Benedictus
Witchwood
Tears And Pavan
Ghosts
Who Knows Where The Time Goes
A Glimpse Of Heaven
Flower And The Young Man
Alice's Song
Flying
Hangman And The Papist
Autumn
You And I
The River/Down By The Sea
Out In The Cold/Round And Round
Hero And Heroine
Simple Visions
We'll Meet Again Sometime
HUGH'S ROOM, TORONTO, 12 JUL 2003
For scan of setlist handwritten by Dave Cousins, provided by Roger, who was lucky enough to get the original, click on the thumbnail below.
I think I have been driving my kids crazy recently...or at least since April 23, the first night our heroes played Hughs Room. And once my wife saw them in London on the 26th, she was taken in by the magic, too. My 14 year old daughter, deeply into Coldplay and Nickelback, borrowed my Baroque and Roll CD to listen to, and pronounced it interesting and enjoyable. She has taken eight years of piano lessons, and has a fair appreciation of all types of music, so this pronouncement, while not unexpected, was most welcome. My 12 year old son has been taking guitar lessons for less than a year, and was fascinated by tales of Dave Lamberts Ebow. He seemed to enjoy the music, too.
So, when Hughs Room called to ask how many tickets I wanted, I asked for four. My kids were excited, none more so than my son, who had never been to a concert before. My daughter had seen Yes a couple of years ago (and was very impressed), and she relished the chance to get up close to a band. So, in the days leading up to July 12th, the level of excitement in the Hill household steadily rose. And then, the fly in the ointment.
Doug and Ian and I tried to arrange a get together prior to the show for a good pint, and when I mentioned that I would have my children with me and so would not be able to go with them, Doug asked if I had contacted Hughs Room to see if they would be allowed in, they being not old enough to legally partake of alcoholic beverages in the Province of Ontario. An email to Hughs Room brought the response that I should call them. With much trepidation and fear, I did so. I need not have worried. Peter from Hugh's Room took care of the matter, in such a manner as to greatly raise my appreciation of the management and staff of the place.
Now the excitement really started to reach heights normally only approached around Christmas time. Ian had reminded me that Toronto would be hosting an Indy-style race that weekend, and that roads would be shut down, traffic re-routed, and general chaos could ensue. So, we parked in a parking lot at the very western terminus of the subway. We arrived at Hugh's Room just before 6:30 to see Doug standing outside looking for Ian, and in we went.
Clawing our way through the smoking section, we were seated at a table one level up and several tables back from the stage. This didn't seem right, somehow. I'd been the second person contacted, and I had requested a table right in front of the band. We were actually seated right behind the mixing panel, which had the benefit of the best sound in the entire place, but the disadvantage of having a ruddy great tripod and camera in front of us. We also were sat right next to Doug.
Food and drink was ordered (the Caesar salad was awesome, and my wife assured me that the pate was absolutely top-notch). Ian arrived and was seated off to one side, Doug was chatted with, and a generally good time was had. At one point I went wandering around to check if the Tokyo DVD was being sold (and was bitterly disappointed to find it was not). I found Doug chatting with someone, who I assumed (incorrectly) to be Mike G. from Noo Yawk. It turned out to be a lurker on the list called Peter. So, Doug took me over to meet the delightful Mike G., who promised us that something very special was in the air, but wouldn't confess to what it was. At this point, Ian joined us...saying that he had looked up and seen that both Doug and I were not at our tables, and that we must be up to something! Astute fellow, that Ian!
I also met a fellow called Steven, who I had met at the April 26th London show. Steven takes pictures for a London Folk promoter. He normally takes pictures of bands that show up for Londons Jazz festival, but he found himself taking Strawbs photos that night. He was absolutely entranced by the band, and guess what? He showed up at Hughs Room, driving for over two hours to get there, and bringing his wife along ("Honey...you HAVE to see these guys"). He was pretty sure I'd be there, and he gave me some black and white photos he'd taken at the London gig. All nice and contrasty and very artsy. He showed me an 11x14 print he had laboured over that he had taken of Dave cousins. If you have ever seen the work of Karsh, the renowned Ottawa photographer, who took the portraits of some of the most celebrated people of the 20th Century (Churchill, Hemingway), then you should know that there exists a picture of Dave Cousins that has managed to capture the very soul of the man. I must send Steven a VHS copy of the tape I made of the London show as thanks.
The delightful Ann was running the sound board again, and I went over and complimented her on the quality of the sound in Hugh's Room (I have no doubt that this played a part in the decision to make the DVD there). I was very happy to see her back, and told her so. We sometimes forget that there are several people behind the scenes that help make a Strawbs performace the experience that it is.
The warm up guy came on and told us that the Strawbs are heroes of his, too, and that he had been really touched by "Alice's Song". He informed the audience that all proceeds, not just the profits, from the sales of his CD tonight would be given to Brian to take back to the UK to donate to the National Autism Society. A wonderful gesture. His four song contribution to the evening was warmly received. My son, Jonathan, liked him very much, and purchased one of the CDs. He had some money with him, a week's worth of allowance (pocket money), and plonked it down on the table. He was most touched by the thought that he was helping Alice, even in some small way.
Peter, the affable host from Hugh's Room took the stage. In his introduction, he mentioned that "back in April many people had been afraid to come to Toronto because of SARS, but not these guys!" The place erupted with noise. After what the city had been through, and what its citizens had been subjected to, there was no doubt that his crowd really and truly appreciated the fact that our heroes were truly Heroes.
To complete and utter bedlam, the lads made their way to the stage. If, in April, there was any wondering about the reception they would receive, there was none now. Even so, the tumultuous welcome they received visibly shook them. If there was any doubt about whether we would just get a good show because of the filming, there was none. They were going to play their hearts out for these fans and this city. And we knew it!
I won't go into the details of each song. Nor will I repeat each little anecdote that Dave told to introduce each song. I will, however, note a couple of things. The first was that Dave changed the introduction to "A Glimpse Of Heaven". Prior to last night, he had said that this little corner of Devon was the most beautiful spot on Earth, but on Saturday, he said that he had to change that. They had recently played in the Maritimes (Canada's East coast), and that had to be the most beautiful spot in the world. One can only hope that it will inspire a song as awesome.
The second note regards the other song from the same album..."The Hangman And The Papist". My daughter listened to the introduction, where Dave talked about the onset of the sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. He told about being raised as a catholic while his older siblings were raised as protestants (and apart from the odd punch up, they got along). And then came a song that my 14 year old daughter had heard me play dozens of times, but had never listened to. At one point, she told me during the intermission, she had closed her eyes and listened in rapt wonderment to the power of the song, the message of the lyrics, and the nugget of Truth it holds. She was visibly shaken by the experience.
