GALAHAD

Forty years ago, a group of Dorset lads named their new band after a local fruit and veg delivery business, not an Arthurian knight as was widely perceived. They've since battled through numerous lineup changes and personal challenges, but Galahad never gave up on their musical quest.

- ALISON REIJMAN

VENUE THE 1865, SOUTHAMPTON

DATE 21/06/2025

SUPPORT LEAGUE OF LIGHTS, TIGER MOTH TALES, PETERS AND LEE

The centrepiece of their 40th-anniversary celebrations is the Midsummer Festival in adjacent Hampshire; Southampton, in fact, being the home city of guitarist Lee Abraham.

On this sweltering midsummer's day, openers League Of Lights instantly generate positive charges of elegant electro-pop. Ballgowned and befeathered Farrah West admits she's slightly overdressed for the prevailing conditions, but her clear, ringing voice and husband Richard's keyboard wizardry beguile, especially on the catchy On A Night Like This. Acknowledging Richard's day job as keyboardist/composer with Threshold, for whom Farrah provides demo vocals, they unleash a luscious, showstopping rendition of Avalon from the band's 2002 album, Critical Mass.

Prog's ubiquitous minstrel, Peter Jones, indulges everyone on keyboards and guitar with his life-affirming Tiger Moth Tales' whimsy. He notes it's the 10th anniversary of Story Tellers, Part One from which he offers the very silly, seldom-played A Kid's Tale. Conversely, Hygge shows that Jones is a rare artist who can both break and gladden your heart in the same song. He also delivers ravishing versions of Genesis's More Fool Me and Guide Vocal.