Seth Lakeman – City Varieties, Leeds – 18th May 2026 – Five power down in Leeds – look out in the blackout, as we simply keep calm and carry on.

NEVER FAR FROM…

Reminded of the old adage that ‘you’re never more than six feet from a rat’, it seems we’re never more than six months from some sort of Seth Lakeman touring cycle, be it duo/trio/even solo. After watching the trio version back in December, second lieutenants Ben Nicholls and Cormac Byrne (spotted blagging his way in at the box office, while avoiding the bag check – a couple of drumsticks that can’t do that much damage – as no-one will open the stage door……) return to make up the full band on the first leg of two tours. The first leg takes in some lovely venues that must be a delight in which to perform. A cathedral or two, Brum Town Hall and of course the Palladium-esque Leeds City Varieties.

Chatting to Seth at the end of ’25, new music is forever being crafted behind the scenes, but the current flavour is the chance to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Freedom Fields. The focus album after the Mercury nomination for the previous Kitty Jay and an album with which many boarded the bus, or as the fan forums arose, drifted into The Mire. A shout out for any ‘mirelings’ still ‘active’ and familiar faces at gigs across the breadth of the nation. There might be some nine or ten albums since but Freedom Fields is an album to which he often returns for a clutch of songs when making up a setlist.

A FOCUS ON FREEDOM (FIELDS)

FF was his first Top 40 album (remember ‘charts’?) and one that EMI’s Relentless label plugged for all they were worth with a handful of singles, coloured 7″ records, CD singles, a remix and re-sequenced reboot with Lady Of The Sea getting and the singles getting shunted forward to the front of the album. A funky new cover too for those who recall, And it’s FF on which the first set is wholly focussed.

Ten songs, not necessarily in order yet sadly still no room at the inn, as there never seems to be, for the exquisite and emotionally challenging Band Of Gold (perfect both musically and in sentiment for the acoustic trio methinks) or Final Lot… Not to worry, as after Seth Watching for the whole twenty years gone, it’s interesting to see how the songs have evolved.

Musical chairs are at play as the band is stripped back to Seth and Alex Hart for an even more delicate than ever The White Hare and King & Country, while he’s partnered with Cormac from Lady Of The Sea. Just waiting for the days when he’ll reintroduce the segue into High St Rose (aka High Speed Boat to The Mire) – maybe for an encore? Seed sown. And who else in The Mire will remember the days when we pined for 1643 and the time it took to finally get into the set. A singalong part has developed neatly with a military snare drum rolling from Cormac.

RIPE OLD MEN…

On the subject of the military march, there’s also a distinct absence of fiddle until the old set opener Riflemen Of War (aka Ripe Old Men Of War) that still retains the hoedown closedown and Cormac, not for the only time, risking the cymbals with a bare hand. As Setting Of The Sun closes the first half, we also note how Ben has evolved into the Pino Palladino of the double bass with the rubbery basslines at their most potent in the little spotlight he always gets in this one, or during Take No Rogues.

SET TWO

Interval ice cream returned to the freezers, the second set gathers a choice selection that runs a twenty years plus span. From Kitty Jay ( the album and song) to The Granite Way, it’s a marvellously planned mini set with an bit of a recurring theme of legend, unity, tragedy and gravestones.

The opening flurry sees contrast of the rollocking Black Fox where Seth crafts and created some winding lines to sit hand in hand with the fiddle rhythm with a sombre and ominous Ballad Of Josie. The latter resurrected from over twenty years ago, where Alex delivers both the Kathryn Roberts lines while adding a deep and rich drone on the harmonium. We love a drone and a wonderful story that shows the strength in depth of the burgeoning Lakeman legacy.

One new and much welcomed addition is The Rambling Sailor from the Sea Songs Sessions – there’s another set on the way apparently. With so many gems that remain under the radar (Mirelings nostalgically reminiscing over Fire & Dirt, The Willow Tree, How Much) it’s an extra treat that comes with Poor Man’s Heaven returning to the set albeit in a form slightly amended from the version they used to do where Jack Rutter, armed with electric guitar, would almost stomp his way through the stage boards.

CAN YOU HEAR THEM WALKING ON?

The reason? Halfway through Side By Side, everything goes dark. There’s the sound of faint music coming from stagewards and as the emergency lights kick in and the band simpley continue like nothing has happened. Long story short is that the street has shorted and unplugged is the only way forward. Turns out that it’s not the first time; thanks to diligent research we discover that the Birmingham O2 Academy gig a few years back suffered the same fate with the gig continuing in the car park….(thanks Jan!).

The spirit of The Blitz kicks in and there’s a unanimous agreement that we should simply carry on! The singlaongs – “can you hear them walking on,” have to be slightly curtailed so we can hear the musicians! Poor Man’s Heaven gets the unplugged in the not-quite-dark-but-definitely-dim auditorium and the fact that we’re getting something a bit out of the ordinary makes up for any inconvenience. It feels almost appropriate that we should get Kitty Jay in this format. Portrait Of My Wife has recently been an off mic delivery so to be fair, it feels like an extended more of the same.

While Change and Race To Be King – two songs of similar ilk – get dropped, the finale of the Scrumpy Set of tunes is great fun once Cormac has got everyone clapping in time. The trio making the most of the emergency lights on the stage side dias – what they call breaking the fourth wall, l and adding a real sense of camaraderie and community to the night.

Sneakocam (in the emergency light) by Jenfoto

And a reminder that the tour continues at the back at the end of the year – bring a shilling for the meter…

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