TRADING BOUNDARIES BOUTIQUE FESTIVAL

VENUE TRADING BOUNDARIES, FLETCHING DATE 18/03/2023

Trading Boundaries has hosted countless prog gigs from Steve Hackett to Focus and this special event concludes The Rocking Horse Music Club’s two-day residency, with guests.

Opener Ms Amy Birks showcases both her solo releases and the Beatrix Players’ Magnified. Her gentle and lush acoustic soundscapes are built around the dual guitar work of Oliver Day and Tom Manning, with John Hackett on flute. In such an intimate setting Birks holds the early arrivals rapt with gentle melodies that drift through her songs. There’s a steady rise and fall throughout the set, which includes the soothing In Our Souls and A Death Scene, and ends with the catchy Jamaica Inn.

John Hackett and keyboard player Matthew Lumb deliver a companion set to Birks’ show, with the former’s soaring flute providing a beautiful and pastoral countenance. The focus is on Hackett’s solo work, although he closes with a nod to his brother Steve with After

The Ordeal, and a haunting Entangled.

The Beggs Sisters produce a lively acoustic set drawn on their own relationship experiences. Willow and Lula are talented singer-songwriters and their performance is elevated further by their famous dad Nick, who underpins their songs with some stunning double bass work. Highlights are Dead Man Walking and Play It Safe.

Tim Bowness closes the first half of the evening’s entertainment with a collection of gritty songs, drawn from his extensive back catalogue. Backed by Bob Hulse on keys and guitar, he owns the stage and his darker vocals provide contrast to the more pastoral prog of earlier sets. However it’s not all doom and gloom as Bowness’ deadpan humour shines through and he’s rewarded with a rapturous reaction.

Rocking Horse Music Club may not be that well known in the UK, but tonight’s performance could change that. The US collective justify their headline status through two diverse sets, the first of which previews their latest double album, Circus Of Wire Dolls. The conceptual tracks are interspersed with spoken-word accompaniment by former Genesis road manager Richard MacPhail, which really draws the drama out of each piece. The music flows steadily from the more gentle acoustic songs through to the driving rock of It’s Not About You, all of which demonstrates the musicians’ combined ability as songwriters. They are joined onstage by Birks, Bowness, Hackett and Caroline Carter, whose duet with Bowness brings down the house.

The second set includes highlights from Mike Rutherford’s 1980 solo album, Smallcreep’s Day, with original vocalist Noel McCalla in tow, and Rocking Horse Music Club close with Genesis’ One Eyed Hound. Astounding.