Archived Reviews

Support: Alan Savage
Support: Geoff Pickard

Our first guests of the year were The Devil’s Interval. First time visitors to Cramlington, TDI are a trio comprising the individual vocal talents of Lauren McCormick, Jim Causley and Emily Portman. More on them later.

Supporting the guests were club stalwart Alan Savage and club virgin Geoff (the man with no surname) who lives in Alnwick. Thank God for the A1.

Alan never fails to please and was in fine voice tonight. In his two sets he treated us to 'The Galloway Hills', 'The Skyline Of Skye', 'The Mingele Boat Song', 'The Banks O’ The Roses' and, a request from the audience, the wonderful 'Jute Mill Song'.

Although not a newcomer to life, Geoff (I really don’t know his surname!) is a relative – and welcome – newcomer to the club. I think I’m correct in saying this was his first support slot and he didn’t disappoint. Along with Gerry Rafferty’s 'The Coat She Wore', Ian Campbell’s 'Homeward Bound' and two songs by ‘that famous American’ ('I Wish I Had A Troubadour' and 'Take Me Back Again') he also surprised us with one of his own songs – 'Busker Bill'. More of these please!

And so to The Devil’s Interval. All three are fine musicians who sing perfect three part harmonies. And not any old harmonies! As their name implies – they seek out the unusual intervals. All three are wonderful singers. It is not surprising, given their performing and touring experience (many festivals and touring with Waterson Carthy no less) that all three have an easy, warm and confident stage presence.

All three are recent graduates of Newcastle University’s Traditional Music degree and it is clear that they are committed to that genre. Many songs, I have to admit, I had never heard, and as they didn’t always announce the name I cannot report them all here. But we had songs such as 'Studying Economy', a song about Jesus, the Harry Adams song 'Two Crows', 'Dead Mans Land', a song about Dick Turpin and songs from the Child ballads collection (one about a stubborn argument that goes too far) and to finish their first half, 'The Green Valley'.

The second half continued in the same vein with songs from their own Devon region, the famous 'Long Lankin', 'Hares On The Mountain' (one of their few up-tempo songs) and 'Down Among The Dead Men'. Jim treated us to two great songs – 'Whale Of A Tale' (from Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea) and the Bette Midler song 'The Doctor'. Rejoined by Lauren and Emily, they finished with 'Blow Me Jack' and 'Silver Dagger'. Their encore (arguably their best song of the night) was 'Ye Cold Blacksmith' which included fantastic verses written by 7-11 year olds at one of their workshops.

The Devil’s Interval are already accomplished musicians. Traditional music is safe in hands like these. My only criticism is that I would have liked to hear more up-tempo songs and more with an accompaniment. It is not surprising that the songs that received the best response were 'Whale Of A Tale', 'The Doctor' and their encore. I was looking forward to a Tom Waits song too (I’m not mad – check out their website!).

Terry Fletcher