Frankly I was dreading this one. Not because of the Guests, Bird In The Belly. (whom,for the sake of brevity we will refer to from now on as BITB). No, I knew they would be brilliant. (And they were). I have played tracks from both their albums regularly on Anker Folk and have published glowing reviews of both CDs online and in magazines. I have also dearly enjoyed albums from Hickory Signals and Green Ribbons who include BITB personnel in their number. I was also confident about the individual strengths of each of the floor spots. And Nunc had actually put in a rehearsal and a gig between the last NFC night and this one,so we were looking forward to airing some new material.
No, my apprehension was a mix of trepidation infused by the impending Coronavirus and a longstanding family anxiety connected with that which (finally) resolved itself later the following morning. Absolutely nothing to do with panic or fear of enclosed spaces or big,smelly,sneezing groups of people. Oh and it was cold,so very cold. ( Even though the hall is fully centrally heated) "And those stairs are so steep! " ( Right here I'd like to pay tribute to one of our most dedicated followers, Doreen Tiernan, who struggles up those stairs pretty well every NFC evening, even though she's on two sticks,and has been been since Day One. God bless you and Patrick, Dor!
We'd had house full notices on the first Wednesday in February,thanks to the pulling power of Kevin Dempsey. My greatest fear on this March Wednesday was not of being struck down by the Four Horsemen, but purely dread of not enough people turning out to welcome a band who had travelled all the way from Brighton to entertain us.
Entertain us they did. The video clips I'd pasted up on the NFC Facebook page beforehand obviously did the trick. The place was busy. Not rammed, but comfortable,with a fair sprinkling of new faces. I felt an almost paternal pride as BITB concluded their second fabulous set with the infamous ear worm "Give Me Back My Heart Again." The opening (unaccompanied) section was mesmerising and the following more upbeat part got the whole hall rocking. With some imposing synchronised clapping.
Nunc got the evening under way by running some new material past the NFC audience. We were,alas without our lead guitarist Paul Moore (he won't mind me calling him that),so it was down to Hammerhands, John Kearney to be both the engine room and the supercharger. "All Gotta Die Someday," was a late change to our running order. That wasn't new of course-it has become a kind of anthem which we start our set of with when playing elsewhere. It had never seemed more ironic or appropriate. Once that was under way and we'd all had a good (if nervous) laugh at ourselves, it was time to lower the mood a little.
Both John and I have lost good friends recently-its the penalty of growing older together-and Nunc had been working on arrangements of "Dark End Of The Street " and "My Old Friend The blues." We had only done them publicly once before, but they went o.k. Must admit I found singing both quite emotional.
Up came Nuneaton Virgin John Oswin to follow that. I'd seen him twice elsewhere so I knew the NFC crowd would appreciate him,and he certainly went at it right from the off. With his Trilby shades and tin star and his midwest Straight Out of Broad Lane drawl, he transported us all away across the plains and onto a Mississippi porch somewhere. Y'all. Doing all his own stuff, too with a very authentic ring to it. We'll be calling him back.
Wes Hall, carer,NFC regular and all round Good Egg followed. He got the audience singing and was also going like the clappers until he fell briefly off the horse with his final number,"Buddy Can You Spare a Dime." An odd one that, as I've seen him perform his adaptation of that song flawlessly in many other venues. But let me tell you,being up on that stage sometimes does things to you. With the neatest of shimmies,Wes was back in the saddle and left the stage to a deserved ovation. Thanks for your company, Wes!
We were anticipating the JP's but as it happened only Jane Moss of that duo was available,and she too had a stormer. The Uke is not always an instrument you associate with belting out hot rhythms,but that gal certainly whacked the hell out of it in her first song-she's quite a player. We will certainly not ever look at Crows in the same light again,and (by request) she finished her set with a song which was unanimously judged to be the winner in a recent songwriting competition. Joined by Jon Harrington and John Kearney, it was a classic NFC collaboration. All this despite Jane having been traumatised by the Onion Roundabout beforehand,and a brief ten second warm up and run through at the bar before the night got under way.
Adam Wilson is another NFC regular. He'd brought copies along of a new album with him but modestly (unlike some people I know!!!) hadn't pressed them upon anyone. He gave us his version of "Sandy Grey" and (at my request) "Old Man." I'm sure he's really had enough of doing that at NFC and would much rather share some of his other, (excellent) self-written songs with us,but there you go. Perks of the Folk Club Organiser. NFC followers will be pleased to hear that they get a credit on the album!
So then up strode (or rather hopped? Flew?) BITB. Laura Ward with her soaring, peerless vocals and haunting flute playing. Local lad Ben Webb,with distinctive,at times anguished vocals merging and floating and counterpointing with Laura in a way that was at times hypnotically spooky to the point of gothic. Adam Ronchetti providing percussion and alternating on acoustic guitar whenever Tom Pryor switched from guitar to violin and back which was quite often. Shrutis of various sizes also changed hands several times. Collectively very versatile and with Tom also joining in on vocals,each song was impeccably arranged and professionally delivered.
After the interval Nunc returned and ran through "Landslide," "Freedom/Ohio" and "Vigilante Man." We'd already raised the body count well before the raffle draw and then BITB returned to close the evening. All my favourites were there over the two sets. "Bees" "Shoreham River." "All You Females," "New Gate Stone" and many more.
They always put an enormous amount of thought into researching,collecting and orchestrating their material. There is much emphasis on resurrecting or restoring Victorian lyrics. With all the Austerity we've had to put up with, with the country swinging to the right and turning its back on Europe as if we still owned an Empire,some of these old songs are eerily somehow still appropriate. "Tobacco" for instance, extolling the virtues and health giving properties of pipe smoking (!!) Or the spectacularly morbid "Coal Black Wine" which really does make the hairs on your neck stand on end.
Absolutely certain to be having them back. Stupid not to. Hopefully before some enterprising BBC Producer engages them to write the background music for the next Dickens or Eliot t.v. dramatisation. We wont be able to afford them then!
As usual thanks to Aaron for running the bar (loved the Dropkick Murphys waistcoat) for young Harvey for getting the room ready and running the sound. And to Rich Burlingham for the support he continues to give us. The room and the bar for free. Newly commissioned fliers and posters ready for distribution on the tables by 7pm. ( See above and below).
Also thanks to Rich, a new,bigger Club banner (watch this space) is coming soon. And more locally provenanced Church End Real Ale is available on draught NFC evenings in the Crew than you'll find anywhere central in the town. Some people are happier drinking lukewarm John Smiths elsewhere but there's no accounting for taste. I much preferred the Goats Milk.
So farewell (for the time being) to our new chums from Brighton. Photographs used in this blog btw,in the absence of any others received are all by Mags and I. Except the selfie below which our Flossy took after the show. We had a blast! Can you tell?
