Folk - Nancy Kerr and James Fagan

Once seen to be the preserve of older beardy blokes with accordions, folk music has undergone something of a change of profile in recent years. My brother has often bemoaned this phenomenon being a young but beardy bloke himself - particularly as it relates to the growing popularity of folk festivals. The highlight of the season being the Cambridge Folk Festival, which until recently, unlike Glastonbury, was a sure-fire ticket. Now you have to battle with the younger trendier crowd who are increasingly pitching up with their Cath Kidston latests in their hoards, apparently.

But my brother’s grumblings aside, all this new found popularity has injected a new wave of fresh blood and fresh talent onto the scene. Seth Lakeman is the obvious poster boy for all this - having helped to spread his Brit and Mercury nominated folk gospel into the mainstream. Up-and-coming fiddler, Nancy Kerr is another in this mould. Though not quite in Seth’s league of popularity, she and guitar-bouzouki-playing partner James Fagan, were recently awarded the coveted BBC's Radio 2 Horizon Award for "Best Folk Duo" in 2003. She’s also teamed up with folkie pin-up Eliza Carthy of the Carthy folk dynasty in the past which gave her a handy leg-up in the notoriety stakes. Nancy and James will play the Royal Oak tonight. ER