| Nick Hennessy at Bromley Cross |  Bromley Cross Folk Club once again succeeded in providing their supporters with an excellent evening's entertainment. Nick Hennessey, who resides in Cumbria, regaled his audience with stories, both ghostly and comic, alongside some fine ballad singing.
Engaging Quartz as the support act for this concert was inspirational. A fine acappella group, whose harmonies are to die for, Quartz complemented Nick's material perfectly. Their musical skills, choice of material and lightness of manner acted as a perfect foil for the main act of the evening.
Nick's performance was enhanced by his hypnotic harp playing (he plays a 37 string light gauge harp, such a refreshing change from the usual stringed instruments) and a particularly intricate piece of Bodhran beating.
The juxtaposition of traditional ballads such as Robin and Alan a Dale, alongside the contemporary - Ewan MacColl's First Time Ever I saw Your Face, was accomplished with an unforced fluidity that was both engaging and accessible.
This artist proved to be a thoughtful performer, getting behind his songs and stories producing truly authentic interpretations. The man is obviously passionate about his material.
It should be mentioned that as a one off this concert was held in the Edwardian tea rooms of the Barlow Institute, Edgworth. Whilst the seating might not have been ideal, the wood panelling and fire nook all served to lend a particular atmosphere to the evening’s entertainment.
Clearly the audience were spellbound by Nick's warm and easy style, as he brought the ballad alive and intrigued with his tales of supernatural nether worlds. A quite different and immensely pleasurable evening. We don’t see much of Nick in this area so if you get the chance I recommend you take the opportunity of attending one of his performances.
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