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STEELEYE SPAN - NETTLEBED
FOLK CLUB PHOTOGRAPHS by NICK CLARK USED HERE BY THE KIND PERMISSION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER
STEELEYE SPAN AT NETTLEBED 2000 Nettlebed Oxfordshire 3rd July 2000 Nettlebed Folk Club, the largest purely folk venue in the country again played host to Steeleye Span this year as part of the clubs 25th anniversary. It says something about the place that old time Spanners Maddy Prior and Rick Kemp have already raised the rafters along with Fairport, Show of Hands and the main man Martin Carthy himself. And that ’s just their guest list up to now this year! Tap into www.nettlebed.freeserve.co.uk to see who’s still to come.
For the outsider then, like myself, there ’s quite a kick in just going through the doors into the hallowed hall of folk, especially to see a group that have been at the top of the tree for three decades.The band were already on stage when I arrived – sound checking and giving an early taster of what was to come to Nettlebed members in the adjacent bar. The hours put in really paid off because the concert was crystal clear through superb equipment.This gig and the one the day before at the music festival in Ludlow were very difficult ones for the band. They were in the middle of selecting and rehearsing new material for their forthcoming studio album when they had to break off to honour their live commitments. No surprise then when they played pretty much the identical set with which they toured last Autumn. Not that that bothered me much nor indeed anybody else. The atmosphere is great at Nettlebed and the performance – even given that the band faced going into the studio the following day was simply terrific.
Just to remind you of what was on the set list, - Erin (dedicated by Gay to Johnny Cash), Horkstow Grange, The Old Turf Fire, I Wish that I Never
Was Wed and One True Love comprised the representatives from the most recent
album. Again in the latter, Tim Harries soloed on his six string bass. The sheer
intensity of this solo was unbelievable. I was left just praying that there
would Outside of the recent stuff there was an outing for the Tolkienesque Longbone by Bob. I ’d like to hear him play a bit more up front and I think it’s time to return to ‘Tempted and Tried’ for ‘The Fox’ or ‘Three Butchers’. Bob is a modest man and of late he has been content to allow other group members to come through – he doesn’t have anything to prove after all but notwithstanding the band is bursting with talent and ideas just now, I’d like to see a couple more songs in the show that are exclusively his.
Perhaps we are seeing the band hardening their music style. We again heard ‘The Stuttering Lovers’ played on tour last year. It’s no problem for the group to get that sound and Gay is as happy with a loud rocky number as with her beautiful Irish ballads I couldn’t close my appraisal of the evening without a word about the stand- in drummer Dave Mattacks. As I’m sure you’re all aware now, if you’ve been following the news on this site, Dave has signed up for the record and the Autumn tour. What a great guy! I think he is the preferred choice of all the percussionists for most fans. With his years in the business there is nothing he can’t handle and he seems to get into the vibe that is Steeleye very quickly and has a rapport with the entire band.
After the Show It was great to see the band again after the concert. They are the most polite group you could imagine. After two hours sound checking and another two hours gigging you'd have thought all they wanted to do was rush off into a quiet room somewhere. In fact they were quite willing to chat and sign album covers. Gay was as welcoming as only the Irish can be and Bob had time to lament that a guitarist has too many amps and bits of equipment to pack up. I suggested he took up the flute and he amended that to the violin before looking wistfully across the stage to where Peter and his gear had been! The group posed willingly (well under cajoling from Gay) for this website’s pictures and I staggered away for a two and a half-hour journey home just after midnight. What a night! Nick Clark
Nick Clark |
I
was reminded several times during the course of the evening of what Bob Johnson
said during his interview to this site last month. He was recalling his own days
of concert going and extolling the delights of seeing acts that played together
well. Now I was agreeing with him but about his own show. Most fans there will
have seen all the songs performed before but there is no doubt that when they
are in the mood and in a really good venue they can really gel.
be a video of the tour of last year (one was recorded) released because it has
to be seen by everyone. Tim is not particularly high profile in the band but I
think the guy needs wider recognition in the big wide world for his
musicianship! Another high spot from the Horkstow Grange album is 
Gay
Woods offered her own moments in the gig to. She is now obviously at home with
the band and her performances are even more forward, if that
In
conclusion, another good Steeleye gig. Correction, another great Steeleye gig.
Why? Well I know I hammer on about the venue but that’s part of the battle for
any group. Last year they put the same set on at Newark but it didn’t have
half of the atmosphere because it just wasn’t right for the audience or them.
At Nettlebed you have an enthusiastic crowd and one that is known to the band.
After the concert Gay said to me, "When we went on I saw you lot sitting
there and I couldn’t take it seriously" and perhaps that accounts for the
infectious humour of the evening. This has to be tempered though with
performance. For all Gay may have known her friends and family were watching,
when she performs she is in another place, they all are. Therein lies the
strength of the performance. In these days of pretty-face pop stars it is a
crime that such blatant ability and talent isn’t more widely known. Many
Spanners fans go to hear the music of those heady 70’s days of their youth. I
can’t do that because I wasn’t there so I have to take all the songs at face
value and enjoy them for what they are. Just based on this gig, that’s good
enough for me !
