Live Review: Blair Dunlop + Rob Nicklas, Newbald Village Hall, North Newbald, Yorkshire – 22nd November 2024

The Village  Hall, at North Newbald, in East Yorkshire is fast becoming one of my favourite venues, despite the 90 minute journey from home, as it consistently delivers some of the best live music on offer from both these shore and beyond. Tonight was no exception, with the award winning singer songwriter and guitarist extraordinaire, Blair Dunlop, taking to the stage in front of what appeared to be pretty close to a full house, testament to all the hard work put in by promoter John Tomlinson and his team of volunteers. Dunlop is currently on tour to promote his latest album “Out Of The Rain” that came out in May. Produced by Jim Moray, the album received 9/10 when reviewed by AUK.

It was from the new album that Dunlop started the evening’s one set performance, opening with ‘For All The Trees’, standing stage centre, his eyes closed as he sang the first line “Don’t know where we’re going, but I don’t mind“, as if indicating to the audience his intentions to keep the set list varied and spontaneous. That mix was immediately apparent with the introduction of the second number, the first of what would be four covers throughout the evening’s show with Bob Dylan’s ‘You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go’ that originally appeared on the classic album from 1975 “Blood On The Tracks”, which, as Dunlop explained had become a favourite of his in recent years. This was followed by a return to the his latest release and ‘I Wanna Be Running’ with its upbeat tempo, so prevalent across the new album, helping to deliver the positivity against the lyrical narrative, of wishing things could go back to the way they were.

Dunlop’s between song banter was full of humour, both within his own personal reflections, even the tough times, and with the audience, picking up on the friendly tribal rivalry between the counties either side of the Humber estuary. Of course, Dunlop himself originally hails from Yorkshire, albeit the west side, with home for many years being Chesterfield with its crooked spire coming in for some light hearted ridicule. The first half of the evening’s performance saw Dunlop dip into his back catalogue, firstly with a wonderful rendition of ‘No Go Zones’ that originally appeared on the 2016 album “Gilded” before three songs from his 2018 release “Notes From An Island”, starting with ‘Sweet On You’, a song that repeatedly name checks the legendary Ry Cooder in its lyrical narrative, followed by the delightful ‘Spices From The East’ and ‘Feng Shui’.

Next, it was time to return to “Out Of The Rain” and the fabulous storytelling that propels the narrative within ‘Midday Mass’, a reminder, if one was needed, that Dunlop is by far one of the finest singer songwriters to appear from these shore in the 21st century. If that wasn’t enough, he is also one of the finest guitar players, a fact he demonstrated throughout his set, embroidering his own compositions with awe inspiring arrangements, their execution made to look so effortless that it was almost criminal. This point was exquisitely highlighted with his instrumental rendition of the traditional Scottish ballad by Robbie Burns entitled ‘Ye Banks And Braes O’Bonnie Doon’.

It was at this point in the show that Dunlop relayed to the audience the influence the legendary singer songwriter and guitarist Nick Jones had on his early development as a musician, and the honour and trepidation he felt in playing some of Jones’ songs in front of the great man whilst still at the start of his own musical career. It was during this time than Dunlop first met and came under the spell of Anais Mitchell who was performing at the same event. He became a big fan, mentioning this evening that he saw her perform as part of the trio Bonney Light Horseman as recently as a couple of days ago, and he reinforced his admiration by performing the title track to her 2012 solo album “Young Man In America”.

Dunlop then returned to his back catalogue once more, this time for the wonderful ‘Up On Cragside’,  inspired by a popular local tourist destination not that far from this evening’s venue, before a new song, written specifically as the theme tune to the ‘Countryfile Podcast’, entitled ‘Take Me with You When You Go’, which led us to the final number of the show with the joyous ‘Let’s Get Out Of The City’, from his most recent offering. As you would expect, the local congregation that had been transfixed throughout the evenings performance, were in no mood to let proceedings end just yet, demanding and being rewarded with one more song, with Dunlop delighting everyone with his version of the Joni Mitchell classic ‘The River’. Well, it is coming on Christmas.

To kick things off this evening, local singer songwriter, guitarist Rob Nicklas took to the stage for a half-hour set comprising of his own songs, including a few from his 2022 release “Remember To Breathe”. Nicklas’ songs draw much of their inspiration from his home city of Hull and its surrounding area, and ‘Skidby Hill’, a local landmark, is a perfect example with its narrative exalting the power of positive thinking. Elsewhere the topic of medical care and the extortionate profits made by pharmaceutical companies is the focus for ‘Give Me My Medicine’ that shows his willingness to tackle more controversial and global topics. His style exudes traits that beg comparison to those songwriters of the 70’s with Gerry Rafferty, and James Taylor springing to mind, his writing strong on melody, with a warmth and smoothness to the delivery. A regular performer around Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, Nicklas has garnered a strong local following, with many of the audience this evening familiar with his repertoire and he was heartedly received.