Click for Part 2 - reviews and pictures from the second half of the June tour.
Benedictus
Tears And Pavan
Ghosts
A Glimpse Of Heaven
Who Knows Where The Time Goes
Alice's Song
Flying
New World
Autumn
Remembering/You And I
The Flower And The Young Man
Out In The Cold/ Round And Round
The River/Down By The Sea
Hero And Heroine
Simple Visions
ROSEHILL THEATRE, WHITEHAVEN, 15 JUN 2003
Just got back from Whitehaven. Nice to see Alison again - she was very busy with her camera, and I hope we will see some of the results soon. I think Dave Cousins must have had his best shirts in the wash - a fairly plain black shirt for the first half, a slightly fancier white one for the second.
Was the music any good? You bet! I've seen the Acoustic trio a couple of times before, and been impressed with the sound three guitars and two voices can make, but I think they have got even better - they must have been treated extremely well by those North Americans.
A superb rendition of Glimpse of Heaven - a song I hadn't previously put as a highlight of a Strawbs gig; Who Knows Where the Time Goes was excellent, and a wonderful performance of "New World" despite having no keyboards. Dave Lambert's guitar was ... I don't know, spiteful.
Wonderful evening. Put an Acoustic Strawbs2 CD on my wish list.
Absolutely brilliant at Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven, Cumbria - a very small venue, so it was good to meet the lads afterwards. My first group concert was to see them at Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria - about 30/31 years ago - dry ice on stage - couldn't see a dam thing for a while ! Superb then - superb now...
Thanks again for a truely memorable night - don't leave it too long to return. Best wishes to you all.
The afternoon did not start off well. My Hero And Heroine CD refused to play in my car's CD player (fortunately I had a couple of other Strawbs CDs with me). Then, when dropping down into Cumbria off the Pennines, a stone chip hit the windscreen and took a chunk out of it. And if I tell you that Dave C said after the gig that the first set was probably the worst they'd ever played together, you might feel that I'd have been better off staying at home and going to bed early.
WRONG!
The Acoustic Strawbs at their "worst" are still damn good. I thought it was maybe just me being a bit tired after the journey, but I sensed there was something missing from the first few songs - I just didn't seem able to get into them as usual. But it soon became obvious that Dave C was having problems keeping his guitar in tune, especially during "The Flower And The Young Man". I'm sure it was only because this was my third gig in 10 days, and after the nigh-on perfect Hartlepool gig, that I noticed that something was awry, though from "Alice's Song" onwards everything sounded just fine.
One of the reasons I enjoy going to live gigs is that you never know how it's going to turn out on the night and tonight was still magical despite the first-half problems.
Roll on September!
Benedictus
Tears And Pavan
Ghosts
A Glimpse Of Heaven
Who Knows Where The Time Goes
Alice's Song
Flying
Lay Down
Autumn
Evergreen
Out In The Cold/Round And Round
The River/Down By The Sea
Hero And Heroine
Part Of The Union
Further Down The Road
Will Ye Go
INKFORD HOTEL (LOUISE AND BOB'S PARTY), 14 JUN 2003
My first gig on the UK tour - Bob and Louise's party gig - at the Inkford Hotel this time - once again brought out a fine performance from the Acoustic Strawbs - as well as Bob and Louise's friends, they'd been kind enough to invite a sprinkling of local and not so local Strawbs fans - nice to join up with Les and Sue Cotton, Pete and Lynne Madeley, Adrian the Rock, Kevin and Jan and Nigel Bennett. No disco going on upstairs this year for the band to compete against, though the wedding party which made up the other half of the guests staying at the Inkford may have been a bit bemused.
Opening, as was the case last year, was Nick Evans, with some nicely performed songs including Joni Mitchell's "A Case Of You" and Lindisfarne's "Meet Me On The Corner" which got the rather noisy audience to join in. An extra special treat was the appearance after that of Bob on guitar alongside Nick, and Louise taking to the microphone to sing "Stay Awhile With Me" an old Strawbs song off All Our Own Work and the Sampler. Well done both.
The Acoustic Strawbs set was tight and polished, as always these days. Very nice indeed to see the return of "Who Knows" in the first set - the e-Bow instrumental at the beginning of that was excellent - as tight as I've heard it - I hope that this one will carry on in the set for a while. DC used the intro to "Ghosts" to segue into one of his improbable but hilarious jokes. "Lay Down" was back too - ending the first set, which worked quite well, and at the end of the second - unusually - "Part Of The Union" was included. Well, it was a birthday party....
Between the two sets, a raffle and some facetious presents for the boys - a huge inflatable microphone for Brian, a two-tone feather duster for Lambert - to match his hair - and a hard hat and warning triangle for Dave C - who quipped that if it was to protect him from the effects of a fall like the one he had, he'd need to wear it in an unusual place!
