" What? WHAT?" I hear some of those who know me well saying." Hath Hell finally frozen over then?" Well no. Last night, once again, I was a guest at the friendly and hospitable Warwick Folk Club. A venue I have visited happily many times, and where I have always been made very welcome as a performer. Apparently some other event also happens in the same Town each Summer, but being amongst a minority of Warwickshire artistes permanently excluded from it (unless I buy a ticket) I cannot possibly comment on that.
After a fairly temperate day it came as a bit of shock to have to drive from North to South Warwickshire through torrential rain. This monsoon and Coventry's spider web of asphyxiating road works (easy for you to say!), meant that we were parked up with only seconds to spare. ( Only once have I ever made the mistake of arriving late at Warwick Folk Club and attempting street parking. A terrifying operation, during which minor adjustments were made both to the bodywork of my vehicle and one other).
Last night was a Warwick debut of sorts for my Niece and I, aka Nunc. We had both sung there previously. Flossie with Pennyroyal and I as part of Black Parrot Seaside. But a lot of water has flowed beneath so many bridges since then, and this was our fifth appearance at different Warwickshire Folk Clubs since last December. Nuneaton, Bedworth, Atherstone and Long Itchington already having been ticked off. We are still coming to terms with a raft of new material, and with the challenges of memorising new lyrics and harmonies as a duo for the first time,but things are evolving nicely. As importantly, we are both enjoying performing together, and our reception last night was gratifying.
It was one of those themed nights that Warwick always do so well. Compered impeccably by the rather lovely Martin Day, there was a smackerel of Norman Wheatley about the theme which was "Songs you knew and Loved." Although Martin hosted, the old Curmudgeon himself was loitering significantly in the background, which was good to see, considering his recent health issues. Indeed (non-too reluctantly) he was cajoled up himself to do a couple first half, and later joined in a scratch band, delivering the Finale: a thigh-slapping version of " Chicken On A Raft," in which he was joined by ( I think) Rob Watts and Nigel.
There were a lot of floor singers. A procession of them were shepherded up and home so energetically by Martin, that I confess I did not catch all of their full names. Warwick is so relaxed that they don't always do second names anyway. Rick Middleton and Peter Wimpenny were there, whom I'd seen before. Martin also did us a couple-he began the evening with "The Ash Grove,"a very wholesome version not at all like the alternative, fondly known as "The Girl from Glamorgan," which I first heard at Stoke Old Boys Rugby Club. Some people get very precious about versions and variations. I think they just get adapted and evolve as people pick them up from hearing in clubs, or as they transcribe them from songbooks or from the Internet. Or they get amended as they are handed down, or as we ourselves try to recall them from memory. Of which, more later. (Memory, that is). I think.....
Thrupp'nny Bits and the adorable Spangle performed with panache a fine selection of three part harmonies, with Flossie adding a fourth from the front row. Des later did a solo spot, (he has a fine CD out, you know), preceded by a moving tribute to Flossie and her Mummy's song "The Call," and all things Pennyroyal. He grudgingly muttered something about Diane's oddball brother and then thundered out a version of "The Old Barbed Wire." Surely the most authentic one, although the one I do is one of several variations I've heard. Ditto "Shoals of Herring" and "Chicken on a Raft. " There must be half a dozen Cockades, at least, and at least three "Cold Haily"s. The 'Bits will be amongst the many acts joining us at Nuneaton Folk Club on April 1st for our Comedy Night, incidentally.
Quite as interesting as the songs, were some of the anecdotes recalled by the performers. Martin had also very kindly brought along a nostalgic collection of Vinyl of appropriate vintage, and what a Pandora's Box that was, as we combed (by invitation) through it during the interval. The Yetties. The Corries. Alex Campbell. Swan Arcade. Liege and Lief. A whole lot (fortuitously) of Steeleyes albums.
By the interval we were exhausted, having swum round the Horn, gone hunting for that Poor Old Bloody Hare (Hiss! Boo!) and fished The Swarth and The Broken Bank looking for Herring. (You'd spend a long time nowadays doing that). Cecil Tawney featured quite strongly during the evening and later, with it being St. Patricks Day Eve, we had a haunting rendition of "Fields of Athenry." We had sunk in Liverpool Bay with the Ellen Vannin and had already been to Dublin a few times, and London as well, with Ralph's Magnum Opus about Old Ladies a nailed on a certainty for such an evening. We must have covered thousands of miles from our chairs and stools last night. And we were thrilled to win not one but THREE George Clooney Calendars in the raffle. (Guess where they will resurface?)
There was a useful Bluesman there, second half, who did a James Taylor reworked song, but he disappeared soon afterwards. Which is a pity, as I might have invited him over to Nunny for our Blues Night in August. Nunc's second half Steeleye mini-tribute fitted in quite well with the theme and martin's Vinyl exhibition. We sang "Cold Haily, Windy Night", "Tom O Bedlam" and "Rave On". We also added "Lord of The Dance", as it was nearing Easter, it's pretty old and quite a few people still love it. It was the first time we'd done this song in a club together, although we've both probably sung it hundreds of times in public before. Most of these numbers I'm delighted to say, I managed to get through without a visual word prompt. Thanks to my recently doubled daily intake of Statins prescribed by my G.P. the um...my...my...what's that thing called...oh yeah, memory, seems to be gradually erasing all those...you know, noises you make with the voice. Songs. That's the one.
I see from the WFC fliers that coming soon at Warwick are Mad Jocks and Englishmen. Long ago, when the Earth was new, Black Parrot Seaside played support to them several times in Brum. At the Bell and Pump ,and at a gig at a Tennis Club somewhere in Edgbaston One of several interesting venues we played. We also once did a Hunt Ball. And a Miners Benefit. And a CND Fundraiser with members of UB 40. We were very apolitical, if the money was right.
