NORTHUMBRIAN MUSIC
NIGHTS
What we said about
PIDWIGEON
PIDWIGEON have a bit of fun
at the King's in Allendale
Ain't nuffin wrong with a bit of fun, now and then. In these days when everybody's a critic, and expectations are ratcheted high, it can be hard sometimes just to relax and enjoy what's there.
But the audience at the King's Head last Saturday had no trouble relaxing as an abbreviated Pidwigeon (Kevin Wilkins on lead guitar, Suzanne Wilkins on vocals and Paul Bloomfield carrying a double load of bass and fiddle) swung through a host of favourite covers and managed to enchant nearly everyone.
Terry Conway kicked off the evening with a couple of his sweetest heartfelt numbers, and he helped to lay out a warm feeling around the room. Then Pidwigeon launched effortlessly into 'Dreamweaver', Manfred Mann's 'Pretty Flamingo' and 'Jesse James', and we knew it was going to be a warm evening of fun times, good and favourite covers intriguingly presented, and ample opportunity for young and old to enjoy themselves in song.
True to the promotion, then. For there was 'A bunch of thyme', 'Black velvet ribbon', 'Hide your love away', with those stalwarts 'Wild Rover' and 'Knock-knock-knockin' on Heaven's Door' to remind us of the pleasure that can be derived in sharing songs we all know and love.
Humourous turns like Kevin's vocal banjo, or 'Dracula's Daughter', which enchanted the youngest members of the audience, gave way to 'Brown's Ferry Blues' and 'Whiter Shade of Pale' which brought smiles to older heads. And Paul's accomplished fiddle instrumental interludes were much appreciated too. So there was something for everyone in the friendly, family atmosphere.
By the time the evening finished on 'Goodnight Irene', it felt like every old favourite had been brought out and dusted down, and in the end one had to think, well why ever not? Ain't nuffin wrong with a bit of fun, now and then!
