Mills and Chimneys concert – the Arc Theatre 12 November

In recent years, I’ve enjoyed a lot of great walks in Derbyshire, so when I saw that a group called Mills and Chimneys would be performing songs inspired by the Derbyshire landscape and traditions, I was off to the Arc Theatre without hesitation. Nor was I disappointed. This was a great evening of music and songs, mainly written by the six very talented and versatile singers and musicians. They sang of places and scenes I know well – Hartington, and the Upper Derwent Valley reservoirs – and local people, from the woollen millworkers and lacemakers to Elsie Gray of Shardlow, the pigeon-fanciers of Allestree and most topically the job-threatened train builders at Bombardier. They also included the Steeleye Span favourite, ‘The Blacksmith’ and for Remembrance weekend, a very moving solo rendition by Lucy Ward of ‘The Band played Waltzing Matilda’.

Mills and Chimneys have excellently combined musical talent with local knowledge and research to provide a fascinating and lively evening. They said it was a step into the unknown to take the show wider than their native Derbyshire, but it was obviously a step worth taking. They were also aware of the common links with Trowbridge’s former mills (and chimneys) and were applauded for describing Chesterfield as ‘the Trowbridge of the North’. I’d happily go to Chesterfield (or Matlock or Buxton!) to hear them again!

Richard Havergal