TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

I wasn't sure where to post this, so I'll try here.

I'm going to London in a couple of weeks, and planning on staying about a month.
I was hoping I would be so lucky to catch a Fairport gig when I'm in England,
and after scrolling through the tour dates on their page I set my eyes on this one.

As far as I can tell, Ely is in Cambridge(?), and I was simply wondering if it's too optimistic to try and get to Ely and back to London in one day?
Surely there's no problem getting there before the gig, but I was a bit nervous on how to get home.

Any help from Londoners planning on the same trip?

Not sure of local transport back to London at that time of night from Ely, suggest a hotel room maybe?

The last train back from Ely to London is 22.05. Typical over here - how do they expect us to use cars less?

Great, thanks.
I'll think a bit more about it then, I guess.
Eventually check out the cheapest places to stay in Ely :P

Hope this may be of some help. {:-)


http://www.activehotels.com/hotel/ufi/en/-2595589?subid=PPCGO1-2595589en-nzSsLCW7ruyg5wP1BOTlYgS284063170&ws=&gclid=CPnEj4_kgpMCFQPk1Aod4Et40w

The bad news is that 26 May is a public holiday over here and the whole week is a school holiday so it is unlikely that there will be anything very cheap, or even available.

Just a note to say that the gig isn't actually in Ely, which is about 15-20 miles north of Cambridge, it's in Haddenham Village Hall, which is a lovely village a few miles from Ely, so you could get a train from London to Ely and then a taxi to the gig. You could try the Three Kings pub in Haddenham, who do B&B. Not sure if they have a website - I don't think they do. Hope to see you there!

Actually, the Three Kings doesn't do B&B. I think the nearest B&B would be in either Wilburton or Stretham. Of course there are several places to stay in Ely, but you would have to get there. As has already been said, there is no public transport to speak of, at least not at that time of night. That's the price we pay for living out in the country :) There may be someone who would be willing to give a lift to Ely, but I couldn't guarantee it. Sorry, that's not very helpful.

You could always ask the band to do a request for a lift.. they might be happy to do so...

Thanks for all the help, you guys!

But I think I'll give it a miss, I've already paid out of my nose to stay in London,
so I'm not sure if I can afford to eat AND go to this gig.  :'( But I had to see if there was a slight chance I could make it.
Anyways, THANKS. :D

Amethyst, on first reading, I thought you were suggesting that the band play a request for Loreley and then they give her a lift back to London :o  Then I read it again! ;D

Well that might be worth a try too.. if they were going to London...  ;D ;)

Well, you could get a taxi to Cambridge station and get a train from there. I think the last one is 23:19. I'm guessing the gig'll finish 10:30 - 10:40 ish, so you'd probably make it.... :-\

Trying to tempt me, are you?
Well, it's working. I'll recalculate a bit, and take another look at it.
Lord knows when they'd come to Norway again. Or if I'm willing to wait for them :)

And thanks for the idea, Amethyst  ;)

You're welcome.. good luck  ;) ;D

Double check the train times!! It is a Bank Holiday so it may be a Sunday service.

Wow! What a great night. I'm not sure how many Talkawhilers were at the gig at Haddenham. I don't have time to post a full review at the moment, but will try to do so in the next few days. Suffice it to say that getting up at 5.30 this morning wasn't very easy...

Thanks to all who supported it, especially Ollie who suggested it in the first place, and most of all to Fairport for being delightful company and great musicians  :)

I would like to say a big thank you to Ollie for thinking of it, and to Ruth for organising it.   :-*
(we need an applause smiley like they have elsewhere  ;))

A very enjoyable evening, it was lovely to see so well, and hear all the banter.
(I can't believe Ric is still doing that joke about the fire exit signs!)
And some really nice songs. (Girl from the Hiring Fair was a request and very beautifully done)

I think I may have been sitting next to Delfini without knowing - how spooky is that. I must be more bold in future (what harm's a bit of embarrassment between strangers!)

Thanks Ollie, thanks Ruth, and big thanks to Fairport for turning up - they seemed to enjoy it too.  ;D

its a part of the show just like Matty and MOTL.
If you google the "exit sign joke" it says "trad arr fairport"
you know you'd be disappointed if you didnt hear it at a show

that's true   ;D

and everybody still laughs as if they haven't heard it before  :D

How can two gigs on the same tour seem so very different?  Every note played and every word sung were the same, apart from the addition of another song towards the end, and yet there was no comparison between last night's gig at Ely and the one I attended earlier in the tour.

In contrast to the weather outside, the atmosphere was warm and friendly and there was much interplay between band and audience. Two small girls were invited to sit at the front where they would have a better view and when Chris began his introduction to John Gaudie, Simon nodded in the direction of the girls and Chris stopped short of what was presumably going to be a graphic and gory account of the tale and then instead dedicated it to the girls, who were both fiddle players.

I enjoyed all the songs and tunes – even the one I don't like – but highlights for me were Hiring Fair and Lancashire Hills. Hiring Fair received what I think was the loudest applause of the evening and Simon looked both relieved and exhausted at the end of Lancashire Hills.

It was nice to meet Ollie again and to hear him thanked by the band for his part in arranging this gig.  We nearly didn't go but I'm so glad we did.

P.S.  I laugh because Ric is still using that joke!

That was possibly one of, if not THE best FC gigs I've been to. The onstage banter was great and the whole gig had a very intimate feel to it. As Katy's Mum said, it was a warm, friendly place. Simon even said it was the friendliest venue on the tour so far (and the best food!). I think the band really did enjoy themselves. The set list was as earlier, with the omission of The Rose Hip. The sound was a bit dodgy in places, but the new sound guy has got to get used to the band I suppose. Hiring Fair and Cell Song were incredible - you couldn't hear a pin drop. I think several people had to wipe a tear away at the end of Cell Song (including some people on the stage). Also, it was great to hear Portmeirion, the song that got me into Fairport, especially as my teacher who played it to me was there! We told Ric afterwards, and he seemed genuinly pleased that we'd told him. (I also asked him about the RULTS re-union. He said it looks unlikely, as some aren't available, but he'd really really love to do it live again).

And I got a mention from the stage  :-[ Really, it was only an e-mail.... ok, several e-mails  ::) But I think well worth it. Fantastic gig and we have managed to convert my Dad's friend. Well, I guess he liked it, as he came home withe a signed copy of SoO and the latest DVD! Really can't wait for Cropredy now.    ;D      

Extremely pleasant evening last night at Haddenham village hall.  Yes, maybe the same (or similar) old jokes scattered here and there, but.....who cares?.....the music was fab.

Oh dear, don't take me seriously, that was in no way meant as a criticism, it just amused me.    ::)

Exit sign jokes are on the way out aren't they ???

Anyone care to share the joke ?

Here's some piccies from a Longdog who was there -  http://www.longdogs.co.uk/gallery/v/Paul+Rule/fc_ark_2008/