Great Hall gig is quite a sense of achievement

THE penultimate gig in Show of Hands' biggest and most successful tour to date is taking place at the University of Exeter's Great Hall next week.

Steve Knightley, the acoustic roots duo's singer-songwriter, from Topsham, feels "quite a sense of achievement" about performing there.

Although Show of Hands has sold out the Royal Albert Hall and appeared at major festivals from Glastonbury to WOMAD, the seated event at the Great Hall — with a capacity of around 1,300 — is a cause for celebration.

Steve said: "This is the biggest audience we've drawn in Exeter and it's nice we're up to the level of the Great Hall. The Albert Hall was a one-off. This is part of a normal tour.

"It's a pleasure to play at venues I've been going to since I was a kid. I saw Genesis and other bands at the Great Hall."

Although Show of Hands has won folk awards, the duo's music nudges the mainstream and pitches into rock, blues, country and world music, played on instruments from slide guitar to fiddle, and mandolin to South American cuatro.

Many of the gigs in Show of Hands' county towns tour, which finishes in Truro, Cornwall, the day after the Exeter gig, sold out, to Steve's delight.

Steve and instrumentalist Phil Beer, accompanied by double bass player and vocalist Miranda Sykes, have performed at nearly 40 venues on the tour, which started in September and is showcasing new album, Arrogance, Ignorance and Greed.

The album, which was officially launched on October 26, features eight new songs by Steve, as well as two covers and two traditional songs.

Steve said the balance of new and old material at the gig next week would be about half and half.

"People want to hear the favourites, particularly if they've brought friends along. Then we can introduce some new stuff," he said.

"But the album has been out for a month and people are getting to know the songs and sing along now."

He said the hard-hitting new album is "quite dark" with most of the songs about anger, loss, greed or jealousy, and some being about the current economic situation.

One of the tracks, The Napoli, is about the greed of the 21st-century looters on the Devon coast.

"There's a lot of anger in the country about corporate greed that's not been tapped into by performers," said Steve.

"We're not tub-thumping, but we try to articulate what people are feeling and if we get it right, it strikes a chord."

Steve said it is important to have balance and there will also be "lightweight" music during the evening.

He added: "It's quite a well worked out show. We polish it on the road so it contains quite a lot of pace and meat."

In the new year, Show of Hands will be doing a lot of standing-only gigs. Steve said: "We try to vary the tours and the way they are presented."

Both Steve and Phil will concentrate on solo projects in February and March.

Steve will be touring with Jenna Witts for the third time, and Phil will be touring with his band.

Show of Hands is performing at the Great Hall on Thursday, December 3. Doors open at 7.30pm and the show starts at 8pm.

French-Geordie songstress Flossie Malavialle will open the show. Tickets cost £16. Details: 01392 263518.