EYEBROWS are set to be raised in Worcester next week as a controversial song touching on global politics is aired in the city in the wake of the US elections.

Show of Hands - one of England's most successful acoustic roots duos - will perform the song Crooked Man - alongside a selection of their other tunes - at Huntingdon Hall on Wednesday, December 1 and Thursday, December 2.

The two-night show is part of singer songwriter Steve Knightley and multi-instrumentalist Phil Beer's biggest ever 33-date UK tour this autumn, with the musicians having already played several sell-out gigs.

They will be joined on staged by Lincolnshire-based double bass player, guitarist and vocalist Miranda Sykes.

And it will be the first time the duo - named Best Live Act at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards this year - have played two nights running in the Faithful City - one of only two cities on the tour where they will entertain audiences twice in a row.

The twosome are no-strangers to controversy, their track Country Life - a blistering rock rant about rural politics - ruffling a few feathers last year, and considered too controversial by some radio stations.

Nevertheless, the song - described by Radio 2's Mike Harding as "one of the best songs written in the last few years" - went on to become a popular anthem among fans of the band and was short-listed for Best Original Song at the Folk Awards.

Now the song Crooked Man is set to have an even bigger impact as it is aired on the tour among other tunes from the group's vast repertoire.

The song moves menacingly from innocent nursery rhyme to chilling global politics and took Knightley just three weeks to write.

"I got the idea when I was reading the Crooked Man nursery rhyme to my son," he said.

"People will have their own ideas about who or what it describes - I don't want to be too overt about it but hopefully it's all there in the song."

Knightley and Beer have been together as Show of Hands for 13 years now, their widespread appeal based on the combined power of Steve's original tunes and the strength of their vocals and harmonies.

They met as teenagers while playing in different bands in Exeter and played together for a short period in pubs and clubs before going their separate ways after finishing school.

Steve went to university and ended up playing in a rock band in London in his spare time while Phil played with a string of musicians including the Arizona Smoke Review and later The Albion Band.

When Steve returned to Devon the duo re-united and Phil left The Albion Band in 1991 to form Show of Hands with Steve.

Their live performances feature guitars, mandocello, fiddles, cuatros, violas and concertina and they have more than 15 albums behind them, including last year's Country Life.

And the twosome - who worked with three exiled Chilean musicians during 1992 to create an album - received considerable acclaim for their 1995 album Lie of the Land - which Q music magazine proclaimed the folk album of the year.

This was the major turning point for the band, who built on it with a huge sell-out gig at London's Royal Albert Hall the following year.

Five years on, the band celebrated their 10th anniversary with another sell-out show at the venue in April 2001.

Individually, Steve and Phil have each tasted musical success in their own right - with Phil much in demand as a session musician and Steve having been invited to work on the recording of legendary Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger's album Goddess in the Doorway.

Tickets for the Worcester gig are priced £12.50 and are available by calling Huntingdon Hall box office on 01905 611427.

Ping go the strings as stage wizard strums out

"PEOPLE have been puzzling for years over which came first - the chicken or the egg - but there's no doubt about which was first out of the hangover or the drink," the talented singer jokily remarked as he launched into the first of a two-parter on the very dilemma - Hangover Beethoven - seemingly answering the question.

What was certainly in no doubt was Nick "son of Roy - Hat's Off To.." Harper's exceptional guitar-playing as he tackled each song with considerable aplomb.

All eyes were locked on him as, like a wizard of the stage, he left the audience wondering what he was going to conjure up next, playing simplistic tunes, which descended into complex, other-worldly creations.

One particular number evolved from an acoustic stroll-along into an electrified Led Zeppelin snippet of Whole Lotta Love and back again.

Harper's bubbly stage persona only added to the drama, the inevitable victim of the act being the occasional snapped string.

Undefeated, the legend continued without batting an eyelid, reciting lines from Kelis' Milkshake and Eminem as he whipped a supply of spare strings from his back pocket.

Even material by the late Jeff Buckley - renowned for his complex guitar skills - was not out of bounds as another tune descended into Grace, Nick attacking the strings with ferocity, even chucking in a few Pete Townsend "windmill" strokes for good measure.

I'd been made aware of the musician's skilful strumming but nothing could prepare me for this top-notch display.

Equally accomplished support acts were put in by Georgina Clarke and partner who delivered a clutch of folk tunes, while guitarist Nic Reast followed on with a fine set of Bowie-esque numbers, not looking too unlike the man himself.

Also on form was Martha Tilston, daughter of Steve Tilston of Fairport Convention fame, with her silky smooth voice pervading the venue.

This was a night where live music was put back on centre stage and a fine example that it is enjoying a renaissance.

Hunt them down

PEOPLE will be "taking it easy" in Worcester tonight as covers act Talon pay tribute to the legendary sounds of The Eagles.

The group have been together for seven years now and they will be gracing the stage at the city's Huntingdon Hall.

It will be a welcome return to the city for the group, following their previous sell-out show at the venue and a chance for people to re-live the timeless classics - from the epic Hotel California to the love song Best of My Love and five-part-harmony of Seven Bridges Road.

The concert starts at 8pm and tickets are priced £14 (concessions £13) and are available by calling the theatre box office on 01905 611427.

Blues brothers

FANS of the blues should get ready to don their black hats and dark shades as a top Blues Brothers act returns to Worcester for a gig.

Born in Chicago consists of Worcester-based Tony James as Jake Blues and Guy Richardson, from Kidderminster as Elwood.

The duo - who previously worked as a radio DJ and actor respectively - have been together since October last year, touring a mass of pubs and clubs across the country.

And they will be taking to the stage at Drummonds in New Street tonight to entertain the masses with their performance.

Their act pays tribute to the music from the classic film The Blues Brothers starring the late John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, including tracks such as Gimme' Some Lovin and Minnie the Moocher.

Tony said he was delighted to be bringing the show back to the city of Worcester.

"We're just playing all the time all over the country and we haven't been home to do a gig for months and months so we can't wait for it," he said.

"It's a good opportunity to get all our friends and family down there because we haven't seen any of them recently."

"It's a really vibrant show because the Blues Brothers have got this cocky attitude."

The event starts at 9pm and entry is free.