Songs of Sandy Denny at Barbican on TV

[Harbottle (Martin)]

I enjoyed it. A nice mix of vocalists all putting their own spin on the songs. But the 'oldies' absolutely stole the show. Swarb, Jerry Donahue, PP Arnold and Maddy Prior. With Thea Gilmore coming up a close second. Really didn't like Joan Wasser (Who I'd never heard of before) much at all... No complaints really.

Swarb was breathtaking. He made it look so easy...

[Jim]

it was ok, they messed about with the running order and left two of the show stoppers Lavinia singing "a sailors life" and Ben Nicholls version of "matty"
JAPW was the low point of the show when we went to see it live and Maddy's delivery wasn't right for Sandy's songs,all a bit jolly hockey sticks for me.

Didn't Swarb say something along the lines that he found it difficult to deal with the reverence shown as he knew Sandy and what she was like.

[Harbottle (Martin)]

I don't think they'll be calling up Maddy Prior to appear on Strictly Dancing or whatever that atrocity is called.

[Will S]

I wasn't able to get to the tour, and found last night's broadcast wonderful.  I admit I wouldn't have chosen some of the singers myself, but as a tribute to Sandy it was great, and I was happy that the singers largely let the songs speak for themselves.  Maybe it was a bit 'polite', but I enjoyed it.

[Jules Gray]

Joan Wasser is great doing her own stuff, but I agree that she didn't do Sandy's songs any favours.

Whenever the show cut to audio of Sandy doing the singing it was night and day.  Then I realised what was really missing - Sandy herself.

Jules

[gower flower (Shirl)]

Andy T sums it up for me. Lavinia was by far the best performer (along with the backing band). P P Arnold did absolutely nothing for me, similarly Joan Wasser. We all know that Maddy tends to dance around a bit but I found it slightly embarrassing in this context. Swarb, of course, was the star of the evening, closely followed by Thea. Lovely to see it again though, after the show at Warwick Arts Centre.

[hendo (Dave)]

I completly accept the point accept the point about politeness to the point of being reverential.
This is the point i have been trying to make about recent, Fairport, Steeleye and even Swarb solo gigs. Sometimes it 's the venue but I'm starting to believe it's just an aging audience. Then again i still get annoyed at gigs where people talk and don't listen so you can't have it both ways. Thea was v reverential but I don't suppose you go on stage and reveal  the personal weaknesses and behaviours of the person whose songs you are celebrating and i suppose the evening was about a body of work and not Sandy herself.
The , 'Sandy died aged 31' hit me though, it made seeing her in the 70's feel a v long time ago.

[peterwales]

I was at the concert, and thy edited out the bits were Maddy Prior and PP Arnold forgot their lines- which would have added some warmth and humour to the TV show. Other than that, I didn't think it was that bad. I think the running order may have been filmed out of time though....

[StephenGiles]

We recorded it to watch at our leisure, so will probably watch tomorrow. Of any "low points" there may have been at this concert, none so low as the ignorant, uneducated oik black cab drivers near the Barbican who refused to take customers

[jimc]

Well, here's a dissenting voice who thought that PP Arnold and Joan Wasser were his stars of the show... I liked Maddy more than I usually do too.

[davidmjs]

Well, here's a dissenting voice who thought that PP Arnold and Joan Wasser were his stars of the show... I liked Maddy more than I usually do too.

I thought Joan was brilliant (but I like her anyway).  PP was fab, as always, but her treatment of the songs didn't work - too much 'waveyourhandsintheairlikeyoujustdon'tcare' ness about it for me.

[JeremyRS]

Hmm, well fwiw I thought that Lavinia Blackwell just attempted a Sandy Denny impression, which was not only boring but inevitably didn't do her any favours, whereas PP Arnold and Joan did something a bit different.  For me No More Sad Refrains and I'm A Dreamer, together with Thea Gilmore and Sam Carter were the highlights of the show.  Maddy Prior was dreadful, no feel for any of the songs, embarrassing dancing (does she always do that?) and while Green Gartside was clearly a fan, he hasn't got the right sort of voice for the material.  Jerry Donahue was the heart of the show musically but as others have said, it would have been nice if that mightily talented backing band had been allowed to do a little more.

[davidmjs]

Have to fundamentally disagree with you about Lavinia (but then I'm a big Trembling Bells fan too)...and, almost uniquely amongst people I went with and on here, I thought Mr Gartside was fab

It's a really strange thing - singers covering Sandy have always divided opinion - think of all the ones who've tried with Fairport for a start - from Cathy to Vicky to June to Simon etc etc etc  I guess she just inhabited the songs so deeply that nobody else really stands a chance.  I'm sort of glad that some of them still try, and not just ones who have similar voices.

The fact it did divide opinion, and the fact it wasn't just a 'soundalike' gig to me means on some level at least it succeeded.

[StephenGiles]

Everyone has to like something and dislike something else,  and don't forget - Sandy most likely only wrote her songs for Sandy to sing  

[JeremyRS]

It's a really strange thing - singers covering Sandy have always divided opinion - think of all the ones who've tried with Fairport for a start - from Cathy to Vicky to June to Simon etc etc etc  I guess she just inhabited the songs so deeply that nobody else really stands a chance.  I'm sort of glad that some of them still try, and not just ones who have similar voices.

for "doing them straight" as it were I think Chris While is the best I've heard

[StephenGiles]

It's a really strange thing - singers covering Sandy have always divided opinion - think of all the ones who've tried with Fairport for a start - from Cathy to Vicky to June to Simon etc etc etc  I guess she just inhabited the songs so deeply that nobody else really stands a chance.  I'm sort of glad that some of them still try, and not just ones who have similar voices.

for "doing them straight" as it were I think Chris While is the best I've heard

And what a backing band she had!!

[jimc]

(does she always do that?)

http://youtu.be/62I63wO5BN0

[Maurice N]

Didnt think Maddy was that bad.Quite liked PP Arnold.

[Brendan]

Didn't like Maddy doing John the gun but the rest I enjoyed I thought the rest of her contributions were fine, even the dancing. Lavinia was fine but she makes you realise Sandy was blessed to have such strength at both ends of her range. Green was Green, I never expected anything else. I have been going through "The" boxe set today and none of the performers were Sandy, but I am glad, if I wanted that I would have listened to Vicky Clayton, Linde Nijland or possibly Chris While, but as we all know the person who was best at singing Sandy was Sandy and the the sad fact is she didn't live long enough to ever get bad at it, 31 was so young, but to have produced so much quality whether her own songs, other peoples or the interpretation of the tradition is astounding, and someone with that much talent is a very thing which shoudl be cherished. We are blessed with a band that contained several people who could stand shoulder to shoulder with her.

[CarlWoodb]

(does she always do that?)

http://youtu.be/62I63wO5BN0

Thanks, that's a U bend clip of Ralph I haven't seen before.

I thought Thea's comment on poison chalice, writing the music to unrecorded Sandy songs can apply to anyone singing the songs. Either too like her or not like her enough.

I wasn't embarrassed by Maddy dancing and I don't suppose she was. It shows she's still alive even if she's slowed down a bit.