Steeleye Span.

With a sold out (well, I couldn’t see any unoccupied seats) Ashcroft Theatre in Croydon the jubilant return of the godfather’s of folk Steeleye Span took to the stage opening with one of their earliest established traditional re-workings “The Blacksmith”. With Maddy Prior in good voice this song proved an automatic crowd pleaser with the majority of 40 something’s making up the audience. 

Perhaps more widely regarded as the ‘fiddle’ player with the band it was Peter Knight’s mandolin featured on another song “Lovely On The Water” with its very Russian sounding arrangement that made you aware that here was a truly unique group. 

Catchy hooks and choruses have always been staple fare with fans of the band and they didn’t disappoint tonight with “Seagull”, “Thomas The Rhymer” and of course, the chart-topper “All Around My Hat” being well received. 

New boy since 2004, Ken Nicol has provided the band with some tremendous songs including “They Called Her Babylon” and “The Scullion King” along with some bravura electric guitar riffs/solos and a spell-binding finger-picked acoustic guitar accompanying Maddy’s “I Live Not Where I Love” and listening to members of the audience during the break I wasn’t the only one suitably impressed. 

In the engine room providing some very arty drumming was Liam Genocky and, standing in for Rick Kemp was folk-rock seasoned veteran Pete Zorn on bass (although you would have noticed the joins).

 So, all in all a great night out and hopefully it won’t be another four years before I catch up with the band again.