McCusker, McGoldrick, Doyle - 22 March 2024

Our first gig at the rebuilt Lantern was this trio we had last seen in the foyer of the Beacon building just before lockdown. As last time this was a beautiful gig, starting with an air featuring Mike on bagpipes. Each of the three led in turn throughout the gig, John Doyle with Irish folky songs, Mike McGoldrick with tunes from all over Galicia, Brittany, Shetland usually with him on whistles, John McCusker with fiddle led tunes including his 'Friday Island' tune he played last time. John Doyle has a great singing voice as well as super fast rhythm guitar playing and all in all it is just a great pleasure that deserves a bigger audience than the 300 or so in the Lantern.

Saving Grace - 13 March 2024

We did see Saving Grace in November in Cardiff and this was their first gig since November so unsurpisingly it was a similar experience and just as good as last time. First up was Scott Mathews who plays a good guitar but can't really sing very well. Saving Grace are excellent musicians and singers. One of the highlights for me is Matt Warley doing his gospelly bit taking the lead vocals and with Robert and Suzie on backing vocals. The two guitarists/any stringed instrument players are superb. The drummer is up to the standard and Suzie does a number of stints on accordion as well as an occasional bass. Other memorable songs were 'In my time of Dying' an old Blind Willie Nelson number which was done by Led Zep (as were a number of other songs - perhaps explaining the increasing popularity of Saving Grace), 'It Don't Bother Me' (a Bert Jansch song) and some more of their standard tracks such as 'Angel Dance' and 'Gallows Pole'. Robery Plant's vocie was spot on, perhaps due to this being his first gig for a few months whereas last time in Cardiff a long tour had maybe taken a bit of a toll. Suzie Dyans vocals are always top notch. An excellent outing.