Venue:
The Guildhall, Leicester
Date: 20/03/2018
I am a recent convert to The Young’uns through their wonderful 2017 album, Strangers. Normally, folk music is not my thing, but the combination of harmonies, humour and on-the-nose social comment made it one of my albums of last year. So I booked a couple of tickets to see them in, what has to be, one of oldest and most intimate venues in the UK.
I went along with the current Mrs W expecting a night of hits from Strangers together with some ‘old’, but the evening was a lovely surprise. The theme of the performance is the story of Johnny Longstaff who grew up between the wars and, as a teenager, was on the Jarrow marches, fought the fascists in the East End of London and went over to Spain to fight against Franco. New songs, plus two from Strangers, tell the story of Johnny Longstaff’s life and are insterspersed with Johnny’s own commentary (recorded as a old man) and photos of the events. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but it was a very moving evening of wonderful music.
The audience:
Old’uns
It made me think..
It’s rare to see something that is that bit different from a normal gig, but this worked very well. See this if it’s in your town.
SteveT says
I want to like them but when I saw them live supporting The Unthanks they frankly left me cold. Great voices but no soul.
Baron Harkonnen says
If they left the man above ‘cold’ they must be good because he’s tone deaf. I’m in.
SteveT says
Yeah but you listen to any old shit. I have a problem with music without instruments. To me there are only two English singers that can pull it off – June Tabor and Maddy Prior.
Moose the Mooche says
June Tabor – the Servelan of folk. Corrrr.
Kaisfatdad says
Dunce’s hat for me! I had not idea who or what a Servalan was.
Colin H says
We can always rely on you to go off Googling, Fatz! I have an Ulster punk interview debuting here later today – you could be getting some revision in ahead of time! 🙂
retropath2 says
I struggle to get past the name, reeking as it does of the “busted flush” (TM @colin-H ) of folk clubs, wherein these middle aged men were deemed youngsters. (OK, I know they were when they began) They are a good festival slot for a sunny afternoon at Cambridge, where I saw them and was pleasantly surprised.
Jorrox says
I avoided them at Cambridge and just now had a Spotify listen. I quite like them. I agree that the name isn’t great.
Colin H says
I agree with Retro – it’s a rotten name.
Mike_H says
It’s like they don’t want anyone under 60 to give them a listen.
SteveT says
I shouldn’t think anyone under 60 would want to listen to them.
retropath2 says
Do they?
Mike_H says
With a name like that they’re unlikely to find out.
fentonsteve says
I once went to Leicester Guidhall, lovely venue, but got lost in the dark on my way home round the ring-road. When asking directions from a local, I realised I had driven into the red light district.