review010608

FaB Club Review
1st June 2008
Written by Liz Montgomery

Bill reminds us its only 19 days 'til middle of June and when the days
start getting shorter again - Thanks Bill ;-) !!! Also today would have been
Marilyn Monro's 82nd birthday (that was an even more scary thought)

Some like it hot, but we have to provide the summer sunshine for
ourselves today as it's a bit grey and grotty outside.

Bill always brings us lots of stories and jokes in between the acts and
today is no exception. He starts us off with a bit of a pagan story (even
more than 15 times a night) and a terrible Thor pun - moving swiftly on…

So BERNIE's lovely concertina tunes raise the tone; a lyrical version of
Planksty Irwin and a jolly hornpipe.

We always love to welcome RON and his cherished and very beautiful
Gibson. He performs such an interesting range of works drawn from
country, folk and modern rock - all given his personal and deep felt
treatment. Today a Van Morrison song "Sail into the misty" and "Keep
on loving you"

JO-JO manages to get over Bills naughty joke about Ronnie Wood and a
jar and brings us some of her unaccompanied songs. But no photos again -
"I won't dance" either. And a great cockney-style story song about the
lack of a dog licence and a problem with the local po-lice.

From Jo-Jo to JOE - on harmonium today. "Lark in the morning" really
suits this instrument and Joe's rich voice. "I wonder as I wander" is one I
haven't heard before. A lovely ballad - slightly wistful.

MAUREEN regales us with some of her stories. First a blonde story
involving deodorant, and then a little old lady story. Maureen looks so
innocent….

PAUL STEEL rescues us from more of Bills jokes…A new song for us
first "Angel flying too close to the ground" - great lyrics and a beautiful
arrangement of that classic Willy Nelson song. A gorgeous song next -more
tremendous fingering - "0ne precious moment"

JoJo has corrected my spelling - so it's all hunky-dory now.

Moving to a blues moment now - it's the one and only JOHN STAFFORD
- but is it in C or in D? (answers on a postcard, please ). Well actually it's
a very emotional version of "Danny Boy"

And RON returns to the floor with his great version of "Moving on" and
that Hank Williams classic, "Honky Tonk Angel" - which gets everyone
singing along. And we all totally covet that guitar.

Jo here, giving you a review on our next guest, and up comes, for the first
time this afternoon, that lovely lady of words - LIZ ! Her first poem is one
of Gordon Shears - "If Dr. Seuss Prescribed Antibiotics" all about what
NOT to do with your medicine.

Liz's next one is "Do You Remember?" all about bringing back to us
things happening around the sixties and seventies, Rock and Flower
Power and all that tosh.

Now handing back to Liz … JOE is back with some light relief.. a Lady
Penelope joke (really). Some great songs by that well known composer
T.rad but arranged by J.Migdal for us now. "Riding down to
Portsmouth" brings us felonious activities by young ladies of questionable
backgrounds and morality en route to the South Coast - and the men are
definitely the victims. Then Sir John Barleycorn singing in praise of "Nut
brown ale" which we learn later was written by Andy Barns and not Trad
at al. He is getting us prepared for the Thurrock Beer Festival next week,
clearly.

BERNIE takes us up to the break with more beautiful traditional
arrangements on the concertina. Some players I have seen over the years
play this instrument so mechanically - Bernie provides us really soulful
performances. "Leaving Lismore" and "Dun Socket Light" - the latter a
tune from the Shetlands.

The FaBulous FaBclub raffle is next…

And on into the third half, in time honoured folk club tradition. Five
prizes this week

BILL can't remember the tune to Spanish Ladies - so needs reminding -
for a song about Walter Pardon. …. Which lasts about 2 seconds (amid
much mirth) then over to PAUL STEEL for some more serious stuff.
"Tangled up in Blue" - a superb version.

MAUREEN takes the floor again on the chair accurately geopositioned by
Jo-Jo. A celebratory story starts the contribution - doubt that one would
pass anyone's firewall though… Maureen then provides us a story sent to
her by her nephew relating to a king, a princess and three princes - and
trying to find something that did not melt.

LIZ once again takes to the floor and leaves the review on the computer to
Jo-Jo - and she begins her recitation with a poem about "A thousand
things" thought-provoking words, and a second one about missing feet
and blood and bold eyes ! (It was by U.A. Fanthorpe - "Not my best side",
Liz) Now, if you cannot follow that then you have to be HERE to
understand, so come along to our FAB CLUB and hear this lady for
yourself!

Another late song from BILL - "Take me home " - great lines in this one
about "sunken chests" and "red curly hair all over her arms"

A jam session to end the afternoon with PAUL and JOHN and everyone
joins in - and Clive ribbiting in the corner… "Time" as they say