Review by Mark Salter
“The word legendary is used far too often, but in this case it is totally appropriate,” said Mike Hoare as he introduced folk rock stalwarts, Fairport Convention.
It is more than apt then that Myth and Heroes is the title of their most recent CD and formed the backbone of this Warthog Promotions gig in Lowdham Village Hall, on June 1.
The combo formed in 1967 and has seen a variety of line ups before the current quintet which has endured for over 20 years.
Lowdham’s audience saw a stripped back, largely acoustic format – Simon Nicol (guitar/vocals), Dave Pegg (bass/vocals), Chris Leslie (multiple instruments/vocals), Ric Sanders (fiddle/vocals) and Gerry Conway (Cajon/percussion). Nicol compared the coming and goings of early Fairport members with the crew of the ship as charted in Ralph McTell’s, Clear Water.
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The eponymous title track from their latest album traced human history from the time of Romulus and Remus ‘in just four and a half minutes’. Sander’s penned instrumental The Gallivant had hints of Grappelli whilst Man In The Water offered a mystery of who and why? However, the most touching was John Condon in remembrance of a 14-year-old Irish boy who lied about his age to sign up, fight and meet his death in the Great War. Nicol’s vocals sensitively told the tale over Leslie’s haunting harmonica and Sanders’s melancholy fiddle. Nicol took on a different challenge with Steve Tilston’s Naked Highwayman. Tilston’s being a bit of a wordsmith has written intricate lyrics which required a deal of vocal dexterity from Nicol as his facial expressions told.
Exquisite love songs, Leslie’s My Love Is In America, and, a second from McTell, Girl From The Hiring Fair, had the audience swaying along. Equally atmospheric was Sanders’s instrumental Portmerion, dedicated to the village where 60s cult TV programme The Prisoner was filmed. Swirling motifs within the melody conjured images of the picturesque, seaside setting. ‘It’s a hotel now,’ observed Sanders, ‘you can check in but …’ Contrastingly, a pastiche on fellow folk rockers, Steeleye Span’s Christmas hit, Gaudete, reworked as Crudités, complete with acappella vocals, had people in stitches as did a series of one-liners in the Tim Vine vein delivered by Sanders. Also riveting was a ‘drum solo’ by Conway on the Cajon (Spanish beat-box) showing its full potential.
There was also a dip into Fairport’s back catalogue with Ye Mariners All, and Crazy Man Michael. Overall Fairport struck a perfect balance of new material interspersed with numbers from their back catalogue as is customary. An impassioned rendition of Matty Groves brought the gig to a close before Fairporters were rewarded with an encore of anthemic, Meet On The Ledge in memory of passed friends.
Tragically, just days after the gig, original Fairport violinist Dave Swarbrick was reported to have lost his long battle with illness. Another great name to remember when this song is next sung. RIP Swarb!
For information on future Warthog gigs on for details on how to buy tickets visit: www.warthogpromotions.com.
