Delta Echo Fest 2026 Day 4 Afternoon Review: Acoustic Sessions at Mr Shaw’s House Set the Tone for the Final Day

The final day of Delta Echo Fest 2026 didn’t begin with noise or chaos-it began with something far more considered. On Saturday 28th March, the afternoon session at Mr Shaw’s House offered a stripped-back, intimate start before the festival’s closing show later that evening.

And that felt fitting.

Delta Echo Fest has been built on variety as much as volume. From Wednesday’s acoustic open mic, to Thursday’s full-band open mic, to Friday night’s first full showcase of stacked line-ups-this festival has allowed different corners of Derby’s scene to breathe in their own way. This Saturday afternoon slot sat firmly in that quieter, more reflective space.

Put together through a collaboration between Alpha Pro Creative, Fuzz Music Services, The Indie Night, Musik Box and Third Eye Live Events-alongside venues like The Hairy Dog, The Victoria Inn and Mr Shaw’s-the festival has consistently shown what happens when Derby’s promoters and spaces actually work together.

Saturday afternoon was proof of that.

There was a strong turnout inside Mr Shaw’s. A genuinely mixed crowd, a relaxed energy, and that easygoing afternoon atmosphere that doesn’t need forcing. A couple of hazy IPAs in hand, kids in tow, and a room full of people properly tuned in-it felt like a community moment as much as a gig.

Leah Wilcox opened the afternoon with a stripped-back acoustic set that immediately settled the room. Representing Swadlincote, she’s more commonly seen performing with a full band, but this proved she doesn’t rely on it. Just her, a guitar, and a voice that carried effortlessly.

She mentioned she was a little raspier than usual after singing in Irish bars the night before-but if anything, it added something. There was a grit to her vocals that suited the setting perfectly, giving her pop-rock songwriting a rawer edge. It didn’t feel compromised, it felt enhanced. A brilliant opening set.

Sura Laynes followed as a duo, and the chemistry between them was clear from the start. Both stepped into lead vocals at different points, blending into harmonies that felt natural and unforced. There were moments that leaned into that familiar warmth reminiscent of The Beautiful South, while other sections carried a more vintage tone-touches of 60s pop, with even flashes of The Beach Boys in their vocal layering.

They had a sense of humour about it too. Day Drinker landed perfectly with the room-and with me, hazy IPA firmly in hand. Vagabond’s Lament, a track they admitted had only been rehearsed twice, sounded anything but underprepared. There was even a short a cappella moment that brought the whole room into focus. Another track drifted into a folky 90s feel, showing just how wide their sound can stretch. They closed with an encore that took aim at Boris Johnson and the handling of the COVID pandemic-sharp, witty, and very well received.

Then came Graveyard Cop-the solo project of Tino Martin, known locally for his work in Porcelain Girl. This was a completely different side to him. Where Porcelain Girl thrives on energy and noise, this was quiet, atmospheric, and deeply personal.

Opening with Aphrodite, the room dropped into silence. Soft vocals, delicate acoustic chords, and a real sense of space. He followed with Scare, originally written during his time fronting Skeeve. Not so much a cover as a reinterpretation-and one that worked beautifully stripped back, replacing instrumental weight with subtle vocal textures.

A haunting cover of We Found Two Dead Swans and Filled Their Bodies with Flowers by Teen Suicide sat perfectly in the set, before returning to originals like Ghost Part 2 and Earth. Each track carried that same ambient folk quality-minimal, but emotionally heavy.

A standout moment came with All I Need by Radiohead. It started almost in a whisper, gradually building until the final lines landed with real emotional weight. He closed with Whiskey in its original intended form-0a fitting end to a set that felt honest and quietly powerful.

Leland rounded off the afternoon with a performance rooted in classic singer-songwriter tradition. There were clear shades of Bob Dylan in both tone and delivery, but it never felt like imitation-more like influence filtered through something personal.

His set carried a real emotional pull, especially during Charlie’s Song, written about a friend who had passed away. You could hear it in every word. The kind of performance that doesn’t demand attention-it earns it.

As the afternoon wrapped up, it was clear this wasn’t just a warm-up. It was a vital part of the final day’s story. A reminder that Delta Echo Fest isn’t just about packed rooms and heavy sets-it’s about songwriting, atmosphere, and giving artists space to connect.

A great afternoon of music, and the perfect way to ease into the final night of the festival later on at The Victoria Inn.

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