Venue:
Town Hall, Birmingham
Date: 07/12/2017
I know I may be writing here an invitation to hatemail, there being many who revere this wellonthewaytobeinganationaltreasure of a band. Indeed I like much of their material, if sometimes finding the saccharine taste in their salty-sour songs a little too cloying. So I was looking forward to the show, my first for them. Having seen clips of their shows when augmented with brass bands to be a delight, the idea of an orchestra seemed not too alarming. Wrongity wrong………
Arriving a tad late, an illness on the train ahead, a euphemism for on the tracks I feel, had meant a 30 minute wait at Erdington, I and others were kept outside in the foyer until a break in performance. You know, like in a real posh concert, not for folk-club hardened veterans used to bar banter as loud as they. OK, I’m harsh, but it annoyed me. That and the tutting of the grey-rinsed pillars of the community I had to squeeze past to get to my seat even more. Still I had but missed the, what do they call it, the overture. I was in time for the delightfully shambolic introductions of why and how from Rachel, repeatedly referring to husband Adrian McNally for clarification, as she battled with the fitting of her one shoe off and one shoe on clogs. Uncertain what the first song was, and already the orchestra were interfering, but it was at least an ensemble piece. Having earlier hoped for a play of Blue Bleezin’ Blind Drunk, a hangover, SWIDT, from their Winterset days, this came gratifyingly up second. Becky’s voice ascendant, generally a stronger instrument than her elder sister’s, this began well, before being destroyed by facile swoops and swings of the massed ensemble, the actual Unthanks band seemingly unoccupied, on and off stage. O dear. As the set continued, again following a prolonged homily as to how wonderful it was that this orchestra existed, from the Andre Rieu-alike at their helm, and an explanation from Adrian that this was one of the first times they had played this piece, it was into Foundling. On record a moving and emotional song, abetted by a subtle string quartet. Here? Boring and overblown pathos. Even the muted trumpet soliloquy from, I presume, Lizzie Jones, as on the disc, couldn’t keep this afloat for me.
Inside I was screaming. I pushed past those same tutting matrons and was off….
The audience:
Couldn’t see them in daylight or in the bar, but it looked, in the gloom, like Symphony Hall on a R4 Friday Night is Music Night concert recording.
It made me think..
Leave it bloody alone. This is living and vibrant music on it’s own merits, not those of an illegtimate taste arbiter.
Brave man.
Saw them with the Winterset years ago on the recommendation of a friend. Hated the eldest sister’s voice then and can’t get passed that.
My friend is seeing them tonight, he is still a friend.
Brave man indeed but completely wrong. They and the Orchestra were magnificent – a wonderful evening. Your review is actually confusing because Blue Bleezin’ Blind Drunk wasn’t second at all. Second was a storming Mount the Air and they got a well deserved standing ovation second song in.
The interplay between the orchestra and the band was stunning and when the two voices became 3, 4 and 5 it was spellbinding. No idea how you would class it (the orchestra)as interfering I thought it was unobtrusive when it needed to be and rousing at other times. Starless and Bible black was a deeply poignant ending before they reprised a rousing coda of Mount the Air replete with the clog dancing. A wonderful night – I had been looking to review this all day but work delayed me doing so – sad because I think your delay has coloured your opinion of what was an excellent night. I hope there is a recording of this gig or this tour.
Then it must have been Mount the Air I missed rather than an overture. All the more frustrating, but my annoyance stands. Have listened to some recordings today in reflection. Much much better.
I’ll report back from the Royal Festival Hall show next Wednesday with my findings.
I saw them in October doing the much smaller-scale Molly Drake show, and they were fabulous – intimate and relexed. I actually prefer Rachel’s voice, but when they are in unison it’s something else, truly ethereal/mystical/magical and all those other words.
Was that at the “Jubbly Hall” perchance?
Aye, the lovely Jubbly.
I had the discussion last night with my wife and we both agreed that Rachel’s voice is the stronger but like you I believe when they sing together it is perfect. Last night there were some 5 part harmonies that were very good too.
Phew! At the start of that post I thought “Oh no! Another Epic Row!”… but thankfully harmony reigns.
I used to live in Unthank Road. Always thought I would like The Unthanks being an old folkie and loving Northumberland. Oh, how wrong can a poor boy be. This concert sounds my idea of hell.
I am with you. I really don’t get on with them at all. Cloying, sentimental, pompous etc. Sorry to all the lovers.
I thought the show was excellent and a real step on from the Liverpool orchestral concert when they first went down this route.
Whilst feeling sorry for people genuinely delayed, as someone who routinely has to take a day off to see anything, I wish more venues were less accommodating to the modern propensity for people to wander in and out when they feel like it.
Its a common practice and usually outlined when booking a ticket that Latecomers may not be admitted until a break in the performance. You late. You wait.
The Unthanks have stepped further and higher than their folkie roots by being more adventurous and open to exploring music, presenting material in different ways and not taking the easy route. The records are there as a moment in time not a set blueprint.
If it’s a proper sit-down concert then it’s quite right that you have to wait till a break between songs to get to your seat.
If your train is delayed, for whatever reason, that’s between you and the train operator. It’s nothing to do with the other people in your row of seats and shouldn’t be a reason to disturb them mid-song.
That’s me told!
I’ve fallen foul of this rule on a couple of occasions myself. Once at the Barbican for some folky thing I vaguely remember, many years ago and once for a show with Linda & Teddy Thompson with Martha Wainwright and various other guests. Both were entirely my own fault, not leaving myself enough travelling time when I could easily have.
