Transatlantic Sessions Gateshead

Yesterday Liz and I attended the Transatlantic Sessions concert at the Glasshouse, Gateshead.  There was a really big crowd; the main auditorium seats over fifteen hundred people and looked to be sold out.

The stage was crowded as always, the regular musicians joined by Darrell Scott, Kathy Mattea, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh and Karine Polwart. I hadn’t realised Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves were now regulars with their lovely old-time banjo and fiddle; I really love their music.  They were joined on one tune by Darrell Scott playing guitar.

Darrell opened the concert by pointing out I had made the guitar he was playing, getting a gratifying cheer and round of applause.  He sang two songs and, after the interval, his great song ‘You’ll never leave Harlan alive’ with Kathy Mattea, the country singer who recorded it and made it famous. Then bass player Daniel Kimbro borrowed the guitar for a solo song of his own.

Allison de Groot and Tatania Hargreaves, John Doyle and Karine Polwart behind