My son watched Dave Lambert, jaw agape, show such astonishing virtuosity and complete mastery of his instrument, that made you wonder why they are still called guitars, and not Lamberts. He listened, as both Brian and Dave Lambert used Ebows to open up "Who Knows Where the Time Goes".
As the evening wore on, the audience broke into spontaneous applause part way through some songs, to show their appreciation for incredible songs and a stunning performance. And I'm sorry if it detracts from the sound of the DVD, but it just seemed the right thing to do at the time.
In the end, the concert was over. The magic had flowed from the stage and into the hearts and minds of all who were there.
The pictures that Steven had passed on to me were sorted through and the best one of each was pressed into service. Dave Cousins eschewed the pen my daughter, Alison, tried to give him, and used a black marker. To her enormous surprise, he then reached out, pulled her close and kissed her on both cheeks! Fourteen years old, and her first kiss is from Dave Cousins!! Jonathan, my son, was in the meantime trying to get to Dave Lambert. When he got there, Dave had his trademark face splitting, contagious grin going full blast. It's not a night he will forget very soon.
Photo from David Orsini
As we were gathering our things together (camera, jackets, my hat), I wandered down to the stage and stood in front of it. Not so long ago, three wonderful people had been up there and presented us with a gift of a night. There, lying underneath the dulcimer, was the hand written set list. Just then, Neil passed by, and I asked if I could have it. "Everybody wants to nick the set lists", he said. "Better, " says I, "than nicking Dave Lambert's slide!" as he handed it to me. I thought about having Brian and the pair of Daves sign it, but I just decided to leave it the way it was. When I get the DVD, I'll tuck it inside the case as a physical reminder, that I was there, on a night when the magic flowed.
So, the Strawbs pulled into town last night for an encore performance at Hugh's Room. They played there for three nights last April, so it was nothing we hadn't seen or heard before. With anybody else, there definitely would have been a feeling of 'you've seen this before, so what?'
But this is the Strawbs. This is what musical power is all about. The boys delivered the songs with the force of a velvet sledgehammer. After all, I've heard "Remembering/You and I (When We Were Young)" dozens of times before. They played it all three times when they wre here in April. So why am I sitting there, with tears in my eyes again? Why does my heart pound so when I hear "Tears And Pavan" over and over again? Why do I smile so when they play "A Glimpse of Heaven"?
This band is unique. They played "Autumn", and there were trees with leaves turning colours in the bar. They played "Ghosts", and there was a terrible lion's head screaming from the ceiling above me. They played "The Hangman And The Papist", and there, like some evil bird of prey, a giant scaffold spread across the far doors. They played "The Flower And The Young Man", and right by the stage there is a crust of snow, with a single flower somehow still in bloom in its midst. They played "Flying", and there was a young boy, sitting all alone in his room, wishing he was dead. He had my face, for some reason.
They bring all these things to life with three guitars, two voices, and music that lives in the heart, in the soul, in the mind. My dear and great friend Bob was there with me, as were my beloved sister Kathy, and her husband Nick. All of us were touched so deeply by the music, and the magic of the night. Meeting good friends I had met before, like Ian, and Roger, and a few others that I had not met before, like Mike G, John, and his wife. So many wonderful people, all Strawbs fans, because Strawbs fans are simply marvellous people. Each and every one of them. As are the Strawbs themselves. So many wonderful people, all Strawbs fans, because Strawbs fans are simply marvellous people. Each and every one of them.
I could write about this for hours, but my words could never convey what last night meant to me. Once before I told you about that last show in April, about how it will always live in my heart, and I meant every word of it. This one does, too. The Strawbs played for a few hours of earthly time. But in my heart, they play forever.
Sitting around relaxing on a Saturday evening I got a call from a friend at about 6:30 that the Strawbs were playing at a small folk venue called Hugh's Room. I saw the band in 1975 or 1976 ish in Regina, Saskatchewan and remembered very little other than I liked it. I had a bunch of their albums back then, having been suitably impressed with Hero And Heroine - and in my usual fashion I went out to get more. But over the years I lost all my old vinyl. I did replace Hero And Heroine on CD, and bought a couple newer releases, but I did not really keep up with what the band was up to.
My pal was not sure he even believed that it was "the same" Strawbs we knew from the old days, but a quick call to Hugh's Room and a lookup on this website confimed that in fact it was the Strawbs. I must admit that both of us hummed and hawwed about going, but after reading the review of the show the previous night at Wakefield Quebec I decided I wanted to see them, and convinced my friend as well.
At first we were stuck way in the back - Hugh's Room holds about 250 people (if I read the info on their website correctly), but I'm pretty sure they crammed a few more in since when I called them, a friendly fellow told me they were technically sold out, but if I arrived about 8:15 he'd get me in. I asked the same friendly fellow (never did get his name) if he might find some space closer to the stage and he told me he had a single seat near the front if I wanted it. So I decided to desert my friends for the Strawbs (should I feel guilty?) and was escorted to a wonderful spot not more than 8 feet from the stage. It turned out that my pal and his girlfriend also got upgraded to a seat with a view, so everyone was pleased.
I met 3 nice fellows who had the empty seat at their table which I got, and we enjoyed trading opinions and mostly appreciation for Strawbs music over the years, along with a few other bands we all liked. Turns out they had been at Hugh's Room a few months ago when the Strawbs had played, and assured me I was in for a treat.
I was up at the bar when the band entered the building and while Brian Willoughby and Dave Lambert shot a smile at the crowd and headed upstairs to get changed, Dave Cousins paused on the first step and surveyed the gathering like the King in his court. A few waves and hellos and up he went to whatever sort of green room is made available upstairs.
At about 9 PM another friendly host type from Hugh's Room came up onto the stage, told a couple of silly jokes and then told us that the show was being filmed, apparently for a future DVD release. How wonderful! Then he asked us to welcome the Strawbs. The band ascended to the stage amidst a hearty round of applause and so began the magic. The oft-deadpan, but always charming Dave Cousins introduced many of the songs with wonderful stories of how, where and what inspired them to be written, and the audience was transfixed by the ambiance he created with every word. And the music... oh, the music... Superbly well written songs performed by excellent musicians. I just loved it. They were well received and of course were loudly encouraged to return for a couple of encores and finally followed off stage with loud cheers and the cameramen following, still filming.
