Monday 14 June 2010

12 June 2010 - A Celebration of Kate McGarrigle, Royal Festival Hall

McGarrigle/Wainwright/Thompson gang and friends
Good start to the day when I bumped into 'Bright Light Bright Light' in Covent Garden on my way to the Festival Hall - yay for village London!

Opening Richard Thompson's Meltdown Festival at the Royal Festival Hall, this was definitely a very special and moving occasion - fan-folk had come to see their favourites and of course to remember Kate McGarrigle, who died of cancer in January.  Some had seen the McGarrigle sisters perform BITD, and even Richard and Linda Thompson on their 'Bright Lights' tour - and of course many were there to see Rufus, Martha and Teddy.  The third McGarrigle sister, Jane, was there too.  Richard and Linda Thompson made history being on stage alone together for the first time in about 35 years for 'Go Leave'.  The Thompson/Wainwright/McGarrigle bedrock was interspersed with guest slots from Nick Cave, Neil Tenant, and the surprising Krystle Warren - among many others: Teddy Thompson shone for 'Saratoga Summer Song'.  However, the real treat was to hear Rufus sing his mother's songs such as 'I Eat Dinner' (with Emmylou Harris) and 'The Walking Song'. Sister Martha was absolutely amazing throughout and she and Rufus really teared up during 'Proserpina', one of the last songs Kate wrote.

Anna McGarrigle nailed it when she said "The really great thing about children is that they're there to sing with you when your sister's not.  It's different, but it's also wonderful".  Quite.