The Unthanks

To see a terrific concert by the Northumberland sisters The Unthanks and their great band at the Komedia in Bath last night, part of the Bath International Festival of Music. Rachel and Becky's vocals providing a memerisingly complementary harmony, best heard on some of the songs from their most recent CD, particularly the haunting title track Here's the Tender Coming and the achingly evocative story of a 19th century child miner put to song originally by Frank Higgins, The Testimony of Patience Kershaw (on the YouTube link above). But their music mixes the tragic with plain good fun, including clog dancing and rousing choruses. To see them in concert with an eight-strong support band of piano, violins, trumpets, bass and ukelele is pure joy, as the capacity crowd in Bath enthusiastically agreed last night. I was not alone in being less impressed by their support act, John Smith. The Unthanks are better flying solo.

Kate McGarrigle 1946-2010

Joan Baez in Salisbury

There is something slightly surreal in seeing a giant of the 60s folk revival playing to a crowd of 800 in the city hall in Salisbury. But it proved a great venue in which to see a still feisty and inspiring Joan Baez on Wednesday night. She says she has never been happier doing concerts than now, and it shows. I've been going to Baez concerts over the last two decades, and she has never been better than in her more recent ones. Having missed her in Bristol, it was a pleasant surprise when she added Salisbury to her tour. She went through a phase of trying to jazz up her act with rock numbers that never quite worked. Now, over two hours without interval, she combines more effective newer numbers, from her latest CD produced by Steve Earle (of The Wire fame) with a brilliant rendition of old standards like Farewell Angelina, Baby Blue, Deportee and Long Black Veil. Sometimes she does these with minimum accompaniment, which is when she is at her best, but this time she was joined by an excellent group of musicians who gave her act the folk feel it deserved. With an encore of Blowing in the Wind and The Night they Drove ol' Dixie Down, she brought a hugely appreciative audience to their feet. True, her voice is not quite what it was, though it remains remarkably pure, and she missed the odd line, but for someone who recorded her first album in 1959, a night with Joan Baez is still an evening to remember.

Bluegrass magic

We spent a wonderful (if slightly muggy) evening listening to brilliant bluegrass as part of the Bath Music Festival last night. The star turn was the sprightly 82-year old Dr Ralph Stanley, whose music made the Coen Brothers' O Brother Where Art Thou? so memorable. Accompanied by a fine group of musicians in his Clinch Mountain Boys, Stanley provided memorable renditions of his own music, gospel standards (including a haunting rendering of Amazing Grace) finishing after a standing ovation with the O Brother favourite Man of Constant Sorrow. Support was provided by two shorter sets from the excellent Charlie Parr and the storytelling Jerry Harmon. A great evening of music all round.

Listen to Christy

Back in the 1970s and 1980s, Christy Moore was producing what many would regard as his best material, not only during his time with Planxty and Moving Hearts, but in some fine solo albums like Ride On and Ordinary Man (though I was never a fan of his more Republican outings at the time). His concerts since have survived on many of the songs recorded during that period. More recently, he has had his own personal difficulties too.

So it is a pleasure to be able to report that Christy has recorded his finest album in decades, with Listen, just released. I've listened to it three times and it is as familiar now as his much-played earlier titles. Recorded with Declan Sinnott, the album contains thirteen great songs including a great rendering of Pink Floyd's Shine On You Crazy Diamond, a wonderfully whimsical tribute to the Galway Races in the Ballad of Ruby Walsh. There are powerfully lyrical but poignant stories of migration in Does this Train Stop on Merseyside? (which John Peel used to like) and Duffy's Cut (recalling the tragic death of Irish labourers in Malvern in 1832), together with a great rendering of John Spillane's Gortatagort. It all ends with a lively tribute to Rory Gallagher. This is Christy in top form again.

Winter wassailing

To see the formidable Norma and Mike Waterson, with Martin Carthy and a great group of young singers - Lauren McCormick, Emily Portman and Jim Causley - for a great evening of Christmas and winter song at the Komedia in Bath last night.

