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PATSY MATHESON & BECKY MILLS,
The Maltings, Farnham 20 February 2012

Quite appropriate that I should be at Farnham tonight as it was ten years ago whilst working for a previous employer in Farnham that I helped start off Get Ready To ROCK! The Maltings is a very impressive set of buildings on the edge of Farnham and tonight's gig is in the cellar bar.

Patsy Matheson and Becky Mills were half of the excellent Waking the Witch, who sadly disbanded a few years ago but luckily tonight's set will include some numbers from this band.

It is also a chance for Patsy Matheson to plug her new album 'Stories of Angels & Guitars' and Becky Mills to play some songs of her upcoming album, tentatively titled 'Dandelion'.

Kicking off the night with two Waking the Witch numbers, 'There For Me' and a personal favourite 'Jenny Thornton & the Boys from the Abattoir' - the latter allowing them to show off their sublime vocal harmonies.

Patsy then did some of her solo numbers including 'Under Your Wing' and the first audience participation number, 'No Angel'.

There is a competition on the tour to find the loudest and most enthusiastic audience, so far Torquay are winning. The Farnham crowd made a decent go of it but I don't think they will win the title..!

Not to be outdone Becky offered up 'Family', a lovely song with a moving lyric and 'Amy Sharpe', another strong song, all of which bodes well for the new album.

The first half included a Bob Dylan cover 'Another Cup Of Coffee', which Patsy recently recorded for a Bob Dylan 70th birthday tribute CD released to raise funds for Oxfam.

After the interval another Waking the Witch song, 'Rock & Roll' got the set underway again before what is fast becoming a folk crossover sensation, the duo's take on Gary Numan & Tubeway Army's 'Cars'. It sounds as though it shouldn't work but it does and proves that a good song can be done in any musical style.

Another cover was Donovan's 'Goldwatch Blues' with more audience participation. Going right back to the debut Waking the Witch album they performed the title track 'Like Everybody', a song Patsy freely admitted they hadn't done in a while but it sounded fine.

Throughout the night both Patsy and Becky chipped in with anecdotes on the songs and what they had been up to, including a Pasty rant on the state of the Army & Navy store in nearby Camberley (this was Patsy's hometown gig) and the joys of child free shopping in Primark. All very rock 'n' roll in a mild way.

Do go and see this duo as they are extremely good vocalists and musicians (along with acoustic guitars they add mandolin, jaw harp and shakers plus some Peruvian percussion you sit in).

They have the appeal to please the traditional folkies plus those who love strong songs and melodies and a decent night of live music.

Review by Jason Ritchie

Patsy & Becky Tour Dates

Tues 21st Feb - Battle, Hastings, Mrs Yarringtons @ Crowhurst Park www.mrsyarringtons.me.uk
Thurs 23rd Feb - York, Black Swan www.blackswanfolkclub.org.uk
Fri 24th Feb - Otley, Korks www.korks.co.uk
Sat 25th Feb - Burton, The Brewhouse Arts Centre www.brewhouse.co.uk
Sun 26th Feb - Birmingham, The Kitchen Garden Cafe www.kitchengardencafe.co.uk
Tues 28th Feb - Montrose, Links Hotel Folk Club www.linkshotelmusic.com/folk-music.php
Wed 29th Feb - Lanark, Horse & Jockey
Thurs 1st March - St Andrews, Lathones, The Inn at Lathones www.innatlathones.com
Fri 2nd March - Ulverston, Social Club www.slmp.btinternet.co.uk
Sat 3rd March - Dumfries & Galloway, Sanquhar Arts Centre www.all-the-airts.com
Tues 6th March - Nr Beverley, Processed Pea, The Light Dragoon, Etton www.theprocessedpea.co.uk
Thurs 8th March - E. Devon, Otterton, Otterton Mill www.ottertonmill.com
Fri 9th March - Bridgwater, Arts Centre www.bridgwaterartscentre.co.uk
Sat 10th March - Wellington Arts Centre www.w-a-a.co.uk
Sun 11th March - Nr Gloucester Wotton under Edge, Arts Centre www.utea.org.uk
Fri 16th March - Grassington, Appletreewick, Craven Arms www.craven-cruckbarn.co.uk
Sat 17th March - Preston, New Continental www.newcontinental.net
Fri 23rd March - Milton Keynes, The Stables www.stables.org
Sat 24th March - Manningtree, Red Lion
Sun 25th March - Hebden Bridge, Trades Club www.thetradesclub.com
Thursday 4th April - Godalming, Farncombe, Farncombe Tavern www.thefarncombecavern.co.uk
Sunday 8th April - Barnsley Acoustic Roots Festival www.barnsleyacoustic.co.uk
Friday 13th April - Hinckley, Hinckley ACT www.hinckleyact.co.uk
Saturday 14th April - Pickering, Newton upon Rawcliffe, Village Hall Dennis.Wilcock@btopenworld.com
Mon 7th May - Bristol Folk Festival - www.bristolfolkfestival.com
May 25th - 27th Acoustic Festival of Britain - Uttoxeter Race Course www.acousticfestival.co.uk
Thurs 21st June - Grassington Fringe Festival, Appletreewick, Craven Arms
Sat 7th July - Heptonstall Festival