After finishing my drink and saying goodbye to my new friends I headed towards the front exit and found the lads standing about, signing autoraphs and chatting with the fans. I thought they might, and had brought my Hero And Heroine CD and stood in line and got my autographs and enjoyed meeting the band - each one warm and charming and a pleasure to speak with. They had expressed up on the stage that they did like Toronto very much and while chatting with Dave Lambert later he told me that at one time, he and Dave Cousins had thought about coming to live here. I asked him why, and he simply said that Toronto was always special to them and that the were well-received and appreciated and they never forgot that. I told him that was really nice to know. I don't recall how the audience in Regina was all those years ago, but this small crowd sure didn't behave small - lots of standing ovations and we let em know we loved this evening.
Moving on to let others get a chance to meet the band, I wandered outside into the fresh evening air and found a camera aimed at me, asking whether I enjoyed the show. Well I did! And certainly said so. and told him that I would definitely buy the DVD. And I couldn't care less whether I see the back of my head in any of the frames - I just want to hear those tunes again! They were just great! I loved it. The man behind the camera then asked what was my first Strawbs album and I told him it was Hero And Heroine, patted my pocket, and told him I had it with me, and got their autographs. I pulled it out and he focused in for a close up. I told him this was of course not my first Strawbs album, that my vinyl was long lost, and replaced by new technology.
Well the band has changed too - some members have moved on and today we have these three. Acoustic Strawbs. Well tonight the Strawbs showed us all that they can mesmerize their fans and provide us all with what we came for and more - a great show.
I would like to tell a little story...
I think I was about 14 when I first heard "Benedictus" on CHUM-FM in Toronto. It seems such a short time later that I was introduced to "Flying", and "POTU" from BATS. When Hero and Heroine was released, I was completely blown away. Hero And Heroine was my first purchase of a Strawbs album, and I quickly backtracked and collected everything from All Our Own Work onward up to Deadlines on vinyl, as well as Two Weeks Last Summer. Not forgetting Hudson and Ford, either. In fact, Free Spirit is one of my favourite Strawbs albums :)
When my wife, Debbie, and I wed in 1988, our wedding song (first dance) was "The Winter Long". We had both been dedicated Strawbs fans for years. I had attended only two Strawbs concerts, one at Maple Leaf Gardens in the late 70's (I think Procol Harum opened, I'll have to go through my ticket stub archives), and a show at the Diamond Club (now the Phoenix) in Toronto in the early 80's. At the time of our wedding, we thought the band had dissolved into the mists of history.
In 1989, the company I worked for sent me to live in Northern California (Silicon Valley) for a year and a half. One day in late '89 or early '90, I found myself walking through the Tower Records store in Mountainview. Marvelling at the fact that the LPs were all gone, and all you could get were CD's. On a whim, I decided to look through "S misc" and, lo and behold, found a copy of Don't Say Goodbye. I didn't have a CD player. So, I put the CD away and didn't listen to it until I got my first CD player in 1995.
DSG is still a favourite, and was my introduction to Brian's beautiful guitar playing. Shortly after I discovered that I, too, could join the 21st century, and avail myself of the pleasures of CDs, I sought out Old School Songs, Preserves Uncanned, Greatest Hits Live, The Bridge, A Choice Collection, Halcyon Days (UK), Heartbreak Hill, and others. God Bless RGF Records.
Back in February this year I was browsing through some USENET groups when I found a reference to the current Strawbs website (Thanks, Dick!) in the rec.music.prog group (or was it alt.music.yes?). There to my surprise, I found the announcement of the Acoustic Strawbs tour starting at Hugh's Room in April. We immediately booked tickets for the Thursday night performance.
The show brought tears to our eyes, and we regretted not going for all 3 nights. Shortly after, I subscribed to the Witchwood digest. We called Hugh's Room and asked to be notified as soon as tickets were available for the Strawbs' return.
On July 12, we arrived at Hugh's Room just before 7pm, and ordered a lovely dinner. I recognized Doug from pictures on the Strawbsweb site and introduced myself. Doug introduced his good friend Bob, with whom I enjoyed some wonderful conversation over the course of the evening, and also to Roger, who was disappointed that I wasn't Mike G. from New York, but merely an unknown Witchwood lurker :)
Ironically, before the show, Deb and I noticed that there kids present - Roger's lovely offspring as well as another table. Then it occurred to us - Damn! - Hugh's Room is classed as a restaurant not a bar- we could have brought our son and daughter rather than leaving them with their grandparents for the night! :{ While their musical tastes are questionable at 11 and 9 years, tending toward Eminem and boy-bands, I realised that I had missed an opportunity to expose them to a show that would leave a life-long impression. Hopefully we will have another opportunity to correct that mistake soon!
Others have described the show beautifully - it was truly a tour de force which left us exhilarated. DL and Brian both played with impeccable exuberance, and DC's voice (and picking) was powerfully delicate. The stories were wonderful, and emotions ran high.
After the show, I had the lads autograph my TWLS, H&H, Nomadness, and The Bridge covers. DL was in great spirits (I'll never forget that infectious smile) and did some special artwork on my TWLS cover pointing out that DC was holding his dog, Groucho. Deb and I had an emotional conversation with DC. We thanked him for all the pleasure he has brought us over the years, explained to him our choice of wedding song ("Do you still love her?", he said... "Of course- if I didn't, she'd kill me!" I replied). DC then gave us both a hug and offered to have his picture taken with us! I had a one-use camera, and we had one of the video camera operators take our picture.
After this, Mike from New York joined us for some fascinating conversation about his relationship with the band. Finally, I talked for a while with Brian, who told me he was on his way to Nashville, TN for some session work. At that point I mentioned to him (bringing us back to the alternate title at the top) that the Strawbs had dragged me from LP to CD; and now, having just ordered the Tokyo/GNW DVD, they will drag me into the world of DVDs. I guess I'll have to buy a DVD player soon.
P.S.- Thanks again to Doug, Roger, Bob, Mike, and all the other Witchwooders who made us feel like part of a family. And to Dick for the work he puts into the website, Steve for the group, and everyone else who was -here- but not -there- who make Witchwood such a wacky, wonderful place. I'll post pictures as soon as I get the roll processed later this week.
Having had such a wonderful time at the last night of the April shows at Hugh's Room, we were fortunate (thanks to HR's prompt follow up to those of us who had left our names back in April...) to get a great table less than 10 feet from the stage. After a great meal, we thoroughly enjoyed the return performance. As expected, the song set was pretty well as it had been in April, with the addition of "Simple Visions". Having seen some set lists from the U.S. leg of the tour, I was hoping that we might hear "New World", or perhaps "Lay Down", both of which we missed on the Friday night in April...but that didn't come to pass. Maybe next time!
