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FaBclub review 20th July2008 written by Liz Montgomery Hey there all, its another Sunday summers afternoon at the FaB Club and we've a full house of old and new friends - lovely to see everyone We definitely need more comperes, reviewers and venue managers for the Autumn.. as yet again the Leopards step up to the plate as MCs - and I'm doing the review - but then I haven't done one for a few weeks We've had a bit of a hiccup with the BBQ - but we've balloons and bubbles and nibbles and a lot of good cheer Ben and Len open up with Hot Tamales - to warm up a rather cool July afternoon. Norman "Dino" Faulkner has zoomed down here today on his motorbike - but he is not going to do TT Races. He starts off with an unusual Formby number on his Ukelele - Why don't women like me - all about attractive women who go out with ugly men… and some more summery music with Amore. Mike Parrott provides us with a memory of Gordon Shears - Midnight Masquerade - written for a female voice, but such a pretty song and then another tune he has not performed for us for a while Old Nickleodeon Sound. He has another two radio shows for the summer. Performers who put the F in Fab club (allegedly - actually I think Sue said they put the FOLK in Fab club) - Jo and Kathy Migdal - tune up and give us a lovely version of Enrico. Then Kath gives us a solo performance of a rousing traditional 16th century tune by O'Carolan - sounds somewhere between Eastern European and Celtic - but lovely whatever the source TDL take the stage spontaneously and bring us a "Brand new leopardskin hat" A special for Steve O'K next "You ain't nothing but a werewolf" - only the first time ever performed in public - with full audience participation on the chorus… Ben calms us all down with his emotional and intense numbers - fabulous picking and arrangements as ever and two guitars and tunings too. "Conncted" by Eric Beale and Bachelors Hall - yet again by that busy writer trad. Talking to him later I discover I have been completely mishearing the words to Bachelors Hall for years…. Not sure what Sue was on this afternoon but she told Bill to come out of his pot - supposedly some illusion to Bill and Ben… Poor Bill has a bad hand - but has been writing lots of new things anyway. So a bit of a protest to start off with "Cyclone Child" inspired by the chaos of the Burma cyclone and the hollow pompousness of international governments and their pious responses. And a great protest/comment on PCness and diversity. "Equality Diversity Enhanced!" Me next with some poems. First a special one for Sue's recent birthday - Kentish Maids - then a special version of Shoes for the birthday girl Time for drink and cakes… never mind about the BBQ The FaBulous Ken joins us with another poem by John Clare. "The Fox" - a little rural idyll - then he serenades us with "Bewitched" And now the FaBulous Len - with some unusual material today. A song from the soundtrack to the film Magnolia by Amy Mann - "Deathly" to open up with. And a tune from the late Nick Drake "Time has told me" - Len reminds us all of one of those samplers from the late 60s/early 70s - Nice Enough to Eat - must dig out my copy - it has some real classics on it. Steve O'Kane and Fiona McBain on next with the story of Madeline a sister of sin - the song is actually "Solitary Hero"… lots of naughtiness in this song, but truly gorgeous words. And a new song from Steve who is worrying about it crashing and burning…no title yet but it is about the wonder of seeing the first snow as a child. - absolutely amazing lyrics and gorgeous tune as usual. Such a brilliant poet. We are voting for "Star in the East" as the title. Mark Reed is here for the first time for a while and has some lovely instrumental numbers for us - Classical Jig, Uncle Bens Elbow, Spuds Jig, Parallel Jig - ,traditional sounding but all his own work, but uniquely arranged. Rocking!!! And a quick tour around the acts to finish off the afternoon. Mike - Miss Her Enormously (he promises to tell us the true story of this story one day…) Normally Norman - this time he's Andy the Handy Man Kathy - with The Liberty Bell (aka the Monty Python theme song) Jo on one of his mandolin type instruments - dedicated to Hands Around - English Roses TDL - with a version of Born to be Wild - about Morris Dancing…."Born to Drink Mild" of course… Ben - a lovely version of "I'm going to Carolina in my mind" LizM - with some Geological Soup Mark Reed - who has a new album out, and has been composing and performing music for a Martial Arts film - is back again - he tells us this is his first live gig for a year - and performs a song live for the first time for us. "Mine again" Bill tells us a story with a lot of bad jokes Len brings us Sad Lisa And to round off …Steve and Fiona - The Recruiting Sargeant - traditional but with some very modern echoes.. And to end the day a sing along of Country Roads and Let it Be Steve and Fiona are performing at HFC on 6th August for those of you that can make it. Compere for next week is Clive, reviewer is Eve - thank you for volunteering both of you. Then we take a break until 7th September, and our first guest act is the wonderful Ron Trueman-Border on 21st September. |