A sweltering Miners’ Theatre hosts a cool and relaxed set by songwriter and sublime singer, Edwina Hayes, on the last hot night of our brief Indian summer. The Lancashire lass has quietly carved out an impressive career for herself over the past 20 years or so – though many here have also come along to see opening act The Eclectic Shed Experience.
Forming as a two-piece, with guitarist Ron Savory’s rockier tones balanced by Liz Crippin’s beautifully light voice, the low end of bassist and newest member Alan Thomas is welcome alongside Ron’s fantastic guitar work and Liz’s delicate bouzouki and piano playing. That third vocal has made the crucial difference: on folkier numbers, the rich three-part harmony and singalong choruses would sound perfect at the likes of Fairport Convention’s Cropredy Festival. But true to their name, ESE can flit with ease between styles and the same voices are capable of gentle accompaniment to Liz’s chanson-like ballads that show off her excellent storyteller’s delivery and subtle folk inflections. An album, and more gigs, are in the pipeline.
Edwina Hayes takes to the stage with the unassuming charm and candour of someone who cut their teeth on the folk circuit. From encouraging singalongs to stories that were longer than a lot of the songs, her warmth leads the stifling heat to be all but forgotten. Edwina (Eddy to her friends, which we all felt we were) sounds as crystalline and pure onstage as on record: hers is a voice that needs no adornment to grip an audience, tell a story or move the heart.
In a set peppered with beautiful originals, Eddy’s precise and gentle fingerpicking is a perfect accompaniment to her interpretations of songs by John Prine, Eric Bogle and Nanci Griffith, whose The Great Divide is particularly strong this evening. Much of the other material comes from unusual song requests Eddy had received during her online live lockdown sessions, which led to us being treated to a beautiful rendition of Springsteen’s I’m On Fire. So relaxed, professional and welcoming is her performance, Eddy suggests another break from the heat so the audience would have time to ask her for requests outside.
With stories that told the tale of her absent father’s South American adventures, to her big breaks on Michael Parkinson’s Radio 2 show and in the film My Sister’s Keeper, Eddy ends this convivial, communal night of story and song by inviting ESE back to the stage for a moving performance of Dylan’s Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door. We leave hot, but happy to have been so well rewarded by such giving and talented musicians.
Edwina Hayes + The Eclectic Shed Experience, The Miners, Ammanford, Fri 8 Sept
words and photos JOHN-PAUL DAVIES