Bellowhead - Say farewell to the town near them Reading!!!

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Bellowhead Folk Off!!! Once and for All (though I wish they Wouldn’t)

Bellowhead ***** Well that’s it, the last time it was possible to see Bellowhead, as I am writing their getting ready to complete their final gig where it all began in Oxford, Town Hall back in April 2004. It was also the first review I wrote for Music Trespass so it’s been quite a journey all round, with it being the fourth time I have been lucky enough to be in the audience. So this was it one final time in Reading, the lights dim and the biggest (in both senses of the word, being thirteen of them) Folk band of the last few years take the stage and open with slower number ‘Amsterdam’.

The pace is picked up and the start of much dancing comes with what has been a crowd pleaser over the last few years ‘Roll Alabama’ followed by a quick jig in the form of ‘Parsons Farewell’ which enigmatic vocalist also demonstrates his fiddling skills, no hiding at the back during the dance tunes for this singer. Amazingly at one point there is booing, but only because the word “Swindon” has been mentioned whipping up the local rivalries part of the introduction to ‘Betsy Baker’ followed shortly thereafter by ‘Fine Sally’ which interestingly refers to dancing on graves which must be better thought of than Swindon as provokes a cheer.

A medley of Dance tunes followed which were entitled 'Flight of the Folk Mutants : Part 1 and 2' apparently, both written by members of the band. It was interesting to hear them play more instrumental tunes and some you not always hear, they seemed to enjoy doing so too, with no particular album to plug it must have been nice to have more freedom with the set list and pick and choose tunes from your career to showcase across the tour.

It was more familiar 'Roll the woodpile Down' next which probably got the biggest sing along of the night, the crowd were certainly up for a good time and determined to show them off in style. That was certainly not the last sing along of the night either with the last track of the main set 'New York Girls' getting an equally stirring reaction. The encore was back on this side of the Atlantic in 'London Town' one of the most fun live tunes, they do it tonight complete with dance moves for the crowd.

This is far away from the stuffy image some have of Folk music,  with a real mix of ages across the audience loving every minute of it. A further instrumental, which has been a staple of their sets in 'Frogs legs and Dragons Teeth' closed the first encore, during which the brass section were dancing almost as much as the crowd. As they took the stage for the final encore, there was a sense of the occasion that this was the last time to see Bellowhead perform, the final tune having a sense poignancy too being 'Prickle eye Bush' which the first song they ever sung back in Oxford over a decade ago.

It was a good tune to end on too with the band lined up all singing together bidding farewell in the same way they said hello. What a night, I have always thought they were one of the best live bands out there and this did everything to reinforce that view, probably the best time I have seen them too, alongside the NYE party set they did in Bristol. Sad to see them go, but what a way to bow out and as the old adage goes always leave them wanting more.

Review by Jon Cooper and Photo's by Steve Owen

Check Out! the Video for 'Roll the woodpile Down' Below...