Still...it was an excellent show...although the April show was superb, the increased tightness of the performance on Saturday night was really noticeable...not surprising given the number of dates they've played since then. I don't know whether it was my imagination or not, but Brian seemed to be playing much more out-front lead guitar, which was nice to hear as he really compliments the two Daves. The crowd was very appreciative...I've been at many concerts with larger crowds that didn't make anywhere near this amount of joyful noise in showing their gratitude to the lads!
Afterwards, we had an opportunity again to meet the Daves and Brian, and get a few more CD jackets autographed. They were very gracious as always...if only all concerts would allow fans the same opportunity! I'd heard later that there were some hints that The Strawbs may be coming back to Toronto in November when they head back to the States...here's hoping that this will indeed come true!
Benedictus
Tears And Pavan
Ghosts
A Glimpse Of Heaven
Who Knows Where the Time Goes
Alice's Song
Flying
The Hangman And The Papist
Autumn
Remembering/You And I
The River
Down By The Sea
Out In The Cold
Round And Round
New World
Grace Darling/Cherie Je T'Aime
Hero And Heroine
BLACK SHEEP INN, WAKEFIELD QUEBEC, JUL 11 2003
About a half hour out from Ottawa on the Quebec side, Wakefield seems an unlikely place for a Strawbs show, but the Black Sheep Inn has been making a successful go of it as a music venue for many years now I understand. About 100 fans showed up by my estimate, and a good crowd -- quiet in the right places, and very appreciative. A nice spot, with scenery impressive enough to move Dave C to dedicate "A Glimpse Of Heaven" to it, at any rate. The set list - see right:
A largely familiar set, the one surprise I gather is "Grace Darling". Cousins played this solo ("as we haven't worked it out as a trio") by special request, and introduced it with the more familiar story of Grace Darling rescuing sailors. Halfway through the song, while still playing, he told a second story of coming to Montreal in the 70's and recording the song in French. He was reminded of this by a fan at one of the recent Quebec City shows who brought a copy of the record. He then proceeded to sing the final verse and chorus in French. A very moving rendition of the song.
Another highlight was "Ghosts", which received an extended ovation, and really set the standard for the whole show. Anyone who might doubt the viability of the acoustic format only has to see them pull this off to know anything is possible from that point on. It's not better than the full band version, but it's just as good and different, and that's paradise for a Strawbs fan. Watching them play these stripped down arrangements, I'm reminded of how brilliant the original arrangements are. Terrific.
What else? Dave C's banjo picking on the verses of "Flying". "You And I". "Hero And Heroine". Special plaudits to Dave Lambert, who stole the show in many places with his energetic playing and jaw-dropping soloing. A great show.
That voice! From the first lines of "Benedictus", my eyes were full of tears - it's been 28 years since I'd seen the Strawbs and it wasn't in Canada but in England! Their music still has a big impact on me because of it's spiritualism. It's so great for them to make the long trip "across the pond" and it was a very appreciative crowd at the Black Sheep Inn on Friday. With no bass, drums or mellotron, I wasn't expecting such power and majesty - but power and majesty is exactly what I got! "Ghosts", "Autumn", "Flying", "A Glimpse Of Heaven", "Hero And Heroine", "Tears And Pavan", "The River", "Down By The Sea", and on and on!
What can you say - they're among the best progressive rock songs ever written! "The Hangman And The Papist" got a well-deserved standing ovation as did "New World". Even during the quieter sections the attentive crowd had all ears turned to Brian's superb finger picking, Dave L.'s lead and powerhouse rhythm, and Dave C.'s beautiful open-tuning chords. Dave C.'s voice is as strong as I can remember and comes across more so without the full band. And it's still "sharper than steel"! There was a special playing of "Who Knows Where The Time Goes" with Dave's heartfelt story of Sandy Denny, and the last verse of "Grace Darling" had Dave C. singing in French! I hope the people at the next table didn't mind me singing every song along with them! I really hope they'll stop by again on their November tour - we definitely need to see more of them in Canada!
Benedictus
Tears & Pavan
Ghosts
Autumn
Alice's Song
Flying
Out in the Cold/Round and Round
The River/Down by the Sea
Hero and Heroine
Simple Visions
FESTIVAL D'ETE, QUEBEC CITY, 8-10 JUL 2003
Well, I finally got to see the (very much plugged in) Acoustic Strawbs for their third show in Quebec City. As long as I can remember, I have never witnessed so much sheer, sincere energy from both a musical group and an audience at any show in my life, and I've been to a few. The group has lived up to its already envious reputation and has delivered an extraordinary performance. I'm still trying to understand how can three very mature (!!!) guys can possibly display so much contagious enthusiasm despite the heavy travel schedule they've had to live with since they undertook their tours in North America last three months or so.
Having come to the Pub Saint-Alexandre at 18:15 to make sure I could get a good seat, I was lucky enough to sit right next to the sound engineer at less than 3 m from the stage. The weather had been gorgeous and there was a sort of easy-going atmosphere all around at the Festival. You know, one of these just perfect days when the temperature is just warm enough, where the air is dry and pleasant to breathe. A feel-good evening, and you could tell from the people in the street that there was magic in the air. So Line (my life accomplice) and I had a most exquisite dinner with sauerkraut, spicy sausages and liberty (:-)) fries, perfectly accompanied with a half-pint of Guinness on the tap for myself and white wine for Line. It was just delicious, just perfect for spending the long evening of waiting inside the bar to defend our most strategic position for the show that started at 23:05. I had almost collided with a smiling Dave Lambert a few minutes before the show. Do I like this guy's exquisite smile!! He seems to enjoy himself so much, he seems to like so much what he is doing, it's literally impossible not to be contaminated by his obvious ''joie de vivre''.
The place was just crowded, packed with noisy and obviously feverish Strawbs fans in the pub. I would estimate the number at 100 people (with at most only 60 seated though....), but it could have been 1000 for all I know because everyone was cheering the band like crazy. I mean, I never suspected there were still so many loyal fans left in Quebec City, and it has confirmed the fact that my town has always reserved a special place for progressive groups. Because that is what the current line-up of the Strawbs has succeeded to do with the classic tunes they have assembled They have transformed these songs with which we are all so familiar into intricately complex masterpieces that seem to have now much more power and sound musically better than they ever did.
One anecdote: I talked with the sound engineer before the show. The guy is from California and comes to the Festival d'Ete for the last 8 years and is assigned to various groups which perform outside on the various large stages downtown. He was asked this year to work for the shows at the Pub Saint-Alexandre, and initially said no because he does not like shows in bars - the audience talks too much and does not pay much attention to the product. But when he learnt that one of the groups was the Strawbs, the prog music lover in him made him jump on the occasion. He said he chose the T-shirt he was wearing last night (a King Crimson ''Lark's Tongues in Aspic'' one) because it was purchased during the 'Hero and Heroine' tour that I saw also myself when the Strawbs were opening for the Crimson King... He was obviously enjoying himself at the show very much and was very enthusiastic about the two shows the band gave on Wednesday. A good omen...
