Love Folk Festival 2025
Southport

Following an unfortunately late arrival, the day improved significantly in the company of harp, voice and percussion duo Eleanor Dunsdon and Gregor Black. Sadly, other commitments meant that I had missed their set the night before, along with headliner Alex Hart, but having seen, heard and enjoyed their beautifully crafted soundscapes several times, this performance served to underline why their popularity with both promoters and audiences continues to rise. That said, their inclusion of Karine Polwart’s ‘Terminal Star’ was a surprise and a delight!

One of the positive features of the Love Folk Festival is the Busk Folk Stage, lovingly curated by our friends at FATEA magazine (available online on all good computers). Offering largely unknown artists the chance to introduce themselves and hopefully progress (my first encounter with Eleanor and Gregor as a duo was on that very platform).

Simon Howard

Simon Howard is as local an artist as you could wish for, resident in Southport and although billed as a solo act, he appeared as a trio, backed by fiddle and keyboards. His catchy and upbeat offerings were appreciated by a thankfully large crowd.

A significant improvement on previous years has seen seats in the downstairs cabaret style main venue allocated at the time of booking. This means that there is no need for audience members to remain in their seats during gaps in the performances, so rather than guarding their places, they are free to explore the other delights on offer, making for a better and hopefully more positive experience for the artists.

Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmons

Back on the main stage, having enjoyed 2 different but enjoyable examples of young talent, we are treated to some old(er) masters, in the form of Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmons. Freed from any constraints their respective bands may place upon them, they can perform and share the music that they love, and their enthusiasm for it shines brightly. Very much Country infused Americana in flavour, spiced with a little Cajun. Their opener pairs Naomi’s dreamy, fantastic voice (description courtesy REM;’s Peter Buck, so I am unlikely to do better) with a ringing guitar tone, courtesy of Paul. The contrast to the previous duo is as obvious as the contrast between their voices, but that is what helps create the interest – along with the songs they have chosen – from a sad death in Colwyn Bay, through the more overtly political talkin’ blues style Junk Town – an homage to the journalistic qualities of the Daily Mail, to the deeply personal ‘Without Joy, another vocal and emotional tour-de-force from Naomi. Their exit, following their version of ‘They Call the Wind Maria’ saw a little more of their true colours as they hitched up their (painted) wagon and headed for a benefit gig some 40 miles away.

Lucy and Hazel

Lucy and Hazel, a Sheffield based duo took over the Busking stage and made a fair new friends. Offering yet another different flavour of folk, their intertwined vocals and spare yet eclectic instrumentation (guitar, accordion, clarinets) were used to great effect in delivering songs of uncompromising messages of both defiance and warning. They obviously struck a chord with their audience as there stock of CDs proved smaller than the demand.

Good Habits

Good Habits were another new name for me, yet one whose acquaintance I was happy to make. Following the example of Eleanor and Gregor, the duo has a strikingly unusual instrumental line up of accordion and cello. With songs of fridge magnets and love, they even managed to exchange an onstage kiss and whilst both their songs and good natured interaction with each other and the crowd were entertaining, they were little preparation for both their own version of Chosticks – played, you guessed it, using chopsticks to hit the strings, and then the surprise of the day, as they launched into a version of The Who’s ‘Baba O’Riley’ which was lapped up by an audience that was anything other than a Teenage Wasteland!

For those who still believe that folk music simply means Bearded men in pullovers with a finger in an ear (and that’s enough about your scribe), then the day proceedings would’ve been a revelation as the event’s fifth duo took to the stage and added yet another flavour to the tasting menu of the day.

Suthering take their name from the sound of wind through trees, are another of the young artists blowing like a breath of fresh air through the folk scene.

Suthering

Julu and Heg are perfectly matched, both vocally and as personalities, as harmonious as a duo can be. Similarly, their songs and presentation held the audience captivated, when they weren’t fist pumping and bird flapping (you will have to go see them to find out) they were held as entranced by their personal and intimate songs, as much as they enjoyed acting out the cautionary tale that preceded them.

Greenman Rising

The throng then returned to the main and suddenly more crowded stage, as Greenman Rising raised the tempo of the evening. Offering modern takes on perennial favourites amongst their high octane set, we were Bound for South Australia aboard The Bonny Ship the Diamond, in the company of Captain Kidd, and indeed a character of their own invention, Captain Low! Not many bands feature a lead bodhran (and vocalist) but as Steve Bentley prowls the stage, engaging both his band mates and the audience, his cut off jacket and back patch gives him a touch of the biker – the question being, is he Folk Angel or Hell’s Folkie? His interplay with fiddle player and vocalist Jen Waghorn drives the band dynamic, ably backed by contributions from the band, conjuring a spirit that fills the room, a band made for a folk festival if ever there was one!

Blue Rose Code

Blue Rose Code open their set as a band that meant business, operating on this occasion as a 5 piece, their powerfully polished alt/indie-folk is energetically fronted by Ross Wilson – apparently on a mission, as he appears to be channelling his inner Blues Brother, adding some Caledonian Soul into the mix. Unfortunately, transport issues forced an early departure, but a trusted source tells me that ’Thirteen Years’ was the song of the festival – and given the quality of what had gone before, it must have been very special indeed!

Hopefully 2026 will continue the tradition of the established, the rising and the newly discovered. In the meantime, do investigate any of the names new to you, and keep the second Friday and Saturday of next February free and hopefully we will find out together!