Symphony Hall - 17th February 2007

[Chris]

From Lars on the email list.....

"The Tap and Spile in Gas Street, just where the canal and Broad Street meet, not more than a five-minute-walk from the Symphony Hall, around 5.30 pm. If it is closed due to legal reasons we will meet at The Brasshouse on Broad Street, very close the Tap and Spile."

They do not do food....

[Big Dave]

Cheers Chris, will be there.  

[Big Dave]

Until tomorrow dudes!  

[Harbottle (Martin)]

Until tomorrow dudes!  

Oh no. I went out last night and am suffering from a hangover...! And tonight it's Fairport and Show of Hands...

Ouch. My head.

[Sir Robert Peel]

Only for Fairport Convention would I spend two hours on the motorway to Birmingham and two hours back again.  

It was worth every mile and minute.

You find me sitting on the Ledge (yes, it was really called that) looking onto the stage and upon all the people in the posh seats.

I hadn’t got a copy of Sense of Occasion, so I heard the songs for the first time, live.  I liked ‘em.  Keep on Turning the Wheel, Untouchable, Galileo’s Apology and the superb instrumental ones – I liked ‘em.  

What was that lovely song that they sang for the encore, I asked the lady sitting next to me?  I forgot the name of it because I was so moved by Simon Nicol’s sweet introduction to it.  He said that it was Fairport’s gift to their fans of forty years – an expression of their affection.   It was marked by the presence of Gerry Conway front of stage, at the microphone, singing his heart out.   There was much nose-blowing and gulps from yours truly at this point.  ‘Best Wishes’ she replied, patting me on the hand, with an indulgent smile.  Only Fairport could be big-hearted enough to think of such a gesture.

I thought my heart would burst out of my chest at several points in the set.

Dave Pegg described the birth of Polly on the Shore and it was all news to me.  I didn’t know that.  I thought it was a traditional song.  There were more surprises in store, though because this version of the song was better than the original.  It was made for Simon Nicol’s voice and he made it his own.  A special mention has to be made for Ric Sanders’ fiddle arrangement – it sticks close enough to the original to appeal to us old fogies, but there is something about his understated accompaniment that puts the top hat on it.

The Deserter
I love this song and will not brook an inferior version!  My mouth gaped as Nicol and Pegg sang a duet of unsurpassed melifluousnessosity.  I know there’s no such word,  but I can’t think of a better term.  Stunning.

Tam Lin.  
At this point my heart did indeed seem to explode and I felt impelled to stand up. That would seem to have been the reaction from the rest of the Symphony Hall, too.  The place rocked. I’ve never heard it live and it has been a matter of regret for me – but this rendition of that celebrated song will take some beating.  (No pressure, Chris While at Cropredy, no pressure!).  Chris Leslie shared the vocals with top striker Nicol and Leslie has to be in the top three traditional singers of Great Britain and the Empire.

Matty Groves
Excuse my French but flippin, blimmin’, crikey, bejasus.  This song won the Hancock in the Category of Best Song Ever Bar None and Never to be Bettered.  But this Matty put me in a wrist-lock, handcuffed me to the radiator, beat seven bells of whatsit out of my sit-upon, and then threw me down the steps to the cells.  (Apologies, everyone.  That was a flashback to 1975.)  If you haven’t booked your ticket for the Wintour, do so toute suite, if not sooner, just to hear this stonkingly superb Matty.  That’s an order.

Meet on the Ledge.  
 With Show of Hands next to Ric, with the Titchy Thinny Ladies centre stage and with nerves and emotions a-jangling in the Symphony Hall, we raised our voices in communion.  More nose blowing from yours truly, too.

Happy birthday, dear Fairport, happy birthday to you.  Thank you for the years past and all the pleasure that you have given me.  I raise a toast to your future, to Cropredy and beyond.

Sir Robert Peel  

[foxylady]

Only for Fairport Convention would I spend two hours on the motorway to Birmingham and two hours back again.  

It was worth every mile and minute.

You find me sitting on the Ledge (yes, it was really called that) looking onto the stage and upon all the people in the posh seats.

