If I were one for making new years resolutions, it would be to be much better at updating this blog. In my defence, it has been a punishing busy couple of months as I started a new full time job, took on managing Theo Bard, and went into overdrive planning our biggest ever house concert down at the farm.

But no excuses for sitting on this excellent review of Mikey Kenney’s show here back in November from new Front Room fan Harriet!

Mikey, for anyone who has not come across him before, is a spell-binding fiddle player, singer and songwriter from Liverpool. His most recent album, Quest for Rest, recorded under the name Ottersgear, is a stunning piece of work that spent most of the summer on repeat in this house!

“Saturday night was our first time enjoying Songs from the Front Room at Bedford Cottage. As we stepped through their front door amidst the bustle of friendly faces sipping wine, delicious-smelling pizzas (cooked or on-route to next door’s oven) and the tell-tale strumming of an acoustic guitar into a warm, vibrant home that welcomed you instantly, it felt like we were becoming part of something really special.

When Mikey, who was joined on the night by Damon Kilcawley, started playing, everyone was almost totally silent.The only sound were thirty people’s toes tapping along to the music. Guitars, banjos, mandolins, harmonicas, a vintage organ and a fiddle… These are two extremely talented musicians.

Mikey entertained the crowd between tunes as well as during with hilarious stories and anecdotes that had the whole room laughing before falling into another hush as the next song began. I’ve never been to a gig that felt so intimate and so relaxed, but I hope I’ll have the chance to go to many more now that we know about Songs from the Front Room.”

Thanks Harriet and we can’t wait to welcome you again.

If you want to know more about Mikey and his Ottersgear project, you can find him in all the usual places.

• Website: www.mikeykenney.co.uk
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/fiddlermikeykenney