Somewhere in England: The Derby  (and Leicester) Steeleye Gigs

A Review by Mark Edward Askren

    The first time I saw Steeleye Span live was in a small pub called Richard’s in Atlanta, Georgia.  It was 1974, just after the release of Now We Are Six, but before the release of Commoner’s Crown.  They had yet to do the big arenas with Jethro Tull, but the band’s star was rising and one could tell it.  They played earnestly and with conviction, sensing that something big was happening, even if they were not quite sure what it was.

    The second time I saw Steeleye Span was this past week in England, in the industrial towns of Derby and Leicester. This was something of an accomplishment for me, as I had never been to England before, and I was not coming at what might be considered the height of the tourist season.  But what I found there in Steeleye Span more than made up for the inclement weather.  And while much of the band had remained the same, there were obvious differences.

    Nigel and Tim Hart were gone, of course, but Liam Genockey had been a mainstay of the band for almost as long.  The band was promoting their newly released “classics” album, The Very Best of Steeleye Span--Present, and early ticket sales had been brisk, resulting in at least one sold-out concert and many full houses at the other gigs.  And not only had Maddy Prior and Rick Kemp returned, but their daughter Rose was performing as well, adding six to their number and reinforcing the impression that the band was back in full glory.

    I must say that this new Steeleye (or is it old Steeleye?) is accomplished, seasoned, and professional to the core.  For two and a half solid hours, they delivered a performance worthy of the best they did way back when, but where then they were driven by the need to establish themselves, no such need was present here.  In fact, the band appeared remarkably relaxed, refreshed and renewed.

    One must forgive me if my memory blurs over two distinctly different shows.  While much about the performances were similar, I would like here to comment on the facets that I thought stood out the most.  The wild card in all of this was the surprise announcement that lead guitarist Bob Johnson had a heart condition, one requiring his last-minute replacement by Ken Nicol, former member of the Albion Band.  I knew nothing of Ken Nicol, nor did many of my friends, but initial comment was tentatively favorable.

    I want to assure everyone that Ken Nicol is not only an able replacement for Bob, but the strength of his performance surprised everyone.  Not content to simply stay in the background, Ken took the lead on many of Bob’s songs.  In fact, not only were Bob’s tunes sung by Ken, the second set was largely dominated by song introductions by Ken and Maddy.

    But I’m getting ahead of myself.  Perhaps a set list will prove helpful.  Steeleye performed without a back-up band, so the audience was truly treated to an evening of fine music:

        Set One:

        “The King” (sung acapella, with Rick on lead vocal)
        “Black Jack Davey” (Maddy and Peter sharing vocals)
        “Sir James the Rose” (Ken on lead vocal)
        “One Misty Moisty Morning” (Maddy again on lead vocal)
        “Let Her Go Down” (Peter on lead vocal)
        “Lyke Wake Dirge” (sung acapella, with Maddy on lead)
        “The Weaver and the Factory Maid” (Maddy again on lead)
        “John Barleycorn”  (Rick on lead)
        “Hard Times of Old England” (Maddy again on lead)

        Set Two:

        “King Henry” (Ken on lead vocal)
        “When I Was on Horseback” (Maddy on lead vocal)
        “Blackleg Miner” (Maddy again on lead vocal)
        “Drink Down the Moon” (Maddy on lead vocal)
        “Long Lankin” (Maddy on lead vocal for the intro and closing          
            sections, while Ken was lead vocal in the middle section)
        “Two Magicians” (Maddy on lead vocal, full harmony on chorus)
        “Cam Ye O’er Frae France” (Maddy on lead vocal)
        “Thomas the Rhymer” (Rose and Peter on lead vocal/Maddy on lead
            in mid-section)
        
        Encore:

        “All Around My Hat” (Maddy and Rose on lead vocal)
        Tunes: The Lady of the Morning
              The Sailor’s Bonnet
        “Gaudete” (sung acapella, with Maddy on lead vocal)

Of the two shows, the Derby concert was for me the more intimate of the two, as it was a smaller venue, and I was closer to the stage.  The Leicester gig, however, appeared to have less complications, perhaps because it was a larger hall or perhaps because the band was well into its groove by then.  Whatever the reason, the band performed superbly, and I was truly awe-stricken by the comfortable playing of the band members.

    After the show, Peter commented that the tour thus far had gone exceedingly well, and that Ken had proved an able addition to the band.  It was his hope that Ken would continue to perform with them after the tour had ended.  I found Steeleye to be utterly enjoyable.  Peter dedicated two songs to Victoria Lawrie and myself: “Let Her Go Down” and “Gaudete.”  And Ken brought the house down when, in a moment of frustration caused by an unusual amount of feedback in Peter’s ‘Octave’ violin, he said, “Stop us if we get too professional!”

    Overall, I wouldn’t have traded either evening for the world.  Steeleye Span consistently and expertly shows its ability to keep pace with the times, despite the trend these days away from Steeleye’s kind of music.  If the crowds at its venues are any indication, there are still many fans who find enjoyment in the kind of music that made Steeleye Span famous.  I have to be grateful for that.