Unchanging yet evolving their music to reflect, their past, their present and post signs to the future, Fairport Convention remain as relevant and committed as ever. No signs of slowing down, new material and a fresh live album to push, Simon Jones caught their latest road trip.
“I remember the days when we had roadies,” Ric Sanders tells us from the stage, “now we have carers!” Which all goes to inform that the longest running brand in folk rock is back in town. Fairport by name, Convention by nature and the town, Buxton. The Arts Centre attached to the glorious Opera House, if you want to be exact. Tonight this is very much Fairport’s audience, even before the band strolled on just gone 8 o’clock there was no doubt of it, the T shirts bearing not only their name but guest lists from Cropredys down the years were legion. The ring round the merch table was six or seven deep, occasionally you’d catch a glimpse of those selling Fairport items through the throng, a rasied CD here and shirt sleeve there… “And what’s your size?”
“I’ve been in this band forty years now,” Ric continues, which brings in another observation and that is since the band reformed in 1985 as a proper entity and began their second life, the instability which plagued their first incarnations and the revolving door of members, is completely gone. The line up is now so solid, there have only been three departures in four decades – even one of those was a return. Whilst they might joke about their age – all of them did – it’s also obvious from the off there is versatility and experience here and a kind of comradeship which most groups never come anywhere near.
The long, marathon opening ” Ye Mariners All” signalled a set list generous with pre 1985 items, great to see “Flowers Of The Forest” restored to favour with Simon Nicol’s dulcimer as rhythmically effective as ever. Other delights included “John Condon” the anti war contemplation, which has such a sympathetic melody and lyric you feel just listening like you are in Flanders fields. “Rising For The Moon” remains the ultimate road song with a rolling, bouncy lilt and fine fiddle solo which you never tire of hearing. They’d also opted for more folk rock than in some years, “Claudy Banks” again had Simon Nicol in good voice, though Chris Leslie ran him close with new items “Spring Song” and “Banbury Fair” apparently where Chris met his wife – how’s that for you Fairport trivia collectors? Both songs from his pen and replete with traditional tunes secreted about their person.
Ric Sanders dug out “The Rosehip” which despite its plant connections always seems to me like a good name for a canal boat as it drifts along at its own pace, slower here, a wee bit faster there, just like a barge trip : name your own canal. “Farewell Farewell” would be an ideal final number redolent as it is with words of parting and next time, but this is Fairport Convention so you know what their closer will be, yes it’s…“Matty Groves” and given the power of the banjo fuelled epic Trad Arr. long may it be so. Of course they encored with “Meet On The Ledge” and if you could imagine yourself in a field in Oxfordshire in August, you sang along in unison with the 200 or so like minded souls. In fact if you didn’t you should have been forcibly removed.
Observations showed the power of Dave Mattacks on drums has revived the attack and sharpness so much Dave Pegg has responded with chunkier, funkier playing, driving the whole ensemble to considerable heights. They’d a new limited edition live CD out which they uncharacteristically plugged lightly, unheard as yet by your scribe if it’s anything like the gig tonight it’ll be well worth your time. Some bands are indestructible, even Teflon coated, Fairport Convention remain young at heart, the years feed their ability to deliver. Long may they run.
www.fairportconvention.com Photo Credit Pavel Ivanov.
