Caliko @ Tenterden Folk Festival

The Caliko Acoustic Tour came back home to the South East on Saturday for the Tenterden Folk Festival. Entering the small town by car I took a quick sight-seeing tour of the early happenings of the day. Most of the High Street was alight with white hankies flung far from their Morris Men owners during a hundred strong-precession of colour & mirth. I have to say, Morris Men aren't really my cup of tea, the musical side of the Folk world has so much more appeal...

Jo & Jon were playing in the Eight Bells pub - a folkie's joint for many years - with a Cruella Deville look-a-like singing acapella, a husband and wife outfit straight from the bargain bin, a young singer-songwriter-guitarist with clear and well pronounced vocals, and a burly, northern, harmonious sea shanty quartet - one of whom had the deepest and loudest voice any of us had ever heard.

In the midst of such traditional music, Caliko's songs sounded really quite modern. In particular, Home has a contemporary, warm feeling that reminds me of Zero Seven's first album. Yet in spite of that, not out of place at all. For Jon's musical musings tend toward the story-telling kind. Very much like these traditional songs other folkies have sung for centuries.

New versions of Monsoon & Marty, arranged for just the duo, sounded excellent. Jo's voice sweet as always with great harmonies from Jon creeping into just the right spaces. There was even some inventive use of two capos on one guitar to create an alternate tuning without risking string breakage, curious... what's he building in there?

Caliko have a superb website and MySpace page.