England's best folk singers were in wonderful voice (even if Eliza was absent for understandable reasons) as they gave us traditional Yorkshire carols and plenty of wassailing, as well as less well known versions of Twelve Days of Christmas and While Shepherds Watch...., together with some favourites from the Frost and Fire collection. The show is now a Christmas regular, but it's none the worse for that. Catch it if you can.

Ronnie Drew

Yesterday's death of the leading Dubliner Ronnie Drew marked the passing of one of Ireland's greatest singers. His gravelly voice was unique; his storytelling captivating; and his ability to survive and thrive through four decades of music remarkable. We saw him in Cork two years ago at a concert where Liam Clancy also played, and one felt one was in the presence of a musical giant, even if the voice was not all that it had been. The late Luke Kelly may have been the intellectual driving force of the Dubliners; Ronnie was their heart and soul. He will be missed.

Kate Rusby

Barnsley-based folk singer Kate Rusby has become something of a folk sensation in the last few years. Her remarkable voice, memorable tunes and adaptations of older folk songs are becoming known to an ever-growing fan base (though she has been recording for a decade). Her latest album Awkward Annie is as good as any she has done. Her concert last night in Bristol was a brilliant presentation of her best songs. Having seen a less confident, too chatty version of Rusby previously a few years ago, it was good to see her maturing as a concert performer, doing justice with an excellent band to her many fine tunes, not least a rendering of Sandy Denny's Who Knows Where the Time Goes that did justice to the iconic song. She enchanted her audience and showed exactly why she keeps picking up folk awards.

Fairport keep on rocking

To see Fairport Convention at St George's in Bristol last night. After 40 years - and many line-up changes - these guys keep producing great concerts. They rendered a wonderful Matty Groves and gave us a rousing version of On the Ledge as an encore (though, disappointingly, offering a rather naff forgettable new song 'for the fans' in lieu of Tam Lin). Simon Nicol did an affecting rendering of Sandy Denny's Who Knows Where the Time Goes, though nothing could match her magnificent voice. Last night's support was a Belfast singer called Anthony John Clarke who has a nice line in patter (rather better than the too wordy Fairport) and a good voice. With an audience that looked as if it remembered the group's early gigs, this was nevertheless a brilliant night out. And though towards the end of their UK tour, for someone who hadn't seen them since the eighties, it was a reminder of what a good concert band they are.

Not enough Fowlis

To see the brilliant Scots Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis at St George's in Bristol tonight. Fowlis is one of the three finest young female folk musicians in these islands at the moment - Kate Rusby and Cara Dillon being the others - and has a voice to match Capercaille's Karen Matheson or Altan's Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh in their earliest days. But untypically for St George's, Fowlis was allowed to sing for a mere 40 minutes before having to give way to Nashville singer Beth Nielsen Chapman, who isn't too bad when she sticks to her usual repertoire. But she didn't, preferring to inflict on the audience her embarrassing interpretations of world music which started with a creaky rendering of a Welsh song to which Fowlis could surely have done justice and descended into Zulu and Parsi tunes. It is not as if we suffer a dearth of good music played by visiting indigenous musicians in Bristol. We weren't the only ones to leave at the interval. Next time, let's hope they give Fowlis her own show.

Christy on top form

We saw Christy Moore in Bristol last night, his first visit to the city for three years. Playing with the brilliant Declan Sinnott, Christy was on top form taking us through classics like Ride On, Nancy Spain and City of Chicago in fine voice. He also played some old Moving Hearts numbers, reminding me of when I first saw them at UCD in 1982. Christy is clearly back on top form after his few years' enforced break. One particularly good feature of last night's concert was that Christy played a 1h 45 minute set from 8pm without interval or support. While it may disappoint some who have try-outs through being support artists, this is far better for the concert-goer. Don't miss the chance to see him live in his later concerts this year.

Folkie heaven

For us folkies, there is a small treat every Friday evening at 8.30pm on BBC 4 (produced with RTE). The third series of Transatlantic Sessions brings together the best of Scottish and Irish folk with Nashville musicians. Among those appearing are Paul Brady (pictured, left), Cara Dillon, Mary Black, Karen Matheson, the incomparable Scots Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis, Sharon Shannon and Eddi Reader. Grumpy breakfast show hosts who think the best thing about the BBC today should be scrapped should stick to interrupting politicians.