Fairport Convention

Fairport Convention played Harrogate Theatre on Wednesday 4th of February to what was, pretty much, a full house, apart from (rather randomly) the two seats next to us and somewhere near the front where my partners parents would have been sat, if they hadn't forgotten that they had tickets.



The support act was Dark Horses (Keith Donnelly and Flossie Malavialle), a Geordie and a French lass whose been living in Darlington, that's quite an accent combination. Flossie had a lovely voice, she sings with a French accent but talks with the strongest Darlington accent I've ever heard. Quite a mix of songs, from love songs to protest songs. I'm feeling a little ashamed, I remember really enjoying some of their music, but now I can't remember any of them, but be assured they were very good, with amusing banter in between songs.


Fairport were invited on and opened with Si Tu Dois Partir, the first time in many years that we've heard it sung by someone who can actually speak French. The set list contained some new and old, including some that haven't been in the repertoire for some time. And Ukulele is a very happy little song, I never thought I'd see the day when Chris, Simon, Peggy and Ric were gathered round a microphone playing Ukuleles while Jerry played a washboard. It's a history of the Ukulele and a chorus song, which you will be expected to sing along with.


This years tour sees the revival of of some of the songs from Babbacombe Lee, telling the story of John Lee, which was a concept album in the seventies, and boy does it sound like it when you hear it now. We also had the comedy value on the night we saw it where there was a brief disagreement about how one of the songs started. Gerry gave them a count in, and no one else moved, after a second attempt there was a long debate about whether it was the right count or not.


A very enjoyable night, ending, of course, on Meet on the Ledge with the audience singing along.


After the performance, Dark Horses, Chris and Simon were all in the foyer signing merchandise for people, so I'm now childishly happy because I've got the latest dvd signed by Simon Nicol.