Highlight for me of the second set (all great, but you've got to pick something) was "Evergreen" played in honour for Robert Kirby who was also in attendance (not a comment on the aforesaid Kirby, I hasten to add - but he did arrange the strings for it on Baroque & Roll). Lambert provided an e-Bow generated cello sound. Robert leant over to me during the opening riff for "Down By The Sea" and grinned that it was missing a 56-piece orchestra !!
For encores, Nick and Louise went back on stage and joined the band for "Further Down The Road". By special request, that was followed with "Will Ye Go" which, like last year, got the audience up and singing - I do think that for folk club gigs that wouldn't be a bad one to keep to hand, as it's a definite crowd pleaser.
And a final surprise from Bob and Louise - as the band were standing up, to their obvious astonishment, in from the patio outside came a piper in full kit the pipes a-skirling. Nice touch - Lambert quickly picked up his bodhran and started to provide accompaniment - no doubt reliving the days oif his youth when he was a member of a local pipe and drum band as a drummer.
Thanks very much to both of you for inviting me - great fun to be there and keep the surprises coming..
Click on the picture to see it larger size. Picture by Adrian the Rock.
Benedictus
Tears And Pavan
Ghosts
Who Knows Where The Time Goes
Glimpse Of Heaven
The Flower And The Young Man
Hangman And The Papist
Alice's Song
Flying
New World
Autumn
You And I When We Were Young
Out In The Cold/Round And Round
Evergreen
The River/Down By The Sea
Hero And Heroine
Simple Visions
ROCKINGHAM ARMS, WENTWORTH, FRI, 13 JUN 2003
... or the Acoustic Strawbs surpass the Bee Gees' finest moment with their topical follow up 'Hay Fever'.
Our first visit to the Rockingham Arms on a warm summer's evening and our group were pleased we'd booked the tickets in advance - a Sold Out sign was pinned to the door. As we walked in we found DC tuning his banjo and someone else tuning his guitar and we wondered whether the entourage was now larger than the band .....
Anyway we found a decent seat in the small converted barn and were soon sipping an excellent pint of Youngers. The band kicked off with the customary "Benedictus" - I thought the overall sound was good and DCs voice was in particularly powerful form. I got my first hearing of "Who Know Where the Time Goes" and to be honest it was the least enjoyable song of the night - I'm not sure I'm struck on the e-bow duet and the vocals were quite muffled. However the versions of "Hangman" and "New World" made up for it.
Things continued to get better during the interval - we won the raffle but narrowly missed the 'anything off the Strawbs stall' prize. The second set contained another first for me - "Evergreen" - which I really enjoyed and thought sounded better than on Baroque & Roll. DC spent most of the set snuffling and sniffing as hayfever took over and the fact that he managed to deliver such a powerful performance is testimony to his professionalism.
So it's onward to Worksop and might we still get some of the new numbers ? If not. "Will You Go" would be gratefully received .....
After a pleasant drive down through the three Ridings of Yorkshire, I arrived at the beautiful South Yorkshire village of Wentworth, just outside Barnsley. Met up with fellow Witchwooder Al Jameson as I was crossing the car park and we visited the other pub before heading for the venue, an old barn-type building at the back of the Rockingham Arms used as a function room. By the time the boys came on it was standing room only.
Three changes to the setlist with "Evergreen" coming in in preparation for the following night's party. It was good to hear both "Hangman And The Papist" and "Who Knows Where The Time Goes" after being rested recently. This was another fantastic performance and the second set contained six of my all-time favourite Strawbs songs - rock on!
A thoroughly enjoyable evening in a beautiful setting and well worth the 200-mile round trip.
Benedictus
Tears And Pavan
Ghosts
A Glimpse Of heaven
The Flower And The Young Man
Alice's Song
Flying
New World
Autumn
You And I When We Were Young
Out In The Cold/Round And Round
The River/Down By The Sea
Hero And Heroine
Lay Down
Simple Visions
PLAYHOUSE THEATRE, WESTON-SUPER-MARE, WED, 11 JUN 2003
A warm evening and after collecting my ticket decided a quick stroll along the sea front would clear the head and banish thoughts of a day in the office prior, to the evenings entertainment.
Without a care in the world I was suddenly confronted by two individuals casually walking along one with a 9 foot battle pike over his shoulder, the other a similar length battle axe. A little surreal, was the civil wars starting again in WSM or was this usual for a night out in the seaside town? Thoughts of concern dissipated when I realised their chain mail was also over their shoulders and not being worn in battle mode Too warm even, I guess for the local re-enactment society.
Turning the corner DL came into view having spent time on the beach and even "allegedly" taking in the waters.