I know, I know, and I agree in concept, it just pissed me off that night, conspiring to elevate the Unthanks to a high table of culture that is unnecessary. To their position in my concept of what matters.
(See Groucho Marx on clubs.)
I do get what you mean there. The Unthanks as a sit-down concert act when not so long ago they were just clog-dancing folkie sisters with a touch of something out-of-the-ordinary.
Stardom and sophistication, eh…
When I first saw em playing rooms above pubs they were still seated gigs. This really isn’t shake your rump music. Only seen them once in a standing venue in a couple of dozen shows.
The Un thanks have been playing with string sections and extra instrumentation for years both live and on record. It’s hardly Dylan going electric.
HowaaaayyyyaJudasman!
That’s one of the problems with all seated venues. If everyone was standing, it wouldn’t be a problem.
As far as orchestras are concerned… I’ve only seen it done once and that was for a Sparks gig. It’d be hard to find a bigger Sparks fan than me but I just didn’t get it. Previously sparkling pop/rock classics were dragged into the stringy gloop.
Next Wednesday 13th, 7pm on BBC Radio 2, The Unthanks’ Homecoming Concert from The Sage in Gateshead.
I’ll be giving it a listen.
I’ll be sitting in RFH with Wordbird @Drakeygirl waiting for The Unthanks to take to the stage.
I’ll wave if I spot you (we’re in the middle of the front row of the balcony). You look like a young Tom Baker, right?
We are down in the front side bits. I shall wave my scarf
Front side bits. Rachel and Becky Unthank. Don’t put these words so close together please.
If there is one thing the Unthanks are not, it is pompous, Dai.
I do admire them for constantly pushing the envelope. But I will admit that the last time I saw them here in Stockholm, the parts of the concert that I enjoyed most were not the long songs with the very sophisticated, Gil Evansesque arrangements, but rather the part of the concert where the girls were singing a capella.
And King of Rome which was magnificent.
They are a band I love dearly, but I am prepared to admit that sometimes they may make the wrong decisions. Heresy, I know!
I take it back. Was in a lousy mood.
Damn, just me alone again, naturally. I thought cloying and sentimental covered it nicely. I try not to comment adversely on groups/genres which for whatever reason, usually perverse, don’t appeal to me
However, I was certain I was going to like The Unthanks as per the reasons above – I was Wrong.
See above. I’m afraid they’re not for me either.
My friend enjoyed them again however.
How very dull it would be if we were all in agreement on everything, Lodey.
King of Rome is a magnificent song but I can see how sceptics could argue that it is a rather sentimental, nostalgic view of a working class man and his pigeons.
Here’s the song that converted me to an Unthankful bastard which is not cloying or sentimental in any way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0fx2VLJqmM
Don’t worry! I am not trying to convert you, I am quite happy to have you as a lone voice of protest wandering the Desert of Dissent.
I’m not trying deliberately to be a dissenter because as I have said twice now I really, really should like The Unthanks but I really, really don’t. Your song IMHO is duller than Mr Dull on Dull Day Island, moving along at a pace where the hearse catches up and speeds on by with nary a wave just a relieved shrug we’re going to a funeral today and don’t have to listen to this dirge ever again.
The driver lays his peaked cap on the passenger seat and as the church approaches he presses the CD play button. That’s more like it…#
Magnificent track by Ms Rusby. She really does deliver. Here’s a favourite of mine from the same album.
Have you ever been to Dullday Island: full of bloody ditchwater, it is.
I respect your efforts to “get” the Unthanks, Lodey. That it did not happen for you is really not life and death.
@Kaisfatdad there is an interesting one. You have described Dullday Island as full of ditchwater – I always thought the saying was dishwater.
Interesting – I guess you must be right as I have heard ditchwater before and had just assumed it was wrong.
Curious. I’ve always said ditch water, and never even heard ‘dishwater’ as an alternative, but if you type ‘Dull as … ‘ into Google both are auofill suggestions, and dishwater is higher up if that means anything.
I am with you there, Gatz. Never heard dishwater. I hope it is not catching on because people have misheard the expression.
It’s a bit of a damp squid
I think you’re trying to pull the wool over our eyes with smoking mirrors.
Ah but if you look deeper into it – it was dishwater and got corrupted to ditchwater. Can I claim bragging rights?
Sorry @SteveT it was ditchwater in the 1700s, corrupted to dishwater later.
Some may think King of Rome is sentimental nostalgic tosh @Kaisfatdad but this silly old sod sheds a tear every time he hears it. Every. Single. Time. Including the Half Man Half Biscuit version.
That’s two silly old sods then @ip33. I think it is one of their finest moments.
Magnificently uplifting and deeply moving. I was playing devil’s advocate there for a moment.
Where did they get their name from? Is it from Alasdair Gray’s Lanark (a fine, baffling Scottish novel which veers from surrealism to science fiction) or did it refer to something else before he used it?
In my town there is an area called Onthank.
Em….. oh. Seems like it is their actual surname.
As you were.
Family surname. I used to work in an office where people had names on the top of their PC monitors and there was an Unthank there, though I never met him. There is a village called Unthank, but I don’t know if Gray knew this or came up with it for his allegorical Glasgow independently.
Memory says there are at least two villages in Northumberland called Unthank, the name meaning something like “illegally occupied land” , ie sort of like The Gaza Strip only not in Palestine but instead somewhere near Haltwhistle.
Just what we need a Geordie intifada.
Yaboogaman!