I hadn’t got a copy of Sense of Occasion, so I heard the songs for the first time, live.  I liked ‘em.  Keep on Turning the Wheel, Untouchable, Galileo’s Apology and the superb instrumental ones – I liked ‘em.  

What was that lovely song that they sang for the encore, I asked the lady sitting next to me?  I forgot the name of it because I was so moved by Simon Nicol’s sweet introduction to it.  He said that it was Fairport’s gift to their fans of forty years – an expression of their affection.   It was marked by the presence of Gerry Conway front of stage, at the microphone, singing his heart out.   There was much nose-blowing and gulps from yours truly at this point.  ‘Best Wishes’ she replied, patting me on the hand, with an indulgent smile.  Only Fairport could be big-hearted enough to think of such a gesture.



Sir Robert Peel  

It was - Best Wishes! written by Steve Ashley, and a lovely song it is too.

I have absolutely nothing to add to your comments, except that I agree with you 100% on everything. A wonderful night, a wonderful venue, wonderful music, wonderful musicians. Only criticism is - where on earth  did 4 hours disappear to so quickly???

Well worth doing 3 circuits of Brum afterwards trying to find the M5 signs from the Brindley Place Car Park and being quite scared down some side-street - where my friend directed me 'cos she thought it might be a short-cut -  by the crowds of rather drunk and scarey people outside some clubs!!


Foxylady

[Jan_]

Thank you for that excellent review, Sir Robert.  How can I possibly bear waiting for another two weeks?

[Angela]

A stunning review Sir Bob, I think I'm just going to have to book to see them again in what is proving to be a phenomenal tour.

   But no mention of those Show of hands chappies...didn't they do anything then?

[Amethyst (Jenny)]

Oh YES Steve & Phil were.. well... magnifucent just about covers it I think...

Sir Bob's review is excellent.. thanks your Bobness..  

We arrived about 4pm.. first person we saw was Adrian paying his car park money.. then we lost him.Had a wander then found a table in the centre and watched as everyone walked through...  loads of TAWs came and joined us.. and chatted..  Nice to see Peggy & Clive Bunker..  photo to follow! Percy Plant walked by too.. (Sorry Sandy!)

We were joined by loads more TAWs and it was almost mini Croppersish...

The music was bril again.. FC only dropped four of their songs..  and the Tinnies dropped two.  Which gave S of H a fair run.. they said how pleased they were to be there.

I can't add much more except to say how good it was to meet so many loverly people and chat afterwards and in the interval.  PJ was especially chatty and enjoying having his album with Peggy signed.

If you haven't been.. then GO...  

I have a photo to post of Peggy & Clive Bunker.. but our monitor has packed up, currently using an old one and unable to post it.. hopefully later...

[Amethyst (Jenny)]

Special mention too to the lovely Chris While who joined Steve & Phil for Dark Fields..  to huge applause!

It was stunning.. I really must search for another word.. i use 'stunning' too much.. but I mean it!

[Kathryn]

How wonderful to hear all the good reviews of the winter tour! I'm counting down the days to May 27....of course,sadly, we'll have to do without Peggy and Gerry here. I first heard the 3-piece group last Spring and, truth be told we thought about canceling the long trip (its nearly 4and 1/2 hours each way)didn't think it could possibly be as good without the full group.....a happy surprise, although different it was a fantastic concert and the group I was with all agreed it was one the the BEST gigs any of us had had ever attended.
I shall just have to keep on saving my pennies and hope that I can arrange a week off in August!! to enjoy the full force
Please keep the reviews/photos coming...to whet the appetite. Thanks, Kathryn

[Chris]

Simply the best gig that I've witnessed this year - superb lads & ladesses!

As mentioned, Fairport dropped just four numbers last night - Sir Patrick Spens, Crazy Man Michael, Wait for the Tide to Come In & South Dakota to Manchester. TTL changed their set, settling for the more rocky numbers to make an immediate impression & obviosly couldn't do the number with Chris, Ric & Gerry.

SoH then proceeded to do a blistering 45 minute set of favourites with Miranda on bass for the whole set & Chris While, between workshops in Kidderminster & Birmingham joining in on Dark Fields. Boy, is Chris looking well! a new hair colour & style & looking incredibly healthy. I think I'm looking forward to Easter Sunday at Albert's village hall gig.

