A couple of question

[Ronald]

Hi, this is my first post here and I have got some questions and hopefully someone will be able to answer them. I followed Fairport right from the start until Tipplers Tales and then lost sight of them. During the 1980's I did buy Red and Gold and The Five Seasons but that was all, mainly because at that time I was more interested in African music and that until recently. I only saw Fairport three times: on Saturday 18-10-1969 in Amsterdam, this was a late night concert with The Incredible String Band. The ISB opened the concert but not soon after Mike Heron was almost electrocuted, the whole audience was shaken by his screaming. Fortunately some unplugged something or whatever and he was taken to the dressing room.  A guy who was sitting near to me rushed also to the stage and he turned out to be a doctor. As the ISB could not continue Fairport came on after a short break. I do not remember much about their performance, only that it was fantastic, I do not know which songs they played but I can remember the instrumental medley. Another thing I remember was that Ashley Hutchings made some gloomy remark about what had happened.

The second time I saw Fairport was at an open air popfestival in Rotterdam during June 1970, but I can' t remember anything about that. The third time was also in Rotterdam on Saturday 30-01-1971, this was also a late night concert and Fairport played for free, the proceeds (10.000 guilders) went to an organistaion called Release. While I was waiting for the band to come on stage I counted the microphones and only saw three and feared someone was not with them, it turned out to be Richard Thompson who had left a couple of days before. I was very disappointed but still it was a very good concert, the only tune I remember them playing was Bridge over the river Ash. A friend of mine took a lot of pictures and gave them to me but I gave them years later to another Dutch Fairport fan, a pity, otherwise I could have posted them here.

Through Fairport I got interested in Folk Music and whenever I was in London I did vistit Folk clubs, I also saw some other bands there like Steeleye Span, Jack the Lad and the JSD Band but somehow never managed to see Fairport again.

Now to my questions, I know that the concert in Amsterdam was recorded, has that been put online somewhere? I ask because I wonder what songs they did play that night. Could it have been the Liege and Lief songs because I read that the album was recorded during the second half of October 1969 and that the concert in Amsterdam took place during that time. Is it also true that Sandy Denny and Ashley Hutchings left before the album was released (December 1969), and that the line up who recorded the album in fact never toured to promote it?

[Jules Gray]

Is it also true that Sandy Denny and Ashley Hutchings left before the album was released (December 1969), and that the line up who recorded the album in fact never toured to promote it?

That one I can answer - yes they did, so no they didn't.

Jules

[Philip W]

I only saw Fairport three times: on Saturday 18-10-1969 in Amsterdam, this was a late night concert with The Incredible String Band. The ISB opened the concert but not soon after Mike Heron was almost electrocuted, the whole audience was shaken by his screaming. [...]

Now to my questions, I know that the concert in Amsterdam was recorded, has that been put online somewhere? I ask because I wonder what songs they did play that night. Could it have been the Liege and Lief songs because I read that the album was recorded during the second half of October 1969 and that the concert in Amsterdam took place during that time.

Welcome to Talkawhile, Ronald. My first thought was to query the date. According to the chronology in the notorious Sandy biography, the band were ensconced in Sound Techniques around that time recording the album - there's a session listed for 19 October. But I see someone has done an exhaustive ISB gig list, which indeed places them in Amsterdam with FC on that date: http://rateyourmusic.com/list/koeeoaddi_there/an_incredible_string_band_timeline_/2/
Poor Mike Heron! He seems to be particularly accident-prone. During his recent tour with Trembling Bells he fell and broke his arm.

As for an Amsterdam recording, there's a recording from the previous year which is up on YouTube (in dire need of speed correction, by the sound of it) labelled "Live in Amsterdam 9/68". Could that be what you'd heard of?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMhuGZQezoo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfxHQmbtMGQ
This appears to be the same recording described by Ashley Hutchings's biographers as "a show for Dutch radio".

[bassline (Mike)]

I have a recording from Amsterdam with the following tracks
1) I still Miss Someone (4:28)
2) Bird On A Wire (4:13)
3) If It Feels Good, You Know It Can't Be Wrong (3:56)
4) I'll Keep It With Mine (5:55)
5) Mr. Lacey (3:38)
The date is uncertain - but is deemed to be from September 1986,but the source is described as being from Dutch TV,not radio,although that too,is uncertain.

[Peter H-K]

I have a recording from Amsterdam with the following tracks
1) I still Miss Someone (4:28)
2) Bird On A Wire (4:13)
3) If It Feels Good, You Know It Can't Be Wrong (3:56)
4) I'll Keep It With Mine (5:55)
5) Mr. Lacey (3:38)
The date is uncertain - but is deemed to be from September 1986,but the source is described as being from Dutch TV,not radio,although that too,is uncertain.

It would have been interesting to hear Fairport play that lot in 1986!  

[davidmjs]

It would have been interesting to hear Fairport play that lot in 1986!  

I thought I was being particularly good in not posting something similar  

[bassline (Mike)]

Sorry,late night - just got up - no coffee yet.
I haven't checked it yet,but the Fairport unConventional box has a performance of Mr Lacey which is supposed to be from Dutch TV in 1969,which if it is the same performance as this recording I mentioned, would suggest that it's not 1968 (nor 1986!),or that the box info is wrong...so I'm not helping much.Although that selection of songs doesn't seem right for late '69,or indeed '86.

[Ronald]

Thanks for the answers!

