Greensward, Folk Rock. 5 piece Folk/Rock band.

Rating 6/6 : Brilliant Energetic, high-quality folk rock David's Bookshop, Green Room., Letchworth Garden City on Friday 12 June 2026
I had the pleasure of seeing Greensward at David's Bookshop in Letchworth, as part of a local performers evening. Their musicianship and energy are equally potent, and their choice of material is excellent, not to mention their winning engagement with the audience. Any band that takes on firmly entrenched favourites such as I Wanna See The Bright Lights Tonight is to be commended for bravery, and they did not let down this song nor other standards. Catch them if you have the chance.

David Birkett, Thursday 30 July 2026

Rating 5/6 : Very Enjoyable Check them out! Los Reyes, Hitchin on Sunday 12 July 2026
Folk rock you say? To people of a certain age that term will bring back fond memories of the 60s and 70s when bands like Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and Pentangle stalked the Earth (and to be fair some of those still do!) To people of my daughter’s age it meant absolutely nothing and with that in mind we set off on yet another stonkingly hot summers day to see Greensward, a brand new folk rock band, play as part of the Hitchin music fest. The setting was the lovely open courtyard at Los Reyes tapas bar – and with a glass of wine and various bowls of tasty goodies at the ready we settled in for the afternoon’s entertainment.
They kicked off with faithful rendition of Wall of Death by Richard Thompson – who some might say pretty much invented the folk rock genre. That seemed possibly an ambitious and daunting opener but it was pretty much evident from the off that this lot knew what they were doing. The bass and drums of Bob Rushworth and Robin Hall provided a solid bedrock allowing the top lines of Jonathan Roberts lead guitar, David Edington’s mandolin and Ros Woodin’s violin to weave tastefully around the melody. The vocal harmonies between Ros and David were worthy of Richard and Linda (high praise indeed). So a very promising start and the set continued with a wide variety of material from across the decades. There was the more traditional folk element in songs like Now Be Thankful, pop/chart crossover songs including Martha’s Harbour, Lay Down and Meet Me on the Corner and even a bit of Americana with Bonnie Light Horseman’s Cold Rain and Snow. A couple of personal favourites for me were the Waterboys Fishermans Blues and I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight. But overall it was a really well balanced set with something for everyone and throughout the band felt both professional but also relaxed and musicianship was uniformly excellent.
So it was very much a ‘Yes’ from me and also from my wife and daughter who would not normally choose to listen to this type of music. Recommend you check them out.
John Almond, Tuesday 4 August 2026

Rating 6/6 : Brilliant More please! St Mary's Church, Hitchin on Saturday 6 June 2026
If you are going to cover artists as legendary and varied as Fairport Convention, The Waterboys, and The Proclaimers, you need the musical know-how, and talent. Greensward has both.
From the moment they took the stage, Greensward delivered an exceptionally convincing folk-rock sound, anchored by a standout female lead vocalist whose versatility was on full display throughout the evening. Her delivery on classics like Mississippi Summer, Martha’s Harbour, and the timeless Fairport staple Who Knows Where the Time Goes was magnificent—tender, commanding, and beautifully pitched. Adding to her impressive performance, her expressive violin work wove through nearly every track, giving the arrangements a rich, authentic weight.
Her numbers were backed by a talented group of guitarists (electric, mandolin, mandola and bass) and vocalists. The guitarists lent their vocals to numbers such as the Waterboys classic Fisherman’s Blues, and I’m Gonna Be (500 miles) by The Proclaimers.
The band’s real strength lies in their collective chemistry: the instrumental work was tight, and the vocal harmonies were effortlessly blended, filling the space with a warm, cohesive sound.
What made the evening particularly memorable was the band's song choices. Threading the needle between the driving folk-punk energy of Oysterband, the rootsy anthems of The Waterboys, the acoustic grit of Richard Thompson, and the subtle melancholy of June Tabor or Strawbs is no easy feat. They even invited lively audience participation on rousing numbers like the sea shanty Dead Horse.
Greensward pulled off this diverse mix with natural charm and obvious reverence for the material.
Greensward aren't just playing covers; they are celebrating a rich tradition with real skill, warmth, and energy. They are definitely a band to see live whenever you get the chance.