FaB Club Review – Len got another go!
08-01-06
It’s 3 o’clock Sunday 8th January 2006 a grey, cold, wet old day but it’s gonna brighten up in here. We’ve all come out of hibernation, `cos there’s a Perfect Purple Party atmosphere here for the first session of 2006. The return of - yeaaaaaahhhh:
FaB Club
Who’s that getting up to do be our compere? Why it can’t be! he’s never here this early, yes it’s:
MARK
After expressing his hope that we all had a happy, enjoyable, festive break he swiftly moved on to introduce, and who better to start us off for the New Year:
ROCKIN’ BOB
I think this first one Bob started with could be his New Year resolution, ‘Ain’t misbehavin’ In his own distinctive rockin style, I’m sure he uses that guitar as a dance partner, Bob strummed it and sang through from start to finish in fine form - no break’s! – great stuff.
Bob’s next song was ‘Pretty baby’ and he soon had us all singing along with him. What a fine start to the New Year.
Mark was swift onto his feet and thanked Bob for a great start here today. He explained that he had broken from tradition to allow Bob the first spot, as compere today he would take the second. I like this tradition breaking stuff, it makes FaB club more interesting breaking from the traditional, and it does tend to happen here.
Mark passed on a quick message - Mike Parrott sent his apologies as he couldn’t make it this afternoon but wished everyone a happy New Year. – I suspect he was too busy celebrating the success of his great LinkFM folk radio show! We then moved on to:
Rockin' Bob
We then moved on to:
MARK
Starting with ‘ You are my woman’ Mark sang whilst playing gentle arpeggio’s on his guitar. There was a small ‘la la la la la la’ moment but, no matter, a good song that all sat quietly listening to.
Next was a song Charlie Bird inspired him to play, ‘Trucking on’ This was a guitar instrumental and closing my eyes I could imaging it being played to an old black and white film of a steam train working its way through the country side. It worked good for me!
Our compere Mark Reed
Next Mark introduced:
Starting with an early ‘70s song ‘These boots are made for walking’ he sang along to his guitar playing and did a fine job but I kept thinking of Nancy for some reason! He looks nothing like her.
Next, he put down his guitar, picked up his ukulele and played an instrumental version of ‘Mr Sandman’. It was short and sweet and
Norman Faulkner
Mark was then, I think, a little too quick to his feet. He must have had a blood rush to his head, which caused him a bit of confusion as to who was on next. He got it sorted in the end though and introduced:
MAUREEN
It was nice to have a change of pace here with Maureen first reading a monologue called ‘Remembering’ about a guy sitting in a bar discussing with the barman the fact that he had misplaced the perfect wife. The demon drink eh! Or was that why he was drinking?
The next one was from a church parish magazine about getting old. It was rather short but I seemed to easily relate to a lot of the aches and pains mentioned in it.
Maureen
CLAUDINE
Claud started off by announcing she has given birth to ‘The Baby brother of FaB Club’ A new web site that she has created, she went on to explain why and what’s on it, go look see:
http://www.nuttyfrenchwomanprod.bravehost.com/
Mind you I still don’t understand her explanation of ‘nutty’ I’m sure my interpretation is more applicable.
Back to the music, Claudine performed a Pete Morton song ‘Another Train’ She played guitar and sung it beautifully, it’s her French accent that captures me. Towards the end she invited the audience to sing along, and we all did. Claudine’s confidence has really matured over the last year. Great stuff.
(Pete Morton played at the FaB club a few months back and he was well received, I hope Claudine can get him to come back again, how about it? Check him out, here:
http://www.harbourtownrecords.com/morton.html
Next Claudine was joined by Tim and his guitar and they performed a club favourite, an Anthony John Clark song ‘Gloria’. Tim’s nice picking accompanied Claude’s great voice and they got the audience joining in again. Really good stuff, and with justified smiles on their faces they merged back into the audience.
