Venue:
Arts Centre, Helmsley
Date: 01/05/2026
Having seen Sarah was playing nearby I drove up Sutton Bank to Helmsley on Friday night. A steep climb brings you to the North Yorkshire moors and the view on the drive up gives you a panoramic view of the Vale of York. Alas as I was driving I had to concentrate on the very steep drive up. I’d visited the Arts Centre before some twenty(ish) years previously so I’d a rough idea where it was which was more than the people I asked who didn’t have a clue. Luckily I found it more by chance and the small sign I spotted on a ginnel wall.
Although Sarah had played there three times before the venue had moved the concert from the auditorium to the bar to accommodate the small but perfectly formed audience. Very civilised with tables to put one’s drinks on. Tea for me as tackling Sutton Bank on the way down needs a clear head. A perfect spot right at the front about two metres away from the ‘stage’ *floor.
Bang on 7:30 introduced by her sound man as “The kaleidoscopic Sarah McQuaid ” he’s been working through the alphabet for adjectives and had reached K. Sarah said she would play some old and new songs. They were all new to me as I’d not heard any before despite being told how good she is especially on here. I think I just wanted to hear her play live first if that makes sense.
A truly special performer and raconteur as you are drawn into her world and as others have said a musically superb night. I should have photographed the set list which would have helped with the titles but the ones I remember are Derby Cathedral and If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous (which has been able of an earworm these last two days).
Her Ibanez Artist guitar had been a gift from Michael Chapman and on the way up to Scotland she is calling in and staying with Michael’s wife Andru.
I bought the memory stick with the complete works on so I think I can be classed as a convert*
Highly recommended there’s an extensive tour ongoing.
* She said how much she liked my yellow converse so she is obviously a person of taste.
The audience:
Sat at the front I didn’t really see the audience apart from the couple sat at my table who you could say were elderly but then so am I.
It made me think..
Thank you @sarahmcquaid
Tour details here.https://sarahmcquaid.com/
She’s a diamond isn’t she? So pleased to see a review on here from her current tour – we’d be going to see her again ourselves, but sadly the potential dates all collide with other stuff this time round. Glad you made the hazardous trek!
Hazardous but beautiful. She’d played in Huddersfield last week which was near where we lived until our move last year. The drive from there would certainly not have been as beautiful. In the end I didn’t drive down Sutton Bank but the other way was no easier apart from I got to see the new orange moon over Byland Abbey which was a perfect ending to a perfect evening.
Oh and I have to drive up there again tomorrow.
Driving back down Sutton Bank today and what came on?
If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.
Can you dig it?
Only by wee Georgie Wood
Aw thank you Mark!
She’s doing a long tour and manages to avoid anywhere I could see her unfortunately.
https://sarahmcquaid.com/tour
There is a bit at the bottom where you can offer a venue. I’m not sure exactly how that works.
Mmm house concert..
there you go! You can email me on sarahmcquaidtourbooking@gmail.com and let me know what you have in mind.
An email to sarahmcquaidtourbooking@gmail.com will do the job!
Sorry to hear that! Another time I hope! If there’s a venue (or church, village hall, whatever – we travel with our own PA and lighting so can play pretty much anywhere) near you that you’d recommend I contact for a gig, please do let me know.
Hitchin Folk Club? More concert orientated than the usual club.