Chumbawamba2009 sees the 200th birthday of English naturalist Charles Darwin, ‘Father of Evolution’, and Chumbawamba present their March 2009 tour to illuminate and commemorate Darwin’s ideas. Evolution has long been a watchword for Chumbawamba, who more than most bands realise the need to change. Over the years they’ve gone from punk rock to dance to acapella to chart-pop and to acoustic, always trying to respond to the changing culture around them. This tour sees a five-piece Chumbawamba, acoustic/accordion/trumpet and vocals, veering ever-closer to stand-up as they tackle the issues of the day and steer their set according to the audience. As a response to the X-Factor obsession with slickness, routine and homogenised culture, Chumbawamba’s shows are becoming ever-more chaotic, unpredictable and unexpected – an unedited chat show with a soundtrack of folk, pop and harmonies.
www.chumbas.com
With Special GuestsBelinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow.
Northern folk, rock, contemporary classical, plus a touch of comedy have all been used to describe the music of Belinda O`Hooley... a virtuosic and charismatic pianist. In reality, her performances contain all this plus much more. Belinda is best known as the songwriter and pianist in Mercury Prize nominated folk band Rachel Unthank & the Winterset.
Now Belinda is back to running the show ... alongside co-songwriter and performer Heidi Tidow. Together, they combine a well-crafted songbook, interweaving sublime harmonies, with a touch of (very funny) northern banter.
Find out more about Acoustica
www.acoustica-guildhall.co.uk
An all seated show.
Tickets £12.50 advance/ £14.50 on door
Box office 01452 50 30 50
Or buy online
www.gloucester.gov.uk/guildhall
1 comment:
I've posted a review on my blog (http://martincole.blogspot.com/) which I'll copy and paste below. A great evening. Thanks Al:
It was a special Acoustica at Gloucester’s mighty Guildhall Arts Centre on Friday. The main stage was utilised for a brace of fine acts and it seemed a tad strange to move away, temporarily, from the more intimate dais that normally serves the willing music lovers of the city. It was a splendid evening though. The last time I had seen Belinda O’Hooley was at 2007’s Green Man Festival when the engaging and pithy Yorkshire keyboarder had formed one quarter of Rachel Unthanks’s Winterset. She has now left that particular collective and has teamed up with the waif-like Heidi Tidow to form a pleasing duo that harmonises sweetly and delivers pleasant folky songs. O’Hooley is a quaint and wry character and this punter appreciated her witty and perceptive banter almost as much as her singing and playing. The main act, Chumbawamba, was tremendous. The controversial anarchistic outfit has mellowed over the years but still delivered a fabulously thought-provoking set. The five-piece sang magnificently, the varied voices complementing each other gorgeously, tackling subject matter that more mainstream combos would pass by: Darwinism, domestic violence, Mrs Thatcher’s mortality and the worst excesses of Facebook to name but four. We were treated to several English rebel songs, hauntingly chanted with dignity and respect. It sounds a touch po-faced and bleak, I know, but there was plenty of irony and knowing humour, both within the numbers and the ‘tween-number bantering. I’m not sure whether the earnest Chumbawamba yet qualify for ‘National Treasure’ status but they must be heading in the right direction. I commend this bunch of free thinkers; they celebrated England and Englishness rather sumptuously on Friday and I congratulate them keenly. It's merry to tap one's foot and cogitate at the same time.
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