Edgy modern folk music arrives in Leamington

Having celebrated their 40th anniversary last year, The Albion Band has seen some of the great names in English folk appear in their ranks, including Martin Carthy and Show of Hands’ Phil Beer.

The torch has now been passed to 21st generation talent, with the new members including former band leader Ashley Hutching’s son Blair, on guitar and vocals, alongside Gavin Davenport, Katriona Gilmore, Tom Wright, Tim Yates and Ben Trott.

The band’s gig at the Spa Centre on Tuesday will include newly-written material from their forthcoming album, The Vice of the People, as well as re-written material and updated Albion Band classics.

Speaking to the Courier beforehand, Gavin, who as well as play the guitar, cittern and concertina, sings and writes songs, describes the new album as “more contemporary” with a “mainstream rock edge” to it.

He said: “Our record really picks us on the undercurrent of the social situation in the country. When we started putting it together, it was against the backdrop of the riots last year. It felt it was time to do something a bit more edgy.

“Folk is universal music, while rock has a history of being protest music, which has a strong appeal in the current climate.”

At 35, Gavin is the oldest member of the band, yet he and the others have a deep knowledge and understanding of what they present to audiences.

After spending his late teens and early 20s encouraging people to buy him drinks in return for singing traditional songs culled from early Albion projects, he developed a deep love of traditional song and went on to study a Masters in oral tradition and was soon performing at venues across the world.

He said: “We have all studied music in different forms, which makes our band really exciting and our music true to its roots.

“As a songwriter, anything can move you and quite often that will form the seed of a new song idea. The more you do, the more these things form into patterns. You have to be responsive to what’s going on around you.”

He added: “Everyone in the band has had traditional music around them as they were growing up, but we have all been in different types of bands alongside.

“The Albion Band now is definitely modern-sounding but it’s grounding is traditional folk. At this point in time, we are unique.”

The gig takes place at the Spa Centre on Tuesday at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £19.50 or £18.50 if booked online. Call 0845 218 3540 or go online.