English folk-to-rock pioneers Fairport Convention re-convened at the Barbican Hall to celebrate 40 years of music making. The early numbers were a bit ho-hum as the evening didn't really kick off until they reached the 1970s 'Liege and Lief' era, where the virtuoso fiddle playing of Dave Swarbrick gave the folk music the punch it needed. Trouble was, Mr S didn't show up ("artistic differences" - come on, grow up!) so it was left to Chris Leslie to do the honours. Not to diss the guy - and he was brilliant - but the whole point of a Fairport reunion was to see the original players (family illnesses excused). The glory 'Liege and Lief' tracks were brilliant - silver-haired folkies doing their own headbanging/nodding like mad.
It being a while since the 70s, there were a fair number of "children of the band" taking part, such as Chris While's daughter and of course 'Father of the House' Richard Thompson managing to field a daughter Kami, son Teddy and ex-wife Linda. (No sign of grandson Zac Hobbs, though.) Kami and Teddy duetted delightfully for 'Who Knows Where the Time Goes' and Teddy's 'Genesis Hall' can be seen here on good old Youtube.
It must have been hard to keep a bunch of talented individuals together back in the day, and easy to see why RT and others decided to branch out on their own.
Friday, 11 September 2009
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