Really, I did not know what to expect, except for all the praise I have constantly read from all of you who have already seen the band in this format. I was not ready for this: a succession of songs delivered with such energy, such enthusiasm, such care for the quality and the spirit of the music. It has been beyond my wildest dreams. Dave Cousins was in top shape: what is he drinking or eating, what's the secret for the absolutely incredible power and quality of his singing? I mean, Dave Cousins was screaming his lungs out and was singing as though the world was coming to an end, delivering more and more emotion as the show was progressing until the little big crowd was completely mesmerized by the majestic effect of his voice. And what to say about Dave Lambert, either re-creating exactly electric guitar solos (e.g. the one in Ghosts) to the obvious satisfaction of all the fans, or literally hammering raw, thunderous chords on his guitar a la PeterTownshend and injecting astonishing energy to the songs, in perfect synchronicity with Dave Cousins' mastery of the the musical gems we were treated with. Brian Willoughby looked very casual, very relaxed and although he's not a communicative showman, his pleasure to be simply there and participating to the ''celebration'' with some adornments was nevertheless obvious.
It started with ''Benedictus'', the perfect introduction to the world of raw emotion that characterizes the current show. I was immediately struck by the Olympian calm of Dave Cousins. He did not seem to be tired at all, he looked rather in full control of the situation and was scrutinizing and scanning the eyes of the spectators to detect the reaction. And man, what a reaction!!! Right after the end of 'Benedictus', everybody was already excited, and it simply grew and grew wilder after every song - only with a short interruption with "Alice's Song" (which was obviously not delivered with much enthusiasm or conviction by him and even Willoughby's playing - just a small suspension of the momentum ). The spoken introductions to the songs by Cousins were well thought of: it amazes me how he still seems to re-live the circumstances that accompanied the writing of songs like "Tears And Pavan" or "Ghosts". Although he must have narrated these things a hundred times already, it does not show: the stories sounded fresh, and I could feel his personal relationship with the lyrics of these classics. Routine has not installed itself, quite to my astonishment, given the number of shows the guys have already behind them. That's what I call a true artist, a true poet: he proved to everybody that these songs are complete works of love and beauty, that time has not altered a bit but actually made them better than ever like the best wines.
I don't want to describe each song except for some highlights, for some aspects that particularly struck me. For instance, how Cousins introduced "Autumn": he talked about the hardships of the last three months of constant touring - he said they had never had such a heavy schedule of gigs ever before. And then went to describe how much he was moved by seeing the change of the seasons (with good reason considering the itinerary they went through!), the different touches and tones of green of the trees as spring was blooming all over Northeast America. And mentioning that the leaves would turn brown and that all this beauty is so precious in its fragility and its short span: what a simple but beautiful way to make us feel the meaning of "Autumn"! That's what I had come to see and hear ( and was I spoiled!): Dave Cousins the author, the poet relating to us so directly and efficiently with these songs that are now so perfectly organized, orchestrated and delivered. And with him, two musicians looking so happy, the trio forming one person, a single force that reaches one right to the heart, no way to escape. Just consider that I'm not especially enthused with the album version of "Out In The Cold/Round And Round", but was I excited by the live version I had tonight! The songs now sounded totally different to me, they have been sort of streamlined by the present format in such a manner that I now BELIEVE in them. The magic of live music....
What else? "Flying" sounded so light, it lived up to its name. What a successful rendition of a song that has always deserved more attention than it had! That song has so much depth and at the same time, such pure simplicity. A great choice.... The high mark of the evening in terms of energy and power was of course "The River/Down By The Sea", which was delivered with a sense of urgency and with the emotion of a lifetime. I was blown away by the sheer force of the mini epic. The show closed with "Hero And Heroine". People who are already familiar with the current version of the song must have had the same feeling as me in realizing that the beat of the song is in fact a sort of Irish reel (it's easy to imagine furious fiddles expanding on the busy guitar playing!), and that's how it was played, with the result that the audience went from absolute madness to total bedlam. You should have seen Lambert's face! Everybody in the pub was now exploding with excitement and the cheering was totally, totally wild. The encore did not take much time to come: "Simple Visions", Cousins just singing without a guitar, with amazing guitar smashing by Lambert and embellishments by Willoughby. DC was visibly content with the result and with the total love and appreciation from the public for what we had been treated with, and the song was delivered with as much conviction as one could imagine. This whole performance definitely conveyed all the pleasure of an act of love, all the way through.... Wow.
To such an appreciating audience, Dave confessed his pleasant surprise at the good atmosphere of the Festival d'Ete de Quebec, and his last words were: "I have never seen before as many pretty women as in this town..." Yep. (Sorry if that might offend anybody.... but there are too many witnesses to object to Dave's statement! :-)))) Welcome to our excellent gene pool.
So, all I have left to say is: bless the Strawbs and the renaissance of the group. I only hope that the joy of relating to so many loving fans will change the course of time enough to inspire Dave Cousins and that he will be joined by other Strawbs to offer us his present views of the world, his personal universe that has so many riches. I'm so curious to know what he's up to now, whether this whole unexpected success has awakened his muse...
...What I have heard tonight IS progressive music, and at its best. Yes, the Acoustic Strawbs have succeeded in re-modeling some of the best songs of their rich repertoire into almost perfectly carved works that definitely belong to the universe of progressive music. In the sense that progressive music incorporates the best influences of many genres, and does not stick to any standard of pop or folk or blues or any of the trendy styles that we're fed with on the main musical scene nowadays. Songs like those I have heard tonight stand out as unique masterpieces of poetry sung on a music that is hard to compare to anything else. And that's what progressive music means to me, really: enriching the listener with an original musical language that escapes predictability. And visibly, many people have been fully conquered by the universe of Strawbs music, and the progressive nature of their music is what makes it so special to those who appreciate it. I like to think of it as ''lyrical progressive music'' because of its focus on images and emotions, and Cousins' ever present perception of things. In contrast with the often abstract or fantastic character of progressive music by many groups belonging to the category. To me, it's plain to say and to see that if the Strawbs' opus has endured so much in the heart of their fans, it's because of its indescribable qualities that makes it a world of its own, a world full of poetic visions and emotions and dreams with its common denominator: Dave Cousins' unique sensitivity. That's what reaches me so deeply.