During & following the break, I took time out to chat to various guests and look through Tiny Tin Helen's photos of them with Mr Plant.....boy, are they having the time of their lives! These ought to appear soon on the TTL website, hopefully.

A Fairport @ 40 DVD is the process of being filmed by Mike Rowbottom, he of the Central TV Unfashionably Fairport programme a few years ago. He's now working as an independent , and hoping that this will see light of day in the autumn, and will cover this year's Fairport, from the start of the year until after Cropredy...some of it *might* also be taken up & shown on the telly....

[Harbottle (Martin)]

Simply the best gig that I've witnessed this year - superb lads & ladesses!

As mentioned, Fairport dropped just four numbers last night - Sir Patrick Spens, Crazy Man Michael, Wait for the Tide to Come In & South Dakota to Manchester. TTL changed their set, settling for the more rocky numbers to make an immediate impression & obviosly couldn't do the number with Chris, Ric & Gerry.

SoH then proceeded to do a blistering 45 minute set of favourites with Miranda on bass for the whole set & Chris While, between workshops in Kidderminster & Birmingham joining in on Dark Fields. Boy, is Chris looking well! a new hair colour & style & looking incredibly healthy. I think I'm looking forward to Easter Sunday at Albert's village hall gig.

During & following the break, I took time out to chat to various guests and look through Tiny Tin Helen's photos of them with Mr Plant.....boy, are they having the time of their lives! These ought to appear soon on the TTL website, hopefully.

A Fairport @ 40 DVD is the process of being filmed by Mike Rowbottom, he of the Central TV Unfashionably Fairport programme a few years ago. He's now working as an independent , and hoping that this will see light of day in the autumn, and will cover this year's Fairport, from the start of the year until after Cropredy...some of it *might* also be taken up & shown on the telly....

Last night's Brum gig was the best Fairport gig I've seen for years, possibly ever. I love SoH which was a bonus, but Fairport seemed to be firing on all cylinders! Tam Lin was incredible.

I enjoyed TTL as well - "we've been Tiny Tin Lady and you've been lots of people!". They certainly added something to the whole night and did a great job on Meet on the Ledge.

I like Hungarian Rhapsody. What's to apologise for!

The songs from Sense of Occasions sound really good live, and I also picked up the PJ thingy and Peggy album, which has been on heavy rotation all morning. Very good indeed.

[Kevin Watkins]

Great show last night.  Thanks to Simon for listening to an earlier post I put up on the Winter Tour thread and playing MG, as well as Widow and Tam Lin.

Show of Hands were superb.  My first time seeing them - and they are clearly going to cost me a lot of money as I hunt through the back catalogue.  I'm listening to Witness at the moment having picked it up last night.  Excellent stuff.  Mr Knightley is unfeasibly talented at song writing isn't he?

Am I the only one though who was left completely cold by TTL?  I'm afraid it was a case of "Glad they only played 4 songs."  Sorry.   Huge hats off to them for being as talented as they are at such an early age.  But their songs are just not my scene really.  Too much angst, too many lyrics repeated and not enough painting with a softer palette.  

[Harbottle (Martin)]

Great show last night.  Thanks to Simon for listening to an earlier post I put up on the Winter Tour thread and playing MG, as well as Widow and Tam Lin.

Show of Hands were superb.  My first time seeing them - and they are clearly going to cost me a lot of money as I hunt through the back catalogue.  I'm listening to Witness at the moment having picked it up last night.  Excellent stuff.  Mr Knightley is unfeasibly talented at song writing isn't he?

Am I the only one though who was left completely cold by TTL?  I'm afraid it was a case of "Glad they only played 4 songs."  Sorry.   Huge hats off to them for being as talented as they are at such an early age.  But their songs are just not my scene really.  Too much angst, too many lyrics repeated and not enough painting with a softer palette.  

I enjoyed TTL, think they have potential.

I notice that their whole album is available for free on their website for download as Mp3. How odd.

[Woodpecker]

A terrific evening's entertainment.  

We enjoyed TTL much more than expected, after seeing them at Cropredy we thought they were just a bit of a novelty but now think they should go far.  Only problem for me is that name; I find it rather creepy!

