International Women's Day

Pretsch-Bournemouth Folk Club, Centre Stage,Bournemouth

Krista Green/The Douglas Firs/Kimari Raven/Katie McLeod & Yasmin Stephens/ Franziska Pretsch

In largely a male dominated music scene tonight at the Bournemouth Folk Club there is an all female musical celebration for International Woman’s Day, the 1st up is
Franziska Pretsch who is originally from Bavaria, Germany and now resides in Bournemouth. Franziska’s songs are all introduced with a nice introduction, setting the scene for the next song. The first number “Dreamer” recollects back to time when she was 5-6 and still at school, the song is delivered almost effortlessly with pitch perfect vocal and nicely played acoustic guitar accompaniment.

The audience here at Centre stage are the most respectful audience at any venue in the area as when each artist is playing you can without doubt hear a pin drop. Franziska’s 20 minute set is delightful and includes a highlight of a song called “Dancing In The Moonlight” inspired while living in the Swiss Alps, looking out of her window staring at a beautiful full moon, she leaves the stage having provided the following artists a very hard act to follow.

Katie McLeod & Yasmin Stephens slightly nervously take to the stage and proceed to get more and more confident with each number, the songs are interesting and varied with different arrangements for each including acappella, use of a flute and with acoustic guitars. The have great sounding voices, performing country tinged sweet harmonies with two very different voices which work well together. A number from the great Bob Dylan called ‘Wagon Song’ gets a great reworking with flute and acoustic guitar getting the 1st toe tappings of the evening. The two youngsters leave the stage to much appreciation from the delighted and entertained audience.

Local Bournemouth girl Kimari Raven is up next and before she goes on says she is little nervous following two such quality acts, there is of course no such confidence problems on stage as she performs a great set with some great bittersweet numbers of self written songs delivered from the heart with her angelic voice along with simple but skilful acoustic guitar work. A very prolific songwriter Kimari has a great repertoire of songs from which to choose, the audience are treated to little gem called “Lost In Love” inspired by the love her young niece and nephew give to her. The Moody Blues Classic “Nights In White Satin” gets a short but interesting reworking and possibly one of her finest moments is in the form of a song called “Monster” about her inner weird.

During a short break there is a raffle to win tickets to the Bournemouth Folk Festival along with a rather nice bottle of red wine, the evenings host and club owner Paul Burke pulls the winning tickets and dishes out the prizes to the lucky winners before introducing Suzy and the only man onstage tonight Jimmy aka The Douglas Firs. This duo perform a great half hour set comprising of some really well delivered songs including “Flicker in the Fire” and “Woman Of Wood” which was dedicated to the husband of woman’s right activist Emily Pankhurst, as well as Emily Rich Pankhurst was a great support of equal rights for woman and helped shape our values today. The duo seemed to have a good deal of support from the audience and gets some very warm applause as the leave the stage.

Last but by no means least is tonight’s headliner Krista Green who has been making quite a name for herself with some great gigs in and around the local area, also with a well earned place at the Quarter Finals of the Dorset Music Awards. Krista has supreme confidence when on stage and whatever she is singing the whole audience sits and listens, her song writing is interesting drawing from all aspects of her own life experiences, as each song is sung you can truly believe in what she is singing. Tonight Krista performs songs from her debut album “Moments of The Universe”, numbers such as ‘Star Hopping”, the great titled “Shooting Stars with Milky Bar Guitars” and an emotional song called “Barry” about a Big Issue seller who died of cancer, the song was performed with an intense passion that visually moved many members of the audience.

A top class night of five great acts who performed in a venue where every member of the audience respects the artist on stage giving the attention they deserve. This was Rock Regeneration’s 1st visit to a Bournemouth Folk Club night and after this showing I am very sure that we will be attending more in the future.

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