Fairport UnConventional - the GIG!

[Chris]

Well, after the box set just had to come the gig!

But unfortunately, you've just missed it....

....a complete diary malfunction at FC HQ meant that only two of the lads were available - Ric was in Cheltenham with his trio, and Gerry is out on the road with
Pentangle. And Peggy didn't fancy the return flight at short notice from his pad in Brittany....

With 48 hours notice (read reminder!), Simon & Chris managed to get a set list together that would sound good with only guitar and fiddle or mando, & rope in PJ Wright to give a very accomplished 30 minute solo set and sit in with Simon & Chris for the last 20 minutes of the 'Fairport' set on gobiron or guitar.

The audience were offered either the gig & a free drink or a refund - the number
taking a refund was in single figures, and the rest got a show as unique as it was billed on the local flyer.

Set list -
Travelling by Steam
Sherriff's Ride / Upton Stick Dance
Close to You
Wood & Wire
Spring Song
OTNH
John Gaudie
Close to the Wind
Slipjigs & reels (PJ on gobiron)
Dirty Linen (PJ Guitar)
Rosie (PJ harmonics & Guitar)
Genesis Hall (PJ guitar)
Widow of Westmorland (PJ Guitar)
MOTL

A memorable evening, witnessed by just 187 fans. I'll post a couple of photos tomorrow

[Pugwash]

Curses! Worth a special long distance drive I reckon.

Shall put it down in interestin gigs I have missed section  

S'pose we ought to have an interestin variations on the Fairport theme thread!

[jude]

Where was it Chris?

[Chris]

Oops, sorry - Norden Farm Arts Centre, Maidenhead....

[Neil Morrell]

Sounds wonderful - sublime even!

They should cock the diary up more often!!!

[Anne T]

It was indeed a great evening! I dragged my husband along; on the way, he was complaining that by the end of the evening, when I would have notched up three Fairport shows in less than a month (Cropredy, Moseley and Maidenhead), I would have seen the group more often than I had seen him. He now concedes that I've really only seen seen them two and a half times, and am therefore spared the addiction treatment.

We were first alerted to the fact that all was not as it should have been by a screen above the bar; the bar man then told us that TWO of the group were missing. I was a bit discombobulated then, as the various possible combinations went through my mind (for example, a combination where neither of the parties sings!)

We must have been outside when the announcement about the refund etc was given, but certainly would not have dreamt of taking them up on that offer. I was relieved when Simon explained to the audience why Ric and Gerry were not there (You never know, Ric could had a fiddler/plate glass interface again!)

PJ Wright was excellent, and the audience enjoyed his description of how an angry young man who writes protest songs gradually comes to be seen as a miserable old git. The audience were very good-humoured - no suggestion at all that they felt short-changed in any way; and indeed, they weren't. Simon and Chris were superb - there was no suggestion that the show might have been cobbled together at all. Good interplay between them, both musically and humorously. On the way home, my husband said he had really enjoyed it, so it must have been good!

And Simon, if you are reading this, you need to pay attention next time a random woman comes up to you in a beer tent in Birmingham and says, "See you in Maidenhead next week!" (Not that it would have made any difference anyway, as Ric and Gerry would have still been otherwise engaged; it would just have given you longer to panic...)

[Simon Nicol]

It was indeed a great evening! I dragged my husband along; on the way, he was complaining that by the end of the evening, when I would have notched up three Fairport shows in less than a month (Cropredy, Moseley and Maidenhead), I would have seen the group more often than I had seen him. He now concedes that I've really only seen seen them two and a half times, and am therefore spared the addiction treatment.

We were first alerted to the fact that all was not as it should have been by a screen above the bar; the bar man then told us that TWO of the group were missing. I was a bit discombobulated then, as the various possible combinations went through my mind (for example, a combination where neither of the parties sings!)

We must have been outside when the announcement about the refund etc was given, but certainly would not have dreamt of taking them up on that offer. I was relieved when Simon explained to the audience why Ric and Gerry were not there (You never know, Ric could had a fiddler/plate glass interface again!)

