Dave Hull-Denholm + Special Guests

The Engine Room

North Shields

Tyne and Wear



2024-04-17



This is recorder 2

Tempusfugit (recorder 1) treated us kindly by promptly sharing his excellent capture here:- http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=771300

Over the course of the last couple of years Lindisfarne have enjoyed a bit of a renaissance. Ray Jackson’s rekindling of the Christmas shows back in 2013 to help save Newcastle City Hall was the spark. Although Ray handed over the baton to Rod Clements, the Christmas shows once more became a regular tradition. The band also played a few shows elsewhere. And then we saw the emergence of The Alan Hull Songbook (AHS). Whilst it smouldered for a few years, everything ignited in 2023. Huge tours, a previously unreleased boxed set of archive recordings and, on June 3rd, the remaining three original band members reunited for a short promotional show outside of JG Windows in Newcastle’s Central Arcade in support of the newly released BBC Box Set. There’s an even bigger tour this year. The AHS played a few more shows (outside of their annual trip to “Barlick”), we’ve had the release of the old Alan Hull demos in another fabulous box set of archive recordings and yet another Lindisfarne box set already in the pipeline.

Tempusfugit spotted this one (he’s good at that sort of thing). A “solo” show by Dave Hull Denholm down the road at the end of the North Shields Fish Quay in an…intimate venue.

The Engine Room is a converted cellar. Modest in size (50 to 60 capacity), massive in welcome (fabulous staff). Interesting signage on the toilet doors. And they punch well above their weight with regards the artists beating a path to their door.

Following our fish, chips & mushy peas at our “regular” (is there anything finer?), upon entering we soon realise this is not a “solo” show. DHD has a number of friends in tow to season tonight’s set with a variation in colour & tone to that of the usual. The stage area is tightly packed, equipment, cables & instruments everywhere. When Health & Safety Executives go to Hell, this is what they’re confronted with.

Tonight’s congregation is very learned. There’s a number of faces we see all the time – be it God’s awn Haal or Barlick. Alan Hull’s widow, Pat, is also there, along with the daughters. It all contributes to putting a real crackle in the air.

As is always the case with DHD, there’s no fanfare. He just wanders up and starts playing. First couple of numbers are solo acoustic. Then the band clamber into position for the remainder of the first set. Nice to have some pedal steel adding a wash of colour in the sonic landscape.

The set itself is far from ordinary. Couple of nods to the “Main Band”, but on the whole it’s relatively lesser played Alan numbers & musings from waaayyyy back (although there is the surprising addition of a Neil Young tune towards the end of set one). Nice to see DHD’s son, Evan, join them for the majority of the set on acoustic guitar (resplendent in Pipedream t-shirt).

Couple of notable guests get up to perform a “turn” during the course of the evening. An excellent take on Lady Eleanor by Katie Grace, a previous winner of the Alan Hull Songwriter’s Award. Hector Gannet singer, Aaron Duff treated us to an equally splendid version of…Treat Me Kindly. Alan Hull clearly “matters” in each of our guest artist’s worlds. Sometimes you have guest artists getting up and…you kind of wish they hadn’t. This was NOT one of those occasions.

Two sets in all, concluding with a sparkling alternative version of Clear White Light Pt2. Between tunes we get the occasional anecdote.

Given the combination of the setlist and the band, tonight’s concert is a much fuller version of Alan Hull Songbook, plus, similar size venue, similar audience. For those of us whose condition has deteriorated to the point of needing…”harder dose” than a straightforward Lindisfarne set, this is the perfect “hit”. And I say this all the time. There’s a lot of humanity in the room.

I hope DHD does a bit more of this kind of thing (especially if it’s on our doorstep, near a good chip shop). We always look forward to Lindisfarne shows (and we’ve a few still to look forward to). But…these deeper delves are soooo good.

Please note, there's a bit of crackle in a couple of places on set one. Seems my mics are feeling their age.

Here’s what we’d happily all sit through again:-

Set One

S101 Good Things
S102Sometimes I Wonder
S103Uncle Sam
S104 Never Be The Same From Today
S105 Lady Eleanor
S106 Walk A Crooked Mile
S107 100 Miles To Liverpool
S108 Hoi Polloi
S109 Unmarked Car
S110 Deep Forbidden Lake

Set Two

S201 Where Is The Little Girl
S202 Treat Me Kindly
S203 Money
S204 Wall Of Death
S205 Winter Song
S206 When The War Is Over
S207 Completely Drawn
S208 Statues And Liberties
S209 Accidental Time
S210 Save Yourself
S211 Clear White Light PT.II


Dave Hull Denholm - Vocals,Guitars,Keyboards,Harmonica

Paul Smith - Drums
Neil Harland - Bass
Darren Paice - Guitars,Pedal Steel Guitar
Evan Hull Denholm - Acoustic Guitar
Katie Grace - Vocals on Lady Eleanor
Aaron Duff - Vocals on Treat Me Kindly

Lineage

SP-CMC-4U >
TASCAM DR-40 >
Sound Forge Pro 14 >
Trader's Little Helper (level 8) >
Torrent Site

No better deliverer of Alan Hull’s message than Dave Hull-Denholm.