Thursday 28 February 2008

Fairport keep on rocking

To see Fairport Convention at St George's in Bristol last night. After 40 years - and many line-up changes - these guys keep producing great concerts. They rendered a wonderful Matty Groves and gave us a rousing version of On the Ledge as an encore (though, disappointingly, offering a rather naff forgettable new song 'for the fans' in lieu of Tam Lin). Simon Nicol did an affecting rendering of Sandy Denny's Who Knows Where the Time Goes, though nothing could match her magnificent voice. Last night's support was a Belfast singer called Anthony John Clarke who has a nice line in patter (rather better than the too wordy Fairport) and a good voice. With an audience that looked as if it remembered the group's early gigs, this was nevertheless a brilliant night out. And though towards the end of their UK tour, for someone who hadn't seen them since the eighties, it was a reminder of what a good concert band they are.

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