A RICH TRADITION

A room above the Bijou Cinema in Southport is the venue for The Bothy Folk Club. One which has a rich tradition for folk music, originally beginning in Liverpool in the 60’s, when folk clubs were booming. It celebrated it’s 60^th birthday last year, which by modern standards is some going. The room is adorned with two massive 3 piece mirrors bordered with stucco pillars which make the place appear 3 times larger. Although the remainder of the room is pretty featureless, except for the bar, the warmth of the welcome from Sarah and Peter more than make up for this and as the star of the evening Danny was quietly warming up and giving himself a solo sound check you became aware that a special evening was in store.

People began to trickle in before a quintet strolled on stage. It was fronted by two guitarists Pete Rimmer and Nev Grundy, with singer Sarah Hepke accompanied by two other gentlemen giving vocal support. A warm Scottish traditional singalong tune filled the room, harkening back to the club’s more traditional vibe. The quintet became a trio as Nev was replaced by a bass player leading into a lovely rendition of Kathy’s Song which featured delightful harmonies between Sarah and Pete and her tuneful vocals. Clearly they had previous. Another lilting lullaby was followed by a cheery version of Someday Soon.

Before Danny came on to enthral us with his modern brand of folk guitar mastery, birthday boy Bill Hackney gave an accomplished guitar rendition of Dylan’s Buckets Of Rain then a couple of acoustic roots blues guitar pieces with That’s No Way For Me To Get Along particularly outstanding. His performance quite rightly earned the immediate praise of Danny before he entered the stage.

NEW WAVE FOLK

The simple stage with no platform was surrounded by 6 warm lights and a curious metre square pendant with the club logo hanging from the wall. The pendant depicted a multi talented one-woman-band whose every limb and torso carried a selection of instruments. Even one on her head. To me this depicted that folk music is many things to all people.

This was most appropriate as Danny represents the new wave of upcoming folk artistes who whilst remaining faithful to traditional roots are expanding the world of folk music. Danny however not so much expands it but embellishes and amplifies it with his gossamer guitar touch and warm vocals.

After a brief magical touch on his guitar he sang Cavern Girl acapella. His mix of covers and self penned songs of his busking days in Liverpool, his times at art school and his meeting with a gossiping parrot in Hope And Her Poppinjay followed.

SWEET GUITAR

His sweet sounding guitar work which many have reminded some of the likes of Davy Graham, John Renbourne et al. Fairport guitarist Simon Nicol has already christened him a ‘guitar botherer’! But added to distinctly British folk roots Danny shows links to Appalachian banjo and violin tones. His tribute to Richard Shindell, who he is supporting soon, went as far as playing a guitar gifted to him by Mr Shindell. He finished his first set with a tune which might lead you to think he has spent too long in the company of Fairport Convention. His song Shady Groves bearing more than a little likeness to Matty Groves, albeit shorter by at least a dozen verses but the instrumental practically the same.

Nev returned before Danny’s second set for a trio of songs including a powerful solo rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Berlin and Sometimes After Midnight.

DIVERSE FOLK STYLES

Danny returned with a Celtic flourish for Flash Company which began a second set showing his virtuoso playing. On The Road To Poppy Hill, the verses of were written by his Grandmother to which he again added an Appalachian touch. His passionate anecdote revealed his close relationship to his American roots which were further emphasised by a Pete Seeger tribute with Waste Deep In The Big Muddy. He can play swaying waltzes like Way Down Deep Underground too, as notes continued to ripple from his guitar. His songs of missed marital opportunities and Leonard Cohen’s Alexandra Leaving, a heart rending break up song, enchanted the audience.

It seemed like only moments had passed before he ended by sending folk home with a song steeped in Irish tradition, Only Man, and his version of bluesy Sitting On Top Of The World, which although having a feel of Peter Green’s Albatross in the intro, was purely Danny at his vocal and instrumental best. He was swiftly brought back on to complete the evening with a stomping country guitar picking Deep River Blues delivered Danny-style.

UNASSUMING

Danny, despite being incredibly talented is quietly unassuming in character and has one foot entrenched in British folk roots and the other in Appalachia. With most of his songs featuring on his forthcoming album we wait with bated breath for another collection of music which will sell out as quickly as his debut album did at Cropredy.

Visit the Bothy Folk website for details of their interesting itinerary for the rest of the year and singing nights when you can go along and play, sing, recite yourself. You will get a lovely welcome.

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