Willi Carlisle brings his sound to Manchester’s Deaf Institute
The singer wowed the Northern crowd.
Photo: Press
“The heart’s a big tent, gotta let everybody in.”
Willi Carlisle radiates joy and positivity. If it’s a crime to be earnest, then Carlisle is guilty on all counts. The positive energy that he is capable of conjuring into a room is simply off the charts.
Before he had even sung a note, Carlisle had the crowd at his mercy as he encouraged everyone to shake themselves off and join in with a choreographed dance to his opening Appalachian number, Sound & Fury. It was refreshing to see everyone embracing an opportunity to not just witness live music but to be part of creating a completely shared experience. In a world that feels more divisive than ever, it felt unifying and empowering. The shared joy in the room felt tangible.
Musically, Carlisle is a one-man band. Not the kind you see on street corners playing ten instruments at once. He is the kind of musician who views instruments and voices as simply a conduit for the spirit of music to be able to flow through them. He encourages unashamed singalongs and switches between fiddle, harmonica, acoustic guitar and banjo seemingly on a whim.
Carlisle self-identifies as a folk singer, but in reality, he is so much more. His travelling show is a smorgasbord that revolves around everything from Appalachian music, country and bluegrass to talking blues and traditional folk tunes. Whilst this music is distinctly American, Carlisle was keen to highlight the links that his musical roots have with traditional British music. This was empathically emphasised with his Cajun zydeco-inspired rendition of the great Richard Thompson classic Beeswing that absolutely brought the house down.
What sets him apart from even some of the best folk singers is that Carlisle is also a truly incredible songwriter. Being able to wield a song like Tulsa’s Last Magician in your arsenal is the ultimate ace up the sleeve. It recounts the story of a misunderstood musician who abandons his tricks in a world that seems to have abandoned him. It’s performed with so much heart and empathy and closes with an affirming cry to cherish, celebrate and nurture the parts of us that make us different. It’s hard not to wonder how, in the long lineage of folk music gone by, somebody hasn’t already written this song.
Willi Carlisle really is a beaming beacon of positivity in an ever more cynical world. He is a travelling troubadour armed with a collection of incredible songs and a box full of endless tricks. His shows aren’t so much about seeing him perform as much as they are about being able to get together and share a soul-affirming experience with a room full of like-minded strangers. Like all the best folk music before him, it exists to galvanise and energise. Carlisle really is capable of conjuring magic. Like all magic, though, it really does need to be seen to be believed.
