Seth Lakeman Trio

EMMA LEE

> Norwich Arts Centre

While he claimed to still be feeling a bit delicate after a trip to a Norwich nightclub, folk musician Seth Lakeman proved why he was a worthy contender for this years Mercury Music Prize at Norwich Arts centre last night.

The audience at the packed out former church was made up of a mixture of die hard folkies and intrigued youngsters.

The concert was opened by the up and coming Mu-folk duo Megson, who cutely described themselves as Debbie and Stu.

Their blend of touching melodies and subtle guitar and pennywhistle has already won them a fan in DJ Bob Harris - and last night they will have won themselves some more.

Then Lakeman took to the stage accompanied by his band claiming to feel “rough” after his experience at Liquid.

The papers have made much of the fact that Lakeman's Mercury nominated album, Kitty Jay was recorded for £300 in his kitchen and that his good looks have made him something of a folk scene heartthrob.

These are both true - but his enormous natural talent was there for all to hear, and any hangover didn't show.

The power of Lakeman's voice and a combination of fiddle, double bass, guitar and an array of percussion instruments was by turns heartbreaking, haunting, and stirring.

An undoubted highlight of the set - which was punctuated with explanations of the origins of the songs some from Lakeman's home at Dartmoor, some from Cornwall - was Kitty Jay. Energetically performed by Chris Lakeman on his fiddle the sight of him swing away with his bow was mesmerising.

Lakeman would have been a worthy Mercury Music Prize winner.

And ok, I'll admit he probably did set a few hearts fluttering too.