I’ve been covering live music in York for over a decade now and had no idea that The Artful Dodger had an upstairs function space, perfect for intimate gigs by acoustic singer songwriters. We had three such performers on Friday night courtesy of Northern Radar.

Review and photos by Graeme Smith

The thing with this kind of music is that there’s no razzmatazz, no bells and whistles. It’s not about showmanship but raw, relatable lyrics expressed profoundly by someone armed only with a guitar.

While Marnie Glum wrote songs about talking and not talking, Eve Buckley talked love, dating and kinship. Together, the two supports showed how varied the genre can be.

The last word went to Kindelan, the now Leeds-based artist who cut her teeth on the York scene. She’s now 25 years old which means it’s almost eleven years since she graced the stage at the National Railway Museum for MOR Music on Rails, and I first heard her name. What a decade and a bit it’s been for all involved.

During her performance, she made it clear that her life is now is about chasing dreams, and so is ours. I felt a special affinity in the room during her set of heartache and received wisdom.

If you haven’t heard her work, then you really need to. Her latest double-A side, Cigarettes/Wish I Wrote A Love Song is exemplary. She closed her set with both and it was a fine finish.

Kudos to The Artful Dodger and Northern Radar for finding a space for shows like this.

Marnie Glum, Eve Buckley and Kindelan played at The Artful Dodger, York on Friday 11 July 2025.