Undeterred I press on down the prom past the other theatre in the town turn round and on the way back caught two old ladies reading the "A" board outside that theatre. These two were gave a typical impression of old age, appearing shrunken in height, looking frail and thin, I paused as they sought out the pleasures inside. Not realising the band were on at another venue. "aa-----acoustic strawbs" said one to the other. I missed the words that followed but if they had managed to reach the other venue surely would have been muttering "magnifique" by the end of the evening and perhaps dancing in the aisles.
The venue itself was also a little different from that the band have played in recently having around 600 seats and despite the vast expanse somehow still managed an fairly intimate atmosphere. There was a sparse audience based on the size of the theatre, but I know from other gigs that if that audience had been transported to those other venues they would have had to hang from the rafters for a view.
A concern was how the band would come over given the size hall. Opening with the usual "Benedictus" I was not convinced that the volume was sufficient to make this evening something special. How wrong would I have been to have judged at that time, as previous reports of a new found energy and dynamism quickly surfaced and remained for the whole of the remaining gig. All of the band seemed at ease and played as if they were one. New licks and cameo's also brought a freshness and verve to the set and captivated the audience.
"Best yet" were comments circulating at the interval. The sound engineer did a great job,as not only did the sound reverberate around the hall but the balance between the trio was nigh on perfect and you could virtually pick up and hear every note individually from each guitar etc.
I could really list all of the set as highlights, but "Ghosts", "Autumn" and "Out In The Cold" came over as works that had benefited from their recent trip stateside and also the clarity of the PA.
Traffic conditions from Bristol prevented any thoughts of looking for that infamous little bungalow, but that aside the evening will be fondly tucked away as one to remember.
A great night at the Playhouse Weston. The audience swelled to close on 100 and the boys put in a resounding performance bringing the audience to their feet ....well one person, actually... the rest of us were foot tappers. Wouldn't it be great to hear a live performance of the entire '68 recordings. Anyone else feel the same?
GODIVA FESTIVAL, WAR MEMORIAL PARK, COVENTRY, FREE EVENT, SUN, 8 JUN 2003
One of the great things about going to Strawbs gigs is the way loads of events tie in together and make them such lovely occasions. My home town, Coventry, is renowned for getting things wrong! The Godiva Festival is a noticeable exception. Sure the usual Warwick Folk Festival suspects tried in vain to make it their day--but the crowd who packed the Peugeot Music tent were there for one reason only--and, in spite of dreadful interruptions from the adjoining African drumming tent, they were not disappointed!
Highlights for me--seeing so many dear old friends over the last twenty years joined in support for our favourite band: the new "Out In The Cold/Round And Round" segue with DC's legendary emotional vocals to the fore; "Flying" (I was suddenly 18 again) and "Hero And Heroine" which just gets better and better; the five minutes with DC in the Beer tent and his story about the dog and his hay fever; the great atmosphere and the sunshine - thanks guys!
P.S. A special thank you to Brian Willoughby. We share brief conversations about once every half decade. I am touched by the way Brian always remembers my name and his genuine friendly greetings. A true gentleman and a legendary guitar player (check out his first break on the new version of Blue Angel--Awesome!)
Arrived at the festival in Coventry around 2-00 pm on Sunday. Acoustic Strawbs came on in the marquee at around 5-15 pm and did about an hours set. The lads all looked very refreshed from their USA/Canada Tour and were in excellent form. Quite a few people managed to scramble in to see them. "Alice's Song" was well received as was "Down By The Sea" which as I`ve mentioned in the past, just gets better and better. Everyone joined in with "Lay Down" and of course the encore "Hero And Heroine" was brilliant.
Another great show. The sun was shining, as were The Strawbs.
Benedictus
Tears And Pavan
Ghosts
A Glimpse Of heaven
The Flower And The Young Man
Alice's Song
Flying
New World
Autumn
You And I When We Were Young
Out In The Cold/Round And Round
The River/Down By The Sea
Hero And Heroine
Simple Visions
TOWN HALL, HARTLEPOOL, WED, 4 JUN 2003
Well, what can you say after a performance like this!
I've been to umpteen Acoustic Strawbs performances now and I've never been disappointed and I've thoroughly enjoyed them all, but this was special. From the first note of "Benedictus" you could tell that the sound was almost perfect, I could hear all three guitars (and dulcimer and banjo) clearly and balanced and the vocals were nice and crisp.
The six weeks and nine thousand miles touring Canada and the USA has clearly put extra vim and polish into the performance. Dave Lambert in particular played and sang with such passion resulting in the best rendition of "Ghosts" I have had the pleasure of hearing. The performance was all the more remarkable as they only arrived at the venue at 6pm due to traffic problems and Brian had had to do the driving as Neil was ill!
It's hard to pick out stand-out songs because the whole performance was so good, though "Autumn" was particularly beautifully played. Wonderful to hear "Simple Visions" again, one of my favourite Strawbs songs, as it never fails to make me feel happy and we get free expression from Dave C's arms :o)
A decent turnout of 121 (Neil from the Beeb did a headcount from the balcony) and a very appreciative audience so hopefully the North-East won't be abandoned in future tours.
