LIVE (Photos): Folk In The Park, 19.08.2023

When you think of folk festivals, the Surrey town of Sutton isn’t necessarily what initially springs to mind… But Folk In The Park is looking to change that. Organised by local grassroots music venue The Sound Lounge (lead by musicians Hannah White and her partner Kieron Marshall), it’s a day of beautiful live music ranging from folk and blues – with tinges of jazz, rock and indie – with a family friendly focus and admirable sustainable ethos.

Arriving at the somewhat unlikely location of Manor Park in Sutton on Saturday morning, bright and early at 11am, I feel instantly at ease – greeted by sunshine, friendly faces and the twinkling tones of first artist of the day, Holly Henderson. With songs ranging from the gently empowering ‘Sunflower’ (“for all my ladies out there!”), to the lilting energy of ‘Wendy’ (a “dog love song”), Henderson’s rich, luscious vocals flow throughout with a sparkling uplifting charm. 

Following the dark humour and gravelly blues-strewn folk of Irish raconteur David Hope, local artist (“the last festival I played took me 4 hours to get to, but I walked here in 5 minutes!”) Hannah Scott takes to the stage. Having received acclaim from the likes of Dermot O’Leary on BBC Radio 2 and the likes of MOJO, as well as having her songs featured on medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, she delivers a stirring, emotion-rich set. Reflecting on themes ranging from the complications that come with ending a relationship (‘Untangling’), to the artistic need for pain and hardship in order to feel inspired (‘Hurricanes’), each song showcases the heartfelt grace of her crystalline vocals and accompanying resplendent melodies. 

After enjoying a little bop in the sunshine to Matt Owens & The Delusional Vanity Project, it’s time for Scottish artist Roseanne Reid. Despite being confined to a chair throughout the performance due to a mysterious toe-breaking incident, she succeeds in captivating me completely. With her blues-tinged Americana and a heartfelt raw emotion, she reflects on life’s complexities, singing of love for her child and wife, whilst oozing a blissful, stirring allure. Having recently released her gorgeous second album Lawside, and counting the legendary Steve Earle amongst her fans, Roseanne Reid is a new favourite for sure; a gifted songwriter capable of crafting truly exquisite creations with a relatable tenderness and honesty. 

With a slight shift in tempo, Sheffield’s Lauren Housley takes to the stage with her band The Northern Cowboys to treat us to a joyous blast of energy. Propelled by Housley’s rich, soulful vocals and an infectious funk-fuelled groove, they have the all-ages crowd dancing along in jubilant array to their spritely country-inspired anthems. 

As we continue to revel in the sunshine, enjoying the Lo-Cal pale ale and vegan hotdogs, it would seem that Hannah White is not only a fantastic festival organiser, but a wonderful musician too. Accompanied by her own ‘super group’, including husband Kieron Marshall and Geraint Watkins, she delivers each emotion-strewn offering with a soaring, glistening energy, as her beautifully honey-sweet vocals flow with a celestial splendour throughout.

Throughout the rest of the evening, the great music and lovely vibes continue; we shimmy along to the gritty blues-rock of Dana Gillespie as she regales awe-inspiring stories of her time in the music industry (“David (Bowie) wrote this one for me”) before feeling waves of comforting ‘90s nostalgia for Del Amitri’s uplifting set closing the festival.

A truly glorious day filled not only with the loveliest of music, but a wonderful sense of community. As people of all ages come together to enjoy a day in the sunshine in a local green space, it’s hard not to feel united both in our love of folk-inspired ditties and our common desire for positive change in the world. With its sustainable ethos and friendly, inclusive atmosphere adding to the brilliant line-up of musicians, Folk In the Park is just what we need right now; a blissful escape from the everyday worries of life. A little glistening beacon of hope at a time when things might seem rather bleak. 

So, thank you Folk In The Park – we’re looking forward to next year already!

Words: Mari Lane / @marimindles
Photos: Paul Dawes / @pauldawesart

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Track Of The Day: Angela Sclafani – ‘How We Meet’

Angela Sclafani is a New York City-based songwriter, performer and musical theatre-maker. Having twice won the Great American Song Contest’s Adult Contemporary category, she has independently released three original EPs, plus Edge Of Seventeen – an EP of wonderfully reimagined Stevie Nicks hits. Now, the first taster of her upcoming debut full-length album, latest single ‘How We Meet’ offers a sonic journey through the playful world of her inner child and past personas.

The song starts off with a country pop twang and delicate backing drum beats, as Angela’s honey-sweet voice takes us back to more innocent times – “Talkin to myself in a voice so sweet… Could I fit inside the shape you made your life?” – as she poignantly explores the older ways of communicating with other people (talking, writing letters, telephone) with a shimmering musicality. A well-crafted and uplifting song from a truly versatile artist, ‘How We Meet’ oozes a twinkling Americana-tinged grace alongside infectious melodies; reminding us with Sclafani’s lilting tones to seize the moment (answering that message in a bottle!) and make the move to form meaningful connections.

