Gig review: NINEBARROW – Harwell Village Hall, 15 March 2024

March 16th, 2024 by jason

A pleasing sign to read on the doors tonight – sold out. Live music maybe in intensive care in some cases but signs of recovery are thankfully showing.

Opening tonight were Oxfordshire female duo Wednesday’s Wolves, who I had first seen perform live at this same venue supporting Sam Carter back in early 2022. Their voices combine beautifully on their own songs like ‘Beast’ and ‘Silver for the Boatman’, and went to another level on their stunning version of the Chris Isaak classic ‘Wicked Game’.

A well received set and I am sure Wednesday’s Wolves won over some new fans after tonight’s performance.

ninebarrow

Ninebarrow - Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere – have built up a cottage industry around their music, which includes walking guides and tours in their native Dorset, planting their own woodland (partly funded by their Barrow Bods Facebook group) as well as a growing and loyal fanbase. This was the final gig of their March tour, and indeed the last time an audience would see them in 3D until 2025 due to their impending new arrival, a baby! Pretty sure said baby will have a pair of doting dads and certainly won’t be wanting for lull-a-byes sung to them!

This was the second time seeing Ninebarrow too, the first time being back in 2018 in Bracknell. They have certainly fulfilled their promise of folk magic since then with a series of superbly enjoyable and meaningful albums. Alongside the mighty Bellowhead, one of my favourite folk artists in the past decade or so.

Two sets tonight, with an interval so the audience could, as Duncan the promoter of these gigs, “spread the load” across the loos. In all seriousness it is promoters like Duncan who keep the folk scene and the wider live/gig scene going. Tonight’s gig was a deserved sell out, however, not all shows have been and if like me you can’t afford to travel to the arena sized gigs, stay local and support the grassroots scene. The established artists and cowshed arenas don’t need your valuable support as much as the grassroots and local music scenes do.

With Ninebarrow, both on album and performing live, it is songs like ‘Come January’ that set them apart, as their vocals and harmonies really do bring to mind Simon & Garfunkel. High praise indeed, however, they certainly deserve it, as does their musicianship on a song like ‘Nestledown’. Mind you, as they revealed during the course of the evening they started out playing rockier music including Lynyrd Skynyrd covers. Ooh, now how’s about a Ninebarrow album of rock classics?

Both Jay and Jon have a natural way of storytelling and banter in between songs, wherein lies part of their charm, retelling the stories of where the songs came from. A perfect example being ‘A Pocket Full of Acorns’. Not only wonderfully sung and performed tonight, but the backstory to the song is very interesting. It comes from the story of Vice-Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, Lord Nelson’s second-in-command at the Battle of Trafalgar, who carried acorns in his pocket to plant when out walking. His aim was to ensure wood for the warships of future generations, as he knew that the oak was a finite resource, even though the seeds he planted wouldn’t be mature until he was long gone, he knew it was important to do so. Ninebarrow have done something similar with planting their woodland to offset their carbon footprint from touring.

They did two covers in the second set. First was Nick Drake’s ‘River Man’, which they do their own take on as they said it is nigh on impossible to match the original. From the pre-song intro you can see what a big influence the music of Nick Drake has had on Ninebarrow. The other was ‘Ride On’, one of Christy Moore’s most famous songs (although it was written by Jimmy MacCarthy) and this one lends itself nicely to a bit of audience participation, as what folk gig would be complete without a chance to sing?!

They closed the second set with the crowd pleasing ‘Prickle-eye Bush’, before an encore of ‘Row On’, another tune that lends itself naturally to a sing-a-long.

A memorable gig and one enjoyed equally by audience and performers alike, as for Ninebarrow it will be virtual shows now for the foreseeable. Do seek out their online shows, the next one is scheduled for July.

Folk is in good hands with such talented and engaging artists as Ninebarrow and Wednesday’s Wolves.

Review by Jason Ritchie

Photos by Andy Welsh

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THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
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