Memories of Ottersgear

I first saw Ottersgear play a rowdy acoustic set at the back of The Nook in Holmfirth - must have been about five years ago.  It was a chaotic and inspiring event.  The band members had positioned some chairs in a row for the impromptu gig and were playing a combination of boran, melodia, mandola, guitar and fiddle, a refreshing mix of instrumentation at the time and they must have been in their late teens and early twenties. Most of the people there had consumed copious amounts of alcohol and were in good spirits, they appreciated the music.  And what was the most wonderful thing was that when Mikey, the lead singer and also song writer for the outfit, played a solo tune, the whole place fell silent.  Think of it, a drunk and rowdy crowd falling silent for an acoustic song (without the aid of a PA), there were even drunks shushing other drunks to be quiet whilst Mikey’s soothing vocals swept through the place.  I’d never seen this happen before, that someone could mesmerize an audience in that way.

I’d settled on a wall with a mate and we just watched the whole proceedings unfold in front of our eyes, at times quietly listening and at others stamping our feet along to more up-tempo beats.  To be honest I'd always had a love-hate relationship with folk music, because so much of it is middle of the road dross - but Ottersgear revitalised my interest in the music on that night.  They were intelligent and well crafted songs that took the listener to new places.    

At one point the group were joined by local legend Norman Perry.  Norman randomly appeared with an electric guitar and Marshall amp that he positioned next to the band and started jamming out these hardcore riffs.  Norman must have been in his late fifties with long grey hair and a beard, he looked like a wizard from Lord of the Rings.  The Ottersgear lads happily joined in and there was this combination of electric and acoustic music that must have lasted about an hour.  It didn’t sound too good but it was fun and entertaining and the band just laughed along in such a way as you recognised these guys didn’t take themselves too seriously and I love that in a band.

I didn’t get to talk to the Ottersgear guys that night, but the following year when they returned to the festival I made sure I went to see their show.  And we got to know each other after that with Old Man Pie playing a night they were running in Manchester, and Ottersgear playing some gigs for us back in Holmfirth.  That’s what it’s all about, finding musical allies and helping each other out.

So it seemed a natural thing to me to see if I could get Ottersgear back again to play my night and was so pleased when they agreed, because it had been too long.  They have a connection with this town and long may it continue.

Ottersgear will be performing a full set at my next Open Mic which is at Cellar 88 in Holmfirth on 28 March.

Find out more here:

http://www.mikeykenney.co.uk/ottersgear