A fast-rising folk duo played a set of intricate, inventive music when they appeared at Lichfield Guildhall.
Mandolinist, violinist and singer Katriona Roberts and virtuoso guitarist and singer Jamie Gilmore played songs from their well-received albums, as well as more traditional folk songs.
Combining innovative guitar – some of which was played over the lap – a number of different tunings, well-placed sampling and looping pedals, pitch perfect vocals, and strident fiddle and dextrous mandolin, the pair packed a lot into their two hour set.
The first song, The Stealing Arm, looked at an unusual subject, that of an amputated arm that steals, while Silverscreen was a love song dedicated to a satnav. These numbers were certainly not of the usual boy meets girl, boy loses girl, and any number of variations.
The Bookseller’s Story was a eulogy to a passed time, while Louis Was A Boxer looked at the damage that the sport can cause. A fast-paced reel – Salmon Left For Dead – was a showcase for the duo’s musical talent.
During the second half, more traditional numbers were played, with The False Knight being an early highlight.
Letters looked at the hope bought by the written word, before Bluegrass fervour featured in the instrumental set of Tennessee Green.
The final song, Scarecrow, took the traditional figure of the scarecrow and turned it into something sinister, before becoming the instrumental Isaac’s Farewell.
The encore was a complete surprise, with a stately, melodically pleasing rendition of Alice Cooper’s Poison which showed both the range and vision of this pair of talented musicians.
