Well, I travelled from Whitstable to Wiltshire to see them and would do again. First saw them at Warwick a couple of years ago, bought their first album then and the second at Cheltenham I think, when we saw them last year. (Getting on a bit memory going you know).
I think their sound is superb and evocative of their Northeastern roots. The Sisters are steeped in the tradition, the Unthanks are a 'folk' family. And it's Bravo to them that they can bring the songs out with a new freshness and honesty.
It's great to see anyone getting up on stage with a degree of 'performance' and not just the old jeans and teashirt and here's my stuff thing.
I wasn't keen on Belinda at first either but The Bairns wouldn't have been as wonderful without her piano her songs and her voice.
Am speechless at some of the stuff up on this thread.
I have a feeling that the moaners up there are the precious people who traipse into the folk club room just before the 'turn' so they don't have to 'suffer'the floor singers.

Alan Clayton