Spiro and Leveret - live music reveiw unit 1 part C

Leveret

Seeing Leveret perform live was an amazing experience!

Leveret played several fine traditional folk songs along with original compositions.
Some of the songs that were played were named after places that they had visited, such as 'Robbers Road' and 'Milford.'

Here is the lineup:



Robert Harbron plays the concertina.
                                                                                                            

Sam Sweeney plays the violin and the viola.



Andy Cutting plays the melodeon which is like an accordion but rather than a keyboard on one side it has buttons.

The concertina, violin, viola and melodeon harmonised beautifully with each other creating warm textures and evocative melodies.

My favourite piece was 'Rain in the Woodpile.' an original composition written by Robert Harbron. He joked that most people might build a woodshed rather than compose a melody about it. He also added that he had even more songwriting inspiration from the recent snow we'd been having.

Despite the weather there was a good turn out at the Guildhall and I'm certain that if these bands return, they will be sure to attract a full house.


 Spiro            

Spiro performed many beautiful, dramatic melodies.                                                                             
My favourite song that Spiro played was 'The Copper Suite' because it was very delicate and melancholic, incorporating, as tribute to the copper family who were a traditional English folk group, a strong melody with their trademark quirkiness. 

I loved the way the song changed key with such fluidity and the sound of the mandolin added an almost punk type edge to the piece, which sounds strange but worked brilliantly.
Heres the line up:


Jane Harbour plays the violin/viola

Alex Vann plays the mandolin

Jason Sparkes plays the accordion

Jon Hunt plays the acoustic guitar.

  
At the end of the performances Spiro and Leveret performed a traditional song together. It was a song that the pastoral poet John Clare had collected. John Clare is one of my favorite poets. I had no idea that he was a musician in his own right.
I really enjoy composing my own songs and have my own Celtic harp which I love to play. Seeing these bands have given me a much greater appreciation for folk music and inspired me to continue composing my own work as well as exploring the roots of traditional folk music.