Cambridge Folk Festival Coverage, 2008
July 31, 2008
Update: reviews, photos, YouTube vids and more on the BBC coverage in our Cambridge Folk Festival 2008 Roundup »
————————
Seth plays “the daddy” of British folk festivals, Cambridge, on Sunday 3 August. Media coverage kicks off tonight with an interview and no doubt a few live tracks on the Radcliffe and Maconie Show on Radio 2 at 8pm (Listen on iPlayer until Thu 7 Aug ». Seth is on around the 31min and 48min marks). Highlights of the festival will be on Radio 2 on Monday from 8pm and Seth’s performance will also be filmed for BBC4, transmission date to be confirmed.
The official Cambridge Folk Festival website features their own festival podcast, promising to keep you up-to-date on events throughout the festival including news, backstage gossip, and artist interviews. Seth is interviewed briefly on Thursday’s episode (MP3) ».
Tickets for the festival itself are sold out.
Festival Links
BBC Cambridge Folk Festival website
www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/cambridgefolkfestival/2008
TV and Radio Schedule, with listen again links
www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/cambridgefolkfestival/2008/tvradio
Cambridge Folk Festival website
www.cambridgefolkfestival.co.uk
Official Festival Podcast
www.cambridgefolkfestival.co.uk/podcast.shtml
Official Festival Blog
cambridgefolkfestival2008.blogspot.com
Interviews in Songlines, Acoustic and The Word magazines
July 30, 2008
Seth appears in the latest issues of a whole bunch of magazines, including The Word, Songlines and Acoustic, if you fancy going and blowing a wodge of cash in W H Smith.
Songlines, Issue 54, Aug/Sep 2008
www.songlines.co.uk
Seth is this month’s Cover Boy for Songlines magazine with a full interview inside.
A couple of brief extracts from the original interview are on also featured on the Songlines Podcast », starting around the 4 min mark.
The free CD includes a track from Jim Moray’s new album, Low Culture, and once you remove it from the mag you will find the artwork sports a charming close-up of Seth’s crotch. (I am but the messenger here, OK.)
- Songlines Podcast 54, feat. Seth Lakeman »
- Order Songlines Issue 54 online for £6 (inc UK delivery) »
Acoustic Magazine, Issue 23
www.acousticmagazine.com
Another cover-boy appearance on Acoustic Magazine which trails its interview thus:
"Maintaining a storyteller’s persona and exhibiting lively stage antics has earned Seth growing notoriety. He tells Graham Hazelwood more about dealing with this recognition, his sources of inspiration and some of his favoured tunings on the tenor guitar"
You can read the interview in full in the Acoustic Magazine ‘digital edition’ »
The Word Magazine, August 2008
www.wordmagazine.co.uk
Quotes (thanks to DTN):
"They were trying to get me to go down the James Blunt route at one point…. They asked me to write with big pop writers like Jimmy Hogarth (Blunt, Paolo Nutini, Duffy, Tunstall). It’s so far away from what I’m doing, but you can’t be negative to something unless you’ve a good reason to be. We wrote some great songs together actually, but they weren’t for me. I grew up as a fiddle player, and having a story behind each of the songs is really important."
…
Little wonder "a few battles" were fought over Poor Man’s Heaven. Indeed, when Relentless finally received the record – a great rhythmic beast that occasionally sounds like an all-acoustic Led Zeppelin, but at no point sounds like James Morrison – they asked: ‘Where are the singles?’ Lakeman laughs. "I said, ‘I’m not a singles artist, guys. Have another listen!’"
Delighted that EMI’s budget enabled him to use a studio that makes his music sound "sonically much bigger", he’s also acutely aware that the label’s mastery of the dark arts of "racking", plugging and it’s "amazing marketing" have given him a priceless opportunity to let his music travel.
Single issues are available for £5.50 from http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/buy
HMV’s Choice Magazine, July/August 2008
You can pick this one up for free from HMV stores. A few quotes (thanks to Lau) to whet your appetite:
There are obviously influences in your music from outside folk’s boundaries. What type of music did you listen to growing up?
