TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

First date on sale already!!

March 1 - London Union Chapel - £25+b/fee (£2.50)
http://store.unionchapel.org.uk/events/1-mar-15-fairport-convention-union-chapel/

Support Act - Kev Dempsey & Rosie Carson

Why always on a Sunday??!!

were the winter tour dates on the Cropredy programme this year

and.....

if so does anyone have the time to list them please  ;D ;D

Hi Carrie... yes the dates are in the programme...

Chesterfield.. 10th Feb.

Leeds 17th Feb.

Lincoln 22nd feb.

See you at one of these I hope  :-* :-*

brill thanks Jenny - i think you may do so   ;D  ;D

See you soon I hope xxx

Where in Leeds please?

City Varieties I think.. Sorry programme upstairs..  

Ooh, might try and get a work shift on 17th Feb, I've not seen the chaps for ages.

Could someone be kind enough to list the wintour dates and venues, Thanks

January

Fri 16   Glasgow Celtic Connections
Thur 29  Tewkesbury The Roses Theatre 01684 295 074
Fri 30   Lichfield Cathedral 01543 262223
Sat 31  Southport. The Atkinson 01704 533 333

February

Sun 1   Ulverston The Coronation Hall 01220 587 140
Tue 3   Frome Cheese and Grain 01373 455 420
Wed 4  High Wycombe The Swan 01494 512 000
Thur 5  Worthing Connaught Theatre 01903 206 206
Fri   6    Weston Super Mare Playhouse Theatre 01934 645 544
Sat   7    Swansea The Garage 01792 475147
Sun  8    TBC
Tue  10  Chesterfield The Winding Wheel 01246 345 222
Wed 11  Salford The Lowry 0843 208 6000
Thur 12  TBC
Fri 13     Farnham The Maltings 01252 745 444
Sat 14    Bury St Edmunds The Apex Theatre 01284 758 000
Sun 15   Hunstanton Princess Theatre 01485 532 252
Tue 17   Leeds City Varieties Music Hall 0113 243 0808
Wed 18  Gateshead The Sage (Hall 2) 0191 443 4661
Thur 19  Burnley The Mechanics 01282 664 400
Fri    20  St Albans Alban Arena 01727 844 488
Sat    21 Milton Keynes The Stables 01908 280 800
Sun   22 Lincoln The Drill Hall 01522 873 894
Tue   24 Canterbury The Gulbenkian 01227 769 075
Wed 25  Tunbridge Wells The Assembly Hall Theatre 01892 530 613
Thur 26  Shrewsbury Theatre Severn 01743 281 281
Fri  27    Birmingham The Town Hall 0121 780 3333
Sat 28     Bridport The Electric Palace 01308 424 901

March

Sun 1  London The Union Chapel 0207 226 1686

Ulverston for me I think. I can also visit friends I have not seen for years.

not bothering
i think i might be cured of FC after 40 odd years

I last saw Fairport at Butlins so it will have been over a year between shows for me.

Sadly, I would not want to see them much more often. Their abilities have not declined, but my interest has. While they do some new stuff and some variations on old stuff, they do too much of the same old stuff for my liking.

I have the choice of three great venues at which to see FC, Leeds is the favourite, although Lincoln Drill Hall has a nice intimate, and historic beauty about it that fits in well with FC's music, then There's Chesterfield which is another grand venue. I may even splash out on two shows this year!

I quite fancy Lichfield Cathedral, that sounds a bit special  :)

Will be Canterbury for us again. The Gulbenkian is a lovely little venue.

I'm thinking Bury St Edmunds who's in agreement ????? (cya there )

Same three as on our list..  Normally Chesterfield though.

Fairport's audience is probably largely the same people who go to see them every year on the Winter Tour (and Spring tour for that matter). There seems to be an increasing amount of feedback, especially on here from lifelong fans who seem to be losing interest with the band as a live entity - and many blame the similar set lists.

I haven't seen a real buzz about a Fairport tour since the Babbacombe Lee full album play through.

So, my question - would everyone on here be more excited about the next tour if Fairport were, for example, to play the new forthcoming album in its entirety in the first half followed by Full House in it's entirety in the second half, with MG and MOTL as a finale?

The band may argue their concerts sell very well thank you very much, but my personal opinion is that they need to come up with something more than the normal set list with one or two new tracks thrown in.  

What's your thoughts guys and gals?

I for one don't understand the negativity surrounding the current band and it completely baffles me every time someone mentions it. I've seen the boys on every wintour for the past ten years and every single one has been great. I agree, the 2011 set was probably the best I've seen them, but that doesn't mean I haven't gone away from the others feeling completely satisfied. I don't think the set list is samey at all, they're always coming up with new material or bringing back something they haven't done for a while.

And this is a separate issue, but I really can't understand what people mean when they say that Fairport have lost the 'rock' element from folk-rock. Mercy Bay? Myths and Heroes? The current version of Matty Groves?

New Fairport albums haven't excited me for decades, so the answer is - no i wont be bothering. They are usually a decent enough night out but it feels like i've seen the same set for  the last 10 years. Same with the last 2 Cropredys.
and if you really think that Mercy Bay, Myths and Heroes and The current version of Matty Groves, are rock then you haven't lived. Romulus and Remus only appear in music hall songs

Frome Cheese and Grain sounds like a variety of mustard.

This a music hall song then? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l38JxFUCh0I

Sorry, couldn't resist. Gets coat.

 sorry should have said music hall and death metal(or whatever genre of meckle that is) Chris's ditty isn't death metal either

No idea what it is, Jim, but it's got over a million hits on YouTube! Sometimes I think I live in a parallel universe.

Thanks Shirl, Now where to go this (next) year, Lichfield Catherdral sounds a possibility as it only a hop and a skip down the A38, but maybe a weekend in Brum would be good or a weekend by the seaside in Southport, they all fit around my work and I don't think I've ever had so many choices....

Oh no ! Not Weston again.A pain to get to and as dead as it gets. St Georges ,Bristol in future please!
 

Don't think it's capable of handling full size tour trucks?....

Ooooh Bury St Edmunds on Valentines day. Cant wait to try that one on the Mrs.


May be better to do Hunstanton the following day instead...

Sad isn't it Jim but it's happened to me in the last few yrs.

Are there any other bands that the members of this board have seen as many times as they have seen FC ?
If you see a band once or twice a year, the sense of event is not going to happen, it's more of an old friends vibe instead.
Are there any acts that have been releasing albums as long as FC, or longer, that are guaranteed to blow you away with a new album the way they did with a classic that came out in the Sixties or Seventies?
McCartney, Elton John and those guys don't really. Maybe Dylan, Young or R.T - but with those guys it seems more like a case of 'the new album is a good one' or 'not one of his best, but it's O.K'. A 'return to form' album is not usually a new classic, but one that's not disappointing.
A good portion of the 'blame' should also be applied to ourselves, with the old music associated with our youth, nostalgia for the times when we weren't all cynical old gits, and FC were something new to us. They can't be new to us again, to expect that is unrealistic. We have to look elsewhere for 'something new'..usually to bands who are just starting a career with a slightly different twist to what has gone before.
On some of the other forums I'm a member of, no matter what the topic, there are always comments from people that say, for example, ' They should get back with Roger...what we want is a Floyd tour', 'I wish Plant and Page would sort it out and do another tour', ' I think they should get back with Gabriel and tour The Lamb', ' Blackmore should stop the minstrel stuff and do Purple one more time.'...blah, blah,blah. The golden years have gone now. We have to enjoy what is happening now or go elsewhere, but to grump about the band or act in question is a tad unfair.

Hmmm ... can I guess that you've never been to Southport?  ;)

I saw Fairport for the last time in 1970 and will see them next month, so it wil be an event for me.

Mike I agree. It is a passage of time but I don't think I'm grumping, simply saying the group I loved has morphed in to something else and only fleetingly it for me anymore.
There are few groups from my youth that do and like you I still search fro new stuff...... there was a band on six music yesterday.............
I'm at Worcester festival this w/end and hope to hear something that excites me.

I Have indeed been to Southport, twas 1970 or thereabouts, we walked for what seemed miles and still didn't reach the sea, but we kept going till the mud reached my knees, then gave up our quest for a paddle. I think we have decided on Lichfield AND Brum as from memories they are both probably nearer the sea than southport.

 :) :) :) You're probably right there!

Great post Mike. The other thing is for me that I genuinely believe Fairport try and are not simply going through the motions unlike other nostalgia heavy bands. While some may not like the material much, I believe Fairport still strive to make good albums. Now someone like The Moody Blues (whom I have been a long time fan of) have not had new material as a band for years now, and nothing in sight. Every year they are out there though, singing Nights In White Satin and Question to crowds that only want to hear the classic music and probably could give a toss if they ever released something new again. So which would you rather have?

I agree with you both.  Need that LIKE button!

That pretty much sums it up for me too but they were as good at Butlins as I have ever seen them (outside of Cropredy and the Barbican show at least). It will be more than a year since I last saw them, whereas I used to see them at least twice a year until recently. The Connaught in Worthing is finally a great venue for them and a great venue for music in general now that the management has finally decided that it can serve that purpose too, rather than just theatrical productions. So I am inclined to pop my head around the door again this time round.

Robert at the risk of being obverse I would always rather have a band that takes a risk and does new stuff, I have just bought Robert Plant's new album for that very reason. I still admire Fairport's for that........
 It just happens with the exception of Mercy Bay and My Love is in America, I haven't been fired up by a lot of Fairport's  recent (last 10 yrs) and new stuff. It's pleasant , it's nice, it's a comfortable pair of slippers......... Sorry.

I almost posted a long diatribe just now but decided against it. Not against you personally Dave, you are speaking for yourself which is fair enough. Instead I will just say simply that some of us do still get fired up at Fairport's new work and do not feel the way you do.

'Fired up' or 'quite like it'?  Genuine question.....

A song about a woman morris dancing - what's not to get fired up about?

DW

Well I fear this may lead to thread drift but for me, fired up, particularly Festival Bell and JBL Live to use two recent examples. After almost 28 years of listening to them I do still get genuinely excited at any prospect of new Fairport material. I still plunk my money down to get the album as close to release date as possible, I still excitedly read liner notes and I still listen to it back to back to back to get a feel for it just like I did years ago. That is not to say that I don't think they make mistakes from time to time on albums, or should have done something differently, but yes, for me I get as fired up hearing Mercy Bay as I do Matty Groves, Willow Creek to Walk Awhile, or Close To You to Come All Ye. Quite simply as I said in my blog, for 28 years they have been my favorite band. They will be tomorrow and the next day and the next for that matter.

Interesting.  They are one of my favourite bands too...but for nothing they've done in a recording studio after the 1970's (although I've owned it all).  Seen them well over 50 times from 1981 to 2010 (only once after the Barbican gig...that was it for me....how can you begin to match near perfection?).  And I have precisely no interest in ever seeing them again.  Breaks my heart to say that, but it's true...for now at least.

David, take this in the spirit it is intended, but out of interest why would you spend so much time on the forum for a band that has done nothing you've liked since 1979 and have no interest seeing live again?!

Bagged one of the last rooms at Swarthmoor Hall for the Ulverston gig. Anybody else staying there? Or indeed stayed there. It looks interesting.

Been on a Quaker course there (but not stayed over).  Beautiful place.  

That's not what he said.
I am in a similarish (!) place to David and I am on this site cos I hope to talk to people with similar musical interests.
There seem to be a lot less people using the site now, far less cropredy reviews this yr (imho) and generally less interest in fairports.
Watching them at Cropredy I really wanted to like their new stuff........ but it left me cold. Breaks my heart too. Last week I relistened to my copies of Sense of Occasion /Over the Next Hill , with the exception of Special Place ( for personal reasons) there is nothing that I want to return to. I really wish there was.
Wandering around Worcester festival last night I found so much music by young people, with real energy and drive from, electro to punk to indie to ambient to folk. Have a listen to Bethan and the Morgans and Fred's House

The very simple answer to that is a) habit and b) the fact that everything the band did before that date (although actually before 1985 would be more accurate in my case as I first saw them in the early 80's as a young teenager) means so much to me.  And they are still 'family' in my head... 3 or 4 of the best Top 10 live performances I've ever seen have been by 'Fairport'...and one of them was only 5 years ago..  

I'm also a huge fan of at least 4 of the current band (I don't have anything against Ric personally - he's a lovely bloke and he played excellent violin on one of my fave albums ever - Rise Up Like the Sun - but I never have and 30 years on still don't think he's the right person on the fiddle for Fairport.  That bloke is in the band, but relegated to a position that makes it impossible for him to play to his strengths - which quite categorically isn't songwriting and singer).  It is what it is...  Doesn't stop the band playing a huge part in my life though.

The Ulverston Coronation Hall Box Office (01229 587140, phone answered from 10:00 on) is now taking bookings for the Fairport gig on 01/02.
The Box Office will enquire why it is not yet visible on the events page.

I was the second to order, beaten to it by a little old lady who buys a ticket for everything.

In passing, I have seen Fred's House and enjoyed them a lot.

Birmingham on sale on Friday....

Members there will know what to do....

Southport tickets went on sale this morning and we've got three front row centre tickets - I love the front row at the Atkinson - it's almost like being in the band!

Thanks Shanks - we'll be next you !

For comedy shows at the venue, I recommend Row N..........  ;)

B'dum tish! ;D

I see the chaps are playing at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall as part of Celtic Connections on 16th Jan; the previous evening (opening night of the festival) features the music of the late (and great) Martyn Bennett - who I had the privilege of seeing perform at that same venue.  I feel a trip north coming on...

I have been a great fan of the band since my cousin dragged me to see them at a club in London in 1968 or 69. Cant remember which and when.
Ive grown up and old with them.

However, its not that that does it for me. Ive never heard them play better than they did at Butlins, I think that will be the high point of their performing and it was only last year!!! This years Cropredy was quite classy and the Winter tour 2014 was one of the most polished I have seen, loosing Peggy for the tour but still hitting the mark.

They are simply very , very , good. If we weren't all so familiar with them we would be raving about them , still.

Its a massive disappointment to me that they don't appear within a 150 mile round trip of us in North Wales this year.

Went into buy some tickets at The Electric Palace in Bridport for February 28th ...not on sale yet.

Quick question. Anyone managed to get tickets for the Swansea concert in February yet? I can't seem to get hold of the box office. Am I missing something?

Finally got through to the box office at The Garage in Swansea. They don't sell tickets online or even over the phone, you have to go in person to buy them. This is a very small venue and the tickets are selling fast, so I'm going to have to get off my backside and travel down there tomorrow (only a round trip of about 90 miles). Two things come to mind - why did Fairport choose such a small venue? Why don't venues join the 21st century?

I've bought tickets in the past for The Garage (not for FC) from Derricks Music http://www.derricksmusic.co.uk might be worth trying them

Other than that can't the Garage keep them on the door?

They can keep them at the door but you have to go down in person to purchase them. They won't do any transactions over the phone or on line. The only other time I went there was a few months ago to see Rod Clements. I bought the ticket online, but not from the venue itself. There isn't that option this time. But thanks for the link, I'll give it a try.

Well that was easy... I clicked on the Derrick's Music link and I now have 2 tickets for the concert winging their way to me. Thanks very much Bridget. Now why couldn't the venue have pointed me in that direction? Oh well, never mind ;D

Or even the FC website?!!

The FC website just has a link to the venue, which is where it all started!!! I am now in my happy place  :D

yes, I know - but wouldn't it be far better to have both? :-)

Dates for the May tour are also starting to appear....

London Borderline, Friday May 22 2015.
No support, 2 sets, 8pm start. £24

Glad you got the Mick. I don't think the venue is particularly well organised but I like it there and they have Bombadier in bottles :)

Well I've had a few years off (not neccessarily for good behaviour, just got out of the habit), but recently met up with a friend who I introduced to the band (and indeed folk music in general) who suggested we meet up and go. So, it's a trip to Burnley Mechanics once again for a night of Fairport Fun!!!

Philip

St Mary in the Castle, Hastings

Saturday 30th May - Booking opens Tuesday December 9th

Seats £19.50 & £23.50

From 01323 841414 & http://www.pavilionhailsham.co.uk

Booked... yioppeee  ;D :) :D

Yep. Me too, for Worthing. My first exposure to the chaps since Butlins a year ago.

Giving Lichield Catherdral a go this year as its local and work precludes a venture out (we always try and go somewhere diffeent each year), not sure how I feel about a catherdral setting but we shall see.

Another May date: 8th at Poppleton (http://www.poppletonlive.co.uk/#!8th-may/c1xe0) near York.

And McTell (http://www.poppletonlive.co.uk/#!9th-may/cgwh) on the following day suggests a weekend excursion over the border.

My daughter has now told me she can't go to the Fairport gig with me, in Swansea on 7th February - she did the same to me last year (kids, you can go off 'em!)

This means I've got a spare ticket if anyone is interested.

Booked for High Wycombe on 4th Feb.  First time I'll have been to a Wintour gig for ages (usually go to the acoustic tour in May).

First gig of 2015 last night at Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow as part of Celtic Connections.

Sadly - due to a couple of lorries jacknifing in the snow & completely blocking the motorway into Glasgow for a couple of hours - I missed the support & quite a bit of Fairport's first set.  From what I did see they played a lot from the new album which they're still playing in so was possibly a bit tentative - inevitably the more familiar songs got a better reception from the (good sized) audience.  Some of the new stuff sounded promising & I'll look forward to hearing the new album to get to know them better.

Big plug for Cropredy of course with a large appreciative gasp from the audience when Peggy announced that Emmylou Harris is booked for this year.

I was at the Glasgow show too - travelled over from Dublin to my home town to see Fairport in Scotland for the first time. A lot of people missed the first half due to the bad weather but the hall was around 2/3 full so I'd guess around 1,500 people there. I'd say many of them didn't expect to hear quite as much new stuff, and you could argue that in such a high profile gig (first main gig at Celtic Connections in its largest venue) they should've included a few more 'classics' but I enjoyed it anyway!

If anyone wants a copy of the setlist feel free to PM me.

KETTERING: Arts Centre, St Andrew's Church
Corner of Rockingham Road and Lindsay Street
Kettering
Northants
NN16 8RG
Sat 16th May, 2015, 8.00pm doors 7.30pm
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/297651

LOWDHAM: Village Hall
Wed 27th May, 2015, Doors 7.30pm, Concert 8pm
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/300836

I can no longer attend the Ulverston gig on Sunday 01/02/15.
If you want the ticket, free, PM me your postal address.

A few quick views from Tewkesbury last night.

A full house (geddit?) were treated to a fine set from Rosie Carson (cor, she IS tall!) and Kevin Demspey - great playing and singing from both.

They were joined by Ric & Gerry for their final song, with Chris, Simon & Peggy coming in for its second section.

Straight from the off, Fairport looked energised (Ric bouncing around as in days of yore), the sound was nigh on perfect, the new material was warmly received, as were the better-known songs, and Simon did play a lot of electric.  :)

Ric's new instrumental is a twisty, windy, tricky tune - a jazzy feel to it - that the band played immaculately (to my ears) - so they can & do push themselves...

CDs, calegrammes/progendars and t-shirts all on sale (hello again Martin & Ellen).

Great to see such an array of instruments being played, btw, including the Kala U-bass (just like mine  ;)

Simon mentioned (when I asked him) that the final Cropredy act isn't quite 100% confirmed, so he couldn't say anything. Not even a hint - good pro that he is!

A fine evening that bodes well for this year's tours & Cropredy.

If you've not yet got a ticket for the Wintour - there's not many left...

And the dates for the acoustic tour are in the calegramme.

Thanks Paul - that does sound promising.  I'm looking forward to next Weds at High Wycombe even more now!

Anyone else going to be there?

Calegramme?!?!

Jules

calendar regaling as a programme - as in past years

Portmanterrible!

Jules

Really enjoyed last night's show at The Atkinson in Southport - the new songs sound very good, even on one listening. I bought a copy of the album (and a t-shirt!) - lots to look forward to. The support act are also good - Rosie is very tall, though I suspect she must know that herself. Nice to meet up with some list members - Bernie and Tony. See you at the Spurs game Tony!

Always good to meet up with Bernie & Georgie and a pleasure talking to you too Peter. YNWA.
Thoroughly enyoyed the gig and the new songs. Clear Water and John Condon in particular.

Now very miffed that I can't make the tour. Please could someone post the set list (hidden under the spoiler button?) cheers!

Can't remember the running order, but these are the songs played (I think I've got them all)

Remembered a few more

Many thanks!  :)

Hoping to to spoil anything here so no details (but feel free to moderate if wanted) it does seem as if Maart has been airbrushed from Fairport history lately.

DW

Hmmm ... a cryptic claim. Can you explain with the use of a "spoiler" button?

Very good night at Wycombe yesterday.  Sounds like we had the same set as posted by Shankly.  Heavy on the new songs, but in this case I don't think that was at all a bad thing.  Pretty much 2 hours of music from Fairport, and Kevin Dempsey and Rosie Carson were good as well in their 30 min slot.

Just a shame that there were so many free seats in what isn't a massive theatre.  I'd definitely advise anyone wavering about going along to take the plunge.

Yes, come on we'd like to know...

The guys were in very good form in Worthing tonight, the banter was excellent, and the new material sounded great. Enjoyed Kevin Dempsey & Rosie Carson's opening set too - Dempsey's a fabulous guitarist and a master accompanist, Rosie's a delightful fiddler and vocalist. Well worth catching on this tour, folks...

Just look at recent set lists.

I don't think it'll be as pointed as it may seem.  A band that has been going a long time tends to concentrate on two things when making up a setlist for a tour: songs from the new album that they are promoting; and old songs from their vintage years that their long-time fans will want to hear (either their hits or their classics, depending on what band we're talking about).  If there's any time left then they may add in a few "deep" tracks from elsewhere in their catalogue, and that's where the Maart-era songs might get a look in, but in the main it's this middle ground material (neither fresh nor classic) that tends to be discarded along the way.  Even somebody like Neil Young rarely plays songs from the past 25 years other than those he's just released.

Jules

A cynic might whisper PRS.  ;)

Enjoyable but sedate show in Worthing last night. I liked most of the new songs but am slightly shocked out how many of them come from outside the band. This must be the first album where they have relied so heavily on outside writers since before Chris joined. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to hearing the studio versions of Home & Weightless which were both performed expertly.

Much as i enjoyed the show though, I did think to myself that, had they performed this material at my first Fairport gig, it would not have created the excitement that caused me to follow the band for all these years. The musical "pyrotechnics" have gone and I do miss the instrumental medley at the end of Matty with Ric leaping all over the stage (yes I know he is 63).

Interestingly, lots of guitar from Chris last night. No fiddle, That would be enough to give at least one of our TAW friends apoplexy!  ;D

A non-cynic  ;) might wonder if it wasn't a bit much of a faff to re-arrange all those keyboard, sequencer and electric guitar parts for mandolin when you've got, as Jules points out, about twenty years of 'recent' material to choose from. You may as well suggest they've been airbrushing Jerry Donahue out of the picture.  

I think this is the most likely explanation - seen it many times with other bands. Classics and most recent seems to be the norm.

Also the fact that the Maart era had a very different sound (big electric guitar/keyboard/synth/ etc) to today's band....that's a generalisation, of course, but it's still generally true.

Did Maart contribute to writing music or lyrics then? I don't have notes of track authors.

Yes, he co-wrote a few. Spanish Main, some instrumentals from Expletive Delighted. A few bits from Jewel In The Crown, including A Surfeit of Lampreys. That is just from memory. There are others I am sure.

" A Surfeit of Lampreys" hasn't been played since about 2007, has it?

Just for my own knowledge, he was playing electric guitar? I have long wished for him to pick up the electric again. I know it is not his natural instrument but thought it sounded good on Spanish Main

PRS

I wasn't specifically referring to Maart and actually it's the support act that really benefits, if they perform their own material. For Fairport it probably just means that Chris Leslie buys the beer.

The last time I looked the authors got an equal share of 3% of ticket sales, split proportionally depending on the total number of copyrighted songs performed.

Probably not. Maybe longer. One of my favourites of their instrumentals though.

No Rob, acoustic. Lots of electric Simon, though it did not really cut through the mix from where I was sitting.

Thanks Al. Don't ever recall seeing or hearing him play acoustic before but since he already plays every instrument available, why not!

I'm sure someone will correct me but it might have been some sort of hybrid. It was guitar shaped and sized and sounded like a guitar but from where I was sitting it looked like it had 8 strings in four sets of two.

Did I dream this? Anyone?

Possibly the Strat-lite bouzouki he tinkered with at Cropredy early on in his FC career?

I haven't been able to hear much of Simon's guitar for years. Don't know if it's my ears or what.

Wasn't that solid bodied? This was acoustic.

Sounds like some sort of mandolin/guitar hybrid.  If it was tuned like a mando it would make sense, what with Chris playing it.

Jules

Could just be a bouzouki?  Sometimes they turn up with a guitar-style body rather than the teardrop type shape.  In fact I believe Maart had his 'bouzar' which is much the same thing.

It did have 8 strings as you said - one of the advantages of being on the front row at the Atkinson in Southport is that you are almost part of the band, so I could see this quite clearly!

Chris was playing his Ozark guitar-shaped bouzouki or "bouzar" last night.

They do.
Here's mine:

[Photo over 400 days old. Removed by Admin.]

Cool axe, Keith!

Jules

Asked the question at Tewkesbury on first night of tour having thought it might be a mandola.
It is indeed a bouzouki, new for this tour and he's really pleased with it.

Off to see them at The Garage in Swansea tonight - I've only been there once before. It's quite a small venue, so I'm assuming it's going to be a bit crowded.

Long ago, when CL was in the Albions, he played what he called a Bat, a strat/bouzouki hybrid. I remember seeing him play it with great force at Hitchin Folk Club once.

Years later, I asked him about it at Crops and he said he had sold it. Clearly had second thoughts now. Good.

Not quite, Malcolm. I think (though haven't/won't see it myself) Chris has one of these - http://www.eaglemusicshop.com/bouzoukis/ozark-electro-guitar-bouzouki.htm-361651

Yep, that's it.

I have been trying to buy tickets for the Electric Palace in Bridport in person on and off since October. Went into the venue on Wednesday only to find ticket office shut because of rehearsals.  Finally gave in and bought them online. So much for trying to save the booking fee! Now I have to buy a printer to print off the blooming things.

Still looking forward to the gig immensely . Strange conflict as Peggy's favorite the Churchfitters are playing same night just round the corner from me in Ilminster .Would have gone to that otherwise. Could have virtually walked to the gig (staggered back mind)

Well, that was an understatement. Serious overcrowding issues with not a lot of room to move (it's a wonder Elfin Safety wasn't invoked!) but worse still was the original plan to have it as an all standing concert - apart from the seats in the alcoves. I say 'original plan' as they relented somewhat and allowed folk to bring in chairs from an adjoining room - it was one of the strangest starts to an evening's entertainment I've ever seen. Of course, the addition of the chairs made the overcrowding issue more acute. More thought really needs to go into planning gigs at such venues, and given the average age of the audience, whoever thought two and a half hours standing was a good idea clearly was 'poorly advised'. Still, they managed to cram more people in than I would have thought possible.

But enough of that - the concert itself was great. Rosie Carson (god, she's tall) and Kevin Dempsey proved to be a fine opening act, with a lovely set that showcased their musicianship well. Fairport's set, as has been mentioned before, was a heavy with numbers from the new album with a few classics thrown in. Perhaps a little too many new songs for my liking - but they were all received enthusiastically. Of the new songs, 'John Condon', which I hadn't been too keen on when I first heard it on the CD, was a triumph. 'Man in the Water' and the title track were my other favourites. The usual mixture of awful puns along with new CD and Cropredy adverts were there, as expected. In all, a great show, in spite of the inauspicious start (see above!) We were even treated to Simon mucking up the words to one of the songs - and I'm guilty myself now, because I can't remember which one it was!

Other TAW people may have been there, but I'm afraid I didn't notice, due to the previously mentioned overcrowding. If you were there it would be interesting to hear another point of view on the concert, as well as the venue.

Interested to hear they played 'Man in the Water'. I really like that but we didn't get it the other evening at Wycombe. Nice to hear they are varying the set.

Sorry, my mistake, I meant 'Clear Water'

Yes, that happened in Worthing too, on John Condon. Given the sombre nature of the song, he seemed hugely embarrassed about it.

Just had an email from the Lowry about Wednesday evening.

It would appear that the Metrolink may not be running as industrial action by Unite could be taking place, and Manchester United are playing Burnley!

The roads in the area could be a little congested!

Getting to the The Lowry for the last Richard Thompson gig was a nightmare, and trams were running that night.....

Philip

Slightly off topic, but I find getting to gigs and parking can often be very stressful. Bristol is a nightmare. It's all very well councils saying they want people to use public transport but that's not always an option.

Derby is again too!

if you can leave getting to the lowry till quite late, i.e. after 7.30 then you'll probably be ok unless they use the lowry car park for football parking(its just across the ship canal from old trafford)

According to Auntie Beeb the strike is now off

If the footie is on over the road you'll still need to get there dead early or last minute.

Not long home from a fabulous evening at Chesterfield Winding Wheel... we've seen Fairport here every Feb since 1990 and this was one of the very best.

Kevin Dempsey and Rosie Carson did a great opening set.  Lovely to see Kevin again.  Tunes and songs and a rocking finale with the best backing band ever.

Fairport did two pretty long sets with lots of old faves and many new songs and tunes.  Most of them were heard (by me) for the first time and instantly enjoyable...  I bought the new album and will be listening a lot tomorrow.

Chatting to each afterwards is always fun and nice to get my programme signed.

Only complaint is the squashedness of the fixed seating in this venue...  But that didn't spoil our enjoyment at all tonight.

Thanks chaps!

It's a great shame that seating at gigs rarely rises above the appalling - squashed and hard.

I refer you to my earlier post re the shambles at Swansea.

I'll never know why FC played at The Garage. It takes 200 tops and that would be a crush. They regularly fill venues 3 times that size - they could have played at the Swansea Grand, or even better, Pontardawe Arts Centre which has a thriving folk culture. Always used to meet up with Shirl there.....  :(

Perhaps it was just down to availability on that particular date. Who knows? The funny thing is, I really enjoyed the only other time I went there (Rod Clements and Ian Thomson last year) as it was a small intimate setting with a small crowd - just right. But Fairport were too big for that place really. Interestingly, I saw a poster for Oysterband in March. That could be a bit crowded too.

I think you are exactly right there. Maart had musical skills and techi knowledge that the others don't have. I'd love to hear them do Wounded Whale but have it on good authority that it isn't really possible without certain skills that Maart had.

Well that was a rather enjoyable evening yesterday at the Lowry.

The setlist seems to be fairly constant on the tour, lots of new material as you would expect with the CD to promote plus some classics thrown in for good measure.  Simon is playing more electric guitar than I've seen for a while, and we didn't once get the twin fiddle attack of Ric & Chris during the evening, so that makes for an interesting change to the live sound.

Got the new CD, just got to find time to listen to it now, but the tracks played live yesterday sounded rather good so I'm hoping the rest of the CD will be up to this standard.

For me, the current Fairport line up have always had a punchier sound when Simon plays electric, which he did at the RAH Teenage Cancer Trust gig a few years back.

This may amuse some people...

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its upset quite a lot of dinosaurs!!

Edit: Now everybody has had a chance to read them, the page of dinosaur puns has gone. Colin

And...in other news... http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/feb/12/fairport-convention-review-lowry-salford

Liege and Lief? - check
Richard Thompson? - check
Sandy Denny? - check
Misspelling of 'Nicol'? - check
 [;-)

Nicol wrong in last paragraph...   otherwise a fine review.

Ineversauritus!

A good night at Farnham , now for some Cricket ! This was my sixth year in a row at The Maltings ,the last three years we've been in the same seats at the end of row B. Confusion reigned tonight though as they've put a new row in front of row A.
I counted 9 songs from the new CD which i bought during the interval ,  including one with what sounded to me like a TRex riff.In my humble opinion the introductions to certain songs go on for too long , also there are too many songs about the same subject  -  the sea. I enjoyed it though and just noticed they are playing Guildford in May so may well go to that one.

Curry and a pint in Shrews prior to gig

Looking forward to my first visit to Shrewsbury...

Great night in Shrewsbury! Maart was there and joined in MOTL with Simons electric.Great to see him there. Strange to see no fiddle at all from Chris. I love the new album.

On the ticket I had for the Union Hall concert last night it said doors open at 19:00, not knowing the hall I thought you could get in, have a drink at the bar and the doors to the concert hall would open at 19:00. When we arrived at 18:20 (after walking in the wrong direction at first) we saw a queue which meant we had a 40 minute wait outside in the cold and windy weather. Fortunately the doors opened on time and we could enjoy the warmth inside but also the sight of the place itself, I think it is a nice place for concerts, I would almost say it is cosy.

I find it a bit difticult to say what I thought about Fairport, meaning that I did not like all the songs they played but that will always be the case. What I find hard to appreciate is Simon singing songs Sandy Denny sung, there were three of them last night (Crazy man Michael, Farewell farewell and Matty Groves) while the first two were more or less ok, I did not like the way Simon sang Matty Groves. The problem for me I think is that all the while I heard Sandy's voice in my head. Many songs from the new cd (which I bought afterwards), I have to hear these songs more to see if they will grow on me. Songs that I really liked were the opening song Sir Patrick Spens, Festival bell and the Dave Pegg instumental. Stiill I enjoyed the concert very much and have no regrets coming over to England for it.

Forgot to mention that when we entered the hall Fairport came on stage doing a bit of tuning up, later we found out that they had also just arrived. They had got stuck in traffic and had then decided to take the tube from Richmond, Chris said that it was the first gig he had gone to by tube, it also meant that they could not have a soundcheck but they thanked their soundman for doing that for them, and he did a very god job.

And there's another person (Ronald) I thought I recognised last night at Union Chapel, but wasn't quite sure.

You can't go wrong starting with 'Sir Patrick Spens' which I've always thought is a classic Trad. Arr.. Possibly Fairport's finest.
Then there was a wide selection of tracks from the new album, which I didn't think they mentioned often enough.

Often reviews will say there was an audible sigh from an audience, when a band announces they are playing a new track, but I'd have settled for hearing all of it. I haven't heard the album yet, but I have high expectations. There seems to be plenty of variety and basically all good.
Lots of reviews have expressed surprise at these old dinosaurs producing something genuinely new, but it does look that way.

The Union Chapel really is a lovely venue, even if the acoustics aren't great (although hugely improved).
Hint: There are a lot more seats than the capacity, so even when sold out there are plenty empty, so no need to queue.
   

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Colin, I'm not sure if I would have recognised anyone.

I also noticed there were still seats available, which surprised me.

For me it was the first time having been at a concert were I was surrounded by people drinking cups of hot Yorkshire tea.

Great photo, Col.

Jules

Thanks, but there is a better photo. However it's huge (over 10,000 pixels high), so won't look great here:


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I can see enough to appreciate its splendour!

Jules

I really enjoyed the concert last night at Union Chapel, I love that venue, don't like having to queue outside though, a necessity if one wishes to be in the front few pews... (wonder what its like up in the balcony area?) Forgot to take my cushion though, no wonder people don't go to church much these days...!  ;) ;)

I liked it that, for a change, Chris didn't play violin, but played many other instruments, including the banjo which gave a wonderful, foot tapping 'Matty' It made such a change to leave out 'duelling' fiddle playing. Several songs from the new album sounded so good, Ralph's 'Clear water' and 'Wild Cape Horn' suit the Fairport style but for me Simon playing more on leccy guitar made it rock. His singing on 'John Condon' moved me to tears almost.

I came away thinking this was the best concert for a couple of years.

Rosie and Kev were a good listen to start the evening too. She does have rather long legs doesn't she?!  ;D

I've only seen Fairport once at Union Chapel, on the Babbacombe Lee tour a few years back. I sat in the balcony and the sound was really bad so I don't recommend it. Have been to other gigs there and sat downstairs and it was fine so I think it must be a balcony issue.

I've seen a gig from the balcony and the sound was superb.  

Over the years there have been vast improvements in the acoustics, but still on the balcony some places are better than others.
However as the licensed capacity is much lower than the number of seats, it's easy to move around.

And the background music. I noticed several tracks by artists at this year's Cropredy and also 'Monsters and Men'. They would have been good.

Also did anybody else notice the 'clapometer' on the screen, in large numbers, on the sound desk?

We had seats on the fifth row near the aisle and there the sound was perfect, as we were seated there did not notice the clapometer.