Maybe the content of Liege and Lief and also two members having left before it's release was enough to get the full attention of the media, still a pity they did not get a chance to tour with that line up after the release.

I think some of the songs played that night in Amsterdam must have been from Liege and Lief, I do wonder which ones, but they were certainly not the songs Philip and Mike posted.

[bassline (Mike)]

Was Sandy with them that first time?
When the band previewd the new stuff on the 24th of September at the Festival Hall they played:
01.Come All Ye
02.Reynardine
03.Sir Patrick Spens
04.Lark In The Morning medley
05.Farewell,Farewell
06.Matty Groves
07.Quiet Joys Of Brotherhood
08.Crazy Man Michael
09.Tam Lin
10.Mason's Apron
11.Ballad Of The Easy Rider
12.Talk With Jesus

[Jules Gray]

Thanks for the answers!

Our pleasure, your bold navyness.  

Jules

[Philip W]

Sorry,late night - just got up - no coffee yet.
I haven't checked it yet,but the Fairport unConventional box has a performance of Mr Lacey which is supposed to be from Dutch TV in 1969,which if it is the same performance as this recording I mentioned, would suggest that it's not 1968 (nor 1986!),or that the box info is wrong...so I'm not helping much.Although that selection of songs doesn't seem right for late '69,or indeed '86.

If you're looking at the back of the box, that's a misprint. Schofield's booklet inside (p116) says it's a recording from a Dutch TV programme "broadcast during the second week of September 1968". So that should be the recording you say you already have - which is also on YouTube minus the final track. Sandy was with them by then, but I don't think she takes lead on any of the vocals, does she?

Which leaves us with the mystery of this concert Ronald attended just over a year later. Was it, as the ISB site claims, in the Concertgebouw (a prestige venue if ever there was one)? It doesn't seem to be mentioned in any of the histories of Fairport.

[bassline (Mike)]

The misprint is on the back of the CD and it's booklet too...
She sings lead on I still Miss Someone with harmonies behind her,a verse or two solo lead at the end of Bird On A Wire,alternates verses with Richard on If It Feels Good...,lead on I'll Keep It With Mine,and Mr Lacey is the usual mass vocal with Sandy as lead vox.
Pretty much the same as the known versions.

[Ronald]

Phillip it was at the Concertgebouw, below a link to a review from a Dutch newspaper with picture of Mile Heron lying on stage.

http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/id/ddd%3A110612020%3Ampeg21%3Ap007%3Aa0094

Edit: Enough with the bold blue text. There is no need to shout. Colin

[Philip W]

How fascinating. My Dutch is not too good but I see in the review mention of two of the songs they did that evening - 'Reynardine' (here called 'The Werewolf') and 'The Ballad of Easy Rider' (here called 'Flow to the Sea'). Thanks, Ronald.  

[Ronald]

Edit: Enough with the bold blue text. There is no need to shout. Colin

Hi Colin

This was not meant as shouting, I just like the colour Navy in bold, that is all.  

[Ronald]

Was Sandy with them that first time?
When the band previewd the new stuff on the 24th of September at the Festival Hall they played:
01.Come All Ye
02.Reynardine
03.Sir Patrick Spens
04.Lark In The Morning medley
05.Farewell,Farewell
06.Matty Groves
07.Quiet Joys Of Brotherhood
08.Crazy Man Michael
09.Tam Lin
10.Mason's Apron
11.Ballad Of The Easy Rider
12.Talk With Jesus

Thanks Mike, I think they must have played a similar set then in Amsterdam.

[Ronald]

How fascinating. My Dutch is not too good but I see in the review mention of two of the songs they did that evening - 'Reynardine' (here called 'The Werewolf') and 'The Ballad of Easy Rider' (here called 'Flow to the Sea'). Thanks, Ronald.  

I had a look at a site where they archive old newspapers and that is where I found it, here are two more reviews, the first one is from the concert in Rotterdam just after Richard left and it gives a lot of info about the songs they played, the second one is from 1975 with Sandy Denny and with a picture from that concert.

http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/id/ddd%3A011235738%3Ampeg21%3Ap007%3Aa0107

http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/id/ddd%3A010560206%3Ampeg21%3Ap016%3Aa0208

[Alan2]

I only saw Fairport three times: on Saturday 18-10-1969 in Amsterdam, this was a late night concert with The Incredible String Band. The ISB opened the concert but not soon after Mike Heron was almost electrocuted, the whole audience was shaken by his screaming. [...]

Now to my questions, I know that the concert in Amsterdam was recorded, has that been put online somewhere? I ask because I wonder what songs they did play that night. Could it have been the Liege and Lief songs because I read that the album was recorded during the second half of October 1969 and that the concert in Amsterdam took place during that time.

Welcome to Talkawhile, Ronald. My first thought was to query the date. According to the chronology in the notorious Sandy biography, the band were ensconced in Sound Techniques around that time recording the album - there's a session listed for 19 October. But I see someone has done an exhaustive ISB gig list, which indeed places them in Amsterdam with FC on that date: http://rateyourmusic.com/list/koeeoaddi_there/an_incredible_string_band_timeline_/2/
Poor Mike Heron! He seems to be particularly accident-prone. During his recent tour with Trembling Bells he fell and broke his arm.

Yes indeed. Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'an electrifying performance'

Welcome, Ronald.

[Ronald]

I mailed the VPRO yesterday but unfortunately they no longer have the recording of that 1969 concert in their archives.