Many thanks to David Champion for his review of Trevor Moss and Hannah Lou’s trip to the Island a couple of weeks ago. Ed
Freshwater Memorial Hall played host to London’s Lantern Society folk music group on Sunday 21st of February. The evening was the final date of the ‘can’t wait for the spring’ tour, and featured a superb mix of Lantern Society regulars and local talent.
The evening kicked off with a mesmerising performance from Swedish born, London based Benjamin Folke Thomas.
His hat hid his eyes for the duration of the set, giving an intense feel to the performance. His worldly wise voice, accompanied by bewilderingly complex acoustic guitar picking, captivated the small audience with each song met by rapturous applause from the somewhat stunned spectators. His astounding performance set a high standard for the rest of the evening.
Island talent
Next up was local songstress Becky Entwistle. Her beautifully crafted songs with soulful, Marling-esque melodies, and delicate guitar playing, charmed the audience and impressed the event hosts. Her set was easily consistent with the evidently high standard of music which was showcased by the Society regulars and her voice no doubt made an impression on everybody who watched.
Dan Story followed with his high tempo brand of folk. His gravelly voice was reminiscent of the American folk boom and conjured images of gnarly mountain men from the Wild West. His infectious enthusiasm got every foot in the venue tapping, and his powerful songs were worthy of a much larger stage.
The second local act to play was Michael Champion, also of the Shutes. His incredible vocal range, distinctive voice and superb guitar playing combined with his perfectly crafted folk songs made for a genuinely impressive set. His melodies ranged from sun-kissed, to haunting and his lyrical depth spoke far beyond his years.
Pepe Belmonte
The second to last act and another society regular was born and raised in rural South West Ireland. His performance had a clear flavour of Irish folk music, and his undeniable charisma and character made for a highly entertaining performance. His solid, rhythmic blues numbers and upbeat rock and roll tracks lifted the audience ready for the final act.
Trevor Moss and Hannah-Lou
The headliners were the husband and wife duo, and founders of the Lantern Society; Trevor Moss and Hannah-Lou. Their set consisted of songs such as ‘Concorde’ and ‘England’, which clearly reflected the love which the couple shares for their country.
The ‘Allotment song’ affectionately speaks of the quirky and quintessentially English love of gardening. These songs are all performed in note- perfect harmonies, with the couple’s voices perfectly complimenting each other. Their set ended with the society performers joining them on stage for a rousing 5 part song, concluding the showcase perfectly.
The Lantern Society was founded in 2007 by Trevor Moss and Hannah Lou as a means for London folk performers to meet and share their creativity. The society has been dubbed ‘London’s finest folk club’.
It is a shining beacon for British folk music, and a superb platform for local musicians. The only negative to be drawn from the event was that it was not held in a bigger venue, for a bigger audience. The standard of music and performance was incredible, and I’m sure everyone who attended would be inclined to agree.
£5 VERY well spent and I for one hope the society return to the Island soon.
David Champion
