Friday 18th November 2022
Another sold out concert so quite an intense space for a lone musician to stand in and perform. But Ellie Gowers bellies her years and kicked off an assured evening with an unaccompanied vocal that showed just why so many people are citing her as one to watch. We’ve had folk singers from al over the country and many of the stories they tell have had their origins in Ireland, Scotland or the north of England. So it was a delight to hear Ellie’s tales of lock down walks and research into the less well known history of her beloved county of Warwickshire. We were even treated to a song about a horse from Ilmington!
Ellie has a warm, engaging presence and was perfect for the friendly intimacy of Ryepiece. She told the stories behind her songs while switching tuning on her guitar. And the way she got lost in the characters in her songs was very compelling. This clip is from Brightest Moon, which told the story of how families bombed out of Coventry during the war, were welcomed by the people of Kenilworth, only for further tragedy to strike when Kenilworth itself was attacked.
Many of the songs came from her debut album – ‘Dwelling by the Weir’ – and it seemed like most of the audience queued to buy a copy during the interval or at the end of the night. Featuring an impressive array of musicians to subtly fill out the musical setting without detracting from Ellie’s crystal clear vocals, the album is well worth getting hold of.
The food was prepared by Bev and dropped off before she dashed down to London for a family celebration. A lovely vegan Tagine it was served by Louise and Moira who just happened to have jumpers to match the food!