In the early stages of their 20th anniversary tour the Young’uns visit Lytham. A tour which coincides with Sean, Michael and David’s 40th birthdays.

RESPECTS PAID

Our much awaited evening began with much deserved accolades from members of the folk community and radio presenters. In equal measure they paid their respects to their early folk heroes who much influenced them with songs from Ron Angel ( Chemicals Workers Song) and Graeme Miles ( Seacoal neatly segueing into Jack Ironside.) It was remarkable and poignant that the latter wrote those songs as a ‘young’un’ himself, at a mere 14 years old.

It was also relevant that these songs originated from the chemical industrial background that the lads are steeped in. The song Fare Thee Well Stockton-on-Tees showed was just one of the many songs this evening showing how the trio are strong proponents of pristine harmonic singing. They are also huge promoters of the sea shanty genre. They may not have achieved the commercial success and shanty notoriety of friendly Cornish fisherman and their ilk but their shanty exploits far outshine their contemporaries.

OH – THE BANTER!

It is a joy to listen to their spontaneous on stage banter especially when they managed to milk an incident with a chocolate confectionary. You could go so far as to say it was MINT!! Before they finished the first set with an anti fascist song from their When Our Grandfathers Said No album. David found time to to lighten the mood, as he often does, by rebuking Michael’s and Sean’s sloppy syntax but as Sean later retorted how a short spell in Hull wouldserve him right!

Throughout the evening their close connection to their audience is not just a musical one but a personal one too. Their concerts are like a reunion as their singing weekend clan and regular concert /festival goers manage to meet again.

As well as their musical exploits recording, touring, festival appearances school workshops and singing weekend the Young’uns have been involved with many other projects. Roll Down from one of these projects came from The Transports, based on the relationship between two transports bound for Australia.

RECENT INSPIRATION

Much of their recent inspiration has not come from their North East industrial heritage but from the life experiences of individuals . Accompanied by voice clips they performed two songs from their award winning album Strangers, Dark Waters and Be The Man both of which have a powerful resonance and relevance to modern life.

Briefly parking their North East roots they gave us a trench tale song which they sung in a cockney accent. This song in particular showed the strength of the trio in that individually they are are accomplished solo singers as well as excellent acapella harmonising when singing together.

ROOTS

We heard many recordings tonight of their early singing exploits in their local clubs and pubs. None more amusing that what seemed a rather drunken off key rendition of Leonard Cohen’s So Long Marianne. David referred to his surprising agility of rolling his r’s. I think that’s what he said!

After returning to their roots with a humorous traditional Teeside ditty Jimmy Go Down Tonight they completed this uplifting warm hearted evening with John Ball, the rousing song which traditionally opens their singing weekends. There was a lovely moment for the encore when they asked a a true young’un, six and a half year old Felicity, to request a song. She chose Three Dads Walking from the The Tiny Notes album which rounded off a perfect evening.

The Young’uns tour continues with over a dozen more dates all over the UK before they complete live performances with a big bash at Middlesborough Town Hall in November after visiting Canada and Portugal.

The Young’uns online : Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Keep up with At The Barrier: Facebook / X (formerly Twitter) / Instagram / Spotify / YouTube