FaB Club 29th May 2005
Bank Holiday weekend and a few less punters than usual. Maybe we were competing with the traditional British pastimes - barbecues, garden centres, DIY stores and the Southend Air Show (?!). But anyway - 2 hours, 12 performers, 22 songs – yes, the FaB Club was back in business. Being new to all this we didn’t catch all the titles but somehow we were too busy listening…
Mike Parrott was our compere for the afternoon, and started by introducing himself – neat trick, that – with a confident delivery of two songs from Chris Rainbow “Bluebird” and “On My Way”.
Gordon clambered onto a chair and announced himself as folk music’s answer to the Crazy Frog (“ring ding ding – argh”) before launching into one of his own compositions. “Can You Get Wood” chronicling the misadventures of a blue movie actor – from which we move on hastily to -
Paul Ballantyne, leading the charge of the regulars and donning and playing a harmonica for an unrecorded Dylan piece called “Percy’s Song”, following up an enthralling cover with his take on Richard Thompson’s ballad about James, Red Molly and Vincent (the 1952 motor cycle variety). We were getting into the groove now.
Gerry was also in danger of being strangled by a harmonica but soon showed it who was boss through “Spencill Hill” and “Bright Blue Rose”, with the rich guitar tone and full voice that he brings to these occasions.
Claudine emerged from behind a hangover with a long list of other festivals and attractions to fill the summer before FaB resumes on 4th September, then donned her guitar and summoned a high and clear vocal to bring us “The Calling” (absolutely without mistakes too – this must be an in joke).
Dennis entered stage right, preceded by a spectacular introduction and a considerable reputation, both of which he proceeded to justify with a song which he had written in 1970 and which was only on its second outing, full of lines like “All I have of you is your absence” and “Is perfection only found in the imperfect?” – before turning the mood upside down and finishing the first half on a gale of laughter with “The Supermarket Song” (starting off with the horrors of supermarket plastic bags but incidentally including the second mention of condoms in the same afternoon!). There is just no way to do this justice, or the quick and precise guitar work that went with it, so it’s time for the interval and a quick drink.
Bill opened the second half unaccompanied, as always, marshalled his voice and carried us back first to
Rocking Bob – who denied everything – was happily free of the cramp which had denied us his last performance, and brought his unique style to “Things We Used To Do” and “Hello My Baby” – the latter song dating from 1887 and allegedly the first song to combine a love story with the development of the telephone. And you thought it started with today’s kids and their text messages…
Mark Reed debuted two new and original contributions to the blues oeuvre – the Lack of Money Blues and I Need To Go To The Loo Blues (don’t ask!). As usual he carried the audience along with an infectious grin and we all knew where he was coming from… 
Mick & Nora came in behind a very strange introduction – presumably Mikanora is some sort of karaoke act – to deliver two new arrangements of “Mixed Messages” and “Stepping Out Mary”, swapping guitar, mandolin and that drum I can’t pronounce. What is it with these two that even the new numbers sound smooth!
Gordon and Mike maintained the theme of new materials with Mike’s brand new acoustic bass filling out “Stage Fright” (another original) – yes, a star was born (the bass, that is…)
Tina dispensed with the need for a backing band by bringing a CD player for the orchestrations on “Evergreen” but as usual the vocal was flawless – eat your heart out Barbara Streisand!
Under pressure of time, Gerry was called back to finish the afternoon’s entertainment which he did in full and fine style, with “The Good Ship Kangaroo” and “The Star of County Down”. We may just have slipped a few minutes past
Well that’s about it – another memorable and magic afternoon in the mauve/purple/lavender room - so it’s next stop 12th June
and Claudine’s Birthday, and it’s time to pass the magic reviewer’s pen on to someone else. Catch…!!
Gordon & Debbie