"My influences range from Gypsy Jazz to Judge Jules.
Recently though I got back into Irish fiddle player Martin Hayes."What’s the last album you bought? Any good?
"I bought the new Coldplay record. It sounds amazing."If your house was on fire and you only had time to grab your most treasured record, what would it be?
"I think it would be Paul Simon’s Graceland."
Live EP
Five tracks from Seth’s performance are available to buy on iTunes.
- Poor Man’s Heaven
- The Hurlers
- Blood Red Sky
- Kitty Jay
- Greed and Gold
Individual tracks are the usual 79p, or you can get all five for £1.99. Download link: Seth Lakeman, iTunes Live: London Festival ‘08 – EP »
Photos and Gig Reports
Gig reports, lots more good photos and a set list from those lucky enough to score tickets all available on The Mire »
Set list » and photo gallery » from iTunes Live website
TV Coverage
Highlights of the gig are currently billed to appear as part of ITV2’s iTunes Festival coverage on Monday 28 July at 7pm (or 8pm on ITV2+1). The programme is only half an hour long, and will cover other gigs as well, so expect a couple of tracks at most. Update 29 July: the programme featured a truncated clip of Kitty Jay towards the end. If you missed the show you can watch it on ITV’s Catch-up service until 2 August – assuming you can bear the 20 minutes of Peaches Geldof you’ll need to sit through first.
iTunes Festival 2008 Coverage, ITV2 Catchup. Available until Sat 2 Aug 2008 »
Interview on The Guardian Music Weekly Podcast
July 20, 2008
The Guardian interview with Seth back in May, during his appearance at The Guardian sponsored Hay-on-Wye literature festival, is featured on this week’s Guardian Music Weekly podcast. You can listen online or download it as an MP3.
Seth’s slot is first up. It’s a good long interview, covering musical influences, directions, song-writing styles and other serious subjects. Lots of clips from Poor Man’s Heaven and, most interestingly, from ‘Coppinger’, a new track not on the album and currently only available as a download from iTunes. Plus stick around for a fantastic, full live version of ‘Hurlers’ right at the end of the podcast, around the 29min mark.
Audio interview: Seth Lakeman, The Guardian Music Weekly, 18 July 2008 ».
Pre-Heb Celt interview with Highland News
July 17, 2008
A short interview with Highland News in advance of Seth’s appearance at the Heb Celt festival in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, on Saturday discusses chart success, the influence of playing live on the new album, and the possibilities for making it big in the Carribean.
Chart success “not down to radio”
Poor Man’s Heaven’s chart success “wasn’t expected”, he says, and is “definitely not down to that marketing machine, radio”. Largely shunned my mainstream playlists, although Crimson Dawn has popped up on Radio 2 a bit, he credits instead the hard work the band has put in over the last couple of years, playing an estimated 250 gigs a year according to other interviews.
“we’ve done so many gigs. And I think that’s why people have gone out to buy it, they’ve either seen us play or have been told about it.”
…
“The pressure’s on now for the next album! we will probably release a live recording first because we have never done that before.”
More tidbits in the full interview.
