TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Email received from the Barbican yesterday - sounds interesting

The Lady: A Homage to Sandy Denny
Priority booking now open

Wed 23 May 2012 8pm, Barbican Hall
This special performance showcases folk-rock icon Sandy Denny's entire musical legacy, taking in her work with Fairport Convention, Fotheringay, her solo career as well as new songs discovered in Sandy’s archive and completed by Thea Gilmore on her acclaimed album Don’t Stop Singing.

Denny’s contemporaries Maddy Prior, Jerry Donahue and Dave Swarbrick will perform alongside new generation artists Thea Gilmore, Lavinia Blackwall, Blair Dunlop, Sam Carter and other special guests. They join members of Bellowhead , who form the core of a house ‘super group’, for a wonderful musical revelation of the lady described by Richard Thompson as ‘the greatest British female artist of her generation’.

Can't they make it a month or so later... I would LOVE to see that!  But we won't be in the UK till mid-June  :(

FC not involved?......hmmm

Doesn't sound too dissimilar to "The Lady" show at the Southbank in 2008. JD & DS representing Fairport, Bellowhead as house band & presumably, Pete Flood as musical director. Although it's always good for Sandy's music to be celebrated & at the risk of being branded a "moaning Minnie",  a few more of her contemporaries would make it more attractive to me.

Agreed.

Jules

And seconded. And why the modish choice of backing band, as likely to repel as attract a potential audience? It certainly puts me off. I don't really see where Sandy's music and that of the 'head connect.

Seems to be Members only at the moment & those have sold out too?....

Anyone know when general booking opens?

To be fair, at the QEH, Pete did a fab job as musical director, the house band were top notch & not at all what one might expect from Shoutyboncers.

General sales from next Tuesday

I'm sure it will be a wonderful evening's music.

I agree. There have already been several high profile events with Sandy's contempories. However enjoyable they are it will be interesting to see something with a younger generation of musicians, which I think is very healthy for Sandy's legacy in the long term.

Hi All,

This Barbican concert is part of a  nationwide tour that i'm producing which will be announced shortly. Its basically a continuation from the Southbank concert I produced in Sandys anniversary year. This time however we can bring Sandys songbook up to date with Thea Gilmore and tracks from her album 'Don't stop singing'. The line up will include more names than are listed on the Barbican email, so watch this space...

Chris, with Jerry and Swarb involved, I think Fairport is well represented- this is after all a show based around Sandys songwriting and solo career in the main.

Anyone that saw the Southbank show will be able to attest to the fact that the members of Bellowhead involved were well up to the task of playing this music, and their passion for it is very real! granted their own music is very different, but they relish the chance of stepping outside their 'box' and they are all first class musicians. This tour is about bringing Sandys legacy to a new audience, so it's important that new artists and musicians get involved as well as those that knew and worked with Sandy. After all, we are all converts already but we need to add to our number!

best

Andrew Batt

Like the sound of this a lot. Just hope the tour includes Leicester.

Thanks Andy B, sounds excellent, hope to catch it on tour.

Can't wait to hear further announcements, Andy.  {:-)

I wonder if Thea G will get the gig at Cropredy doing this, too? Hope so.

Just booked tickets.  ;D

Yup, me too. Good seat too, surprisingly

...and me.  Was expecting mroe seats to have gone but plenty available in the stalls

My diary secretary has booked excellent seats ;D

....me also, just think recession may have hit, plus the add-on for booking online or even directly at the box office. Just spent £53 without leaving the house!  ;)

I hope the tour comes somewhere near me. :)

I also managed two front row tickets when I booked earlier. Very pleased.