TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Isn't it about time we started running the annual book on what the opening number of the gigs will be? (room there for a tasty accumulator on the what song/which bass player double, I reckon...). With OTNH hardly being the 'new' album this time round, do you think the set will still be based around it, or is there scope for pulling a few surprises out of the magic bag of tricks? Or a Folk Award-inspired trawl through "L and L" perhaps? Oh, hell, I know it won't make a scrap of difference and it always ends up with Chris mentioning that he's been to a rehearsal and we're all wrong, but has anyone got any theories? My eventual trip out to Cambridge or not will probably rest on advance reports of what's on offer this time round.
Skirky   

What's on offer?   Just the usual excellence I expect :)
mic

ooooooH, that's hardly fair! - I'll hopefully be going to the first night, but wouldn't spoil a thread like this, even if I was given a set-list in advance. Which I doubt....

Heehee... I've seen you with a set list Chris!!!!

(Thanks for letting me see it... ;) ;))

I can't remember when - the Cropredy warm-ups maybe - but never for the Wintour....

Crop warm up.. by the bus station ;D ;D

Key word there Hon' - "usual". Tell me 'Reynard The Fox' is back in the set and that'd probably stir me to at least get upstairs and check to see where my credit card is. First reports come in that it's the same set as last year only starting with 'Travelling By Steam' and I'd probably still check my card, but only to see if I can pick up the new CD online rather than at the merch stall. Someone says that the first set is a whole "L&L" retrospective and the second set features "Bonaparte's Retreat" with strobe lights and a Ric Sanders echoplex wig-out and I'd probably be checking the car keys to see if I can get there and start queueing now. I think there's a lot to be said for having a boyhood fan actually in the band...I sometimes like to think of Chris Leslie turning up to rehearsal and saying "Guys, you know I've always wanted to do 'Babbacombe Lee' in it's entirety...how about this time out...?". Be a laugh, would'n' it?  8)   

Tickets bought for Cambridge. Mic and I will see you there Skirky, should you make a decision to attend....

As for set list........Yeah, it would be nice to hear different stuff o'course, but I will be thrilled to bits whatever they perform. Easily pleased, that's me ::)

Gower Flower {:-)

Ah yes, definitely the key word :)   as in, the excellence will be as usual ;)

As for what I'd like to hear:  The Game Pieces, Banbury Fair, Don't Leave Too Soon, (Don't Despise)The Deserter, From A Distance, Genesis Hall, Rosie, My Girl, Knights Of The Road...

Just for starters you understand ::)
mic

I just hope they continue to rest Matty....the way the set concluded in the Autumn would certainly get me out again.....

they're not coming to manchester so i wont bother either >:(
esp after last years lacklustre set :(
 it would be nice if skirky's wishes came true ,them i might try southport or burnley :o
 but i fear it will be more of the same :-[

tell you what though , re matty, i'd settle for them to play it straight and not bugger about with it
 its a gag that only really works the first time you hear it

It is a well guarded secret but he first tune played will be the Frog Up The Pump medleay as everyone knows Gottle of Geer should have won the award not Liege and Lief ;D

Get your flak jacket on mate.....  ;D

Not taking the road north to sunny Blackpool then Jim?

I may be avoiding that gig  :P

Yes, they may be well rehearsed on OTNH, and there are three cracking songs on there, but it would be a poor show not to make the use of the back catalogue. even a rusty performance of Babbacombe Lee or Poor Will... would be preferable to another polished outing of Wassail Song - probably the case for most Fairporters.

I really don't plan to go to any more gigs apart from Cropredy if the setlist doesn't change. Show Of Hands have a moderate back catalogue, and vary things quite a bit. Fairport have a HUGE back catalogue... :-\

Oh yes, please rest the Wassail Song. It's just a tad over-exposed right now and needs a few tours left in the shadows.

Hey, here's an idea - maybe some NEW stuff?

