Hayman, Watkins, Trout and Lee, Last Harbour, Lianne Hall
Fri 21st March 2008, Downstairs at The Kings Head, Crouch End
Hayman, Watkins, Trout and Lee (Live)
www.myspace.com/haymanwatkinstroutandlee
Hayman, Watkins Trout and Lee are a slippery bunch of Bluegrass blaggers featuring Darren Hayman (bass and vocals), Dave Watkins (banjo and vocals), David Tattersall (guitar and vocals) and Dan Mayfield (violin and vocals). Darren used to play in the indie bands Hefner and The French and likes a woman in a good shoe. Dave Watkins is an editor and can drop words like 'tropes' and 'binary' into everyday conversation. David Tattersall plays in the Wave Pictures and once considered taking his snooker game professional. Dan Mayfield plays in Ellis Island Sound, and isn’t known as Fiddly.
Last Harbour (Live)
www.myspace.com/lastharbour
Last Harbour are a Manchester collective playing rustic, cinematically atmospheric songs that rattle and loom, at once epic and intimate, harsh and beautiful. Using instrumentation that might traditionally be associated with folk music, the band instead hammer and sculpt their music into unusual and beguiling forms. This is music with a strong emotional content, both bitter and beautiful.
Lianne Hall (Live)
www.myspace.com/liannehall
Absolutely stunning. Huw Stephens
Although her country-tinged melancholy has an American authenticity, John Peel justifiably called Lianne Hall "one of the great English voices". She knocked out five sessions for him, yet this is her first full solo album and it's well worth the wait. Musically stark to match her raw delicate vocals, you can't hide from the emotion here, especially as the production from My Little Problem's Simon Janes is so crystal clear and unflinching. Invest in this LP on every level. The Brighton Source

Tickets £7 from www.wegottickets.co.uk/event/24632