I was so glad to hear the sound engineer say to the audience at around 00:30 desperately and loudly cheering for a second encore: ''The members of the Strawbs are genuinely moved by your appreciation and enthusiasm. They have a long journey in front of them, and they must get some rest now. But they will come back.... and was that a phenomenal show or what! ''
Yes it was, and I hope the coming shows will be delivered with the same incredible energy as the one I saw. And may the realization of the DVD and of the live album (a project for Saturday in Toronto we heard about but I don't know more about the plans right now) become a reality and capture the masterful numbers I've enjoyed beyond compare tonight!
Benedictus
Tears And Pavan
Ghosts
A Glimpse Of Heaven
The Flower And The Young Man
Autumn
The River/Down By The Sea
Out In The Cold/Round And Round
New World
Hero And Heroine
FESTIVAL D'ETE, QUEBEC CITY, 8-10 JUL 2003
My fears about being unable to get in the Pub St-Alexandre for the second Strawbs's acoustic concert of the festival finally disappeared last Wednesday night at 20:50 when, after travelling for 2½ hours, I traded to the doorman of the pub some money in return for the three tickets I was hoping for. He told me that most of the 60 seats where already occupied by people who were there for the Strawbs. He was expecting about 100 people, just like it was for the night before at the first concert.
Then talking with people in there about the Strawbs, the busy touring years they had (especially this one), and so on, was great. The atmosphere was going more and more febrile - time was running fast.
At 23:05, the guys jumped on stage (where a bunch of flowers and a bowl of our favourite fruits were also waiting for them) to the sound of huge applause and whistling. David holding dulcimer, the concert began in sweetness with "Benedictus", which became the first step to a non-stop crescendo of well known classic songs with the audience who joined his voice with energy many times especially during "Round And Round", all this leading to the dramatic "New World" during which David's voice and guitar playing were exceptionally powerful.
The Strawbs now know that they're alive and well in Québec city. Fans in Québec will be looking for some gigs from them in a near future. No doubt about that. The guys will harvest what they seed.
Now I'm preparing to leave home again. I have few other hours of driving on my way, 'cause I already get my ticket for the last concert of this short Canadian tour. I'll be at the Hugh's Room in Toronto, where I expect an exceptional concert which hopefully could end with some recordings and a CD release...This should be great considering all the fine stuff the acoustic trio is able to play.
For English translation provided by Richard Poulin - see below
Trente-cinq ans après sa création, la formation britannique The Strawbs connaît une résurgence digne d'un conte de fées. Nés dans les clubs folk anglais avant de devenir le vénéré ensemble prog-rock que l'on connaît, The Strawbs font un retour au son de leurs racines avec un nouvel alignement, un trio acoustique composé du leader Dave Cousins et des guitaristes Dave Lambert et Brian Willoughby. C'est dans la chaleur intime du Pub Saint-Alexandre ce soir, demain et jeudi, qu'il renouent — enfin ! — avec Québec.
Il y avait plus de 15 ans que les Strawbs n'avaient mis les pieds au Canada au moment d'offrir trois concerts à Toronto plus tôt ce printemps. Lieu de leur plus grand accomplissements— ils ont joué à guichets fermés au Maple Leaf Garden dans les années 70 —, The Strawbs ont une nouvelle fois séduit.
« La réponse que nous avons eue à Toronto a été fantastique ! Nous étions si contents d'être de retour... On a senti que les gens s'identifiaient réellement à notre musique. Il y a une "britannicité" dans nos textes qui, je crois, rejoint les Canadiens. On ne savait pas à quoi s'attendre lorsque nous sommes revenus ce printemps. On ne savait même pas si les gens allaient nous reconnaître ! Et de les sentir si passionnés, si heureux de nous revoir... Ce fut un grand moment ! » a admis, de son Angleterre natale, le leader Dave Cousins.
Avec la mise en place du trio, le musicien et ses deux complices ont vraiment l'impression d'assister à la renaissance de leur groupe.
« On a commencé à jouer de cette façon en pensant que ce serait temporaire. Puis, les choses ont évolué. La formule a si bien fonctionné que nous l'avons adoptée. Nous avons déshabillé les pièces jusqu'à ce qu'elles reviennent à leur état initial au moment de l'écriture. Et jusqu'à maintenant, personne ne s'est plaint du résultat ! »
L'exercice fut des plus instructifs pour le trio, qui a dû complètement repenser les arrangements de pièces aussi lointaines que celles de leur éponyme de 1969.
« Dans cette forme, les pièces se révèlent nettement plus exigeantes et demandent une bonne dose de concentration, d'autant plus que je me suis récemment foulé le poignet, ce qui fait que je ne peux réaliser de très longs solos... »
C'est la spontanéité et l'instinct qui sont à la base de ces nouveaux arrangements. « Je m'assois et joue une séquence à la guitare. Ensuite, les autres me rejoignent. La plupart du temps, quand on s'en mêle tous, ça devient assez vite complexe ! Depuis que nous travaillons sur cette formule, notre jeu s'est totalement transformé. Nous sommes devenus l'équivalent d'un ensemble à cordes. »
Dave Cousins admet avoir dû perfectionner son jeu guitaristique afin de rendre justice aux compositions de la formation, qui a vu passer pas moins d'une vingtaine de musiciens depuis sa création. « Avec les nouvelles pièces, je me dois de jouer avec beaucoup plus de fluidité », admet le musicien de 58 ans, qui est en train d'organiser une Convention Strawbs pour le mois d'avril.
L'événement réunira tous les membres de la formation à travers le temps pour une fin de semaine de fraternisation et de musique. « C'est très excitant parce que les deux fils de Rick Wakeman (membre fondateur qui est parti pour joindre Yes) seront là. Ils sont la nouvelle génération des Strawbs. C'est comme une famille... »
Cet esprit de clan se retrouve aussi chez les fidèles admirateurs des Strawbs, surtout concentrés du côté anglophone au pays. Un retour au Hugh's Room de Toronto samedi sera d'ailleurs l'occasion pour le groupe d'immortaliser ses retrouvailles avec son public canadien.
« On pense capter notre prestation pour un DVD et un album live qu'on aimerait sortir bientôt... », fait savoir Dave Cousins.
D'ici là, The Strawbs offriront trois prestations au Festival d'été de Québec.
« Nous allons voyager par nous-mêmes de Charlottetown à Québec... Je redoute un peu cette partie du voyage qui risque d'être épuisante... Heureusement, quelqu'un conduit pour nous », indique le chanteur et guitariste, qui a été directeur d'une station de radio pendant les années 80
Dans la capitale, Dave Cousins et compagnie ressortiront probablement le seul titre qu'ils aient jamais enregistré en français, Grace Darling, une chanson aujourd'hui introuvable qui n'a jamais été pressée.
