Newbury crowd hangs on every word of protest singer

Isabel Rumble and Malcolm MacWatt double header

at Ace Space

on Saturday, January 25

Review by BRIAN HARRINGTON

THIS was Melbourne’s Isabel Rumble’s first UK gig, although she has toured in Europe.

She travelled to Newbury from Southern Ireland through Storm Eowyn to be here. She has one album and an EP to her credit to date and has a second album scheduled for release this spring.

Her delicate and beautiful vocals and her clear talent as a songwriter are an indication that she has much to offer the contemporary folk genre.

I would describe her lyrics and songs as a series of thoughtful reflections and observations on her life, her relationships and the world around her.

Her often melancholic words are strangely softened by her gentle, lilting vocals while her ability to engage with her audience somehow ensures their undivided attention.

Tonight’s set-list included the excellent Bird Be Brave, the title track of her album along with Precious Burden, which looks at a relationship and she gave us a sneak-peek of her forthcoming album in the form of new track Soften.

A delightful start to the evening.

Malcolm MacWatt hails from Elgin in Scotland and has performed at ACE Space previously.

His songs often focus on Scottish history and issues, such as the right to roam, but frequently include a much wider socio-political message.

A brilliant lyricist he combines his powerful words with excellent guitar work and, as a more recent development, banjo playing.

He is arguably a protest singer in the tradition of the great Phil Ochs, with a strong, clear sense of history and social justice.

This was an excellent set, which had the audience hanging on his every word, both within his songs and his contextual comments.

I loved Heather and Honey, The Crofter And The Cherokee (which compares the displacement of Scottish farm workers to the infamous trail of tears in the US), while the brilliant Dark Harvest has been described as Malcom lifting the carpet of Scottish history and looking at the dusty corners underneath. A very apt description.

Mistress Moon was wonderful and the enthusiastically demanded encore track Selkie superb.

Another great night of folk at ACE Space.