Jennifer Reid performs nineteenth-century Lancashire dialect and Victorian broadside ballads. She comes from Rochdale, “but I admit it”. Reid sings unaccompanied throughout the evening but provides percussion for one of Carthy’s songs in the form of clog dancing.
Eliza Carthy describes herself as a “modern English musician”. She sings centuries-old traditional songs, and more modern pieces including her own compositions. She mostly sings unaccompanied and occasionally brings out her fiddle. Carthy hails from Yorkshire, and a few good-natured cross-Pennine insults are exchanged over the course of the evening.
Reid is a fantastic storyteller, bringing life to some memorable characters such as “Frolicksome Kay”, a good Lancashire lass who is disappointed by her new boyfriend from Yorkshire. The industrial revolution is a theme in many of the songs: “The Coaler” captures the everyday heroism of a miner, “dropped down in a cage like bait on the line” so that others can stay safe and warm during the winter. There’s a poignant contrast between “The Weaver of Wellbrook”, a character study set to the rhythm of a hand loom, and the frantic whirling pace of “Weyver’s Song”, with the rhythm of a power loom.
I loved Reid’s voice. She brings humour, human warmth, and justified anger to the stories she tells. These are the stories of our working-class ancestors, who spent their lives toiling for the benefit of the rich. These songs stand as their own monument to their lives and community.
Carthy introduces herself by telling us that her songs offer a contrast to Jen’s “cheerful” approach. In particular, she warns us that she will be singing about “various forms of death”. Her voice and attitude are full of soul. She sings “The New York Trader”, about a crew who mutiny against their murderous captain, and “The Man who Puffs the Big Cigar”, about a corrupt property mogul and a stripper. There is some additional amusement as she acts out a story through the medium of “Eliza’s Naked Sock Puppet Theatre”.
This was an entertaining evening with two distinct voices from the world of folk music. I loved the sense of connection with the past that both performers brought, while standing their ground in the present day.
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Reviewer: Wendy McEwan
Reviewed: 17th March 2025
North West End UK Rating: