TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

The Wintour kicked off last night at the Roses, Theatre, Tewkesbury and it was great.

Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage were able support and, funnily enough, their nerves seemed more settled that Fairport's!

Here's the setlist, courtesy of Simon Nicol.

Edit: Modified to reflect reality

DM definitely changes the sound of the band - and for the better. Additionally, his keyboard playing was welcome, possibly the first keyboard playing band member (albeit only for this tour) since Maart?

Anyhow great fun, get thee to the tour. Well worth it.

Andy, I don't recall the seventh song of the second half being played...?



Edit: I've edited it to reflect reality - Andy

Bythe bye, no card payments on the merch stall last night.

Can’t wait for Lincoln!

That’s an interesting set list with some surprises for sure! I believe Ric has done some on stage keys occasionally.

Indeed he has.

I don't think I've seen that. Was that a very long time ago?

He played a bit of keyboards, after his accident stopped him fiddling and C L depped for him, in 92

I remember him playing very occasional keyboards certainly at Cropredy a long time after that...Not saying those memories are correct, mind!

I shall be at Stratford.

Heck, I should have remembered thst... I was watching DM's work during that one... Superb

Same setlist last night, I think.

I really enjoyed DMs drumming, and agree that he really does add a bit of oomph to the set.

I don't think I have heard them play the 2nd song from the 2nd half for a long time now.

I can never understand why anyone would want to know a set list beforehand, so thanks for keeping it hidden!

I find it really useful to have the set list otherwise I don’t know what we’re going to play.
Morning Bill ….sorry ….and I do agree with you…..then I read it!
Fotheringay on spoons and triangle eh!

I can never understand why anyone wouldn't, but horses for courses and all that!

The last time I saw Penguin Café Orchestra (10th Anniversary of Simon Jeffe's passing) they provided everyone with a programme, giving background and introduction to each of the pieces that would be played that evening.

More of that sort of thing, I say!

Cheers

Nick

Hear hear.

That's the kind of thing you'd expect at a classical concert.

For me the anticipation of what is coming next is part of the live gig experience.
I still live in hope that, one day, Fairport will play “Book Song” live! (If anyone from Fairport Towers sees this and wants to make an aging man very happy, I’ll be at the Worthing gig🤣)

I just hope I can get there!

Bill , I may be misremembering (!) but didn’t Ian Matthews play it at Cropredy some years ago. ?

I prefer not to know the set list - I like the surprise element, and just to go with the flow.

Great night at Southampton; small venue (350), but sold out which definitely added to the atmosphere. I also agree that DM added some real omph to the older classics, and a different feel to the newer songs that he hadn’t played on.  The chaps were in good form, and seemed to be having a good a time as we were.

Most of the tour venues seem to be sitting around that size. Gone are the days of 2000 seat theatres?

I reckon so. Hopefully it’s still commercially viable to tour.  I’ve no idea what the ongoing  tour costs are, but selling 350 tickets at £29 plus merchandise (less whatever cut the venues take) seems ok to me. There are probably loads of costs beyond transport and accommodation that I haven’t thought of, though, so no idea what a break even point would be.

Solihull Core charges £1344 for an evening session (6:00 - 11:00), £678 for rehearsal / afternoon set up, £42 ticketing fee and 10% of merch so basic venue costs come to £2000 ish for one night.

360 seats at £28 = £10,000 ish so the band could expect to clear between 6 and 7 grand on the venue with a decent audience.

Probably a smaller venue in size and costs but interesting figures.

DW

Show of Hands had to stop touring as a 4 piece, post lockdowns , as it wasn’t financially viable…
No idea what crew Fairports carry, driver, sound man, monitor engineer, roadies etc , so at a bare minimum 10 people sharing that figure, plus , fuel accommodation.
…..and we are assuming that the support act don’t get paid but survive on merch sales, difficult in smaller venues……
Band merch these days , seems to keep smaller  bands afloat….

Which is why venues demanding a substantial cut of them is causing such a problem throughout the industry.  Everybody, venues promoters and artists, are being squeezed in every direction.  Capitalism isn't working part 243...

Splendid night at Milton Keynes last night.

DM!! Wow.

They're a different band with DM behind the kit. That was a drumming master class.

Couldn't agree more. Thought the "atmospherics" he added on keys were spot on too.
Not sure everything Ric does with his fiddle is strictly legal in public though.

Loved the 'new' line up at Chequer Mead last night, the band had a real buzz, despite Simon manfully fighting a bad throat.

From where we were in the circle, the sound balance in the first half was awful - drums WAY too loud and vocals lost in the mix
Second half was much better.

i was just trying to get a ticket for Solihull, but their website keeps throwing errors.
So I've given up and will stay in instead.

Just a thought but how about trying a different browser or giving them a call instead?

I gave them a call - just a recorded message.

"We were unable to process your request. Try again or call customer disservice."

EDIT: At last, two debit cards later it's worked! For some reason it didn't like two of my cards.

Well I am glad I persisted with the useless website, as that was brilliant tonight. Last time I saw them was some years at a small theatre in Coventry (Ruined by an idiot talking all the way through it) which wasn't great (I think it was an acoustic show).

It was great seeing DM back again. Although I did get that heart sinking feeling when he approached the keyboards as I always knew this was the cue for a song I don't like.

A great set list, so many of my favourite tracks, and absolutely fabulous playing. Perhaps my favourite Fairport gig.

Is there some sort of 'ritual' that involves waving a mobile phone around with a light in during Meet on the Ledge?

Solihull last night - got off to a great start having a chat with Gerry Colvin.

On to the gig itself, Ben and Hannah were pretty damn good support, nice Americana vibe, some good playing especially the slide work and a stunning version of "I bought my love a cherry".

The link song to Fairport was a real treat and surprise, nice for an unusual bit of LandL to be in the set.

On to FC so the individuals:

Simon - clearly not too well, a change in set list gave more work for Chris, but his playing was great as ever although at one point it looked like his left hand was giving him some gyp - hopefully nothing to worry about.
Peggy - loving playing back in the West Mids, lots of mates in the audience and out front both before the set and in the interval.
Chris - solid as ever, BUT I don't think he played fiddle at all which I think is a shame.
Ric - a bit too Ric for my liking this time, the "comedy" introductions were just too damn long and even for him some of the playing was just over the top.
DM - simply brilliant, I was trying to work out the difference and can only out it this way, Gerry is a terrific drummer who supports the sound nd the band, DM drives the sound in a much more dymanic way, good to hear his keyboard skills as well.

The set list was, not unexpectedly, largely based on Shuffle and Go and Full House with a few other gems in for good measure. Definitely one for fans of the older work and showed the dark mythical  quality to a lot of the early work as opposed to the more light, upbeat nature of recent outings.

Last time I saw FC was a seated semi acoustic affair and I thought that style worked very well for them, indeed that touring as a full rock band was unlikely to happen again but this tour has showed there is life in tghe old dogs yet.

TTFN

DW

I don't  like the Shuffle and Go album much, but live the songs seem a lot better.

Chris didn't fiddle at all at Tewkesbury, either.

I always think it's a shame when Chris doesn't fiddle at all. I do enjoy a bit of twin fiddle action (don't google that!).

I thought Cider Rain was very good, not too keen on the lyrics but it has a great summer time vibe to it which was great for February.

DW

I've spent the last 25 years scratching my head about this.  It's like getting Richard Thompson to join a new band.  On bass.  Does not compute.  Chris's by far the best folk-rock fiddler in the band (read that again before you tell me I've having a pop at Ric.  I'm not.) and he doesn't play any.  Nope, no idea either...

Agreed

I felt the set list maybe didn't play to Ric's strengths also - he seemed to just be hanging around until he was needed to do a solo rather than contributing to the whole band sound.

I do take your point but one has to remember the role Chris stepped into, which was as a multi-instrumentalist. The songs initially reflected this, but with each progressive album the distribution of songs sung between Chris and Simon went from balanced, to being more in Chris' favor, due to Chris doing more song writing. Which means even less of an opportunity to play the fiddle in the studio, and only occasionally live. The real surprise to me though has been how little trad arr there has been in Fairport since Chris joined. I always sort of assumed that Fairport would get out the traditional songbooks and Fairport-ize more of the ballads with him in the band.

Indeed.  Square peg, round hole.  If you want to know the role he should have fulfilled listen to the 1992 Cropredy recordings, by far the best post-'85 performance...  But, hey, I'm just an old man shouting at the clouds ;) ;D

An excellent show at yesterday's Fairport's Saga Convention in Harpenden. I liked the venue (not least because I can walk to it), and from where I sat the sight lines and sound were very good. DM really added something to the band, I hope his return is permanent. I can only echo what has been said about more fiddle from Chris and I would welcome a little less of Ric's ramblings- he finds himself funnier that I do.

Maybe he should do a tune called Ric's Rambling' and play that instead of the jokes...

Now that's an idea! It occurred to me during the concert that it is 55 years since I first saw Fairport, as someone said, "Who knows where the time goes?

That was easily the best individual musical performance I have ever seen. It was a magnificent achievement which I go back to often. I asked him about it many years ago and he said he got headphone burn from rehearsing!

One question- why is it that DM doesn't have a drum riser on the tour, I feel it is a better sound when not straight on the stage?

DW

No room in the van?

As usual, Mr L nails it.

Ric's ramblings are always one of my highlights .At Exeter DM was killing himself laughing at Ric's jokes mind you after 4 or 5 they wear thin.

Unfortunately I've come down with a heavy cold, and had a migraine on top over the last two days, so won't make it to Southport on Thursday. I was going to contact the venue but I've had a look at their website and see that the gig is not sold out so it's doubtful they would be able to help.

So if anyone would like 2 tickets please message me. I've paid £60 for them but will accept whatever anyone can afford.

Thoroughly enjoyed last night at Lincoln , great sound , engaging support act , great session drummer from the USA fitted right into the lineup .....nice to see Simon using a stratocaster for a couple of songs

Excellent show at Southport tonight -interesting selection of songs and a good support act. I particularly enjoyed Ric howling into his fiddle during Sloth!

It was a great show wasn’t it. Especially loved DM’s drumming, top class throughout.

At the Lincoln gig , Peggy was available to chat at the merch stall before the gig , at the interval , and after the gig (with Chris and DM) , I asked him if Simon was available to sign an old rare Full House sleeve , but he doesn't mix after the show anymore , perhaps for health reasons
DM offered to take the sleeve backstage to collect Simon's signature , which was a marvelous gesture , and made my night , thanks Dave

Simon does indeed forgo mixing because of health concerns. Perfectly understandable.

Programmes are pre signed to help overcome this particular issue.

And yes you can buy unsigned ones  ;) ;D

Union Chapel was excellent last night. Was very happy to see DM back behind the kit, and everyone benefitted, even if the drums were a tad overpowering at times. The rhythm section of Daves is just magic to hear though. I also enjoyed Ric’s contributions both in terms of levity and musicianship, especially his unearthly howls during Sloth.

 It seemed like an epic evening and I was surprised when checking setlist.fm that it was only 17 songs, including the entrance and encore. I can understand that for a band mostly in their 70s that a Cropredy-length set every night without an interval is not an option, and that Ric’s moments in the spotlight are a good excuse for a comfort break for some of the band! Note to self though: bring a cushion next time. Those Union Chapel pews are tough going.

VERY impressed with Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage too- not just the songs but their talent and stage technique. Marvellous.

Palace Theatre, Southend was a great night too. DM on drums and keyboard made a rockier Fairport sound at times booming out rather loud on the small stage in the tiny old theatre. My friend commented on Ric's floor spots/stand up comedian being handy for loo breaks for the band  ;D (she had not heard of Fairport  :o so before she came watched Fairground Attraction on youtube. :D ;D )
Ben and Hannah really added to 'Meet on the Ledge' Enjoyed their set very much.

I’ve written a long ish review on fbook ……but to my delight they were really on top of their game at Stratford last night .. Yes Dm was occasionally overpowering, (loved it!) but I think it needed to be balanced by electric gtr but he turned them back into a folk rock band…..
Hannah and Ben were sublime , spoiler alert for anyone going to last gig in Worthing but her voice on Reynardine gave me serious goosebumps.
Quite simply a cracking night.
An OAP band going through their paces…..absolutely not.

It is beginning to look like I picked the wrong year to have a year off!!

Totally agree , a return to top form , great mix of material too

I’m starting to feel that about Cropredy……

Well, what a great night! Last gig of the tour in Worthing and an audience which unlike the Worthing crowds of yore actually showed some spirit and made a bit of noise despite the demographic where I, approaching 60, was still one of the youngest people in the room. ;D

Had a great chat during the interval with Hannah Sanders who is just lovely. I know Hannah and Ben from A Winter Union shows but this was the first time I have seen them in their own right and they did not disappoint.

And as for the chaps, this was quite simply the best I have seen them since, well, since the last time DM was in the band and the difference is unquestionably the man behind the drum kit. His playing is propulsive whereas Jerry's was more decorative. Jerry embellished the songs. DM drives them forward so that even relative fripperies like Cider Rain explode into life from the energy of his playing. And his energy spreads to everyone else on stage. It was a long show, the longest I have seen them play outside of Cropredy at around two and three quarter hours excluding the interval. And at the centre of it, a genuinely boundary pushing, jaw dropping rendition of Sloth, evolved far beyond the performances from the last couple of tours. In 35 years of Fairport gigs I think this was the first time I have ever seen Ric vocalise on stage. As I say, a great night. They say there will be more. There was even a hint that they intend to record again. I am a little surprised if that is the case. Personally I don't need any more. At this point I can't see how it could get any better than tonight.

I came on here to report on last night’s gig in Worthing, but found that Al has said everything I would have said, but he has expressed it so much better than I could.
If I had just one small complaint it would be that the banjo version of Matty is getting rather stale and we are due a revamp!
My first Fairport gig was on 23-3-73 at Portsmouth Guildhall (The “Nine” tour). I must have seen them around 60 times in that 50 years, and this was definitely up there with the best of them!