out more’. It was well worth the wait however since this is a man who holds values I have no difficulty identifying with. Songs and stories which were at times both very moving and amusing added up to an excellent performance. His style of guitar playing was varied and fascinating to an old ‘3 chorder’ like me. If I could have a voice like Roy’s when I reach his age I will have no complaints, and neither should my audience.

Memorable among the supporting artists was Martyn Wyndham-Read whose collection of Australian songs and stories has got me returning to this repertoire. With Remembrance Sunday just an evening away his choice of material, including references to the loss of his father in Normandy in 1944, was apt and poignant. This is a man well worth visiting on Google. For reasons which will become clear below I cannot name the other supporting artists as I had not intended to review this event so did not take a note pad. It will also become apparent why I have written this review. Consequently I can only report that the opening act, I think he was Eddie Upton as he is the only other name on the flyer I have, was an excellent starter with a good voice, guitar technique and material. I apologise for not doing him justice through lack of detail but a brief printed programme would have been nice. A fund raising opportunity, along with others, lost.

The same absence of details applies to the troupe of French singers and musicians who brought some World Music to the evening. It was very, very good, but not my cup of tea and suffered from what I regard as a failing of World Music: they never know quite when to stop. The couple from Devon, who managed to survive the failure of the PA system, sang a version of Henry Martin which sounded a bit too jolly. The absent bag pipe player referred to in their intro would no doubt have put this right. They both had strong voices and the harmonies worked very well.
Martyn Windham-Read then returned for his second set which was equally impressive but for the reasons expressed below I had to leave the event before his set ended and before Roy Bailey returned to the stage for the final set. Musically this was a lovely evening, but...

The Organisation of the Event: this was very weak and did not do justice either to the talented performers and the good causes being supported, let alone those who had paid £15 each and probably travelled some distance to hear Roy Bailey. We were assured by the person at the contact number that there would be no problem with admission on the door. This was true as, despite an impressive turn out there was room for us, but no tickets! It seemed that if one needed to take a break outside it was clearly to be done on trust. Furthermore, we were told that there was no drinks licence and so drinls were to be acquired by donation. Also, there was something mumbled about the Vegan Buffet not actually being on sale, but donations could be given. No notices about recommended donations were displayed and the dreamy youngsters behind the bar had to be reminded why they were that side of the counter. By the time we reached the barrel, the beer had run out, my friend had had a glass of wine spilt over his trousers by a member of the bar crew and I was thinking of going back to reclaim some of my donation as it now seemed excessive for 3 apple juices and a glass of bio-dynamic wine, but a moment’s thought about the good causes brought me back to my senses.

This was a pity really as my senses were about to be assaulted in several unexpected ways. Firstly, is it obligatory that children at folk or artistic events of this kind have parents who wish their kids to demonstrate the extent of their free spirits by running all over the place and talking during the performances? As did some of the adults I would add. All this, with the backing chatter from the customers and assistants at the catering tables. The announcements were unpredictable in their audibility anyway due to the intermittent failings of the PA system and the great door to the hall often being left open meant we could hear even more noise from the free spirits playing in the entrance hall below. Surely someone from the Woodcraft Folk could have organised a training evening for ‘Occupy London’ or something? If there isn’t a local group, why not? On top of all this there was no programme at all, let alone one with some biographical details about the artists (hence my limited review above) and the running order seemed to be evolving as the evening went on. Having started late the inevitable consequence was that Roy Bailey’s final set didn’t end to well past midnight. This was too late for many judging by the reduced numbers in the room. This seems disrespectful of Roy Bailey and those artists who had commitments elsewhere on Sunday. Let alone the audience. I will now stop this report on the evenings missing production values.

The Venue: I am prepared to put up with quite a bit of discomfort for a good cause but there are limits. The Shire Hall, although it was very grand in the past, is now looking rather sad and shows all the signs of a municipal white elephant. The lighting was awful. I have had a more relaxing evening with institutional lighting while waiting in the arrivals hall of Terminal Five. This was not helped by someone forgetting to put the rear lighting back down after the first surge to the bar and vegan buffet. The PA system, when working, coped well with this barn of a place, but even with most of the seats occupied it still felt a bit like having a concert in a defunct Victorian baths complex.

This discomfort was compounded by the steel chairs. To those who complain about hard pews at church and chapel events I say, ‘You ain’t felt nothin yet’. If you are going to a concert at this venue two good cushions for back and posterior protection are essential. The seating in the entrance hall downstairs for those attending court is luxurious by comparison. My free advice ( no consultancy fees here) to Herefordshire Council is to check the price of scrap metal and see what replacements can be bought on the modern commercial chair market. In the meantime I feel as though hard punishments are not confined to the court rooms below. Such was my accumulated discomforts that my endurance ran out before Roy Bailey’s last set.

Conclusion: I understand that this concert was part of a birthday celebration which had been going on for much of the afternoon. I have no problem with that, but when you invite paying members of the public, albeit for good causes, everyone deserves better. Amateur organisation and an uncomfortable venue nearly spoilt the evening for me but some great artists came to the rescue. Those planning public events on this scale should take advice from someone with experience. But I repeat my specific advice to anyone going to the Shire Hall. Don’t forget to take the cushions and possibly the shades, unless, of course, you are appearing in court.

Dacier