Fairport@Forty DVD

[Jules Gray]

Thankyou Jukes, very well said

Thanks, Jude, but very poor spelling!  

Jules

[jude]

Thankyou Jukes, very well said

Thanks, Jude, but very poor spelling!  

Jules

nothing to do with me, it's the stupid illiterate computer keyboard....

[Jules Gray]

nothing to do with me, it's the stupid illiterate computer keyboard....

LOL

[Ollie]

Has anyone noticed that Vo Fletcher and the Tommy Connolly Dancers are 'featured' yet there is no mention of 'Just Dandy', the track they both played on.

[Shane (Skirky)]

Notwithstanding the promised delights of (say) Beth Gibbins, The Tommy Connolly Dancers and Vo Fletcher, all of whom are, I'm sure, delightful people but none of whom would be in my top ten when it comes to a list of people I'd like to see on a Fairport Convention DVD, it does strike me that we seem to be discussing what they could have put out, rather than what they actually have done. On reflection, I think that "Fairport at Forty", if it were advertised as being a forthcoming broadcast on BBC4 would be receiving the sorts of "must see"s and "don't miss this"s that I remember from that time they were on Radio 4 at lunchtime on a tuesday a couple of years ago. Yes, twenty quid is pushing it for a DVD, but it is called "Fairport at Forty", not "Fairport Convention and guests live at Cropredy 2007". I'd personally like a full surround sound version of RT's set and cutaways to Maart's accompaniament (sp?) of Tam Lin at the bar on mobile glockenspiel, but then I'd like a lot of things.

[Ancient Muse (Andy)]

I have just caught up with this thread and have to say I am extremely disappointed that Swarb doesn't appear to be in any of the DVD. He was such a big part of the whole Cropredy experience last summer, and such a big part of the whole Fairport sound in the "old days" it just doesn't seem fair or right!

It can't possibly be vanity - he just doesn't seem the type (none of Fairport do for that matter!), and I can't imagine that he was in any way unsatisfied with his performance - the way he makes that fiddle sing is just magical!

Is there another DVD in the pipeline? I shall just have to see if the library will buy it before I decide whether or not to part with my money for something that can only tell part of the story of the last 40 years.

Unchuffed!  

[Chris]

Do you think it is likely to available on the merch table on the wintour?  

Think Chris B said that was the intention.  Hope so.

Well....they'd be very silly not to, wouldn't they?....

I think the clue might be in the title. Fairport @ Forty, not Fairport A Celebration of the Last 40 Years.

and im certain that there is a reason  for the non appearance of all that stuff

The answer is likely above your quote,Jim.....

that bit of film thay showed with it got me quite sniffy.

Check out the extras section......all three backdrop films are included....including Lego Matty.
(oh, and my handiwork on the wrapper.....)

[Jim G]

Has anyone actually bought this DVD yet and can write us a review?  Seems there is a lot of talk about what seems to be missing off the DVD rather than the quality (or otherwise) of what's on it.

I will be purchasing this on the 2nd Feb at Tunbridge to see if all my neck stretching and waving arms was worthwhile on Saturday night when ever the camera projected itself out into the audience. Rather looking forward to reliving a few of those great  moments from last August a wonderful time despite having a bleeding virus and a temperature of 101 on the Thursday.
 
Bet they don't show film of the Thursday traffic queues for the campsite !

[Keith E Rice]

No Swarb? What about no JD?!?!?!?!?

One of the most gifted guitarists ever and a very worthy sparring partner for RT. (If only they'd put more rehearsal into their occasional pairings...!)

I find it insulting (to me, can't comment on JD) that this man who was a prime mover in keeping the FC name alive (after Simon had walked away!!!!) and very viable is not represented on any vid of the 40th. (Bad enough that his role on the night was relatively diminished!)

If there's a representative vid of the 40th coming out, I'll definitely buy it.

I intend attending at least one date on this Wintour - Fairport post-'GLADYS' lack genius but they are a great working band. However, I won't be buying 'FAIRPORT@FORTY'.

[davidmjs]

I would have thought the obvious reason(s) for non-appearances are a) contractual and b) the raw materials not existing or not being of decent enough quality.  I for one am looking forward to a proper review, before I consider buying...

FWIW, i do find some of the comments in this thread a tad over-emotional to say the least!

[Dr Monk]

Those EMI multi million pound golden handcuff details can be a pain, but understandable - they have to sell some records after Robbie Williams' last one flopped.

Seriously though, in these youtube days artists have little control over what is in the public domain and, though that makes it a bit suprising that an official product and its attendant revenue might be held back, if there are quality issues or contractual issues it's an artist right to decline it.

That doesn't stop it being disappointing and ,yes, at times provocative of an emotive response from fans who might have been expecting something a bit different though.

[martin driver]

I have had the pleasure of watching the Fairport@forty DVD and have to say I really enjoyed it

[Delfini (Diane)]

I have had the pleasure of watching the Fairport@forty DVD and have to say I really enjoyed it

Thanks Martin  

I'm looking forward to buying my copy on the 6th  

[Amethyst (Jenny)]

Great to hear that Martin.. not that I was in any doubt..  I will buy mine at the first gig opportunity and can't wait!!

[johanna/ulla]

I will get mine next Monday  

[Bob Barrows]

I found this comment by Dave Meehan over on the FC website very persuasive (I've taken the liberty of editing his comment to make it a little more readable):

Dear All,
As Neil [actually, Mike] Caddick has said, there are a lot of costs involved. RIO for the band is very low on a project like this, music DVD sales are poor even for th biggest of bands.

Robbie Williams sells around 30 thousand DVD units, U2 maybe 50 /60 thousand worldwide, how many will Fairport do?

