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 n Friday 28 January Fairport began their
2000 UK Winter tour which took in twenty five venues in just under four
weeks. Special guests on the tour were Bob Fox (who opened for
Fairport), The Dylan Project (two dates) and
Dave Swarbrick, who was due to play
three dates but could only manage one because of
illness.I managed to catch two dates at the end of the tour, Cambridge and Birmingham, both of which I had chosen for convenience in travelling and because Swarb was due to play. Unfortunately Swarb missed me on both occasions! Bob Fox was a revelation to me. He sang half a dozen numbers from two CDs (which were of course on sale in the foyer!) and even managed to get some of the audience to join in his "smashing" choruses. No disrespect to David Hughes or annA rydeR but I thought that Bob was the best opener that Fairport have had for a few years. I didn't write down Bob's set-list but he included
At Cambridge, where the standing audience seem to enjoy wandering in and out from the bar throughout the evening, the Dylan project played a short set between Bob Fox and Fairport. P.J.Wright was superb on guitar and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Fairport played a shortened set but included a lot from their latest CD "The Wood And The Wire". I sat in the Dress Circle at Birmingham and was rewarded with my first sight of Gerry's drumming (he was invisible from where I was standing at Cambridge). The sound quality seemed a lot better than at Cambridge and, in my opinion, Fairport's set was better without the Dylan Project. They joined Bob Fox for his final number and then went straight into their own set, starting with Bowman's Retreat. Again, I don't have a full set list but songs included
All in all, very enjoyable. See you at Cropredy 10-12 August. |
Last updated 06 March 2000
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