Seth Lakeman

In an age where traditional folk music can be so woefully out-dated and regurgitated in the same, uninspiring manner, the likes of Seth Lakeman have sparked a revival in the global popularity of such a beloved genre. Through a vast discography of modernised efforts to relight the flame of traditional folk, the singer songwriter has acquired a cult following over the years. This stems from his continued desire to reinvent the essence of traditional sounds and breathe new life into his genre by incorporating purposeful vocals, punchy violin and a range of stringed instruments into his material. Unfortunately, I miss local opener Sam Jones due to the treachery of Nottingham’s infamous one way system and an apparent parking famine. However, the atmosphere entails that his performance has created quite a buzz, as the busy venue hums in mutual excitement ahead of Seth Lakeman’s appearance.

Ever so casually, Lakeman strolls onstage a few minutes before stage time to a surprised crowd and greets them with an ear wide smile of comfort and composure. This isn’t the first time he’s walked out to a bustling crowd and it won’t be his last. In a set comprising of material from a variety of his releases, Lakeman manages to showcase songs from his latest album “Word of Mouth”, a record focused around the concept of taking lyrics from interviews with people who Lakeman has spoken to about various matters, and capturing the integrity of their story through the lyrics and melody. The powerful anthem ‘Each Man’ demonstrates this translation perfectly, as Lakeman talks about his interview with a representative of the Tolpuddle Martyr’s union; a famous example of people uniting to raise their voice as a group. The pulsating rhythm and meaningful chanting in the chorus paints an image of the work of the union, and demonstrates the level of Lakeman’s attention to detail and insightful methods in his song writing approach.

In his solo performance, the raw energy of just a stomp box and guitar or violin shows such character that you can truly experience the precision and finesse of Lakeman’s playing, as the stunning chorus of “Portrait of my Wife” echoes round the venue to lead into a hair raising rendition of “Kitty Jay” as a fitting encore. As expected, the crowd won’t settle for only one song, so the double encore ends with the delightful “Lady of the Sea” to draw the evening to a fitting close. There are smiles all-round the venue as once again, Seth Lakeman has proved himself to be one of the finest folk artists of his generation. His impeccable instrumental performance, distinct vocal quality and a natural charm in his story telling has rightfully earned him a place atop the ladder of his genre, but ultimately his ambitious efforts to reinvent the roots of traditional music continues to provide a timeless platform for his craft. In time, he will inevitably be remembered as one of the finest folk artists of our generation.