It was a clear and not-quite-balmy night as Jacob and Drinkwater took to the stage. Actually, it was a gantry at the top of a stairwell. You couldn’t describe the sold-out crowd as ‘packing’ the garden at the back of the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. We were too socially-distanced for that.
But it was special and magical to witness live music again. After five concert-free months, most of us would welcome any kind of live entertainment. So, it was a double treat not only to be out but also to be entertained and enthralled by one of the finest folk duos on the scene. If, indeed, there still is a scene. For far too long it’s been a screen…
It’s laudable how so many artists have adapted to concerts cancelled, tours scrapped and venues closed. (Let’s hope not permanently…) But what singer, songwriter and guitarist Tobias Ben Jacob and his musical foil Lukas Drinkwater – bass/guitars and backing vocals – proved on the night was that Zoom-in-your-front-room is nothing like witnessing two brilliant musicians and performers in person. More’s the pity, and who knows when we’ll get the old normal back.
The duo have been together since an impromptu performance at Glastonbury (remember that?) in 2014. Since then they have released the stunning Burning Low EP, Live at Hope Hall and a full album, This Old River, consolidated their success last year. In my review back then, I described the collection as, ‘A rallying cry of hope and light in these often dark, dark days.’ Gosh, and I thought the days were dark back then! It seems like we need Jacob’s honest and heartfelt songs more than ever right now.
The gig kicked off at 7 pm to catch the fading September sun. First up was an unfamiliar song, New Capri. Which highlighted the songwriter’s penchant for evoking a 70s/80s childhood with Ford Cortinas, polaroids, Betamax and the Amstrad CPC 464 namechecked throughout the evening. But don’t be fooled. Far from retro, many of his songs are achingly contemporary. And amid this pandemic, some of them took on new meaning.
A stand-out performance of the first half, Shadow of the Sun, is a song Tobias was inspired to write after reading first-hand accounts of life in war-torn Syria. But with Covid-19 never far from our thoughts, the opening verse certainly felt rather closer to home:
We are just living on the edge of life
It’s a game the devil must have made
I held my children and my wife
I told them not to be afraid
But there’s a shadow on the sun
And everything is blown apart
I don’t believe in oblivion
But there’s a darkness in my heart
As it continued, the true intent of the song became clearer. We can only hope that being shaken from our comfortable lives might help us to be more compassionate to people who have lived in fear for years. People who have lost everything. Well, we can hope.
Another of the most affecting moments was Tobias’s song, It’s Still A Beautiful World. Again, remarkably prescient, an encouragement to hold on to hope even in the darkest times.
But don’t be fooled into thinking this was a night of wallowing. Everyone who came seemed to be delighted in the privilege of enjoying live music again. And Jacob and Drinkwater were in fine form, eliciting laughs (some groans) from their between-songs banter.
The venue is adjacent to the River Wey and over the fence, some local young people were enjoying an elicit night by the water. Dubious smoke from their direction occasionally wafted over the audience and performers. Lukas’s complaint that he was feeling light-headed was met with Tobias’s retort that, ‘I know we were told to be spaced-out. But this is ridiculous…’
Loaded Gun was another majestic moment, with just Tobias’s fervent singing matched by Lukas’s evocative double bass. We Are The First Ones Now, another highlight, felt like it was directed at all of us who were able to witness a live performance safely once again. Hopefully, proof that good music will survive this pandemic. As long as we find new ways to keep it alive.
Closing the set before the encore was a well-judged cover of Leonard Cohen’s Bird on a Wire. The song was a request from the theatre’s Artistic Director, Joanna Read. As with all venues, this year has been a struggle for survival for the Yvonne Arnaud. If you are local, do check out their programme of socially-distance performances here: https://www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk/. On the evidence of this night, people’s safety and enjoyment are the highest priorities. Oh, and make sure you drink lots of beer and eat plenty of ice cream. It’s a sacrifice worth making to keep this magnificent venue alive.
Sadly, besides The Great British Folk Festival in November, there are no more live dates currently scheduled for Jacob and Drinkwater this year. But you can catch their latest YouTube live stream, recorded the next day. And remember to drop them a contribution to say thank you.
Much like yours, I shouldn’t wonder, there’s nothing upcoming in my gig calendar either. I don’t know if this very special night in the company of Jacob and Drinkwater was the future of music. Or if it was a glimpse of music past. But it felt very much like the present. That’s about all we can be sure about right now.
https://www.jacobanddrinkwater.com/