« Grace Darling fait référence à une héroïne célèbre de l'ère victorienne. Nous en avons enregistré une version française à Montréal il y a de nombreuses années. Je n'en ai même pas de copie ! Il n'en existe qu'une seule et elle doit se retrouver entre les mains de la personne qui a fait l'enregistrement... » croit Dave Cousins.
Avec des paroles comme « Tu as été mon phare pendant l'orage » — on la croirait écrite expressément pour le Festival ! — la chanson Chérie, je t'aime en français pourrait être réenregistrée pour la postérité à Toronto. « Ce serait une bonne idée... Qu'en pensez-vous ? »
Ce qui paraît évident, c'est que Dave Cousins semble en grande forme, ce qui augure bien pour la participation de son groupe au 36e FEQ.
« Nous vivons des moments très agréables à trois sur la route. À la fin, avec le groupe, ce n'était plus le cas. De cette manière, tout est plus simple. Il n'y a pas de chicane. Nous éprouvons beaucoup de plaisir à faire notre musique. Et la réaction du public est remarquable. »
Sur le plan de la performance, The Strawbs trouvent un défi stimulant dans cette série de spectacles en trio acoustique.
« Avec le groupe, on fait beaucoup de bruit, mais je doute que l'audience entende un seul mot de ce que je chante. Actuellement, avec la formule acoustique, quand le public est bruyant, on joue plus faiblement encore. Généralement, ça les fait taire ! ! ! »
Ils auront fort probablement besoin de mettre la tactique en application au Pub Saint-Alexandre, endroit reconnu pour susciter les conversations entre spectateurs.
THE STRAWBS GO BACK TO THE SOUND OF THEIR ROOTS (Le Soleil, July 8, 2003) - Translation by Richard Poulin
Thirty-five years after its creation, the British group The Strawbs has experienced a resurgence that almost looks like a fairy story. Born in the English folk clubs before becoming the revered prog-rock ensemble that we know, The Strawbs return to the sound of their roots with a new line-up, an acoustic trio - the leader Dave Cousins and guitarists Dave Lambert and Brian Willoughby. It is in the warm and intimate atmosphere of the Pub Saint-Alexandre tonight, tomorrow and Thursday, that they return - at last! - to Quebec. It was more than 15 years ago that the Strawbs were last in Canada when they played three concerts in Toronto earlier this spring, (Toronto being the scene of their bigger accomplishments, where they played a sold out gig at the Maple Leaf Garden in the '70s ). The Strawbs once again seduced everybody.
" The response that we had in Toronto was fantastic! We were so happy to come back... We were feeling that people actually identified themselves to our music. There is a ''britishness'' in our lyrics that, I believe, connects with the Canadians. We did not know what to expect when we returned this spring. We did not know even if people were going to recognize us! And to feel them if so fascinated, so happy to see us again... That was a big moment!" admitted the leader Dave Cousins, from his native England.
After setting up the trio, the musician and his two accomplices are really under the impression that they have witnessed the renaissance of their group.
"We started playing like this thinking it was temporary. Then, things evolved. The formula worked so well that we adopted it. We streamlined the songs until they came back to their initial state at the time of writing. And to date, nobody has complained about the result! " The exercise was more instructive for the trio, that had to completely rethink the arrangements of songs as distant as those contained in their eponymous album of 1969.
"In this form, the tunes are more exacting and require a good dose of concentration, inasmuch as I recently sprained my wrist, meaning that I cannot manage very long solos... "
It's mostly spontaneity and instinct that are at the root of these new arrangements. "I sit and play a sequence on guitar. Next, the others join in. Most of the time, everybody puts his grain of salt, it becomes complex quite quickly! Since we've been working this way, our playing has totally transformed itself. We have become the equivalent of a string ensemble."
Dave Cousins admits that he had to perfect his guitar playing in order to do justice to the group's compositions, that has seen no less than twenty different musicians in its line-up since its creation. " With the new songs, I have to play with a lot more fluidity ", admits the 58-year old musician, who is organizing a Strawbs Convention for the month of April [2004]. The event will reunite all the members who ever played in the group over the time for a weekend of fraternization and music. " This is very exciting because the two sons of Rick Wakeman (founding member who left to join Yes) will be there. They are the new generation of the Strawbs. It's like a family... "
This clan spirit is also to be found among the faithful admirers of the Strawbs, who are especially concentrated in the English-speaking part of Canada. A return to Hugh's Room in Toronto next Saturday will provide an occasion for the group to immortalize its reunion with its Canadian fans.
"We are thinking to record our concert for a DVD and a live album that we'd like to release soon... ", says Dave Cousins.
Until then, The Strawbs will deliver three concerts at the Festival d'ete de Quebec.
"We will travel on our own from Charlottetown to Quebec... I dread a little that part of the trip which could be exhausting... Fortunately, someone drives for us", indicates the singer and guitarist, who was director of a radio station during the '80s.
In the capital, Dave Cousins and company will probably revive the only title they ever recorded in French, 'Grace Darling', a song that is impossible to find today and that never made it to a record.
"'Grace Darling' makes reference to a famous heroine of the Victorian era. We recorded a French version of it in Montreal many years ago. I don't even have a copy of it! There must be only one existing one of it and it must be in the hands of the person who made the recording... " believes Dave Cousins.
With words like "Tu as ete mon phare pendant l'orage (''You were my lighthouse in every storm " )— one would believe it was written expressly for the Festival! — the song 'Cherie, je t'aime', in French could be re-recorded in Toronto for posterity . " That would be a good idea... What do you think about it?"
What appears to be obvious is that Dave Cousins seems to be in great shape, which promises great things to come for the participation of his group in the 36th FEQ.
" The three of us enjoy very pleasant moments on the road. Towards the end, it was not the case anymore with the group. Everything is much simpler this way. There are no disputes. We thhoruoghly enjoy playing our music. And the audience's reaction has been remarkable. "
As regards the performances, The Strawbs find this series of shows in the acoustic trio format to be a stimulating challenge .
"With the group, one makes a lot of noise, but I doubt the audience listens to a single word of what I sing. Currently, with the acoustic formula, when the public gets noisy, we play even less loud. Generally, it makes them get quieter !!" They will probably need to use such tactics at the Pub Saint-Alexandre, a place that is known to arouse conversations between spectators.
MYRON'S CABARET, CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, 7 JUL 2003 AND
STANFEST, CANSO, NOVA SCOTIA, 4-6 JUL 2003
Mike Forest of Shediac, New Brunswick e-mailed the following update on the Strawbs' performances at the Stan Rogers Folk Festival in Canso, Nova Scotia on July 5th and 6th and at Myron's Cabaret, Charlottetown, PEI on July 7th. Photographs also from Mike - his apologies for the picture quality - disposable camera!
