Beyond accomplished, Martin & Eliza Carthy are simply folk-tastic.
📍 Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh
📅 01 May 2022
🕖 8.30pm
🕖 Running time (approx.): 2 hours
👥 Featuring: Martin Carthy & Eliza Carthy
👥 Hosted by: Douglas Robertson
💰 From £12
A small, affectionate disclaimer.
This critic has been a fan of both of these marvellous individuals since deciding to listen through the The Guardian’s 1000 Albums to Hear Before you Die, many years ago. Both Martin and Eliza feature in that list individually, and being early – alphabetically speaking – I had the pleasure of discovering both somewhere around 2014. I’ve been listening ever since. (If you’re interested, the Guardian published said list in 2007; I began working my through around 2010; I’m somewhere through the letter “M” at the moment; Yes, I’m aware I could go a little faster…)
Musicians Martin Carthy and Eliza Carthy have enough awards to decorate the largest of bathrooms, and an MBE apiece for services to folk music. To say they know their stuff is the understatement of the century. Martin is undoubtedly the most influential English folk-guitarist of his, and subsequent generations, whilst Eliza, with dancing fiddle and rich vocals has led the vanguard of modern folk for decades.
The exceptional quality of their 2-hour set is therefore absolutely no surprise, and even more impressive given both were recovering from chest infections, and bad bouts of hay fever. The numbers drawn from their only duo-album, The Moral of the Elephant, and a sprinkling of other classics made for an enchanting evening. Highlights included, but were not restricted to: ‘Blackwell Merry Night’ a merry account of an unforgettable Hogmanay in 1802, a baa-tastic Rudyard Kipling penned “Gentleman Rankers”, and “Scarborough Fair” (no, not the tune you’re thinking of).
The pairing of Martin’s Signature acoustic guitar, and Eliza’s dynamic fiddle in particular, makes for a singularly magical sound. Their voices, even a tad roughened, blend with organic harmony to a thrilling effect. Just as importantly, the story of each song is emphasised, not side-lined by their musicianship, clear diction, and obvious investment capturing the audience from beginning to end.
Now, outside of orchestral, and some of the wider classical world, a theatre isn’t the most congenial venue in which to experience live music, the raked seating, and lack of ready access to the bar introducing an unwelcome formality. Fortunately, Martin & Eliza possess abundant personal charm, and patter, honed though long years on the road: ample antidotes to theatrical propriety. Even when things don’t entirely go to plan (which isn’t often!) their plentiful good humour makes it all part of the experience.
There’s a flip side to being so relaxed on stage, however, and an occasional excess of spontaneity did imbalance the set overall. Adaptability is a fantastic attribute, but when ad-hoc choices lead to lyrics being read from a phone-screen, perhaps it’s gone a tad too far. However, much must be forgiven in light of the long layoffs enforced by lockdown, and the recent death of Norma Waterson, wife to Martin, and Eliza’s mam in January. Singer-Songwriter Waterson, also MBE for services to music, matriarch of this royal family of British Folk Music, and constant collaborator, is a startling loss.
Nonetheless, this was a memorable evening in the company of two greats of their chosen profession. Joyful, thoughtful, poignant and delivered with abundant skill, Martin Carthy & Eliza Carthy are simply folk-tastic.
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