‘Folk act’s demise will leave a huge hole in the scene’
For the past 30 years or so, folk act Show of Hands have been omnipresent on the gig and festival circuit.
But Steve Knightley and Phil Beer have called time on their band and are seeing it off with one final, mammoth 75-date tour, dubbed Full Circle. Without their longtime foil Miranda Sykes on bass, or more recent addition percussionist Cormac Byrne, this tour features just the original duo.
For this show, they’re playing two hour-long sets which feature a few surprises alongside some of their bestknown songs.
The New Theatre Royal is a familiar space for the duo – they were the first musical act to play here when it reopened in 2015 after an extensive refurb, and Knightley has said it is one of his favourite venues.
While they call Devon home, they know this part of the world well and the set is peppered with local references – even Mick’s Monster Burgers get a look in.
Both gents are in chatty form, adding background to the songs and asides.
But of course, it’s the music that’s sold this show out.
Country Life was one of the first songs to bring them to wider attention, and it remains an indelible anthem.
We also get to hear a brace of ‘firsts’ – Beer plays a solo Sally, which was the first song he ever learned to play, from Davey Graham’s 1965 classic Folk, Blues and Beyond. And then we get the first song Knightley ever wrote as a callow teenager – a Bob Dylan pastiche.
There are also more recent numbers – You’ll Get By, which took on new life during the pandemic, and Best One Yet, and is spliced with Here Comes The Sun and I Can See Clearly Now.
Santiago was a formative song from early in their career and is still a powerful piece that resonates.
They ‘finish’ with the rousing Cousin Jack, but of course they’re called back for an encore – a new(ish) song, The Ride – a worthy finish to a night that’s neatly encapsulated their musical journey down the decades.
Both musicians already have projects lined up for after this tour finishes, but Show of Hands’ demise will leave a huge hole in the scene. They will be sorely missed.