Exhilarating Folk Rock Performance Supporting Fairport Convention

The night we supported the international folk rock legends that are FAIRPORT CONVENTION has become easily the most treasured night of my musical career. At the time I wasn’t really a fan of Fairport Convention and I did not fully appreciate just how huge an honour it was to be asked to support them. The venue was The Met (in my home Lancashire home town, Bury).

I’d heard the name but I hadn’t heard much of their music. A quick conversation with just about anyone I knew in music put that right. “They are legends and they were formed before you were born!!”, sums up the responses to my enquiries.

Now at the time we were struggling to identify the kind of music we played? “You play folk rock” said Dave (the musical director at the Met who booked us for the gig) confidently – he’d just been to see us playing at local bar in South Manchester called the Iguana. “That’s one of the reasons you’ll be a good support for Fairport”. So now I knew a bit more about Fairport Convention – they played folk rock and now I also knew that apparently, so did we. “They don’t just play it and they’re not just one of the best folk rock bands in history” said Paul our drummer “they invented folk rock – it didn’t even exist before them”.

Serving to ramp up the pressure nicely, Dave also mentioned that we would have space in the auditorium (I’d never played anywhere with an auditorium!!) to sell our merchandise.

We had none. We didn’t have CD’s or any of that stuff. We only just about had 45 minutes of material let alone a load of merchandise. What I then heard myself actually say (all casual like) was “of course, we’ll bring all our stuff”. To this day I’ve no idea why I had to pretend we had all this stuff – didn’t want to put Dave off I guess.

In the next 12 weeks, while rehearsing twice a week and working in our day jobs we put together a set of 10 of our best tunes, 30 A1 posters, 50 t-shirts and 50 cd’s. Somewhere along the line the gig got moved from Bury Met to a bigger venue in Radcliffe to “accommodate a larger audience”.

So came the night. We threw our 4 selves, our kit, a huge guy called Simon (all bands should have one), one sound engineer, one cameraman and one journalist into the back of a transit van.

We arrived, we sound checked, we waited. Fairport Convention arrived 2 hours later and sound checked and were just awesome. They left the stage and went to their dressing room (WE HAD A DRESSING ROOM TOO) and then 45 minutes later every single seat in the venue was occupied and we were walking out onto the stage in front of them and to total silence……………………….

I just kept telling myself that everything would be ok. It was – we nailed it. I’ve never been so proud to be a musician and of the band I was in, in my life. We played each song well, we played each song with passion and we blew the audience away. From the pin drop moments and beautiful vocal harmonies of the opening song “stars above” to the final glorious stomping finale of “victory”, it was just perfect (as it should have been – we worked hard for this one).

It transpired that Fairport had been watching us from the door of their dressing room at the side of the stage and as we walked back into our dressing room to the sound of blissful and affirming applause, who should pop their long haired, bespectacled heads around the door but none other than Ric Sanders and Chris Leslie.

My first thought was that we’d done something wrong. Instead just nicely and quietly Ric said “nice set lads, can we buy a cd please?” Oh go on then, someone must have said as I was incapable of speech. Well they took one and we haven’t heard from them since but even if they were just being nice it still showed a touch of class to be nice enough to ask for one. We watched their awesome set which bristled with talent, passion and original musicianship all the way through. It was a privilege to be there and an honour to support them.

A surprise came when big Simon (staffing the merchandise stall) informed me that we had sold out of the CD’s and half the posters and three quarters of the t-shirts. I truly did not expect that and it actually trebled our fee for the evening.

The morning after the night before still hadn’t diminished the euphoria for me. The hangover now just further evidence of one of the most memorable nights of my life. Then, something else unexpected happened. I was updating our website with a little personal memory of the night for posterity when my inbox made a noise and up popped this:-

Just writing to say how much I enjoyed your support for Fairport at Radcliffe! My friend and I could have watched you all night, it’s really refreshing to hear something different for a change! I’ve subscribed to your mailing list, and look forward to seeing you soon!

Steve.

Then 5 minutes later;

What a fantastic night last night at Radcliffe civic hall. WE came to see Fairport Convention; but you really made our night. Loved the rhythm of all your tracks, good sound, and the vocalist was fantastic. Like the down to earth approach you guys have instead of the posing stuff usually associated with most local bands. What you see is what you get with you guys, and no messing. You have a distinct style and we were very impressed. Love your style, and will be back for more. Bought your cd, and not disappointed. Did the vocalist write all the tracks? Any covers? Great entertainment…… WE want more…

Karen H (2nd row back )

Then after about another 15 minutes;

Was at the Fairport concert last night and just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your set. Bet the audience was rather older than your used to – I’m 49 and felt young (well pretty young) – but as far as I could gauge everybody around us enjoyed it too. Admittedly I don’t get to many concerts these days, other than seeing Fairport whenever they are in the area, but thought you were the best support I’ve seen in a long time. Bought your live CD and have listened to it all through twice already !! By the way a work colleague thought you sounded a bit like Gomez. All the best for the future and I’ll keep a look out for more of your gigs in the North .

Geoff.

And then 10 minutes after that;

Hi, I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your set when you supported Fairport at Radcliffe Civic Suite. I did not even realise there was a support so it was a bonus, thoroughly enjoyable performance, thanks. Just wondering if you toned it down a bit for us old fogeys, ooops! folkies????

Madame Marie

Well. You get the picture. By the end of the day we had received a load more emails like this. Now someone clapping at the end of a tune is one thing, the legendary Fairport Convention coming in after your gig to ask to buy a CD is another, selling out all your CD’s etc on the night is yet another but the idea that so many people took the time to sit down, the day after the gig and make the effort to email and tell us how much they enjoyed it still gives me goose bumps and makes me totally grateful to have experienced that night.

Of course, I replied to them all (well my ego did) and I’m pleased to say that the vast majority of the people who wrote to us on that day are still in touch and still come to gigs and buy our music.

FREE STREAM OF STARS ABOVE

Any way, back to the gig. As I say “Hello, we’re fish on a stick” at the start of the first track (STARS ABOVE) it takes me right back to that feeling and that sensation of standing there in front of hundreds of silent (they were deadly silent!!) spectators with the weight of their expectation closing in. Now though, it’s a bit like watching the highlights of your favourite team on TV when you know they’re going to win!!

Thanks for reading. Have a listen to that opening track here…………

Stars Above – Live at Bury Met (2007)

Paul Feely – Drums and Vocals
Adam Goodwin – Lead Guitar
Phil Popplewell – Bass Guitar and Vocals
Michael Shaw – Guitar and Vocals

This song will be released on our next album which will be out sometime in 2025. With the musicianship of the superb James Youngjohns, it is a version of which I could not be more proud. It’s a song about persecution.

Stars above (video) – To be released.

Lyrics

I’ve trained all you to behave

Like sheep you will behave for me

Who raised the walls in your field

To protect the yields form the freeze.

I love all the stars above