Steeleye Span

6th. May 2004, Assembly Rooms, Derby

A review by Mike Hoare

Having read most of the recent reviews on this site, it is clear that they have been written by and large by die-hard followers of the band, who can talk very knowledgeably about past albums, sound quality etc. This review – the first I’ve ever written for anything – comes from someone for whom ‘Steeleye’ were just one of many bands that were an integral part of my ‘growing up’ years, spent mostly in Bristol at a time when every band worth its salt played at the Colston Hall. As well as the likes of the De Montfort Hall, Leicester and…. the Assembly Rooms, Derby. My main early memory of Steeleye is seeing them perform at a sort of folk-festival somewhere near Gloucester where, as I recall, we all sat on hay-bales.

Unlike other contributors, I had a short and straight-forward journey of some 25 miles to the gig, I did not meet up with any old friends nor did I get to meet the band – although Rick Kemp did walk past me during the interval! My first thoughts upon arrival were that I would later regret parking on Level 8 of the multi-story car park and that I had more hair and gone less grey than many others in the audience. It was with some disappointment that I walked into the hall some five minutes before the ‘off’ to discover that it was nowhere near a sell-out. Also, surprisingly, there were very few children who had been towed along by their ageing folk-rocky mum or dad. It was heartening, however, to see the band keep up the age-old rock tradition of coming on stage just a few minutes late. Also, the roadie walking across the stage just before the off and moving a guitar six inches to the left was another great reminder of days of yore!

As has been said elsewhere, the band came on almost apologetically as if realizing that they were no longer at the peak of their powers. I guess it would have seemed rather odd if they had coming bounding on stage waving to the crowd and making those daft little ‘it’s great to be in Derby’ comments into the microphone. This audience was clearly going to be restrained by rock standards but when you’re the wrong side of 50 you have gone past wolf-whistles and cat-calls – at least until the encore.

It quickly became clear that the mastery of playing was still there as was the clarity and quality of Maddy Prior’s voice, notwithstanding what appeared to be quite a bad cold. But I kept thinking how subdued it all was – and how could Maddy Prior not be wearing a trade-mark swirly skirt. Very close to the top my list of favourite Steeleye Span tracks is ‘Long Lankin’ – surely one of their classics – yet when Maddy introduced it there was no ripple of applause, no whispered ‘oh yes’ in that pretentious way from ‘true fans’ of the band. (OK, maybe that’s a good thing). I found myself sitting there thinking … well we are all a lot older I suppose. The first half was a solid performance without scaling any heights – here’s me trying to sound as though I know what I’m talking about now. But a great big ‘Well Done’ to the band for doing what I said they should do!!!! They were clearly listening to me when, at the bar beforehand I said to my friend – who had never seen Steeleye before – the only two tracks you’ll know will be the two encores. I then said I couldn’t understand why they felt the need to do ‘Hat’ as an encore when followers of the group know that there are any number of tracks that are more outstanding. It’s a catchy little number that briefly propelled them onto Top of the Pops. How pleased was I when Maddy (here I am talking as if I know the lady) announced the ‘radical’ decision not to do it at the end of the concert.

Now I need to appoint an agent before disclosing a way in which Steeleye can make their touring more profitable. I should keep this ‘under my hat’ rather than all around it but I’m not in this for profit so……. During the interval there was a relatively small group of people in the vicinity of the bar, myself included. I was suddenly aware of a huge queue a few yards away – it was populated by both sexes so couldn’t have been the queue for the ladies loo. Closer investigation revealed that it was the queue for tea and coffee!!!!!! It wasn’t like this at the Wishbone Ash concert last month. So, forget the tee-shirts and posters…… Steeleye Span 35th Anniversary World Tour tea-towels!! They’d go down a bomb. (Memo to Steeleye – if it works, remember who came up with the idea!).

For me, the second half of the show was on a higher plane – or should it be plain? – anyway, it was superb. I was astounded by their version of ‘Tam Lin’, a song I had only ever associated with ‘the other band’. I could have listened to that ten times over. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. ‘Babylon’ and ‘Van Diemen’s Land’ from the new album were of the highest quality and, once again with the band’s finances at heart, I feel they could have ‘plugged’ the new album more, or is that not the done thing when you get to a certain age? ‘Van Diemen’s Land’ is a classic Steeleye track yet no mention was made of it being from the new album and I’m sure that not everyone would have known this. (Memo to Steeleye – promote the new CD more overtly). The second half also saw the lead female vocalist (I can’t keep being so familiar by calling her by her name) wearing a swirly skirt and dancing around as in days of old – this is more like it. Finally,I cannot possibly write this piece without commenting on Pete Knight’s fiddle-playing – the ponytail may have gone but the ability remains intact.

Would I go and see them again next time round? Absolutely and unreservedly ‘Yes’. I left wishing they could have played for another hour. I have some involvement with the ‘Village Ventures’ scheme that promotes the appearance of professional artists in Village Halls and the names of Roy Bailey and John Kirkpatrick have appeared in the programme for the forthcoming season. ‘Steeleye’ aren’t ready to downsize to Village Halls yet but when they are, can we have them at Lowdham Village Hall first please?

All that remained was to get to the front of the queue for the car park machine – almost as long as the tea and coffee queue incidentally – and here is a mystery that needs solving. A knowing lady ahead of us in the queue was telling her companions that Maddy P played for a while with Fleetwood Mac – can somebody tell me when that was please so that I know which Fleetwood Mac CD to rush out and buy!

Mike Hoare,
Lowdham, Notts. 2004