24th November
An evening with ...
with John Clarke
and Lady Formby...
I am writing this review listening to one of Anthony John Clarke’s excellent value CDs that were for sale after the gig last Thursday night. And what an evening it was!
Tim Almond was compere for the night and his easy manner put everyone at their ease. Also, luckily in the break we also heard a sample of his accomplished guitar playing when he and Claudine played and sang a one verse taster of one of Anthony’s most popular songs, “Gloria”.
Lady Formby
First on in support was Margaret, a popular Fab Club regular. With her ukulele banjo, her fine voice and engaging delivery, she sang six numbers, four of which were George Formby favourites. First was “Fanlight Fanny” a well-known funny song about the frowsy nightclub queen. Then followed the wistful “
Then Tim introduced Anthony John Clarke, who started things going with his first joke delivered in his beautifully easy Northern Irish style. But passion and care for the people in his native land seems never far away from his thoughts, and the troubles there have inspired some of his most tender and poignant songs. His first was one of those – “Saving the Best till Last” recounting the thoughts of an exile returning to
The great thing about Anthony John is that he is such a great entertainer and can change the mood of the audience swiftly between songs. After repartee with his charming wife Julie, he followed up with “Millionaire Pie” his first chorus song. Having got us warmed up joining in the singing, he kept us going but changed the theme in his next two funny songs about relationships, neither of which put men in a good light - “Changes” about domination after marriage and “One Night Stand” whose subject is more obvious! Anthony John then finished the first half with a beautifully wistful love song “Two People” and returned the theme to the troubles with his hard-hitting song about the ironically named Peace Line where there have been so many tragic incidents – “
The second half started with our second support act – Dagenham’s John Clarke (no relation to our guest!). It is a shame we do not hear John more often in the area – he is such a great song-writer and guitarist. His unusual
Then Tim introduced AJ for the final set. Sometimes I wonder whether truly funny people have more comic experiences than the rest of us, but it is more likely that they see comedy in everyday situations that most of miss. In any case AJ has some great stories and is a fine raconteur. Who will forget his story about his experience in a town in Co. Sligo where “Tuesday Night is Always Karaoke”? Then he told us how he fulfilled his ambition to fit the 60s band “Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick and Titch” into the scansion of the song “Never Got my Name Right in her Life” – but even he couldn’t find anything to rhyme with mother-in law!
Changing the tone again he sang one of his finest, “An Acquaintance of Mine” a tender, complex and beautiful love song. This is the song craftsman at his best – who can forget the lyrics “she’s the dust on his wine bottle”? A true wordsmith. The next two were funny songs, the well-known ragtime style “I am my own Grandpa” and a Chris Flegg vasectomy song “Things might not get better”!
His last was “But then I’m Irish”, a personal song about expectations and being a folk artist. We wouldn’t let him go of course before we had extracted another from him. So he ended with one of his most popular one – a poignant song about the homeless “Gloria”. This is also the song the Claudine plays, so AJ called her up and accompanied her lovely voice in this his last song. What a great evening it was – we want to hear more of Anthony John again – so come back again soon!