PJ Wright was excellent, and the audience enjoyed his description of how an angry young man who writes protest songs gradually comes to be seen as a miserable old git. The audience were very good-humoured - no suggestion at all that they felt short-changed in any way; and indeed, they weren't. Simon and Chris were superb - there was no suggestion that the show might have been cobbled together at all. Good interplay between them, both musically and humorously. On the way home, my husband said he had really enjoyed it, so it must have been good!

And Simon, if you are reading this, you need to pay attention next time a random woman comes up to you in a beer tent in Birmingham and says, "See you in Maidenhead next week!" (Not that it would have made any difference anyway, as Ric and Gerry would have still been otherwise engaged; it would just have given you longer to panic...)

OK OK OK you win. My research into the "phantom gig" went so far and no further. Now I know better and thank you  for reminding me.

More thanks though, for choosing to stay, for making the allowances incumbent on our little unexpected musical adventure, which we all enjoyed enormously. Also very sorry not to have intercepted you on your way in: I made it my mission to catch all incomers and explain precisely what the story was - that the promoter, the Theatre, Ric, Gerry and Peggy (who was never scheduled for the gig anyway) were all blameless, and it was all OUR fault.

Good fun though!

[Anne T]

Also very sorry not to have intercepted you on your way in: I made it my mission to catch all incomers and explain precisely what the story was - that the promoter, the Theatre, Ric, Gerry and Peggy (who was never scheduled for the gig anyway) were all blameless, and it was all OUR fault.

No worries! You wouldn't have been there in time to catch us anyway - we were in the restaurant by 6.15. (Wedding anniversary dinner as sweetener for making him sit through another concert - but he thought it was great anyway so the dinner wasn't strictly necessary!) As you say, it was good fun.

[Neil Morrell]

Simon - All I can say, for those of us who couldn't be there - we are so jealous!!!

I would have loved to have seen 2 professional musicians flying by the seat of their pants, and succeeding magnificently.

And I mean that in a complementry way too!  

[Harbottle (Martin)]

Sounds great! I wonder a recording'll turn up on dime.

[Pugwash]

Thinkin about this... rather completes a tradition at points there have been Fairportette duos Simon + Swarb, Simon + Ric and now ...

[PLW (Peter)]

I remember seeing Simon and Swarb deliver a brilliant gig at The Half Moon in Putney once. It was actually meant to have been a Whippersnapper gig but Kev got the flu, so for some reason Simon replaced the rest of the band.

[Neil Morrell]

I saw them there in Feb 2002.  

Did something very silly that night.  Got away with it but it shall haunt me for the rest of my life.

Played there twice meself prior to that.  Neither happy experiences!

[Neil67]

Sounds great.Pleased to see Spring Song in the set.Unless you know different,I'm not aware that this has had a live outing before.I certainly hope it'll find its way into the Acoustic set this Autumn.

[Anna]

That does sound like a very special gig!  Really wish I could have been there, and I hope things like Spring Song, Dirty Linen and Rosie make it onto the "proper" FAC tour setlist (hint, hint...)  Looking forward to the Bein Inn now  

[Nick]

Sounds great.Pleased to see Spring Song in the set.Unless you know different,I'm not aware that this has had a live outing before.I certainly hope it'll find its way into the Acoustic set this Autumn.

Spring song has had a live outing before now...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdOCh1pnf_8

Ok, technically this was not a Fairport performance; although thinking about it, there are as many Fairport members playing on this version as played at Norden Farm    

Cheers

Nick

[Chris]

When I asked Chris about this, it was while thinking that I'd heard it live too....and thanks to Nick he's jolted my memory - I was there too.

Chris did say that it had been played live a 'couple' of times.

[Ollie]

Here's a video - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=t5CXNoFBmEI

[Amethyst (Jenny)]

OOhh I was at that gig.. loverly!!