TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

To many people's surprise only a quartet of Fairporters took the stage at John Dee in Oslo yesterday. Ric was missing because of an eye infection (the chaps could happily tell us he's getting better). And you know what? I have to admit I didn't miss him for a second. Simply cos Chris Leslie played a blinder - as did the rest of the chaps. Chris played fiddle all evening, with the exception of Farewell, Farewell (on which he played beautiful whistle). The set list included only four post 70's songs (if you don't count songs re-recorded for By Popular request, of course) - starting with a trio of from Full House. Songs performed, in no particular order, though the first four and the last two are the mentioned that way:

Sir Patrick Spens
Dirty linen
Walk awhile
Fotheringay
Around the Wild Cape Horn
The Wood and the wire
Farewell, farewell
John Gaudie
The widow of Westmoreland's daughter
Doctor of physick
Who knows where the time goes
The lark in the morning medley
Cell song
Banks of the sweet primroses
The Hexhamshire lass
Rocky road
Matty Groves
Meet on the ledge (encore)

The turnout was good and the atmosphere even better. And the chemistry between Simon, Peggy, Chris and Gerry better than I ever saw. Simon's hilarious comments about the parking system around the hall created loud laughter from crowd and stage. It really was wonderful and, for me at least, the best Fairport performance I have witnessed on Norwegian soil since 1975.

Thank you, chaps. It was a wonderful evening...

Now, that sounds more like Fairport to me...  :)

By the way, how many performances on Norwegian soil have there been since '75?  (serious question)

Serious answer: Haven't a clue! But they have been become quite regular guests here as the decades have rolled by. By the end of '75 they'd only played here three times. But from late 70's onwards they've rarely let more than a few years og by until they returned (with the exception of the early 80's when, of course, they didn't play much anywhere). This year it's a five date tour - including a trip directly from Oslo to Tromsø way up north the next day. Hope they made it through the snow up there.

Hope they make it back. :)

Of the 18 songs played I count 13 old ones.

I make it 17 but may be younger than you :-)

No Ronald. There are 14 old ones in the list (meaning pre 80's). Count again... ;)

You are right, I overlooked The widow of Westmoreland.

David, with old ones I meant every song that was released on lp.

ah, I would have included everything but Cape Horn (maybe Rocky Road actually) but it looks an amazing set.

DW