I even persuaded my boss to attend on the strength of lending him Baroque and Roll. I talked to him afterwards and he was absolutely staggered at the power of the performance and the sound generated from only 3 instruments. He's since been seen wandering round the office humming "Benedictus".
Brilliant!
More pictures from Alison offsite at www7.brinkster.com/benedictus/as030604.htm.
Once again, a great night at a great venue. The theatre was just over half full with about 150-175 dedicated fans (new and old) in attendance. Just arrived back from the States the band were in fine form and had obviously benefited from their excursions in the former colonies.
The set (as previously listed) was played tighter, with more passion, confidence, and "gusto" than before. Dave L was inspired, Brian was exceptional, and Dave C's vocals were a delight to behold. Highlights of the evening, "Hero And Heroine", "Out In The Cold/Round And Round", and a fantastic/stunning "Simple Visions."
On second thoughts the highlight of the evening was The Acoustic Strawbs. This gig (one of many I've attended) was the best yet. After a quick chat to "Two old gentlemen" and Dave, a couple of CDs and a poster signed we set of home knowing we had seen something very special and working out where to see the band next.
Messrs Cousins, Lambert and Willoughby kicked off their UK tour in Hartlepool last night playing to an eager audience and they certainly did not disappoint.
They rolled out familiar numbers in almost flawless repetition. Dave Cousins unique distinctive vocals carved their mark on most of the songs, whilst Dave Lambert poured out his emotions with some marvellous electric guitar playing. Brian Willoughby, quietly, strummed some of the intricate acoustic guitar playing. The songs were interspersed with a tapestry of rich dialogue from Dave Cousins, who painted very vivid pictures and stories behind most of the material used on the night - his stories were an entertainment in themselves!
The band played a mixture of material from the Strawbs era including a large smattering from the acoustic album. Stripped away was the heavy instrumentation leaving the simple melodies and lyrics for the audience to marvel at. Highlights for me are too numerous to mention but include "New World", "The River", "Tears And Pavan" and the haunting vocals of Dave Lambert on "The Flower And The Young Man". The encore, for the two set show, was a lively rendition of "Simple Visions" which left the audience wanting more!
Leaving the gig you could sense the excitement and buzz of the audience, most clutching a CD or DVD tightly in their hands. If you get the chance to catch these guys on tour you won`t be disappointed!
Fantastic set once again in a very nice venue - acoustics sounded great. I last saw the band at Darlington Arts Centre in January 2002 and the setting was very similar. The room could hold approx. 300 although there was about 150 at the show. Dave never seems to look any older and his voice seems to improve with age. Once again I had my wife and 2 young Strawbs fans with me (aged 8 and 12 now - they ARE looking older!) as they never miss the chance to see a good live band and the Strawbs are one of their favourites. The set lasted almost 2hours and included "Autumn" (a personal favourite of my daughter and me and first time I have seen it live). The encore was "Simple Visions" (Brian played the latter half of the song with only 5 strings due to some heavy strumming)
It still amazes me how three acoustic guitars can sound like the full band at times. Looking forward to their return to the North East in the not too distant future I hope. One regret is not hearing "Lay Down" or "The Hangman And The Papist" played - both are firm favourites of mine and every time I have seen either Dave or the band they have been played. In all a fabulous night.
Just got back from Hartlepool after a 220 mile round trip but it was more than worth it. Firstly I would like to thank you guys over in Canada and the USA for taking care of the lads whilst they were in your care, and secondly "what did you do to them". They seem to have come back refreshed and in high spirits (or maybe just spirits), but what a performance tonight. It is without doubt the best Acoustic Strawbs concert I have seen. So much tighter and confidence oozing from them. Maybe it's the 6 week tour overseas that has enhanced their performance, but wow it was fabulous.
I would think that Hartlepool Theatre housed approximately 200 people tonight but the applause and jubilation given to the lads was like a full Wembley Stadium (when it was last full that is). FANTASTIC and I can't wait now for next Friday's Wentworth gig which is only 4 miles from my home and then I can stay over and speak to the lads again. Alison was there in her home county of Cleveland and I am sure she will give a full run down on the Hartlepool gig later including them singing her favourite Strawbs song "Simple Visions". Also met 'Neil from the Beeb', nice to see you Neil, and I am sure we will meet again before the end of the year.
Well I can retire to my bed tonight a very happy chappy, it was well worth the trip :-))))))
Without doubt the best I have ever seen them play so the 6 weeks practice over the pond must have done them good. More tomorrow 'cos I'm going to have a quick watch of the new "Live in Tokyo '75" DVD which was on sale at the gig and there's photos to download.....
BTW Al - we were in County Durham ;o)
Pictures by Alison Brown