On Thursday night, the intimate venue of Hagglers Corner a woody was the perfect setting for the folk-rock trio Winter Mountain to entertain the Sheffield audience.
Whilst waiting for the rustic loft and stage area to open, which was lit by candles and fairy lights, creating a magical atmosphere, my plus one and I drank a quality merlot and adventurously tried a new rum (Rumbullion – highly recommend!) The playlist was top-notch too, with blues music from Otis Redding, Buddy Guy and Hendrix gracing our ears
Now onto the main event; and having not heard of Winter Mountain until recently, this trio were a treat to the ears. I couldn’t have been more impressed, and the light audience interaction from Joe in-between songs showed them to be a down-to-earth group of guys.
Lead singer Joe Fracis’ Cornish roots come out in the smooth melodic sound of his voice; the acoustic guitar takes a modern twist on the traditional folk music associated with the beautiful county, complemented with the addition of and electric and bass guitar.
They opened the show with a song called ‘Girl in the Café’. The comical backstory and lyrics resonate something we’ve all tragically felt before: finally swallowing your fear and approaching that lonely, beautiful someone in a café; when the (7ft tall) boyfriend swoops in and crushes your dreams.
Evocative and energetic, the set touched people with a slection of beautiful songs such as ‘Stronger When You Hold Me’, his sister and the tragic death of a friend. The fantastic electric guitarist kept everyone impressed, especially during the more fierce tracks!
Their last song of the night they dedicated to their hosts, Sarah and David of Hagglers – a beautiful rendition of The Beatles’‘Oh Darling’ (and also a jab at new bassist Tommy as the ‘new Beatle’ of the band).
Winter Mountain are undoubtedly going to climb to great heights, especially since there was clear fanbase in attendance. Even BBC 2’s Clare Balding has recently credited them as being ‘one of my favourites’ after listening to ‘The Lucky Ones’; Janice Long agreed, saying ‘you really must see Winter Mountain live’. I can confidently say they’re now up on my list too, and yes, you really must see them live! It’s blatantly obvious from seeing them for one night at one small show, in a hidden gem of a venue, that they are going to be a hit.
For more tour dates head to their Facebook page!
