Folk - Seth Lakeman

Two years ago Seth Lakeman recorded an album in his brother’s kitchen in Devon and released it on his own label. Total cost £300. He had no external funding and no PR machines to make sure it got into the right people’s hands. Nevertheless a few months later the album (Kitty Jay) was set against the likes of heavy-weights Coldplay and the Kaiser Chiefs when it was nominated for the prestigious Mercury music award - the only one of the twelve acts not to be signed to a major label. Suddenly the little known folkie was propelled into the mainstream and courted by several record labels before signing to the EMI subsidiary, Relentless. A decision he described as ‘pushed into by circumstances’, that is the practical back-up he needed to go on recording.
It didn’t change his music though. His folkie rootsy lyrics continue to be inspired by the legends of Dartmoor  - stories of white witches that steal men’s souls away if they catch her eye. And the instruments are all wooden acoustic. But then Seth’s brand of ‘nu-folk’ is a far cry from the stereotype of the middle-aged beardy bloke with an accordian. Credited with making folk ‘sexy’, Seth has been applauded for his ability to make the old music contemporary - a  punky sound that is more likely to be compared to Led Zeppelin than Fairport Convention. Since then his profile has continued to rise and he’s still big news. It’s big news too then that Lewes Guitar Festival have bagged him as their headline act tonight. Go and see him to find out what all the fuss is about. ER