Wintour Spoliers

[Neil67]

Winding Wheel,Chesterfield.21st Feb '08.
We got "set no.2" last night which,for those who don't want to scroll back comprised:
i)The Happy Man/Doctor Of Physick/Rocky Road/The Rose Hip/My Love Is In America/Reynardine/Wood & The Wire/Mock Morris '90.
ii)Keep On Turning The Wheel/Wat Tyler/The Swirling Pit/Jams O'Donnell's Jigs/Breakfast In Mayfair/Cell Song/Hanging Song/Eynsham Poacher/Hiring Fair/End Of A Holiday/Matty Groves
Best Wishes/Meet On The Ledge.
I'd read on this board how great Chris' singing was on Reynardine but was totally unprepared for the sheer power and beauty of the whole arrangement. Segued straight from My Love Is In America which added an element of surprise the whole piece was really trippy with Messrs Nicol and Saunders playing some really nice atmospheric flourishes.
Other highlights were The Swirling Pit,Cell Song and a great Hiring Fair,again with some new sounds and effects from Ric.
No howlers to speak of-generally the sound was really good although there was an odd(intentional?)slapback on some of the vocals-this was probably more prevalent in AJC's excellent opening set and,as I say,was feasibly choice rather than accident. Simon commented upon the 'seamless' nature of the segue from The Swirling Pit into Jams O'Donnell's Jigs and announced Way Tyler as being 'another' song from Gladys' Leap when, in fact, it was the first but this is hardly surprising given the (nightly?) switching between the two sets.
As mused upon elsewhere,It'd be great to think we might see a "Carry On Off The Desk" CD on next year's merch stall.If it can feature Tam Lin and Polly from last year along with Doctor Of Physick, Reynardine and the Babbacombe Lee trio I,for one,will buy at least two!
Having attended twenty years of wintour shows I thought last year's were the best ever and I was right....until last night.

[MikeB (Mike)]

I'm really looking forward to seeing them tomorrow

[Andy]

The mixup of what song is on which album is intentional humour, reflecting an ardently wrong fan earlier in the tour.

[Peter H]

and one other gripe. WE WE WERE SITTING DOWN!!!!! I wished they'd go back to the half sitting/half standing. Oh well. All in all, a bloody good night.

Spare a thought for those of us who can't stand through a full gig, though, Ollie. My wife and I both have arthritic joints and usually have to opt for the balcony or wherever there are seated places. It was great to see FC up close and personal, we were about three rows in front of Simon Nicol.

Don't get me wrong. We do like to jig about with the rest and we go down to the front at Cropredy; but a full gig, no way. We went to an Oysterband gig in Colchester and found it was all standing. We ended up sitting down on the floor to give our joints a break (pun not intended but all right, if you must....)

That aside, thanks for a great review. We thought FC were very relaxed at Cambridge and seemed to be having great fun. And you are right, it was a very good night.

[Peter H]

( 3) A lady on the front row who, for her own reasons, decided to do a mix of standing up, clapping along, and expressive dance. It takes all I suppose.

Just to add to your comment

I was three seats away from her. It was her first time seeing Fairport and she was absolutely entranced by the music.   She was also somewhat relaxed. Her boyfriend was doing a valiant job of trying to keep her in her seat but didn't always succeed.     I had a chat with him at the interval and he was very worried about it. Ok, it was a bit of a distraction, but I chose to smile at her enjoyment, rather than be irritated, so it didn't spoil my whole evening.  I really felt for her boyfriend though - he did try.

I don't know about smiling at the lady's enjoyment; I think guffawing might have been more appropriate. She certainly made us chuckle. I wonder if we will see her in the moshpit at Cropredy?

[Jan_]

Anyone had set list 3 yet?

[Chris]

I'm not sure there will be a set list 3 - they seem to be switching to & fro between the two already described, and it's only a week till the end of the tour (already? Boy, where has this month gone???)

If you want to hear a totally different sdet list to these, get yourself along to one (or more) of the acoustic dates.....later in May.

[Jan_]

They'll change the set list tonight, Peggy said. And they have a third version to play later on in the tour.

Maybe they're saving it for Birmingham.

[PaulT]

Cover versions of Brum's greatest hits?

Flowers in the Rain
One in Ten
Nights in White Satin
Out Demons Out
The theme from Crossroads

Maybe not...

[Les Worrall]

Well it sounds like it should be "Keep right on to the end of the road", the distance they have to travel from Perth to Cleethorpes.