Reviews 2022

Woodman Folk Club - Reviews

Ruth & Ken Powell

Woody* 25 Nov 2022

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Hi everyone Woody here again with a review of another fabulous night at the Woodman Folk Club; and as once again the chimes of Left Bank Two by the Noveltones faded into the distance the evening was opened by our MC, Mr Bryn Phillips. No happy Birthday choruses this week but the start was embellished by a nameless club member who managed to knock over a glass with a shaker shaped like a banana. Elaine was called upon for the second week to dry us out and make the floor safe to walk on.

 

This could quite easily have been the highlight of the evening but no, that was yet to come. Support for the night was intended to be provided by Nothing To Prove version three but alas Busby was stricken by severe cold which left Derry and Debbie Jones to appear together as NTP version 3 minus 1. (Catchy name I thought). It is to their credit that they managed to put together at very short notice a delightful 4 song set. They opened with Donovan’s Gold Watch Blues followed by a poignant number written by Derry about refugees of the Syrian conflict of not so many years ago. Folk Festival Virgin upped the mood and started the audience singing as did the old Lindisfarne song Meet Me On The Corner. Well done the pair of you. You saved the day.

 

Ruth & Ken are two people who can safely be called Friends of the Club, having appeared tonight for the sixteenth time this century when records began, so it may be more. They first joined us as part of the ever-popular Risky Business in February 2000 and as a duo they were one of the first acts to appear at the club post covid. They may not have been able to be with us physically during lockdown but contributed to the Virtual Woodman on several occasions and were part of the Sunday evening performance for the Woodman Virtual 50th Anniversary Folk Festival in February 2021. Is it any wonder therefore that we all awaited the evening with such anticipation.

 

The first slot began with humour about the way the microphones at Bromsgrove Folk Club were covered for hygiene with what was said to be pieces taken from paper knickers. It continued from there and did not stop until the final notes had been sung. They make much of tales about their marriage, home life and most importantly cats. I actually felt sympathy for Ken who is a martyr to his back condition which had been aggravated this week. Treatment for which had included liberal application of Deep Heat rub. He kept apologising for any accompanying smell. I can honestly say this did not affect me at all as I made sure I was seated at the back of the room. Each song was given its title, the composer named and the meaning explained, something we do not get from every artist. It really enhances the enjoyment of the songs. Most songs could be found on the selection of cd’s they had brought with them – I do hope people made the most of the opportunity to relive the night this way.

 

Ruth has what I can only call a glorious voice, accompanied by Ken playing either guitar or banjo all made by him in his home workshop. Liz Simcock’s City Girl kicked off the first set followed by Rosie Cousins’ Stray Birds and a particular favourite of MC Bryn’s Kerry Girl by Paul Reaney. A change of style to “1930’s Cotton Club” for Stars Fell Down On Alabama, followed by Dave Carter’s The Girl From Golden and the traditional The Cuckoo. The set was completed with Cara Dillon’s The Hill Of Thieves.

 

After the break – and no I did not win the raffle -  we were treated to Ruth Moody’s Trouble and Woe; Someday from Darryl Scott; another song from Dave Carter, When I Go. Ken mentioned that as long as they have been playing Gerry Raffety’s Baker Street Ruth has never taken the trouble to learn the saxophone part. She still hasn’t. Briege Murphy’s haunting song about wives awaiting the return of their menfolk from sea, which is suggested to be their mistress, can be found on The Cuckoo Flower cd. Rosie Harbin’s Dark Side Of The Moon - “Has a cracking chorus” - was the intended penultimate song before Bill Caddick’s classic John Of Dreams. I say intended because the audience having lifted the roof with their cheers meant we were treated  to an encore the Risky Business song from Rosemary’s Garden – All That You Ask Me written by Kieron Goss.

 

I apologise for naming every song we heard but I feel you should be given the chance to look them up for yourselves and make your own decision about investing in the appropriate cd. Thank you so much Ruth & Ken. Good luck for next year’s festival and hope to see you again soon.

 

And so, another evening came to an end and the audience wended their way home to return another day.

 

I shall conclude as normal by saying

 

A Wonderful Night Was Had by All.


Here’s to The Next One.


* Notes taken by Les Jones, who also typed up the review, but the views expressed are
those of Woody, the club mascot.