REVIEW: Soulful, skilful folk music from Seth Lakeman

Folk sensation Seth Lakeman was strumming up a storm with his multi-talented band at the Apex in Bury St Edmunds last Wednesday.

The multi-instrumentalist played songs from his back catalogue alongside pieces from his latest album, Word Of Mouth, released in 2014.

More energetic songs such as strong opening number Take No Rogues and Poor Man’s Heaven, an audience favourite, saw Seth and lead guitarist Jack Rutter jump about the stage, fuelling the crowd’s excitement.

Through the gig the frontman swapped from fiddle to tenor guitar to banjo, playing each with impressive skill.

Rutter, bassist Ben Nicholls and percussionist Cormac Byrne skilfully commanded their own instruments, adding rich layers to Lakeman’s virtuosic fiddle melodies.

Amid the enrapturing music, the messages of the lyrics – influenced by folklore, war and maritime stories – were still powerfully conveyed.

Two poignant songs saw Lakeman and his fiddle alone on stage – World War Two ballad Shores of Normandy, and the beautifully simple Portrait Of My Wife. BW