Reg Meuross / Cobalt Tales – Downham Fields of Green Folk Club: Live Review

By Howard King on 21st April 2024 • ( Leave a comment )

Reg Meuross, Cobalt Tales – Downham Fields Of Green Folk Club – 12th April 2024

With a deep social conscience, a finger on the pulse of current and historical social injustice and a keen observant eye Reg Meuros entertained the Downham Fields of Green audience for a couple of hours. A new venue on the folk circuit which has so far attracted top quality artists and with this only their second event promises a bright future for this off the beaten track club.

His tongue in cheek, twinkle-in-the-eye approach to story telling embellishes Reg’s poignant, sensitive songs. His easy on the ear vocals deliver songs of patriotism, social concern and close relationships. The love song, Seeking A One Way Ticket To Louise opened the evening gently. The concern when children explore new boundaries away from home (asking his children if you need me worry no more) was a focus which related with the mature audience. Then followed a tribute to a music loving NHS angel in a blue dress.

These opening songs showed his close relationships to love interest, family and friends. He told us of his many adventures touring and meeting Gene Vincent’s son and delved into his Stolen From God project with two songs; Good Morning Mr Colston and Way Of Cain relating to dark moments in British history when slave trading was rife. His waltz rhythm song about the Titanic’s violin player, who came from nearby Colne, grabbed the local audience, who were moved by both the fatal story of him and the song The Band Played Sweet Marie. We were then introduced to Dave the dulcimer, which he learnt to play having been inspired by Joni Mitchell’s tour with her Blue album, again revealing his social conscience in retelling the story of a stricken boat off Hull and the campaign for safety regulations which followed.

After the interval Reg resumed with a folky song telling the true story of Dick Turpin followed by the imaginary meeting of a cross dressing Elvis and folk singer Phil Ochs, This came with a warning about eating at Morrisons and also highlighted his song writing prowess. Rhyming with ‘vaseline’ is a real challenge but he managed it skillfully with ‘M18’!!

We were treated to the premier of a new song, a love song in which the audience could participate with the easy chorusing of “cry.” An imaginary meeting between heavy drinkers, Dylan Thomas and Hank Williams, was the focus of Leaving Alabama accompanied by the amusing story of Thomas’ wife’s bender when returning his coffin to Wales.

The political climate is far from happy at the moment and his final song the highly popular England Green and England Grey resonated with all in the room. His encore song Shine On was as he called it his ‘lockdown song’, a time when many artists sought to fill the ‘few weeks off’ with writing new material.

Whether Reg is playing country style, a waltz, traditional English folk or modern style folk he never fails to appeal and his vociferous regular followers in the audience surely wound their way home full of cheer around the tight country lanes as well as the many new friends the made tonight. Reg was facing a long drive home the following day back to Somerset as he continues performing through April but he will be returning soon to Wigan at the beginning of June.

Reg also quite rightly paid tribute to Linda and her team at Downham who create a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Their next event in May brings a return of the Hayes Sisters, who will be accompanied by an artist who was a musical colleague of Nanci Griffith. See their Facebook to keep in touch.

Also playing tonight were the duo Cobalt Tales, not only taking on warm up support act duties but also adeptly managing the sound. Beginning with harmonic acapella singing, they welcomed everyone to ‘join the circle’ . This song was dedicated to the burgeoning Fields Of Green Folk Club. Their next song had a late 60’s Laurel Canyon feel with Nuala on flute/pipe and Pat on guitar.

Pat’s lead singing is always powerful, no more so than the scatty Cool Cat with Nuala’s rolling bass creating a warm sound. It would have been inappropriate for them to not give us a rendition of the dramatic Pendle Witches, which they did to end their brief set. Busy times too for the duo as they pop backwards and forwards over the Pennines returning soon to Wigan. Why are those ‘pie- eaters’ getting all the fun when us ‘currants’ get nowt! ( Currants is the name for Chorley folk because of the Chorley cake’s main ingredient! )