The Trials of Cato

The Trials of Cato at Stapleford Granary

After so many years reviewing and photographing for Grapevine Magazine a new venue is a rare treat for me. Not that Stapleford Granary is new, it is a lovingly restored 19th century farm which was purchased by the charity, The Association for Cultural Exchange in 2009. The restoration work won an RIBA Regional East Award for its authentic renovation, and it now operates as an arts centre for the ‘culturally curious’.

Tonight, saw us arrive for one of the Granary’s seasonal outdoor events in the courtyard under an impressive marquee seating some two hundred guests. The vagaries of British weather proved the worth of our decision to throw our coats in the back of the car. Squally wind made the evening chilly and at one point sought to throw the slight mist about under the canopy but that passed before the concert began.

No event organizer can control the weather, but the chilly evening wind was more than made up for by the warmth of the welcome we received at the gate, at the bar and at the BBQ. The staff seemed genuinely pleased to see their courtyard full of people enjoying burgers and drinks before the show.

On the bill tonight, The Trials of Cato, a band I first saw over four years ago, shortly after they won Best Album for ‘Hide & Hare’ at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Since then, Will Addison has left the band and Polly Bolton joined. Despite this, the trademark ‘Cato sound’, honed whilst working in the Lebanon remains, Polly’s vocals add a different dimension to the experience.

The two-thirds Welsh, one-third Yorkshire trio are based in Cambridge just minutes away from Stapleford Granary, their carbon footprint for this gig barley registering. It was appropriate that we listen to tracks from their most recent album ‘Gog Magog’ in the shadow of the low-lying chalk hills of the same name.

I thought it interesting that Kate Romano, Stapleford Granary’s CEO, introduced not ‘The Trials of Cato’ but Tomos Williams, Polly Bolton and Robin Jones – far more personal and friendly.

With no support act and no intermission there was no messing about as the trio got straight into the music starting off with ‘Gawain’, a retelling of Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, a 14th century chivalric romance. From that reference you may be forgiven for thinking that what lay ahead was an evening of gentle medieval folk music, no, not quite.

The Trials of Cato bring a young, vibrant twist to traditional tunes, write new works in traditional styles but who are not restrained by, nor in any way inclined, to play folk music in a traditional manner. Take for example ‘Bedlam Boys’. A song with its roots in the 17th century involving fairies and giants but introduced on stage with a low electronic hum rising gently until suddenly it is gone, and the clear strings of the mandolin take over.

Nor do this trio look like your typical folk band (if such a thing exists). You are unlikely to pop into your local folk club on a Friday evening a find a band wearing suits. Yes, this was a special occasion and Tomos had to be ‘encouraged’ to wear one, something he vowed on stage that he would never do again.

I have been listening to the recordings of The Trials of Cato for some time it was good to see that the recorded sound translated well to a live performance. This in no small part to the fact that the trio travel with their own sound engineer, effectively the fourth member of the band.

The audience was treated to an excellent set showcasing each of the band’s unmistakable talents. There was ‘Gog Magog’ with its jazzy guitar intro and, given the location, that one had to be on the set list, ‘The Black Shuck’, a version of which was also recorded by The Darkness with a slightly different rhyming structure apparently. By the time we got to ‘Kerhonkson Stomp‘ and ‘Tom Payne’s Bones’ people were dancing along at the sides of the marquee.

This was an excellent night’s entertainment in a welcoming venue and a surprisingly wide age demographic – from babes in arms, through young children to us older folk who like this irreverent yet respectful take on traditional sounds.

It is worth noting, as a first-time visitor, the venue provided excellent pre-show information. Practical things like parking, food & drink availability, the fact that there was no intermission. Small things that make a difference.