Fab Club Review
The club started at its new time of 2.45. This is because it has been attracting large numbers of excellent singers over previous weeks, and it has been difficult to fit everyone in during the time available. Ironically it was a quieter afternoon this Sunday, but it gave everyone the chance to sing three songs. It also produced a different atmosphere – perhaps a bit more of an intimate one with fewer people there. So – not so many people this week, but a change that had its plus points too. I’ve included reviews about everyone’s extra spot together with their first numbers just for tidiness.
MARGARET was the compere this week and started things going in her easy and friendly style with the famous song “Careless Love” which she deftly accompanied on her ukelele banjo. It’s a jaunty little number with bitter-sweet words and the memorable line: If you had come to my door, I would shoot you with my 44. Great song!
our compere Margaret Brown...
JO then took the stage and sang unaccompanied a powerful ghostly song called “Harry Eddom” which was written by Bill Meek about a shipwreck off the coast of
Jo with DTL
JEM was next and with his amplified guitar (because he had trodden on his finger-picks) sang two songs. The first was a song by Bert Jansch “What is True Love?” which is an endearing song about how a parent (who has had a rough ride) might answer a child’s questions about love. The second was in the spirit of Jo’s shipwreck song and was the well-known traditional song about Lord Franklin who was lost at sea trying to discover the North West Passage in the
LIZ the club’s excellent resident poet was next and was glad to be here in the warm considering her central heating had packed up at home. She first read a poem called “ Christmas Day at Coalhouse Ford” which recalled a wintry Christmas walk down by the estuary. The poem depicted a highly evocative atmosphere that struck home to anyone familiar with the special quality of
Our resident poet: Liz
Andy Smythe was introduced by Margaret as a Fab Club virgin. Are there really any virgins in Lewisham? He sang us two of his own songs. The first he accompanied on his guitar with an accomplished strumming style. Called “
Andy Smythe
Find out more from his website... click here!
CLAUDINE was next and played a song she recently did at Orpington. This is a song by Jerry Colvyn called “Feathers” and recalls the time when Jerry was a boy. When he was a nuisance, he was told to lie in the fields and look for feathers dropped by angels – hence this enchanting song, sung sensitively and with feeling by Claudine. erHer
Her second one was by Simon Oliver. It is entitled “River Cam” and Claudine was so moved by the song, which is no. 4 on Simon’s new CD, that when she was playing the CD she kept playing it over again so it was ages before she moved beyond the track. The third song was a French song called “Pull marine”. It is very good the way Claudine learns so many new songs – she is developing quite a large repertoire from all sorts of different influences.
BOB CASH is always a welcome guest singer. It is not perhaps so well known that he is also a regular busker at Pitsea Market. So get down there at a weekend and give him some support! Another fact I didn’t know about Bob was that his guitar was given to him by a friend who thought his playing deserved a better guitar! He started off this week with two Hank Williams songs that he played down at Pitsea earlier. The first was “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” which was one of Hank’s number 1 singles in the States, re-released by Johnny Cash and others. The second was also another classic “Cold, Cold Heart” which Hank first released in 1951. Bob succeeds in communicating the pathos of these songs with his fine crooning style of singing. After the break, he treated us to “I’m Confessing”, a song that Perry Como used to sing.
Rockin' Bob
TONE DEAF LEOPARD are the funniest duos around in the South-East and of course are in the vanguard of the glam-folk movement. Today they looked even more glam than usual as the ultra-violet light made the white of their tea-shirts (or vests?) gleam, as well as Trevor’s lost but now found leopard-skin bandana. Their first number was “Silicon Chicks” a topical satire on the implantation business. It was also a musical revelation with the number of guitar chords far exceeding three. Their second was a send-up of the traditional “She moves through the fair” written for Dave Bryan’s wife?? Well, absolutely hilarious with mind-bending harmonies from Sue. After the break, we heard the Leopard’s version of Vaughan Williams’ pastoral and agricultural song “
Tone deaf Leopards!
MARK REED, a welcome regular at the club, treated us to two of his acoustic rock songs on his 12-string guitar. The first one was called “Out of the Past”. It was the first time he had done it on this guitar (not that you’d know). The second was “Racing” which was originally done with multi-tracking. This was the first time he had done it live. After the break, he sang “Goodbye”. Good stuff, Mark – let’s hear more.
Mark Reed!!!
BRIAN WHITSTANDLEY was up next. His faith in human nature had been restored by someone finding his wallet in the car park and handing it in. He changed the tone and sang an unaccompanied traditional song, the lovely “Rose of Allendale” which people enjoyed joining in with. His second was a Richard Thompson song, which Brian had never actually heard him play, but was a touching song about an Elvis fan entitled “
Brian... Where's Barbara?
Maureen
MAUREEN treated us to a short poem after the break called “Petty the Snake”, a tongue-twisting poem which you could get certainly get into a twist with after a few pints of Guinness, but Maureen delivered it perfectly (so perhaps she has a strong constitution or wisely kept to the soft drinks?).
So, although a quieter afternoon than we are used to at the Fab Club, what a great variety of styles and talents. Thanks to Margaret for so deftly being the compere and so now we can’t wait till the next session to get another bundle of musical treats.
Jem Boden
more about our local artistes, click here to visit the Nutty French Woman Website!