Claudine
Mark then introduced, in his own words, the glamour puss of folk, our own:
MARGARET
Margaret introduced us to her new Ukulele type of instrument which she soon hopes to be able to identify correctly. It was in need of repair when she received it as a present and I believe she said that it was John Beck that did the repair work for her, wonderfully. The sound holes are at the back and with it being played held against her bosoms she was concerned it would not be heard. There’s no need for surgery, it sounded great as she dedicated her first song to ME !! ‘I’ll See You In My Dreams’. I don’t know how many of you watched the concert celebrating the life of George Harrison (who was very fond of ukuleles) but there were some musical giant’s on stage for the grand finale. Joe Brown played ukulele and sang this same song. It was a tear provoking performance. Well Margaret managed to capture that and do the same thing for me here with her performance, really nice.
Hey I got another dedication, it must have been something to do with the conversation we had on new years eve!!! (By the way, all those that accepted Claudine and Pauline’s invite and went to the new years party at Pauline’s, had a fantastic night – Jem managed to get home on his push bike ok but has anyone seen Ron since then?) Anyway, back to the dedication, ‘Wild Rover’ and what’s this, Margaret playing a guitar! We had a ‘ Margaret’s bosom’ moment again as she complained her guitar was to deep for her to hold comfortably – I’m not sure it’s the guitars that’s the problem! She needn’t have worried, she did good and had us all singing along with lot’s of foot stomping and table banging. Tim joined in on his Mandolin as well. Rousing stuff this!!
Margaret, our Lady Formby
Mark, who was now fully in the swing of this compering lark, introduced:
JOE MIGDAL
Firstly, Joe and Mark played musical chairs before Joe demonstrated his strong man act and between them they managed to set up Joe’s Harmonium. Joe’s first today was a song for Easter - well the eggs are in the shops! – I think it was called ‘Pace Egging’ (I can’t read the scribble that’s my notes). Joe’s strong voice over the Harmonium went down very well this afternoon singing this song about Nelson’s men. It’s funny how music can take you somewhere else. Lord Collingwood’s name was mentioned and I was transported to Tynemouth where his rather large statue looks out over the mouth of the river
Next Joe got out an electronic gizmo braille musical box thingy, called an Omnichord – he like’s his gadgets!! Joined by Kathy, his wife, with her concertina they played ‘Bold Poachers’. Another song well received here today. Do you know the last time Kathy put harmony vocals along to Joe’s, at the FaB club, was on 16/10/05. I’m still eagerly waiting for them to do it again.
Joe Migdal
Next, the Interval.
There was just time to send Barbara to the bar to replenish my glass and get me one of those hot roast tatty’s, which somehow I managed to burn my tongue on. I ain’t misplaced my wife!! Mind you I think she would sometimes like to misplace her husband.
Mark quickly got us all together again as time was flying past, as it does here, and introduced:
Jem’s first choice was our second Anthony John Clark song for today, ‘Acquaintance of Mine’. Jem has a distinctive warm voice which airs on the deeper side of the range. It goes very nicely with his excellent guitar picking and both were put to good effect for this song.
Next, an anti-drinking song, from
Jem
Mark, up again, commented on how accomplished Jem is before introducing:
ALISON & CHAS
Coming from the depths of
Next was ‘The Miners Lullaby’ Alison on guitar and vocals with Chas doing some good ’picking’ on his guitar. The audience was very appreciative with whoops and whistles from them at the end.
Alison and Chas
Mark was up again and commented that he hoped Alison and Chas would visit us again soon. Then he introduced:
CHARLOTTE, ISABEL & SIMON
Simon said they would start with a child friendly song about blood, gore and chopping people up. Well he frightened me enough to forget to note the title of the song. Simon on guitar and all three of them sang along. I’m sure Simon seemed to miss a couple of the words in the middle but, no matter, the girls covered for him!!
Charlotte and Isabel returned to the audience and Simon then sang ‘The Centurion’ The girls also knew this song and I could hear them joining in from their table. Simon was having none of that, he then started to play his guitar along with his vocals, I’m sure it was to drown them out. The girls did good.
