The Fairport Acoustic Trio Papplewick Village Hall 18/10/07
Seventeen months ago we filled Papplewick Village Hall for Fairport Acoustic and were delighted to be able to bring them back last Thursday! Delphini drove up for lunch at the Bay Tree.. (a café/bistro known to some of you) at Thoresby. Gower Flower caught an early train and met us there… we sat in the October sunshine, blue skies above us, and talked about the last time we three had been here together.. it was Aggies night 06 and VERY FOGGY!!
We went back to chez Amethyst for a cuppa and suddenly realised it was time to make our way to the gig! We got there just after 4pm, Robinthelights was already there.. truly in his element.. a dream come true to be able to light Fairport at last, and a great job he made of it too! Paul was there too when we arrived setting up the sound gear for Rob Braviner to work at.
Mike was wheeling out chairs and we immediately got to work setting out the seating plan and lining up chairs, hot work but soon the floor was covered and awaiting bums. Next to unpack posters and Red Bush tea, coffee, milk, Kit Kats and tea towels! Then to set out leaflets and tix and move anything else that needed moving. Pugs, Jill and Karen had arrived by now and set to doing various other bits that still needed to be done.
The band arrived in good time, and after greetings got straight down to sound checking.. always lovely to be able to sit and quietly watch as they make their preparations
When they were happy they went their separate ways; some to the pub and others wherever.. we fed them and they were ready for another night’s work.. or should that read for giving great pleasure to many people!
The audience started to arrive and to mill about in the bar chatting, full of anticipation for the evening. They had come from all over the place again, Grantham, Huntingdon, Yorkshire, Rutland, Swansea, Norfolk (YES Norfolk!) and even Mansfield! Everyone was smiling. There were lots of TAWers there that night too. As ever Pastieboy did a sterling job of raffle ticket selling.
The band didn’t need an intro.. indeed I was all set to do one last time and they went on before I got there, so I didn’t even try this time! Robin has posted the set list, so no need to repeat it here. The first half flew by.. sadly Gerry was missing, but we all clapped and cheered him anyway
The third song in has always been one of my favourites.. Now be Thankful.. and I was very thankful that it had all come together and we were here at last! Sophisticated Lady was dedicated to all the sophisticated ladies in the hall.. we noted that there were none of these on the front row! The jokes were flying.. we were in stitches much of the time
During the interval we chatted to members of the audience, Pastiemum (aka Mave the Rave) had brought a Fairport virgin with her.. indeed she was a gig virgin and about the same age as Mave the Rave too. A colleague of Pugs was also a Fairport virgin.. he enjoyed it too. Vince (of TAW!) had come all the way from Norfolk for this gig.. he’d picked up Julie in Newark (I believe) and brought her secretly without her realising til the very last minute that she was coming to see Fairport! It was their 21st Wedding Anniversary and Simon did a dedication for them from the stage. The members of Fairport also joined us in signing an anniversary card for them too
The second half opened with Chris (and myself) doing the (much improved) raffle (no we are not a folk club!) The first prize was won by Claire who is a TAWer and the fourth prize was won by Vince.. very satisfying! Then it was straight into Widow of Westmoreland and a storming second half. Again many quips had us in stitches but throughout the musicianship was impeccable as ever.
I mentioned to Simon about the possibility of an acoustic cd.. wish they would put one together. I can’t pick out highlights really.. it was all wonderful, but I know Delphini especially loved Summertime.. it really is sublime! I could have watched and listened to the whole set again, it always ends too soon for me.. but then that is a sign of a good evening!!
It ended in the usual way with an announcement of the dates for next year’s Cropredy and Meet on the Ledge. The audience loved every minute and laughed and sang along in all the right places, everyone went home happy.. not the least Mave the Rave and her friend who were clapping and bopping away all evening on the front row!
It was nice to be thanked from the stage at the end too, some bands don’t bother, these Chaps use our names
The clear up took about an hour and we were off out again into the cold night, having waved the Chaps off again. The previous night they had been playing in Tavistock and the following night in Portsmouth.. quite a few miles to cover in three days, I hope they thought it worth all the travelling to see us!
Thanks again Fairport and to everyone who came.
