Rock n roll?
Sometimes living round here has its perks.
WEnt to see Freeborn John at the Union chapel last night. For those of you who don't know (ie most of you) it's a folk-rock opera about the life of John Lilburne, all round top proponent of civil liberties during the Civil War. With New Model Army, the Levellers, Maddy Prior, the English Civil War society. I've already seen it (twice!) when it was performed at Beautiful Days a couple of years ago, but as it was on so nearby it seemed worth another go.
The show was lovely. Wonderfully atmospheric chapel, much more intimate. Also (to increase the running time so that the theatres that they were playing at could offer an interval) a few extra songs have been added to the original. One of them a new composition that Maddy Prior and her daughter sang. And the other - the Lowlands of Holland! (The Levellers version about a bunch of bus-dwellers in Europe in the early nineties, but fits extraordinary well to describe exile in that same country. Odd.)
Another bonus to being so close was that we (I was there with my Mum - we have a lot of music taste in common, which is great when most of my friends don't really get the whole folk-rock thing) had the time to go to the bar afterwards for a quick drink. And ... um what turned into rather a long evening talking to the cast.
Yup, Rev Hammer, Simon Friend, Rory Mcleod, Maddy Prior, the chaps from the English Civil Ware Society. These are definitely people who I would have felt too in awe of to talk to a few years ago (despite the fact that the Levellers can almost always be found hanging out in the nearest pub to the venue.). A combination of being a bit older and wiser, and having a bit more coherent conversation to offer other than just 'omfgsquee!!' I've realised we've become so immersed in that particular corner of the musical world (having been fans for about 15 years, bought everything by the bands and their mates, been going to Beautiful Days for a few years now, which is lets face as close to a convention as yr going to get..) that I actually have questions that I want answering, and can actually contribute vaguely usefully. A few glasses of red wine probably help as well.
Talking shop with the reenactors was also much fun. Lovely buch. May well be joining up...
I have Phil Johnstone's email address. (Yes, I know there are one or two of you out there who know him, who are *related* to him dammit, but let me have my fangirl moment here, ok?) Rev Hammer is one of the most open and delightfully engaging people I've ever met. I managed to narrowly avoid being invited to what was either a) the after-after-show party or (more likely) b)the tour bus to Buxton by a sozzled Mark Chadwick. ('What aree you doing now? 'Um.. drinking wine?' Ah... too late.) Probably for the best really.
And on the way home got accosted by Maddy Prior & chums in the street, asking for directions to a Holloway rock pub. Could probably have tagged along to that as well but by that stage chips and bed seemed like an appealing idea.
Have had the mother, father and great aunt of all hangovers to contend with. So many times worth it though. Even worth missing York. *gasp*
WEnt to see Freeborn John at the Union chapel last night. For those of you who don't know (ie most of you) it's a folk-rock opera about the life of John Lilburne, all round top proponent of civil liberties during the Civil War. With New Model Army, the Levellers, Maddy Prior, the English Civil War society. I've already seen it (twice!) when it was performed at Beautiful Days a couple of years ago, but as it was on so nearby it seemed worth another go.
The show was lovely. Wonderfully atmospheric chapel, much more intimate. Also (to increase the running time so that the theatres that they were playing at could offer an interval) a few extra songs have been added to the original. One of them a new composition that Maddy Prior and her daughter sang. And the other - the Lowlands of Holland! (The Levellers version about a bunch of bus-dwellers in Europe in the early nineties, but fits extraordinary well to describe exile in that same country. Odd.)
Another bonus to being so close was that we (I was there with my Mum - we have a lot of music taste in common, which is great when most of my friends don't really get the whole folk-rock thing) had the time to go to the bar afterwards for a quick drink. And ... um what turned into rather a long evening talking to the cast.
Yup, Rev Hammer, Simon Friend, Rory Mcleod, Maddy Prior, the chaps from the English Civil Ware Society. These are definitely people who I would have felt too in awe of to talk to a few years ago (despite the fact that the Levellers can almost always be found hanging out in the nearest pub to the venue.). A combination of being a bit older and wiser, and having a bit more coherent conversation to offer other than just 'omfgsquee!!' I've realised we've become so immersed in that particular corner of the musical world (having been fans for about 15 years, bought everything by the bands and their mates, been going to Beautiful Days for a few years now, which is lets face as close to a convention as yr going to get..) that I actually have questions that I want answering, and can actually contribute vaguely usefully. A few glasses of red wine probably help as well.
Talking shop with the reenactors was also much fun. Lovely buch. May well be joining up...
I have Phil Johnstone's email address. (Yes, I know there are one or two of you out there who know him, who are *related* to him dammit, but let me have my fangirl moment here, ok?) Rev Hammer is one of the most open and delightfully engaging people I've ever met. I managed to narrowly avoid being invited to what was either a) the after-after-show party or (more likely) b)the tour bus to Buxton by a sozzled Mark Chadwick. ('What aree you doing now? 'Um.. drinking wine?' Ah... too late.) Probably for the best really.
And on the way home got accosted by Maddy Prior & chums in the street, asking for directions to a Holloway rock pub. Could probably have tagged along to that as well but by that stage chips and bed seemed like an appealing idea.
Have had the mother, father and great aunt of all hangovers to contend with. So many times worth it though. Even worth missing York. *gasp*