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Steeleye Span
Lonnie Donegan Band

Steeleye Span – Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon 22.04.09

With a sold out (well, I couldn’t see any unoccupied seats) Ashcroft Theatre in Croydon the jubilant return of the godfater’s of folk Steeleye Span took to the stage opening with one of their earliest established traditional re-workings “The Blacksmith”. With Maddy Prior in good voice this song proved an automatic crowd pleaser with the majority of 40 something’s making up the audience.

Perhaps more widely regarded as the ‘fiddle’ player with the band it was Peter Knight’s mandolin featured on another song “Lovely On The Water” with its very Russian sounding arrangement that made you aware that here was a truly unique group. Catchy hooks and choruses have always been staple fare with fans of the band and they didn’t disappoint tonight with “Seagull”, “Thomas The Rhymer” and of course, the chart-topper “All Around My Hat” being well received. New boy since 2004, Ken Nicol has provided the band with some tremendous songs including “They Called Her Babylon” and “The Scullion King” along with some bravura electric guitar riffs/solos and a spell-binding finger-picked acoustic guitar accompanying Maddy’s “I Live Not Where I Love” and listening to members of the audience during the break I wasn’t the only one suitably impressed.

In the engine room providing some very arty drumming was Liam Genocky and, standing in for Rick Kemp was folk-rock seasoned veteran Pete Zorn on bass (although you wouldn’t have noticed the joins). So, all in all a great night out and hopefully it won’t be another four years before I catch up with the band again.

Web Site

Pete Fyfe

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Lonnie Donegan Band (featuring Peter Donegan) – Viking Club, Selsey 12.04.09

The first thing that strikes you as you enter the Viking Club in Selsey is how kitsch it all is. If you didn’t know better you’d think you were in a roadhouse in Texas and all that was missing were the brawls and broken glass.

Well, there may well have been some broken glass (but I didn’t see any) and whilst some of the audience were wearing cowboy shirts they were more civilised and it was obvious they were here to witness the son of a legend…and I don’t use that term lightly. Re-creating that raunchy country-rock ‘feel’ Peter Donegan proves a more than capable front man utilising guitar, banjo, and piano aided by Lonnie’s original band members. Starting with “Jack O’ Diamonds” in a whirlwind delivery of licks that would make your fingers smart lead guitarist Paul Henry shone like the proverbial beacon joined by Eddie Masters on bass and Chris Hunt’s drums. Scarcely pausing for breath we were treated to many standards including “Battle Of New Orleans”, “Tom Dooley” and of course “My Old Man’s A Dustman”… all classics and all revered by a more than eager crowd.

The hits came fast and furious and Peter’s own compositions nestled comfortably within the set which, before long sadly was all over. Personally I can’t wait to see the band again and preferably sooner than later.

Web Site

Pete Fyfe

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