Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
The question should always be, “Did you enjoy what you saw at Threshold?” For anybody who stepped into the confines of The Baltic Social on the Saturday of the 2014 and hung around taking in the true ambiance of day time set of music, rather than the powerful nights, who gazed in joy as the Town Crier or even the Ginger Pirate as some started calling him made his way from venue to venue giving audible instructions on what was happening and where, then yes the answer would be to the question, “Yes, of course!”
To be the first woman on stage at The Baltic Social on the Saturday, to give the natural equality that Threshold demands thanks to its guiding inspiration Kaya Herstad Carney and her infallible team, is a huge honour. For fans of Caroline England it is no less than the talented song writer deserves. This is a woman who was completely unfazed when she appeared between Stephen Langstaff and The Mono L.P.’s at the East Arts Village and whom nothing really can take anything from but warmth, a huge smile and the easing into a voice and act that melts the stoniest of hearts.
Opening her segment of the proceedings at the Liverpool Acoustic Stage and under the watchful encouraging eye of Graham Holland and Stuart Todd with favourite That Place, the set contained All I Need, the much loved Ginger, for which the addition of Ms. England playing the imaginary but real sounding of a mouth trumpet was a true delight and the surprise of a new track titled Pocket.
The fast turn-around nature of a festival is never lost on music lovers but in these cases it is needed, there is so much talent residing in the city of Liverpool and so much to get through that what makes the sets by the artists involved is their utter devotion to the set, they capture the moment and frame it forever on the hearts of their fans. For Caroline England’s fans they were not to be disappointed. This was special, the afternoon started to buzz early and all because Caroline England takes great care to raise an early smile on all who made their way to the venue.
Ian D. Hall