Their shows through Canada's maritime provinces were absolutely fantastic !! The Stan Rogers Folk Festival was a huge success again this year and we all hope the Strawbs will come back next year.
A buddy and myself hopped in the car on Friday and headed out with the trailer on our 4-hour drive from New Brunswick to Canso. We met up with five other people from our hometown and we all camped out near the event. The festival grounds were really beautiful. All the stages are set well apart on a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The weather was warm and sunny all through the weekend. It was so hot on Sunday; David's banjo got cooked in the heat. He played it on the stage twice on Monday in PEI but he mentioned that he found it sounded more like a Sitar now than a banjo.
The Strawbs played two workshops on Saturday and two workshops on Sunday along with their performance on the main stage Sunday night. The workshops were held during the day at smaller venues spread out on the festival grounds. The huge main stage held all evening events.
For Saturday's first workshop (1:00pm), as part of the event, they shared the stage with four other performers. It was an open tent with about 500 spectators present. It was only a one-hour show so; the Strawbs only got to do two songs. They performed "A Glimpse Of Heaven" and "Lay Down". Most of the crowd, did not know the Strawbs, but after they finished their second tune, they got a huge applause and there was definitely a "buzz". Their tour manager was very friendly and we got to meet the band after the show. We exchanged a few words and got to take some pictures. Dave Cousins just about fell to the ground laughing when one of my friends told him all his children had been conceived while listening to the Strawbs. They signed a few CDs for us and we left with an impression of having met three classy gentlemen.
In Saturday's second hour-long workshop (5:00pm), they shared the stage with two other performers and got to perform three songs. Having never seen the Strawbs before this weekend, my friends and I were amazed at how the three of them still love to perform and care about their audience. Again, the entire crowd was very impressed with their show.
Saturday night, at the beer garden overlooking the main stage, my friends and I were able to share a pint with Brian and David Lambert who had popped in for a cold one :-) We shared a few stories about the local culture.
Sunday was a scorcher. Incredible weather. Big crowds. The Strawbs again played two 1 hour-long workshops at 11:00am and 4:00pm. They shared the stage with several other artists and they played two songs in both shows. For every one of the workshops, I was sitting on the grass directly in front of the band. For the second show, the sound on stage was terrible, but their professionalism and their music rose above all.
At 11:00pm on a beautiful Sunday night, the Strawbs took the main stage in front of approximately 8000 spectators. They were the second last act of the entire weekend. They got to play for about half an hour. Everything went great and the crowd gave them a warm thank you for their performance. My friends and I went away in awe of the Strawbs music over the entire weekend.
Monday morning, my friend and I rose early and packed up the trailer for our 3-hour drive to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island for the Monday show at Myron's Cabaret. We had bought our tickets well in advance. To get to the island, there is a 75-minute ferry ride. We grab our seats on deck, who comes and sits with us? .... the entire band and their tour manager. We shared some personal stories and had a few laughs. They were very down to earth and loved stories about family and history. We hoped we left them with a taste of Acadian culture and hospitality.
Their performance on Monday night was out of this world. About 30 more of our friends made the drive from New Brunswick and joined us at the club. I was expecting a lot more people to show up from my hometown but things didn't work out. I was quite disappointed with the people from Charlottetown. If our gang from New Brunswick hadn't been there, I don't think the Strawbs would have even needed a sound system. Our group made sure the Strawbs kept rocking all night :-) At this show, we could tell how much the Strawbs were enjoying themselves on the stage. They had been able to do a proper sound check and the music flowed :-) They played two 1 hour sets and we gave them several standing ovations. Cousin's voice is beautiful and with only three guitars on stage they somehow find the true sound of their original recordings.
My friend and I drove home to New Brunswick after the show and we are left with wonderful memories and we agreed that the Strawbs show was way better that what we had been expecting. From "The Hangman And The Papist" to "Hero And Heroine", I don't know how they do it, but you don't miss hearing a keyboard or drumbeat. Anyone, who misses this show thinking such, is in for a major disappointment when they get the review from their friends on what they missed.
Benedictus
Tears And Pavan
Ghosts
Who Knows Where The Time Goes?
A Glimpse Of Heaven
The Flower And The Young Man
Alice's Song
Flying
New World
Autumn
Remembering/You And I
Out In The Cold/Round And Round
The River/Down By The Sea
Hero And Heroine
Simple Visions
MYRON'S CABARET, CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, 7 JUL 2003
Couldn't get to Stanfest (Stanfest is the Stan Rogers Folk festival held yearly in Canso, Nova Scotia. Stan was an institution in the province, writing songs about local people and events who was killed in a fire on his airplane, twenty years ago.) The boys did four songwriter workshops and then were the second last on the main stage final night show. They had a half hour and did (according to Dave C. "Ghosts", "Tears And Pavan", "Out In The Cold", "Round And Round" and "Hero And Heroine"). According to a friend who was there, Dave L. seemed to be enjoying himself immensely during the weekend.
My friend and I set out early Monday morning for Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. We crossed the Confederation Bridge, the longest causeway in Canada and arrived about noon. After lunch at the local brewpub (Canadian for restaurant with an on-premise brewery), we headed to the venue, Myron's Cabaret. The marquee at the front said "tonite (YES, american (mis)spelling) The Strawbs: legendary reunion tour" !!!!!
Went inside in search of legendary folk and found Dave C. and Neil just finishing a lobster lunch. We arranged to attend the sound check a few hours later while the boys went to do an interview on the local radio station. Dave was looking slightly knackered. But somewhat later at the soundcheck, we watched him do a solo version of "Grace Darling". In French! He told me later that he was practicing for the show in Quebec City. There were a few folks from nearby Cap Pele in New Brunswick who saw the soundcheck and were quite blown away. We proceeded to try to convince Dave he should open the Quebec show with the song.
Although Brian was suffering form a mild infection, the show went on at 9:00 pm. And what a show it was! Beginning with "Benedictus", the first half was quite a gentle show. Dave later said that any set with "Who Knows Where The Time Goes?" is usually quite gentle. Dave was at his eloquent best, spinning his stories out with twists and turns. The first set ended with "New World", an omen of what was to come.
The second half started with "Autumn" and continued to build to an amazing crescendo. The absolute power of the three guitars doing "Hero And Heroine", coupled with an amazing sound system blew everyone away! "Simple Visions" and then out to the bar for autographs. A whole gaggle of French folks from Cap Pele mobbed Dave C. for autographs on old LP covers.
Quite an incredible evening with a set list beyond compare.