Next Guest night:

Zoox

with John Barden

27th April

FaB Club Guest Night

30th March

Liz Ryder

with Jem Bowden and Lydia Mariner

Review by Mike Parrott:

 

The FAB Club’s monthly

‘Thursday Night Specials’ have quickly developed a reputation for showcasing the best in acoustic talent, and tonight was no exception.

If you have only ever experienced the FAB Club’s Sunday afternoon sessions, then do yourself a favour and come along and enjoy the unhurried, relaxed atmosphere of one of these night-time events; you will not be disappointed.

The familiar surroundings of the Orsett Cock’s Purple Room are enhanced by candles upon the tables, and a suitably restrained P.A. system gently enhances each performance.

 

Jem, our compere for the evening, welcomed all present and got us into the mood by playing Anthony John Clarke’s “An Acquaintance Of Mine”, especially for Margaret, as he is unable to attend Margaret’s birthday celebration at the FAB Club on Sunday 2nd April.

Some excellent guitar picking was on offer to accompany Jem’s pleasant vocal delivery.

 

 

Jem then informed us that Pete Morton will be performing on Thursday 25th May, and as a flavour of what we can expect, then performed Pete’s “Another Train”.

Those familiar with the song quietly sang along.

 

Jem then introduced the first of this evening’s featured artists, local singer-songwriter Lydia Mariner.

Lydia has visited the FAB Club on a few Sundays in the past but this was the first time that we have had the opportunity to enjoy more than just a couple of  her songs.

 

 

Lydia began confidently with “What Love Is” immediately demonstrating her strong vocal style, before continuing with “Crashing Waves”, which at six minutes is apparently her longest song, ably demonstrating her broad vocal range.

It certainly did not seem too long. “The Mute” followed, and all too soon it seemed, Lydia’s short set was over as she finished with a somewhat gloomy and reflective song. I look forward to Lydia visiting us again in the future.

 

Jem reminded us that after this Sunday 2nd April (Margaret’s do), FAB Club would not be meeting again until

 23rd April for a Saint George’s Day

‘Pie & Mash’ Special,

 and asked us to let Claudine know in advance if we would be wanting food on the day.

 

Jem then introduced Liz Ryder, our main act for the evening.

Liz divides her time between the States and the UK, and had travelled down from her current UK home of Sheffield to be with us tonight.

I was unfamiliar with her work, but Liz confidently began with “The River”, a song she described as “rambling, and about nothing in particular”.

That may (or may not) have been so, but was a pleasing start, and I immediately noted impressive vocal vibrato and sustain.

 

 

Liz followed this with a ‘happy love song’, quite a rarity for her so she informed us.

 

After recalling her unfamiliarity with London’s geography from earlier that day, not helped by the underground system’s lack of visual clues, Liz delighted us with some faultless guitar picking work accompanying her song with Persephone in the underworld as its theme.

Excellent dynamics on this one. By now I was totally hooked, my notes reading “ could listen to her for hours”; luckily for me I am now able to as I was quick enough to buy a copy of

 Liz’s 2003 CD “On The Neon Highway”.

 Those not as fast as me can get their copy from www.cdbaby.com (amongst others), and get further details from Liz’s website, www.lizryder.com

 

Liz adjusted her guitar’s tuning for “44th Street”, a song based upon memories of her grandparents’ house in Sacramento, California.

 

 

 

Spot-on tuning was again evident for the relatively up-tempo “California Rain” written in 2005, with open tuning again for “Lucille”, another of the songs from the CD.

 

One of the evening’s highlights for me came next with “Just Going”; with the Capo placed on the 7th fret, the cutaway on Liz’s Taylor guitar was put to good use as Liz played right up to the sound hole.

 

Liz informed us that she felt that she had been neglecting folk songs lately, but soon put that right with her rendition of “10,000 Miles”.

 

Liz’s favourite Bob Dylan song “Girl From The North Country”, maybe appropriate given the Sheffield connection, followed; with lively guitar work supporting a delicate vocal. “House of Changes” ended Liz’s first set.

 

Following a short interval and the drawing of the raffle, Jem welcomed Liz Ryder back to the stage.

 

Liz began with a slow opener, which she said, seemed to be sending her to sleep, not us though!

For some reason I did not catch all of the song titles after the interval, maybe I was so busy listening I was not doing enough writing?

The next song was notably faster-paced, and superbly delivered.

 

“The Wolf”, which featured some strong rhythmic guitar work, preceded a song inspired by one of Salvador Dali’s more ‘normal’ paintings, and Liz’s couple of years spent living in north Kent.

 

Liz’s arrangement of the traditional

“Sailing In The Boat” followed, and all too soon we reached the end of the set with another love song, which had originally been written on piano.

That may have been the end of the set, but we wanted more, and Liz kindly obliged with another love song.

 

In my opinion Liz is a highly skilled performer who, in a similar manner to a champion ice-skater, makes her note-perfect playing and singing appear effortless.

Do take the opportunity to see Liz perform if you can, you will be glad that you did.

 

There is no doubt that confident performers relax an audience, and tonight Jem introduced us to two of the best around at the moment.

 

It was just left for Jem to thank both Lydia and Liz for an excellent evening of entertainment, and to remind us of

 Zoox’s return to headline the next Thursday FAB Club event (27th April) before the FAB Club’s ‘road crew’ cleared the Purple Room and returned it to its usual state

 (and in record time apparently, that’s team-work for you!).

 

Mike Parrott

 

30th March 2006