A very warm marquee, in a very pleasant pub field, the ATB Taylor/Liptrot dynamic duo witness the Rolling Folk in all their short-set glory.

AN INTRODUCTION

By way of introduction, Virginia Kettle’s Rolling Folk comprise the aforementioned chanteuse and songwriter from the folk rock behemoth Merry Hell, along with husband John of the same parish. To add breadth and depth to her compositions, she has recruited three of Cheshire‘s finest: Clare ‘Fluff’ Smith (violin, viola and voice) Chris Lee (mandolin and bass) and Mark Woolley (percussion, whistles and flute) who, individually and collectively, have pedigrees that include Tower Struck Down, The Incredible String Band, The Bad Shepherds, Cheshire‘s omnipresent Full House and a variety of Mark Radcliffe’s musical projects, taking in the likes of the Family Mahone, Galleon Blast and the more recent RADCO. For purposes of this review, their instrumental excellence can be assumed.

In terms of material, the project provides Virginia with an opportunity to share from her prodigious output assets of songs that do not necessarily fit with the Merry Hell canon, but on this experience certainly deserve an outing and further listening.

INTIMATE SONGWRITING

Responsible for all the songwriting and with sole responsibility for fronting the band, Virginia proves to be adept at both, offering good natured commentary between songs, she has the opportunity to comment on their inspiration, with both depth and humour as the subjects require – from dealing with grief to the family dynamics of an 18th Century slave trader. The songs have an intimacy that engage with the audience, sometimes biographical, occasionally confessional, they are self-revelatory without being indulgent as she uses her own experience to say something about the human condition – so Sailing On The Inside takes us on her basement budget travels around Africa before returning to reflect on the internal results of journeys rather than the experience itself.

Similarly, Old London is introduced as being inspired by her busking days based in a London squat before becoming a story song of the loneliness of those who stayed while others moved on, there’s even room for some musical playfulness from fiddle player Fluff that adds both humour and poignancy as the tale progresses.

AND SO IT CONTINUES…

…Songs and stories, insights and observations woven together by a band that seems to have hit its stride. Inventiveness and variety abounds, from upbeat folk-rock, to the sparseness of The Butter Song, with a mellow flute intro and then delivered unaccompanied save for background percussion and the audience respond in kind, from lusty singalong to Build A Mansion to rapt silence as the songs demand and enthusiastic toe tapping and clapping as jigs and reels make their appearance to add additional folky elements, raising the temperature even further in a packed and sun baked marquee.

In a 40 minute festival set where the quality never drops, there is still room for a real highlight. Trouble is just that – a bluesy, smoky reflection on her ability to attract difficulties despite all attempts to avoid them. It also features the voices of all 5 members and a good part of the audience. Now folk audiences are rarely shy about singing along but where the band score highly is in delivering songs that allow just that – one chorus and everyone is ready to join in on the second – the material is memorable rather than predictable, so the first repetition of the verbal hook and the audience is there next time around.

OVER ALL TOO SOON

And then, just like that, it’s over, the calls for more are justified but festival timetables being what they are, it’s off and make way for the next artist but job done, friends made and deservedly so! Relative newcomers to their scene they may be but The Rolling Folk may just become an unstoppable force within it!

Words by Damian Liptrot

All photography by Jen Taylor whose work is online at jenfoto.com

Virginia Kettle’s Rolling Folk: Facebook

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