Moulettes, Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival, 16th June 2013 8/10

The sun was shining as a crowd of children, dogs and families with deck chairs were enjoying a laid back afternoon in this quiet Cheshire market town. They'd just experienced a performance by an evidently popular X Factor star, and had been admiring the genteel craft stalls and boats by the canal. Middlewich is a salt town dating from Roman times, and the only hints of rebellion today were a sign calling for the reopening of the local railway station and a peace flag. In fact these were provided by the local council and the entire festival was publicly funded, free admission happily making culture accessible to all. Gentle folk music played over the PA system, and when Moulettes came on stage after a lengthy wait, there was little to suggest that this serene atmosphere would be challenged.

Moulettes is a acoustic indie folk group formed in Glastonbury in 2002. The founder members Hannah Miller on cello and Ruth Skipper on bassoon and auto harp were joined by a drummer, violinist and double bass. The instrumental playing was exquisite throughout, the interaction and knowing looks between these virtuoso musicians a joy to watch. Also notable were the vocals of the three female singers, which blended beautifully, as in the gorgeous harmonies of Songbird Ballad. An upbeat number such as Circle Song from their 2012 second album The Bear's Revenge was pure joy.

Yet, a darker side emerged, reflecting Moulette's prog-rock influences which blend with blues to give a real musical depth. Bloodshed in the Woodshed from their first album is a murder ballad, and one of a series of dark songs closing the set, culminating in Requiem. Hannah and Ruth talked warmly between songs, talking about their confusion at having travelled back from the midnight sun of Norway that morning. Their lyrics explore surreal characters and a fantasy world of witchcraft and weird myths. They seemed almost apologetic for taking us into the underworld, yet this Victorian melodrama is the distinctive quality that makes this entertainment constitute art. In fact, Hannah is to publish an illustrated book of the short stories that form the basis of their songs.

I wonder if some of the non-specialist audience were slightly bemused: the majority were seated so there was precious little interaction or dancing; just polite applause. Despite enjoying the sunshine, I hope to see them in an intimate indoor venue in future, amongst a more enthusiastic crowd. They are clearly a band with immense energy live, to the extent that you may be shocked if you've only experienced their albums. Their sound is tight, and the wild shifts in mood from the charming to the creepy make for thrilling drama. Their literary construct might sound contrived, middle class rather than authentic, but in fact they're assimilated elements of British folk culture into an original, stimulating musical synthesis. For all the sophistication, there is nothing dry or academic about their show: the memory I hope all those present took away was one of fun.