Martin Carthy + David Delarre
The Round Chapel, Hackney, London
16th October 2020
In a year where ‘live music’ has mostly meant sitting around a computer screen, it was an utter delight to gather with real-life human beings to witness music being made in the flesh. This was the second of the Fire in the Belly concert series, set in Hackney’s beautiful Round Chapel. The converted church was spacious enough to accommodate a socially-distanced audience, and what was lost in cosiness was made up for in camaraderie.
Support came from David Delarre, Eliza Carthy’s regular guitarist, playing an enjoyable set built around traditional repertoire from his twin homes of Hackney and Essex. ‘I've missed having applause,’ he grinned near the end of his set, and the audience obviously relished giving it.
Then, framed by a magnificent arch, lit by fairy lights and with a church organ as the backdrop, Martin Carthy gave his first live performance in seven-and-a-half months. Perhaps there was a little rust to be shaken off, with some verses taking a little while to come to mind, but the high spirits of the evening kept everything running with alacrity. With his aging but soulful voice and nimble, meaty guitar playing, Carthy’s songs brought us from the beginnings of his career all the way up to his Imagined Village days.
For many present, it was the first real concert for a long time and, with new restrictions brought in just an hour after it finished, maybe the last one for a while too. But what a joy it was while it lasted!