Sarah McQuaid at St. Leonard’s in Sheepstor, on Dartmoor.

Venue:

St. Leonard’s Church, Sheepstor, Dartmoor

Date: 27/11/2022

Once again, I journeyed on your behalf to report upon a fabulous musical event taking place in a wondrous venue: Sarah McQuaid’s lovely performance in an exquisite 15th Century Grade 1 listed granite church up on Dartmoor in the tiny (pop: 45) village of Sheepstor, that took place last night.

I didn’t really, I obviously did for my own benefit, and for the benefit of my younger brother, who hadn’t previously had the opportunity to see and hear Sarah play. But now that I’ve made my way back home to this computer, I feel it only fair to share with you how such a simple musical performance, beautifully played and sung, exquisitely mixed for sound, delivered in a church with a lovely acoustic in an idyllic Dartmoor village (wait for the snow to arrive!) can be a mightily life-affirming way to spend an evening. Thus giving you the chance to attend one of Sarah’s forthcoming gigs and avail yourself of the same gentle pleasures.

Sarah’s forthright singing, careful and playful DADGAD playing, great choice of covers and deep well of personal compositions are a tonic for the mind and soul. Last night we were treated to a generous selection of the songs she plays on her current album, ‘The St. Buryan Sessions’, recorded live in her local church in deepest Cornwall, and some choice choices from her back catalogue, inluding two of my personal favourites – the marvellous title track from her album ‘The Plum Tree and The Rose’ and the intensely moving ‘Aquí Me Pinté Yo (For Frida Kahlo)’ from the album she did with Zoë Pollock under the name Mama in 2008.

I cannot recommend highly enough that you should seek out her music and explore – her bandcamp pages have oodles of tracks to investigate: https://sarahmcquaid.bandcamp.com/

I started this year by seeing Sarah play in a Cotswold village near my home, the first gig I’d been to in ages, for obvious reasons. I have more gigs lined up before the end of the year, but last night’s feast of music was a perfect way to top and tail a year of slow gig-going recovery, and leaves me wanting more live music, more often, and in more little venues like this, with artists of the talent and spirit of Sarah.

This gig was put on under the auspices of a little group of dedicated volunteers who can be found online here: https://www.facebook.com/SheepstorVillagesInAction/

This venue is a magnificent place, and you can find out more about it here: https://devonchurchland.co.uk/description/sheepstor-church-of-st-leonard-description/

Sarah’s manager, recording engineer and gig sound guy, who has worked with her now for years, is Martin Stansbury, another Cornwall based genius, who can be found here: https://www.cacophonycottagestudio.co.uk/

And finally, @colin-h, Sarah sends her love.

The audience:

See for yourself – even your Afterword correspondent is visible here, where Patrick, the fine fellow behind ‘Sheepstor Villages In Action’, is introducing Sarah as the gig is about to begin:
https://imgur.com/a/Fv5Z61E

It made me think..

We all need more of this in our lives.

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