Jon Boden & the Remnant Kings

Submitted by Vince Black on 8 March 2013 - 2:19pm
Where: 
Bury Met
When: 
07/03/13
Comment: 
A seriously impressive performance by Jon Boden and his side project. The RKs comprise Sam Sweeney and Paul Sartin from Bellowhead, Rob Harbron from the Fay Hield (Mrs Boden) Band and Ric Foote. The latter restricted himself to double bass, and operating Edith the wax cylinder player. The others are talented multi-instrumentalists. They all play fiddle and either concertina or melodeon. Young Sam played drums, quite often also playing fiddle whilst drumming with his feet. Harbron played a lot of banjo which together with Sam’s loose drumming style gave it a nice Americana feel. I sensed a bit of a Miles Davis Silent Way vibe when Paul was playing oboe, sounding very like Wayne Shorter on soprano sax, and Sam was battering away on his kit with soft mallets. They played Boden originals, lots of trad, one accapella, and 3 nice covers of songs that they reckon would survive the apocalypse; Whitney’s “I wanna dance with somebody”, Kate Bush “Hounds of Love” and Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust"
The audience: 
Packed! Probably 200 there. Excellent sound and good lighting. Everyone I spoke to was very taken with the show. All this plus a 30 minute communal sing in the bar immediately afterwards, including some good floor-spots from audience members!
Food & drink: 
They normally take drink orders for the interval but I got there too late. So I queued at half-time. As slow as usual. When I finally got there the bloody barrel ran out. I settled for a bottle of Wheat beer and a diet coke, an outrageous £5.45
It made me think: 
On this showing Boden is a serious contender as a performer, songwriter, arranger and trad interpreter. He displays real vision in coming up with music that is relevant, genre-defying and unique sounding

Comments

I saw this same line up at Southwell and Shrewsbury festivals last year and it reminded me how much I like Songs from the Floodplain as an album. And of course, I've seen them all plenty of times over the years, yet still get taken by surprise by their musicianship. It looks effortless, but I'm sure it isn't. Is there anything Sam Sweeney can't do? I'm not surprised so many better established artists look to him for accompaniment; he seems a very responsive musician, and having seen him play several times close at hand off mic I can believe that.

The bar session crowned the night and was a typical Jon Boden touch. The performance is all fine and dandy, but he really wants to see the folk scene thrive and that means bringing people into it. I am flattered by your comment on the floor spots from audience members; one of them was an extremely nervous yet exhilerated Afterword blogger who is not at all used to public performance, I can tell you!

thecheshirecat | 9 March 2013 - 2:18pm.

give this young snapper another chance. I loved his stuff with Eliza Carthy and the very early duo stuff with the other Bellowboy. But I can't take Bellowhead at all. I'll try this new outfit for size though.

jorrox | 9 March 2013 - 2:49pm.

Also, I implore you to look up his missus' band, which he sometimes plays in. Both he, Sam and Rob play on the album along with Andy Cutting, arguably the finest box player in the land. They are playing Bury Met at the end of the month and presumably trouing elsewhere.

thecheshirecat | 9 March 2013 - 4:59pm.