By
Kevin McGrath
Submitted On February 06, 2016
The sold out signs for the third annual Al Lewis and Friends
Christmas show went up days ago and there couldn't have been a greater
sense of anticipation in the December air even if organiser Francis
Brown had stepped up to announce that Santa himself had been added to
the bill at the very last minute. True believers in the magic of
Christmas were drawn from the warm shelter of their own homes on a crisp
winter night by the prospect of hearing some fine music and, perhaps
also, by the happy thought of catching up with old friends during the
festive season.
Jodie Marie opened the show with an immaculate set of intense, impassioned numbers from her exceptional sophomore album Trouble in Mind including a trio of searing ballads "Everyone Makes Mistakes" "For Your Love" and "I Miss You" and a brand new song documenting the ravages of alcoholism tentatively titled "The Answer" which, and this is the highest praise I can possibly give it, would not have been out of place on the album itself. The atmospherics and acoustics at St John the Evangelist Church provided the perfect setting for what was a stellar performance!
Next up was Lewis and Leigh, with a cross-section of songs from their three critically acclaimed E.P.'s. This was homespun Americana at its very best with water-tight harmonies allied to wise and witty song-writing. Stand-out tracks tonight were "Devil's In the Detail" and "Rubble" from the Missing Years E.P and, particularly, "Only Fifteen" from their latest release Hidden Truths. A minimalist version of "White Christmas" rounded off their sweet-natured set in just the right way.
The Gentle Good's Gareth Bonello made a clean breast of the fact that he didn't really do Christmas songs, however, he did manage to keep up the Christmas cheer with some heart- warming and humorous between- song patter in a genuinely affecting set that did, after all, include a batch of instrumental Welsh carols as well as songs from his Y Bardd Anfarwol album fusing together Chinese and Welsh folk music to intriguing effect.
The Al Lewis Band rounded off the evening with a rollicking burst of folk- rock in a set which included "The Arsonist", "Heulwen O Hiraeth" and his original Christmas composition "A Child's Christmas in Wales". For the encore Lewis donned a Santa suit (unless, of course, it was actually Father Christmas himself - hey, a couple of glasses of mulled wine can do that to you!) for an ensemble cover of "Santa Claus is coming to Town" which had a receptive audience, keen to demonstrate its goodwill, on its feet and joyously singing along.
Earlier in the evening, Al Lewis had promised the congregation that they would leave his show filled with Christmas spirit; whether it was the comradely music, the religious setting, the main-man's bold Christmas jumper, the homemade mince pies or the generous supply of mulled wine on offer that's exactly what he accomplished. By way of grateful thanks, I'd like to wish Al a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and to respectfully request that he reserve me a couple of tickets for next year's seasonal shindig!
Jodie Marie opened the show with an immaculate set of intense, impassioned numbers from her exceptional sophomore album Trouble in Mind including a trio of searing ballads "Everyone Makes Mistakes" "For Your Love" and "I Miss You" and a brand new song documenting the ravages of alcoholism tentatively titled "The Answer" which, and this is the highest praise I can possibly give it, would not have been out of place on the album itself. The atmospherics and acoustics at St John the Evangelist Church provided the perfect setting for what was a stellar performance!
Next up was Lewis and Leigh, with a cross-section of songs from their three critically acclaimed E.P.'s. This was homespun Americana at its very best with water-tight harmonies allied to wise and witty song-writing. Stand-out tracks tonight were "Devil's In the Detail" and "Rubble" from the Missing Years E.P and, particularly, "Only Fifteen" from their latest release Hidden Truths. A minimalist version of "White Christmas" rounded off their sweet-natured set in just the right way.
The Gentle Good's Gareth Bonello made a clean breast of the fact that he didn't really do Christmas songs, however, he did manage to keep up the Christmas cheer with some heart- warming and humorous between- song patter in a genuinely affecting set that did, after all, include a batch of instrumental Welsh carols as well as songs from his Y Bardd Anfarwol album fusing together Chinese and Welsh folk music to intriguing effect.
The Al Lewis Band rounded off the evening with a rollicking burst of folk- rock in a set which included "The Arsonist", "Heulwen O Hiraeth" and his original Christmas composition "A Child's Christmas in Wales". For the encore Lewis donned a Santa suit (unless, of course, it was actually Father Christmas himself - hey, a couple of glasses of mulled wine can do that to you!) for an ensemble cover of "Santa Claus is coming to Town" which had a receptive audience, keen to demonstrate its goodwill, on its feet and joyously singing along.
Earlier in the evening, Al Lewis had promised the congregation that they would leave his show filled with Christmas spirit; whether it was the comradely music, the religious setting, the main-man's bold Christmas jumper, the homemade mince pies or the generous supply of mulled wine on offer that's exactly what he accomplished. By way of grateful thanks, I'd like to wish Al a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and to respectfully request that he reserve me a couple of tickets for next year's seasonal shindig!
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