Live and Unheard. Lighthouse, Poole. 3.7.21
More..more..yes back again for more Live and Unheard at Poole’s Lighthouse arts centre. Always a good place to hear some new local artists as Previous Live and Unheard blogs have pointed to.
Today’s feast has been squeezed a bit to make way for the England v Ukraine Euros quarter final ⚽️. Two of the three acts for the evening session here in the outdoor theatre have been incorporated into the afternoon ‘bit on the side’ session, to give six acts from 1pm… a great gig goer’s build up to the England game later…and all for a tenner.
Six bands and pretty much all original material…a few covers crept in but limited. Around 65 people in the bring your own camping chair or picnic blanket arrangement. Normally the Live and Unheard sessions would hold about 80 in the indoor Sherling Studio within the Lighthouse building. People like the banks of the outdoor theatre with a bit of tree cover, and with a wind and threat of rain today.. no actual rain today after the music started.
These events throw up some amazing local talent. I’ve become a regular and while not every band in the pot pourri is necessarily your cup of tea, the quality is reliable.
Will any of these make it big? Will I like any of them? It’s not all about what I like I know but this is from a personal perspective. My favourites of the six this afternoon are the first and last – Carley Varley, who kicked it all off and Lee Rasdall Dove, who rounded it all off.
Carley Varley. Very Taylor Swift in folk mode. Impressed. The line is ‘yes it really is her name’. Apparently her parents had a sense of humour. A selection of singles and EPs on Spotify to listen to…and a bit of YouTube: Honest Conflict – a song she played second in her set. You’ll recognise the jumper.
Carley is getting married this week – I doubt she’ll change that unforgettable surname as she’s got it known locally.
Other songs from her set that can be found on Spotify are ‘Dirty Laundry’, ‘Going Under’ and ‘Since you Left’. Also in the set is her next release ‘Miss Me?’ before she finished with a Whitney Houston cover, ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’.
today’s winner for me
My runner up, or is it runners up as he’s playing with a full band today, is Lee Rasdall-Dove.
From Bournemouth and just 21 years old, playing for the first time with this band which add a great guitar, bass and drums to go with his acoustic guitar and central feature…Lee’s voice. Remind me a bit of Blossoms, with light pop rock and slight folky.
With these Live and Unheard sessions there is that wondering if anyone will break through into something big. This guy has a chance surely. Give him a spin: YouTube Lee Rasdall-Dove
By the time they were on people had started to shuffle off home or wherever to watch England beat the Ukraine by a very convicing four goals to nil 🏴. Another performer to look out for on the local circuit.
In between my winners for the day were four other acts that all entertained. A lovely afternoon.
Jazz Wrann and the Ruby Welts threw in more covers than the others – great rock ‘n’ roll voice. From Southampton. Their double bassist was otherwise engaged but the beat box and two acoustic guitars did the job.
There was a Levellers’ song in there, Cure’s ‘Love Cats’, ‘Jolene’, and wow.. ‘Chocolate Jesus’ by Tom Waits. The covers do make it easier eh.
Two loop guitarists played – if that’s what we call them – both solo artists and clear illustrations of how much one person can do on stage with a loop pedal, guitar and and some immaculate timing. I saw Ed Sheeran take this loop stuff to the limits at Glastonbury 2017 and left before he finished so I maybe I’m not the best person to offer any assessment.
Marco Di Gaetano, from Ringwood and the probably more experienced Tim Somerfield who added some humour and more punch. Tim was selling his CDs ‘for anyone who still uses them in the car’ 😁 and looking to do a deal on his t-shirts between his loop guitar funky stuff.
Also today Plastic Jeezus. What are you going to get with a name like that? A surprise. Uke and bass duo with some humorous ditties that make you listen carefully. ‘Patchwork Covers’ was a clever knitting together of a bagful of stolen hits and lyrics. I’m thinking Victoria Wood meet Chas ‘n’ Dave with essence of Two Ronnies at times.
Never disappointed by these Live and Unheard events. The outside arena gives another Step 3 option. Not long now. Two more constrained, seated, distanced gigs for me before we escape… for a bit anyway. Grateful for all the Lockdown Live and Unheards.
Keep it live! 😷😎
Gigs with Ivan 