Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita 15/11/2018

This was the third time we went to see this unusual duo - the first two times being on their 2014 tour. This time they were touring a new album 'Soar' which I wasn't aware of before the gig. Support was from Gwyneth Glyn who came on with a band of Welsh musicians including Dylan Fowler on guitar, Rowan Rheingans on fiddle and Gillian Stevens on a Cello-like instrument (and also some ancient stringed thing). The set was Celtic folk and was beautifully sung and played. Catrin and Seckou came on and opened with the opening song on Soar -'Clarach'. It was an astonishingly beautiful and moving piece. Having got the gist that this was about the first Osprey to be born in Wales in recent times and about her journey to Senegal the music really evoked that story. the set continued with mostly stuff from the new album. There was notable piece based on Bach's Goldberg Variations called 'Bach to Baisso'. The last track of the main set was something I knew and was brilliant and then the encore was a great version of 'Bamba' from their previous album together. Throughout the music soared and swirled, question and response between the instruments was sublime. Great evening of stunning music.

First Aid Kit - 6/11/2018

It was back to the Cardiff Motorpoint Arena for this gig but a very different set up to the David Byrne gig ten days prior. Then we were fourth row from the stage in a seated auditorium and the sound and visuals were excellent. This time we were seated behind the standing majority, a long way from the stage and the stage was a blur and the sound pretty average. The Staves were the support and this trio delivered the impeccable sound of three perfectly harmonized voices. I would certainly see them again headlining in a smaller venue but it was a little difficult to fully appreciate them in this venue. First Aid Kit came on in glittery dresses and with a stage presence to match - a noticeable difference to the first time we saw them nearly four years ago. The band was a pedal steel guitarist (Melvin Duffy), a drummer and a keyboard player. Klara who handles the majority of the vocals also plays acoustic guitar and Johanna sings and plays bass. They played a number of tracks off the new album but not as many as you might expect, plus a selection from the previous albums and a cover that they sang with The Staves. That was my highlight of the show together with 'Emmylou' of course which is classic pop/country Swedish style. The encore was pretty high quality as well 'Rebel Heart' and 'Fireworks' off the new album (It's strange to hear the lyrics 'I saw the fireworks at your house last night' on November 6th) and then 'Silver Lining'. It was also strange to find neighbours of our just two seats away on the same row in such a large venue. Pluses from the gig - the harmonies of First Aid Kit and The Staves, Klara's fantastic voice, The minuses - another set that was too short (16 shortish songs is not enough), sound and seating not really good enough and the rock star stage presence that felt rather inappropriate for the songs. https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/first-aid-kit/2018/motorpoint-arena-cardiff-wales-39649ff.html

Karine Polwart - 1/11/2018

I knew almost nothing about Karine before this gig - I had just heard a couple of songs I liked and at the same time the gig came up so I bought some tickets. She was great; she had me at song one. That was a long but brilliantly witty diatribe against Trump with lots of musical variation in the song. Thereafter she was more a traditional Scottish singer/songwriter with folky roots. The band included her brother on guitar and Inge Thompson on Accordion and drums and percussion and backing vocals. Karine played a Squeezebox and a guitar. She did a couple of covers - a great song by Frightened Rabbit which I didn't know and late on a version of 'Video Killed the Radio Star' which was much much better than the original. Various tracks from her new album such as 'Cornerstones', 'I Burn but I am not Consumed' and 'Suitcase' persuaded me to get the album and the whole gig was interesting, enjoyable and quality stuff. I very much enjoyed Inge's one solo track which involved drum and vocal loops.