Full interview: ‘Charting top 10 is number one for Seth’, Margaret Chrystall, Highland News, 17 Jul 2008 »
Autumn Tour Dates Announced
July 15, 2008
Update Liverpool is now Oct 23, and Norwich Nov 2
October
Wed 22 Wolverhampton Wulfrun
www.wolvescivic.co.uk
Thurs 23 Liverpool Academy
www.gigsandtours.com
Fri 24 Lincoln Engine Shed
www.gigsandtours.com
Sat 25 Northampton Roadmender
www.tctmusic.co.uk
Sun 26 Cambridge Junction
www.junction.co.uk
Tues 28 Oxford Academy
www.tctmusic.co.uk
Wed 29 Bristol Academy
www.gigsandtours.com
Thurs 30 Aberdeen Lemon Tree
www.aberdeenboxoffice.co.uk
Friday 31 Dundee Fat Sams
www.gigsinscotland.com
November
Sat 1 Glasgow QMU
www.gigsinscotland.com
Sun 2 Norwich Waterfront
www.gigsandtours.com
Tues 4 Newcastle Academy
www.gigsandtours.com
Wed 5 Sheffield Leadmill
www.gigsandtours.com
Thurs 6 London Shepherds Bush Empire
www.seetickets.com
Fri 7 Portsmouth Pyramids
www.ticketmaster.co.uk
Sat 8 Manchester Academy
www.gigsandtours.com
Sun 9 Leeds Met
www.gigsandtours.com
Tues 11 Loughborough University
www.bigwheeltickets.com
Wed 12 Bournemouth Opera House
www.operahouse.co.uk
Thurs 13 Cheltenham Town Hall
www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk
Fri 14 Belfast Spring & Airbrake
www.seetickets.com
Sat 15 Dublin Academy
www.seetickets.com
Sun 16 Exeter Great Hall
www.gigsandtours.com
Mon 17 Falmouth Princess Pavillion
www.bigwheeltickets.com
Tues 18 Brighton Corn Exchange
www.bigwheeltickets.com
You’ll find full gig listings on MySpace and the Official Website. Tickets for many of the Autumn dates can be booked through gigsandtours.com and DTN has done a stirling job collecting other booking links on The Mire.
Interview
This Is Wiltshire caught up with Seth at Glastonbury. It may be a short interview, but it managed to get onto topics not covered by other recent interviews – including living in a haunted house, and girlfriend Hannah – presumably by the inspired technique of asking different questions. Full interview: “Seth Lakeman Interview”, Flicky Harrison, This Is Wiltshire, 7 July 2008 ».
Gig Reviews
- Gig review from Lillywhite Girl on The Mire »
- From local Richard Greenhalgh’s Thoughts on Music blog »
“Seth Lakeman and his band were show-stopping. It is probably the only time that an artist with a top-ten album (UK #8), for the first time and on the week of release, has played ‘The Cheese & Grain’” A moving performance of Solomon Browne “reduced a significant proportion of the audience to tears” but it was Kitty Jay “with Seth playing such furious fiddle” that was the song “that took the gig, and the audience, into truly remarkable territory”.
The Big Session, 14 June 2008
July 13, 2008
Photo by Ollie Millington via Flickr. (Click to enlarge).
- More of Ollie Millington’s photos from The Big Session »
- Ollie’s write up of the gig »
“Playing for nearly an hour Seth showed his multi instrumental talents he is famed for playing guitar and violin mesmerising the crowd. His combination of traditional and contemporary music and song writing certainly won over those in the crowd who hadn’t heard him before” - Seth’s blog post »
“We had an amazing gig on Saturday night up at the Big Session Festival. We were able to stick around and watch Steve Earle playing his hits. Just him and a DJ – amazing!” - A few fan photos on The Mire »
Interview in The Sun, 11 July 2008
July 12, 2008
“No. 8? I’m speechless… I’m just behind Amy Winehouse”
The Sun interviews Seth on Poor Man’s Heaven hitting the album charts, and gives the album 4½ out of 5 stars:
Sandwiched between two of the world’s best-selling pop divas — Rihanna and Amy Winehouse — is the West Country’s own Seth Lakeman.
It marks an incredible rise for a singer/fiddle player on a mission to bring folk music to the masses without compromising his style.
…
Were you aware of sounding a bit like Led Zep’s acoustic stuff?
“People have said it but we weren’t conscious of it in any way. I think it’s just the way I write as a musician and a songwriter. I’m rhythm-led and the inspirations come from traditional music as well as stuff like house music. ”
…
“I was slightly concerned about how people might react to it because it’s quite different from the last record. It was a brave move but I think it worked and the live audience is really enjoying it.”
…
What’s it like working with your brother Sean who produces and plays?
“You have a certain relationship about how things should sound. When it does work, it’s very exciting. You get a spark out of nowhere. It can also be a problem working with your brother! (laughs). We clash sometimes because we work so closely together. Not surprising, is it? It’s all for the greater good though.”