I'd like to see the first half completely made up of old material - a mixture of very old and very rarely played songs/tunes.  (Babbacombe Lee or L & L would fit the bill nicely but I'd settle for other stuff!)  Chris While as guest singer.   8)

The second half would be completely made up of new material - a combination of songs/tunes written by band members and non-band members, with a few 'new' traditionals thrown in.   :o

The encore would consist of Matty Groves (done in the way Jim describes) and Meet On The Ledge.   ::)

I know it won't happen because it would require much rehearsal time, which has not been available as most band members have been busy with other projects right up to Christmas.   :'(

We've got tickets for Tunbridge Wells on 4th Feb.   ;D

Ooh, I do like these threads... Completely irrelevant to what we actually get, of course, but they while away the weeks... :)

What I'd  like would be something along the lines of an instrumental half and an old/rare stuff half.  Only having been to the last 3 tours there's loads and loads of stuff that used to be "overplayed" that I haven't actually heard live...

Tickets already acquired for The Stables on 8th Feb...  Dragging a couple of newbies with me, to see if their brains go fizzzz like mine did the first time.

Thinking about the newbies, a good selection of everything would be favourite!  But not the Deserter.

Which one, Sandy's or Simon's ?

I like them both incidentally, which just goes to show......


Steve

I really would love to see/hear Simon doing (Don't Despise) The Deserter...it is one of my all time favourite tracks :)

mic

Both The Deserter and Honour & Praise are great songs. I'd like to hear Fairport do a few more of John Richards' songs. Many of them are classic songs that really would suit Simon's voice.

Wonder if they've thought of doing Vo Fletcher's song 'The Bridge'?

When I heard it with the Ric Sanders Group it seemed that it would suit Simon's voice well. :)

Please, no.

I love Vo's song too Diane... 

I've asked Simon about it and he said he'd tried but it hadn't hit the right spot for him.. yet... 

...so maybe it will one day...  here's hoping ;D

Is it possible that someone could have a chat with the chaps and see if they would be amenable to doing what what Show of Hands did and get their fans to select a number of songs to be played during the set. Have to fit in with rehearsals but surely a poll could be set up quickly if we had to.

Otherwise this is all nice speculation but nothing more.

Just a thought

It may well be me, but The Bridge is too close to MoTL for me.

(Don't Despise) the Deserter just gets my goat.  I loved it at first but then I thought about the lyrics.  I'll say no more - it's loved by many, so there we are.

Close To The Wind - that's a fave of mine that could do with an airing. Might be fun to see what the current line-up could do with that. It seems like they like to travel light, so perhaps lugging a whole set of keyboards around might be a bit much. ???

Forgive me if I'm wrong.. but didn't they do Close to the Wind on the Autumn acoustic tour???

If I'm right then it was a fantastic arrangement (If I'm wrong.. well.. just CRAFT!!)

So I assume that wouldn't be on the list unless Maart was around?

Ric has been known to play keyboards. On Watt Tyler I think.

Paul

They did do Close to the Wind on the acoustic tour.  And it was a WOW! moment.  Don't see any reason why the full lineup couldn't handle it.

How about The Beggar's Song from Red & Gold?  A bit of fun for all the band there.

Close To The Wind at Grays was definitely not a "wow" moment for me!  Everything else though ... was brilliant!   ;D

I much prefer the non-acoustic version of CTTW.  On Red and Gold it is a bonus track and if I remember correctly Maart plays bass, Dave Mattacks plays keyboard and Dave Pegg is on drums!   :)

I love that too Anna :D but whenever I suggest it I have to be wearing the tin hat O0
Mic

Katy's Mum - you were at Grays?  Excellent gig wasn't it!

Anyway, the reason I'm posting (again) is to echo Skirky's


I just love the phrase!!  And could we have one please?  Set him freeeeee!  ;D

(Tin hat on, reaching for coat, making for door......)

Grays was indeed excellent, Anna but I wish Simon had done Over The Lancashire Hills    :(  - it sounds as if it was performed everywhere else.

I'm with you on the 'Ric Sanders echoplex wig-out' - I love it when he goes MAD!!!   ;D  I also really love his atmospheric bits like in Hiring Fair.

(Leave the door ...  I'm right behind you ........)  ;)