Unusual Fairport shows

[Pete Gray]

I've mentioned this one here before, ranking as potentially tragic but certainly unusual was when we saw Fairport at Sheffield Uni way back circa '75.
Apart from memories of an animated Swarb prancing about in denim bib and braces was the show stopping moment when some idiot hanging over the balcony which runs around the old Students Union hall dropped a beer bottle which landed and, I think, smashed on Sandy Denny's head. She was sitting at the piano when it happened.

I may have been 3 sheets gone myself and can't remember too much detail but it certainly was an horrendous thing to see, she was carried off. There was quite a long pause then the band played without her for a few numbers after which she returned, she must thankfully have been OK, and the show was completed.

As an aside a few years later we saw the wild front man from "The Darts" throw himself backwards into the crowd from the same balcony (a ten foot drop?) I was one of those with upstretched arms who caught him, tore my shirt though !

[mikec]

Yes it's on 'Close to the White Bear'.. a double compilation issued in1998 by Woodworm...

I'm trying to scan and post the pic.. but with no success I'm afraid!

If I can find it at home I'll try to scan and post it tonight

[Keith]

That's really quite significant Pete. Now I know Sandy had a history of having to be "helped up" of an evening, but I've never heard of her getting hit on the head like that. I wonder if it had a part to play in her later tragic demise.

[jude]

That's really quite significant Pete. Now I know Sandy had a history of having to be "helped up" of an evening, but I've never heard of her getting hit on the head like that. I wonder if it had a part to play in her later tragic demise.

A bit of a difficult one to speculate about I would have thought...........

[Keith]

True Jude, and there's no evidence. But it is certainly a new story to me.

[Jim]

i saw them at UMIST when Sandy had rejoined and at one point some buffoon chucked a plastic pint pot at the stage which whacked Sandy on the napper and momentarily disoriented her. Trevor nearly jumped into the crowd but was beside himself with rage demanding"who hit my old lady with that glass",it all smoothed over after a few moments, but i must admit to having wondered if that had anything to do with her eventual demise

[Trevor Morgan]

To GS and Dr Monk, I too remember the July Wakes gig near Charnock Richard in July 1977.

I've still got the fading newspaper-style programme for the event.

As I recall it, various items of clothing didn't just end-up in the audience, they also ended-up in the ornamental pond to the side of the stage.

I recall at least one band member also ended-up in the pond though I can't remember who it was.

The gig was great.  Unfortunately it was followed by a torrential downpour overnight which rather spoilt the rest of the weekend.

[Harbottle (Martin)]

I had a weird experience in Chesterfield during CL's first tour. Me and mate from Uni came down from Sheffield, spent a day in some very bad and weird pubs, and the ended up getting a lock in in a hogshead pub... Peggy bought us a few drinks and my mate was disappointed that Peggy was drinking Boddingtons (What're you drinking that **** for?). I can't remember much, but we were so gassed I think we made complete knobs of ourselves. Then my mate suddenly discovered there was a 1:00am train to Sheffield, so we fled to the station. I've still a Hogshead whisky glass from that night! I think we, erm, managed to annoy the guys a bit... Ahem.

The gig was bloody brilliant, though! We saw Steeleye Span a few weeks later, and they were rubbish.

[Anji]

To GS and Dr Monk, I too remember the July Wakes gig near Charnock Richard in July 1977.
I recall at least one band member also ended-up in the pond though I can't remember who it was.
The gig was great.  Unfortunately it was followed by a torrential downpour overnight which rather spoilt the rest of the weekend.

Does anyone have any photos of this?  

Blimeyheck. Sudden memories of brown velvet dungarees  

And brown underpants  

Perhaps it was all a dweam  

[peterwales]

Cambridge Folk Festival couple of years (might have been 2003, thinking about it), Fairport deputized for Linda Thompson, who had cried off last minute because of throat problems. Fairport did a one hour "greatest hits" set. Very good, but a bit odd, given the circumstances. Everybody expecting Linda, then a very rushed Fairport on stage who had just got the call to leave their homes in Oxfordshire(?) a few hours before I believe.

[Will S]

Anyone go to the New Years Eve ceileidh in Gloucester one year...now that *was* odd! Very few people & the prtomoter lost shedloads!

I went to a New Year's Eve ceilidh in Gloucester one year - I think it was 1988/89 - a group of friends and I happened to be spending a few days in the Forest of Dean and saw that it was on, so turned up.  I don't remember how big the audience was, just that it was different.  Unfortunately it was one of my first Fairport gigs, and I was only just getting into folk music.  I'm sure I'd appreciate it more now than I did then!

Will

[Nick Reg]

To go off topic slightly I went to a really weird Oysterband gig about 5 or 6 years ago at Bodelwyddan Castle in N Wales. The gig was in a circus style big top and was sponsored by a firm of accountants (although I'm one I didn't know until we got there). They had a similar tent alongside in which they had provided a slap up meal for a lot of guests. There were a lot of problems with the power supply so they put the bar on free ! They eventually found that if they if they turned off the power to the hospitality tent the gig tent ewas Ok. By this time most people had had a skinful. The gig was a riot with half the audience in best bib and tucker and half in jeans and T Shirts and everyone dancing away like maniacs (and in some cases together). The circus style tiered seating was a bit dodgy though.
Perhaps we should have a new now for more general wierd times?
Seeing the Oysters on Friday!!

[Pete Gray]

Unusually bad ?

A crowd of us went to The Corn Exchange, New Years Eve 1983 (give or take 1 year)
Fairport were playing for what was billed as a Ceilidh. It was absolutely dire with the sound system set at an horribly painful level.
We stuck it for an hour or so then left in disgust!

[Magic Fingers]

Wasn't there a show the year Simon injured his leg when instead of him leaving the stage for the interval, the crew threw a black sheet over him?  I'm sure I've seen a pic somewhere... one of Chris Bates' perhaps?

I knew I'd find it somewhere.......

http://www.fcfansite.fsnet.co.uk/wt-2001-25feb-photos-martindriver.htm