PrettyInScarlett

Two years on from her last visit, Basia Bulat returned to Leeds touring her new album Good Advice . On Record Store Day no less (16th April). Yet another good beer venue - this time she played Headrow House. Good Advice is a bigger sounding album, in many ways, than Tall Tall Shadow , so understandably Basia wanted to tour it with a band. The efficient option, as it transpired, was to have her support band as her backing band. The Weather Station (trio led by Tamara Lindeman) played a 30 minute set to a small and rather chilly audience (maybe Headrow House had forgotten the heating....). The Weather Station has a big-open-space instrumental sound (I definitely heard the soundscapes reminding me of looking at Ontario's landscape from the train); whilst Tamara seems to be a pretty respected songsmith, 30 minutes was too short a time to get into her lyrics. They were, however, much more engaging than the support from 2014. Basia and backing musicians played a shorter set t...

Time flies and already it is a year since we returned to the UK from Canada. Perfect coincidence then that hugely talented Canadian singer-songwriter Basia Bulat came to the UK this week for her first UK tour. Her nearest show to us was in Leeds' Belgrave Music Hall, so M and I braved the horrid weather for a superb show - the best gig we have been to since at least Ólafur Arnalds.  Basia Bulat Belgrave Music Hall is a great intimate place in the centre of Leeds. Going in there was a large bar (wide variety of beer) and seating area with different food outlets (local franchises I believe). The show was up on the 2nd floor in a very cosy, sofa filled space with a smaller bar at the back.  Once we we all settled, support act The Sea and I came on for a short support slot. I have seen better and seen worse. Their best 2 tracks were right at the end of the set; everyone except the lead singer seemed disinterested, even bored to be there. A quick glance at their w...

After my hectic July and more relaxed August, M and I saw out the summer with a trip to Folkfest yesterday (Day 3). Initially tempted to attend by Basia Bulat's inclusion on the Ravenlaw stage, we had a fun and relaxing day in the sun. I now know more about banjos than I did on Friday, thanks to the afternoon workshops; we also saw the end of the Song Maps workshop.  The Moon stage - The Little Stevies As a Folkfest first timer, I can't comment on the new site vs old site, but there is certainly plenty of room at Hog's Back Park. Our only real complaint features the main CUPE/SCFP stage area. Whilst the rest of the site had a great laidback, fun vibe, the CUPE/SCFP stage was much more anonymous and less laid-back. The division of the main stage audience area into (presumably) VIP/seating and general was quite weird. Whilst the Moon stage  - smaller acts from other stages doing short inbetweeny sets - is a great idea, the CUPE/SCFP stage just wasn't inviting. The...