I drove down to St Edith’s Hall in Kemsing near Sevenoaks this evening at the invitation of the superb singer/writer/guitarist Martin Joseph as he kicked-off his 33 date tour of the UK. I had arranged for photographer Jonathan Stewart to be on hand too, so that we could capture shots for use in future MU comms and to share with Martyn.
Arriving in the village in darkness on an autumn’s evening, I first dropped in at The Bell Inn to ask for directions to the Hall and to enjoy a quick drink and a bowl of chips in the timeless surroundings of a classic English countryside pub. I then walked over the road and found my way into the Hall, which was filling up with acoustic music fans from around the south-east.
Martin took to the stage to a very warm welcome and was soon beguiling us with his mature vocal style, wonderful guitar playing and storytelling prowess. Set highlights included the title track of his new album, Here Come the Young, Dic Penderyn, Driving Back to London, Her Name Is Rose and I Searched for You. Martin also dropped in quotes from U2’s Streets with No Name, The Beatles’ Here Comes the Sun and She Loves You, The Monkees’ I’m a Believer and Springsteen’s Dancing in the Dark. All of which had the audience singing joyfully.
Closing to rapturous applause, we were able to say hello to Martin afterwards and congratulate him on a great performance. He kindly gave me a copy of his new album and a flyer advising of his excellent ‘Let Yourself Trust’ initiative.
Our thanks to our hosts at St Edith’s Hall, the Bell Inn and the folk club staff. A marvellous night.