The live shoot was expensive due to various problems associated with a "festival" show"

• The truck recording audio had 144 tracks of digital recording 72 lines + 72 back up (bit of tech info for you)
• Eight cameras
• tape stock
• editing time (3 weeks) mixing, mastering, transfers,

I could go on.

Nobody will be buying themselves an Aston Martin out of this. Get behind the band you all love. There are many bands out there who wouldn't even attempt anything like this, luckily for you (& me) Fairport will & do. Nuff said!

All the best,
Dave Meehan Live video director Nyquest Ltd www.nyquest.co.uk
p.s it's very good

[Ollie]

David on the FC list has just posted this

  Received my copy of the DVD this morning & am playing it now.
I'm going to try my best to let go of what isn't there & comment on
what is.

Firstly, they have indeed gone for the music documentary format, so at
the point I'm at while writing this (Track #5: South Dakota To
Manchester) there has been an interruption in the music for interview
segments between EVERY two songs. Some of it interesting. Some not. I
know they had to get comments from the likes of Jools Holland, Lulu &
Frank Skinner, but frankly, none of them had much interesting to say.
There's a lot of bits between the songs with album covers & old
photographs floating towards the viewer, which were apparently taped
in 4:3 resolution & simply stretched to fit the 16:9 resolution of the
rest of the DVD, which I found intensely irritating.

The music so far (Track 6: Just Dandy) has all been the current
line-up. The band are is as fine form as I remember & finally we go
into the next number (Track 7: I'm Already There) without any
interruptions. The quality of the camera work & editing of the live
footage is definitely better than on any previous DVD release.
We get a few clips of various other bands during the interview
sections, but no complete numbers so far.

During Matty Groves, I just had to find the setlist for the night &
compare it to the running order of the DVD. Had to find the torrent,
as Expletive Delighted doesn't seem to have been updated for a couple
of years now.
Here's the track order on the DVD with the original performance order
in brackets.

1(1), 2(2), 3(4), 4(3), 5(27), 6(24), 7(19), 8(35), 9(10), 10(31),
11(9), 12(30), 13(34), 14(7), 15(there's evidently an error in the
torrent tracklist, because I can't find 'Canny Capers' listed at all),
16(28), 17(36)

I noticed at this point that this DVD repeats the one disappointment
of the CD release of my first Cropredy (1992) in that it leaves off
'Meet On The Ledge'. I suspect that's because if any of the guests
refused permission to allow their performance to be used on the DVD,
then this number was always going to be affected since they were all
on stage at that time.

After a fairly long section of interviews following Matty, we finally
get a little of what I was hoping for, with Dave Mattacks & Maart
joining the band for the instrumental medley.
I will now officially stop whinging on at Fairport to replace Maart
properly with a new lead electric guitarist (or tempt him back
permanently). From this point on, only a full time lead guitar AND two
drummers will satisfy me! Shame Gerry was only playing bongos &
tambourine on the one number we got from that part of the concert!

Track 11:Red & Gold. One of my all-time favourite Fairport songs from
the post official reformation period (thanks Ralph) & another with the
2 drummer attack. Maart on keyboards. Still a slow number though, so
not the ideal showcase for the dual drummer backing. I keep hoping....

Nice little interview section with Tiny Tin Lady, followed by the
great performance of 'Who Knows Where The Time Goes?' with Beth on
vocals.

We then get a couple more numbers with the current line-up, which are
actually not split by interviews. I think this is only the second time
on the whole DVD that we get two numbers in a row, without interviews
inbetween.

We then get another section with the Tiny Tins, filmed at the Mill
sound check I'd guess. This is followed my another number with Maart &
DM (yay!). It is, naturally, another with Gerry just playing the
Bongos of course.

At last we get 'Time Will Show The Wiser. Richard Thompson, Ashley
Hutchings, Iain Matthews, Judy Dyble! I can understand why they put
that particular high point almost at the end.
The DVD actually ends with 'Best Wishes', but sadly no 'Meet On The
Ledge', which is such a shame.
For an old atheist like me, 'Meet on The Ledge' at Cropredy is the
closest I get to a really spiritual experience. It's one of the few
times, for a short while, that I believe there's really something more
than our short insignificant lives.

The extras consist of the backdrop projection movies for Matty Groves,
Keep On Turning The Wheels & South Dakota To Manchester. The Matty
Groves story told in lego animation was at least one of the things the
fans demanded should be on the DVD that we actually got. But wasn't it
in colour on the night, or was I just that high on the whole
experience that I just thought I saw it in colour?

So to recap. We got one number & a few interview sections with RT &
AH, a few numbers with DM, but not the best of the ones where he & GC
played together. No Swarb whatsoever.

I will happily show this DVD to anyone I'm trying to sell on the idea
of attending their first Cropredy, but for me, knowing what was left
out, it will always fall somewhat flat. I should mention at this point
that I fully understand that the band's hands may have been tied as to
what was available to them. Some people may have had reasons to deny
the use of their appearances on the DVD & it's not for us to deny them
that right, but it still doesn't match up to the memory of the event
in any way, shape or form.

Hope that helps

Ollie

[jude]

I wonder why I've got an exclamation mark after my name...

D'you suppose I was unexpected?

[Mortimer]

I assume it is an exclamation of delight!

[Mr Cat (Lewis)]

I was suprised to read that even the largest bands sell only 50-60,000 DVDs.  Given the expense involved in filming, editing, packaging etc, it hardly seems worth issuing these live DVDs!  If U2 are selling the figure quoted above, that suggests that smaller acts like FC must be selling around 5-10,000 at the very most.  I have some difficulty believing that DVDs sell such miniscule quantities..