Kate Rusby: Bristol Beacon
17th December 2023
LIVE REVIEWS- BRISTOL
Jon Cooper, Photos: Steve Owen
Kate Rusby has been touring her Christmas set for eighteen years now, based on the tradition of singing in the pubs around Yorkshire. Whereby traditional versions of carols are sung and have been for hundreds of years. Each area had its own unique version, for example she knows of over forty versions of ‘While Shepherds Watched’ three of which we are treated to. This was before the Victorians “ruined” it by standardising the tunes across the county. It was even at the level where each village may have a slightly different version.
The stage set looks like Narnia, with a backdrop of bare snow-covered trees, all designed and built by talented members of her crew. Kate takes centre stage surrounded by her band; consisting of drums, guitars, bass and even a brass section. This is one the first view gigs in the newly re-opened Bristol Beacon, which is quite “fancy pants and they don’t have anything like it in Barnsley.” To be fair it is a very impressive make over. But were here to review the music, not the furniture.
Kate’s voice is truly outstanding, and this is clear from the early rendition of ‘It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.’ We then get to meet another important part of the touring party – “Ruby Twos Day” the nodding light up reindeer, two as the original met a nasty end in Hull and is now in retirement on the allotment. This is example of the fun nature of the night, looking at the set list and you may be thinking it was almost a church service, but this a wonderful voice mixed with equally entertaining chat between songs, exclaiming the origin of the tune or just a fun story about a reindeer.
To prove said point about this is not a normal set of songs, one we are introduced to is ‘Arrest These Merry Gentleman’ about some revellers on the wrong side of “Constable Joy”. Crowd singing is encouraged and most oblige, you can sing in whatever key you like although in Yorkshire “B Flat (Cap)” is preferred as it’s also “A Up” according to Kate anyway. Later there is a cute version of “Nothing for Christmas” about a bad little girl, so make sure all the children take a listen and avoid those things mentioned.
Kate leaves the stage for a while to let the band play “manly tunes” which includes a brief version of ‘Stay Another Day’ and ‘Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer’ in between some folk-dance tunes. Final song of the set is ‘Bradfield’ from a small village, back to highlighting the different carols from different localities. Upper and Lower Bradfield hate each other despite being 100m apart, a story to investigate there. Hopefully, they put hostilities aside for Christmas anyway.
For the encore they come back dressed as Christmas numbers 1s, with Kate as Noddy Holder, a Freddie Mercury, E17 brass section and a big poo to represent the Xmas number 2s. Again, showing the sense of fun running through the whole magical experience. Final song is ‘Yorkshire Merry Christmas’ another take on ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ so of course the chorus is sung by all present to lead us into the festive Sunday evening. My first-time seeing Kate Rusby, as a folk fan something I left too long, but it won’t be my last.