The song is the first of four singles leading up to the album’s release in February 2023, providing a representative sampling of its concept; taking classic Americana sounds as interpreted in an innovative way by a New York City theatre kid.

‘How We Meet’ is out now via Pitch and Prose – download on Bandcamp now. Songs Of Other Selves, the upcoming debut album from Angela Sclafani, is set for release next February.

Fi Ni Aicead
@gotnomoniker

Photo Credit: Jules Miranda

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Introducing Interview: Izzie Walsh

Having received acclaim from the likes of BBC Radio Two’s Bob Harris and BBC Introducing Manchester, alt-folk artist Izzie Walsh has just released her eclectic new EP, Ideals. Flowing with a twinkling, uplifting energy, the EP showcases Walsh’s emotion-strewn rich vocals and a soaring, catchy musicality.

We caught up with Izzie to find out more… Have a read!

Hi Izzie Walsh, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I love to perform on stage and create music that I hope connects with people. I like to try new food and go for a beer or two. And occasionally go running to balance my calories out!

How did you initially start creating music?
I was quite late to the game and only started creating music when I was 17. It all came about when I started learning the guitar and then I realised I could hold a tune singing as well. 

Your new EP Ideals is out today – congratulations! Can you tell us what it’s all about? Are there any themes running throughout the EP?
This EP is about how ideally the world could be a different pace to what it is now – for both others and myself. It addresses themes of class escapism, and the impact of modern-day capitalism. 

You’ve been compared to the likes of Wallis Bird and Lisa Hannigan, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
My main influences at the moment are Margo Price and Stevie Nicks, but I also love big band sounds, ranging from the likes of Arcade Fire to Slipknot. 

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
Yes! The local music scene in Manchester is great. It can sometimes be bogged down by the next reincarnation of The Stone Roses typical indie boy band scene, but there is always an alternative and culturally different act to go and see if you take the time to find them. The open mic scene is great as well! 

And what can fans expect from your live shows?
They can expect brand new songs as well as the classics – I want to bring high energy and high musicianship to lay the foundations of my touring show for years to come. I think the best artists at the moment have the ability to translate their recorded medium into an entertaining show and that is what I aim to do!

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any new/upcoming bands or artists you’d recommend we check out?
Yes, definitely! Check out Toria Wooff, Harriet Rose and Chloe Foy. All incredibly talented females creating some amazing music and making their mark on the industry.

And how do you feel the music industry is for new artists at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
It is extremely difficult to get noticed, especially if you are different to the norm. In the past it seemed the more unusual you were the more you got noticed, but now I feel as if the industry are just looking for really safe bets. As you would expect money plays a huge factor as well in terms of the advertising side of things. 

Finally, what does the rest of 2021 have in store for Izzie Walsh?
Besides the tour I am going to hunker down and finish writing off an album – hopefully I can get it into production, ready for a massive 2022!

Massive thanks to Izzie for answering our questions!

Ideals, the new EP from Izzie Walsh, is out now.

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LISTEN: CMAT – ‘I Wanna Be A Cowboy Baby’ (Acoustic Version)

A wonderfully stripped-back rendition of her recent single, Irish pop star CMAT has shared a beautiful acoustic version of ‘I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!’. Delivered with the same charm and melancholy as the original, CMAT’s captivating vocals soar above Americana-inspired guitar as she laments about urban isolation and wanting to be free from patriarchal shackles.

“[The song is] based around a VINE that was really popular from a couple of years ago of a load of guys drinking cans outside in a playground saying “I wanna be a cowboy baby!,” CMAT explained to us when we spoke to her about the single in September (read the full interview here). Much like her previous singles ‘Another Day (kfc)’ and ‘Rodney’ – an ode to Rodney Dangerfield – CMAT has a talent for taking obscure scenarios and molding them into intensely relatable, catchy pop tunes.

“Always the cowboy, never the cow / I hate the way my life turned out” she confesses during the song, her candid lyrics softened by the gentle twang of her acoustic guitar. Like most women, CMAT just wants to exist with the confidence of a cowboy, unafraid to down a whiskey at the bar and stagger home safely. “Wanna go to my first rodeo, what’s that cracked up to be? / I wanna stop relying on men who are bigger than me” she sings, pining for the freedom that’s naturally afforded to men, but rarely extended to women.

Knowing that CMAT is challenging these “norms” while providing us with a stellar soundtrack at the same time is making our 2020 slightly more bearable. We’re hopeful that one day soon we’ll meet her at the bar, where we can respectfully tilt our cowboy hats in her direction after she’s finished singing this sweet tune.

Listen to the acoustic version of ‘I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!’ below.

 

Follow CMAT on bandcamp, Instagram, Twitter, Spotify and Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Sarah Doyle

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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