Simon Oliver... Visit his web page...
Mark was up again and commented that he would have to book himself some singing lesson’s to bring himself up to Simon’s standard. I think all agreed that Simon’s standard was extremely high, he was pretty nifty on guitar as well.
Moving on, next was:
MIKANORA
Mick explained that Nora and himself had heard a Colin Sands song and they liked it so today they where gonna do it. Unfortunately, my notes look like a spider had dipped its feet in ink and walked across the page so I can’t name the song. Fortunately, Nora and Mick knew what they were doing with Mick on guitar and main vocal and Nora on her trusty old squeezebox and singing a harmony. A really good live delivery, great stuff from this popular duo.
A slight key problem then caused a restart to ‘Whipjamborie’ – that damn spider again! I recognised the song, I just don’t know if I got the correct title. This was played in their laid back easygoing style, great stuff. (Mick – if your reading this can you bring one of your CD’s along next time for me please. I might also be able to get 3 of the 4 musicians playing on it to sign it whilst there.)
Claudine and Mark then gave a quick plug to something or the other!!!. That damn spider must have knocked over the inkbottle at the bottom if this page, and then danced in it. I can’t read any of my writing, it’s nothing at all to do with Mr Kronenbourgh at all!! Thankfully, moving on to my next page, all is well again.
Mikanora
TIM
Tim said he was going to start with ‘a pole dance’. Nooooo – it’s a song he brought back with him from
Tim Almond
Changing to Mandolin and with Claudine joining him with her guitar they played the first song that Tim wrote for Claudine. (Yes, sack the reviewer, this time I forgot to write down it’s title) I don’t know how Tim plays it so close under his chin but he gets a really nice sound from his mandolin, and Claud’s singing wernarf good as well.
Next, time for the raffle. Isabel and Charlotte did a fine job picking the winners. Especially as Barbara won the get out of jail free cards, whoops I mean free admission to FaB club cards. Aha! - I’ll be back.
After various plugs for future events Mark moved us quickly along and introduced:
KEITH
I thought his name was Kit but may have that wrong. He has also come along from
Next was ‘Nothing but a Wheel’. Keith, or Kit, has a voice very suited to this style with his guitar playing being a great accompaniment to it. A corner of the audience knew the song and joined in as well. We need a repeat visit please.
Mark was up again to introduce:
JAN
This was another good change of style for today’s session. Jan played fiddle accompanied by Chas on guitar they performed ‘ Up jumped the devil’ A nice pace carried us all along with it.
Chas then returned to the audience and Jan replaced her fiddle with a banjo. She commented on the double negatives in the next song before performing ‘
Mark then introduced:
JORDAN & BEN
They described their style as ‘offshore with modern influences. Ben with guitar and
Mark then introduced:
Mark was then up and commented that it had been a good afternoon before he introduced our final unique act:
TONE DEAF LEOPARD
Today this comedy duo where joined by many Peggie’s - peggied all over them! They started with a traditional song, putting the ‘ini’ in trad making triniad. Well it’s nearly
Next they performed ‘Suicide Bomber Rag’ If you listened for a rhythm, it was an unusual one, I’d say it was constantly changing! If you listened to the words you went home with, laughter induced, pains in your sides. A nice act to finish on.
Tone Deaf Leopard
Mark then closed this session for today at 17.50 oops! and we all left in good spirit. Another very pleasant afternoon spent at The FaB Club.
I didn’t bring my guitar today as I didn’t think I was up to playing. However, I started to regret that decision as at the FaB club it just makes you ‘wanna get up and do it’. Urkumgo to Earthman – dust it off, it’s time.
Apologies, ramblings over, I hope I’ve kept you with me here to the end of the review.
On behalf of us all, I would like to thank Mark for a difficult job well done, despite the small-confused moment. Thanks to all the performers, to the management at the Orsett Cock and to the barman and barmaids who served us all so well.
Of course, again, a big thanks to Claudine for the whole caboodle.
Keep it live.
Regards to all, apologies to many.
Len