Once, twice, three times Robb Johnson
Oct. 10th, 2025 06:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shewhomustBack in mid-September we attended an online LTYLR concert with Robb Johnson and Leon Rosselson. Rosselson had decided that he would stop performing when he passed his 90th birthday: but this concert had been a year in the planning, so at 91 he was still there. There'd clearly been some intention that he and Robb Johnson would accompany each other's songs, and no, that didn't really happen: but each of them was absolutely on top of their own material. In the circumstances, Robb Johnson may be slightly eclipsed in my memory by, shall we say Leon Rosselson's genuinely powerful delivery of The World Turned Upside Down.
Ten days ago we went to Mddlesbrough for a gig at Toft House, which was billed as Robb Johnson and the Acoustic Irregulars, but Fae Simon couldn't make it, so we had the slghtly more irregular Irregular due of Robb and Sian Allen. This didn't at all diminish the celebratory atmosphere: it was the 200th gig to be held at Toft House, and there was cake, and balloons. Plus a new album: he is so prolific that this is no surprise, but it's always fun, so welcome to The Optimist Hotel. Support act was Sue Conroy: "Protest anthems and witty ditties", it says her, and I wouldn't argue with that.
Robb's solo set last Saturday was one of my highlights of the Hartlepool Folk Festival (but you could have guessed that). It was too short, but that's life, and it leaned towards the greatest hits, which is a sensible approach for that sort of slot. Still learning the ways of my new camera, so have a photo:
Not the greatest photo ever, but I'm pleased to establish that I can do it; in fact the hardest bit was getting it off the phone and onto this journal. Still learning new tricks...
All Saturday's gigs on the Festival's outdoor stage were cancelled, because of Storm Amy. Otherwise Robb would have had another set, and I was entirely up for it.
Ten days ago we went to Mddlesbrough for a gig at Toft House, which was billed as Robb Johnson and the Acoustic Irregulars, but Fae Simon couldn't make it, so we had the slghtly more irregular Irregular due of Robb and Sian Allen. This didn't at all diminish the celebratory atmosphere: it was the 200th gig to be held at Toft House, and there was cake, and balloons. Plus a new album: he is so prolific that this is no surprise, but it's always fun, so welcome to The Optimist Hotel. Support act was Sue Conroy: "Protest anthems and witty ditties", it says her, and I wouldn't argue with that.
Robb's solo set last Saturday was one of my highlights of the Hartlepool Folk Festival (but you could have guessed that). It was too short, but that's life, and it leaned towards the greatest hits, which is a sensible approach for that sort of slot. Still learning the ways of my new camera, so have a photo:
Not the greatest photo ever, but I'm pleased to establish that I can do it; in fact the hardest bit was getting it off the phone and onto this journal. Still learning new tricks...
All Saturday's gigs on the Festival's outdoor stage were cancelled, because of Storm Amy. Otherwise Robb would have had another set, and I was entirely up for it.