After Show of Hands we felt we would go home happy whatever happened next; again after Cropredy I felt I could take or leave them although the Phil Beer Band is one of my favourite live acts.  This set was superb and made full use of the Symphony Hall acoustics.

Glad not to have gone home though!! Fairport were outstanding; I won't repeat the comments above but agree with all of them.  Apologies for doubting Tam Lin!  Who would have thought almost 40 yrs ago that Simon Nicol would have made such an outstandingly moving job of WKWTTG. ( a highlight for me not mentioned yet)  Thanks to all for putting in Matty Groves, how do they make it sound so fresh and exciting every time? (professionalism I suppose!)

I don't really follow Peggy's explanation of Polly on the Shore:  "Swarb and Trevor Lucas writing the words for his tune in '79" after he'd got them 'relaxed'?   Martin Carthy and Swarb's Prince Heathen has the same words on side one track three - 'Trad arr Carthy'.  Was Peggy more 'relaxed' than Swarb or have I missed something here?

My only gripe about the whole evening was probably our fault again: sitting right in front of the PA on Chris's side made Ric almost as inaudible for some songs as we had found him at Cropredy - but then we were sitting in the same place.  In fairness he was put into that side's mix more at some times than others.  This balance must be quite good for those with centre seats but can be disapointing for others.

[PLW (Peter)]

SoH then proceeded to do a blistering 45 minute set of favourites with Miranda on bass for the whole set & Chris While, between workshops in Kidderminster & Birmingham joining in on Dark Fields.

Ah, that explains why she didn't sing with Fairport then. It seemed a shame that they didn't get her in to do at least one song. A friend of ours who was seeing Fairport for the first time commented that the whole sound was lifted a notch when a female voice came in - and that was just from hearing Tiny Tin Beth sing one verse of MOTL. I'd love to hear Fairport with a female vocalist more often (especially singing WKWTG). Only my opinion though; it would be the icing on the cake.

Nonetheless it was a great night. The audience took a while to warm to Fairport I thought, but it built to a rousing finale. Early on I thought Ric was mixed a bit far down (and I was on his side of the auditorium), but it got better and better as the show went on. The best Tam Lin and the best Matty I've heard for years. And of the new stuff, Hawkwood's Army was very strong indeed as was the beautiful slow instrumental. The re-arranged Polly was sensational - Chris's low whistle giving a real boost. But the best was saved for last but one. I don't know what the song's called, but it certainly brought a tear to my eye.

As for those people who feel TTL don't cut it - I can't agree. . .two reasons: one is they are about the same age as Fairport were when they started (RT was younger than some of them) and there is a wonderful sense of continuity about the whole process. And my 14-year old daughter was simply inspired by them (just as I was by Fairport at her age). That has to be good.

As for SoH. If Steve Knightley were American he'd be Bruce Springsteen. IMHO the best writer of songs about English/British contemporary issues there is. Up there with RT himself. Brilliant. I don't think he should write a song for Fairport, though. I think he should write a whole album.

[Amethyst (Jenny)]

The song you mention was played just before MOTL..  Best Wishes.. it's gorgeous!

Here's the photo I mentioned earlier.. I hope...

Oh dear.. why can't I get into the posting piccies bit??

Peggy specially asked me to post this.

[Kevin Watkins]

As for those people who feel TTL don't cut it - I can't agree. . .two reasons: one is they are about the same age as Fairport were when they started (RT was younger than some of them) and there is a wonderful sense of continuity about the whole process. And my 14-year old daughter was simply inspired by them (just as I was by Fairport at her age). That has to be good.

Just to clarify, I don't think TTL don't cut it - as I said hats off to them for being as talented as they are despite being so young.  I was just saying that their style wasn't to my taste.  It didn't sound folky enough for me.

[Sir Robert Peel]

The song you mention was played just before MOTL..  Best Wishes.. it's gorgeous!

Here's the photo I mentioned earlier.. I hope...

Oh dear.. why can't I get into the posting piccies bit??

Peggy specially asked me to post this.

Go to your message and press 'modify'.


Below the nessage box is something saying 'Additional Options' - press it.

Can you see 'Attach' and 'browse'?  If so, do the business.  If not post another message and use the Additional Options button.

Peel