Full interview:“No. 8? I’m speechless… I’m just behind Amy Winehouse”, Simon Cosyns, The Sun, 11 July 2008 »
Photo of the Week
July 11, 2008
Seeing as it’s Friday afternoon. Spotted by Seth fan Susie Elliott in her local car park.
Western Approaches available as digital download
July 10, 2008
Seth’s 2004 collaboration with Steve Knightley and Jenna Witts has been quietly re-released by Hands on Music as a download from Tesco Digital.
This is a true collaboration, with each artist singing both their own and each other’s songs. Knightley sings ‘Ballad of Josie’ from Kitty Jay while Jenna takes Punch Bowl’s ‘Image of Love’. Seth returns the favour on Knightley’s ‘The Keeper’. The album also features the rare Seth track ‘Captain’s Court’, otherwise only available as a B-side to the ‘Lady of the Sea’ single release, and a rousing version of ‘Mariners’.
Folk/acoustic specialists Fish Records described the original CD release as “deceptively simple, the overall sound is rich thanks to some wonderful arrangements and excellent production. Highly recommended.” FolkMusic.net gives more background.
Buy Western Approaches from Tesco Digital »- Fish Records review of Western Approaches »
- Review of Western Approaches at FolkMusic.net »
Not just for completists.
(With thanks to Clarros (via the longdogs) for the link, and other related generosities I won’t mention in case I get us both into trouble.)
Update: sorry, Western Approaches no longer seems to be available via Tesco Digital. If it reappears I’ll let you know.
Win Tickets for iTunes Live gig, 22 July 2008
July 9, 2008
Seth will be playing at KOKO, London, on 22 July as part of the iTunes Live festival. Tickets are free to competition winners, though a limited number may be available to buy on the door.
You can win tickets from:
Photos, set lists, audio/video interviews and exclusive “Live EP” of the show all promised for afterwards.
Guilfest, 5 July 2008
July 9, 2008
Photos by Dan Smyth Photography via Flickr (click to enlarge)
More Photos
Gig Review
Virtual Festivals gives Seth 9/10, as one of the highlights of the show.
The sun-setter slot on Sunday night was ideal for Seth Lakeman, who provided the crowd with a show of real class. It’s truly amazing how he managed to squeeze out his harmonic voice with a violin tucked underneath his chin, with the crowd are drawn in by his fervent fiddle speed.
Gig review: Was this year’s Guilfest more family-favourite or family-misfortunes?, Virtual Festivals, 8 July 2008 »
Seth’s interview on the Mike Harding Show is available via Listen Again (iPlayer) » or by downloading the Podcast (MP3) ». Listen again is available until 16 July, the podcast until about 6 Aug 2008.
The Times made it it’s ‘Radio Choice’ for the day:
Seth Lakeman is the closest folk music has to a pop star. He even sings like one – take away that rhythmic violin and the story ballads he does so well and he’d slide easily into any chart band. He’s even had hit records (Top 30, granted, but that’s better than nothing), as well as a Mercury Music Prize nomination. And his appeal is growing – his recently released album Poor Man’s Heaven, was No. 1 in Amazon’s pre-order chart! From the songs that stud his interview with Harding it appears that Lakeman is embarking on a rockier road, however much he may deny it, skirting agreeably into Fairport Convention and even Traffic territory, which is no bad thing. Hear the interview, buy the record. It’s easy.
Holy Wow!
July 7, 2008
“Well, what a weekend…Nadal beat Federer, Lewis took the British GP and we stormed into the UK album charts at number 8!!!
This only happened because good people like you made the effort and bought Poor Man’s Heaven.
I cannot thank you all enough and would like to take the opportunity to express my sincere gratitude in what you have all helped me achieve.
All the best
Seth
Poor Man’s Heaven charts at number 8, the highest new entry in this week’s Official UK Album Chart.
(from bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/albums.shtml)
According to the Plymouth Herald 13,000 copies have been sold since its release last Monday. Seth ‘overjoyed’ as new album clinches top ten chart position, Plymouth Herald, 7 July 2008 »
Follow on Twitter
