Fairport Convention – The Met, Bury – Saturday 18th October 2025

The Fairport Convention Autumn tour bus rumbles on again, and we join in the fun in Bury, with further gigs to come on the Isle Of Wight and ending up at Peggy’s birthday in Liverpool.

STILL NOT A TRIBUTE BAND

It’s almost halfway through the tour when we catch up with FC in sit down quartet format. Last time at The Met in 2022 dear Gerry Conway was with the band so there’s a touch of poignant nostalgia in some minds, especially with the spiritual presence and musical influence of departed Messrs Swarbrick, Allcock and Denny throughout the evening.

‘Folk Rock legends’ says The Met’s website. ‘Expect classic hits’. Not that the Hit Parade or Top Twenty was often breached by the Fairporters or that they sit much in the Folk Rock field anymore – although expectancy might run to one rather famous and inevitable finale. The daddy of them all when it comes around.

THE REAL THING

“We’re still not a tribute band!” jests Simon Nicol. “We are the real thing! How is that still possible?” – although he’s at pains they’re not that The Real Thing (funk band from Toxteth who did bother the upper regions of the charts on a regular basis in the Seventies).

And though they still remain resolutely tied to the tails of the Folk Rock coat. That’s a label that oncludes love songs and songs with doo-wop choruses of which Year Of 59 is particularly sprightly. There’s also Chris Leslie’s seemingly limitless library of songs related to or about Banbury. It also provides the fuel for Simon’s tour joke – “Miss Banbury isn’t a competition, it’s an instruction.” To give Chris his due though, they are charming and I’m Already there gives Ric Sanders two chances to launch fiddle rockets into the Derby Hall ceiling.

The beauty of FC in this format is the opportunity to appreciate Dave Pegg’s bass playing. Right to the fore in the mix (but not overpowering), it may be that’s he’s just a bit more noticeable on electric bass amidst the acoustic instruments or more likely the skill and ears of the man at the back adjusting the faders. One online comment has likened his presence and importance to that of Chris Squire in Yes. Plus he’s a prime mover in Fairport’s Cropredy Convention and gets to verbalize Dave Mattack’s opening drum fill to kick start Doctor Of Physick.

TRAD, TRIED AND TRUSTED

With all roads leading to the tale of Lord Darnell (“curtains in a sale” for anyone monitoring these things…) , it seems that The Hiring Fair is now almost as established a shoe in as any of Meet On The Ledge or Walk Awhile (back in it’s opening slot after the dalliance with Come All Ye) and while the familiar are always welcome, Simon’s take on Rosemary’s Sister is a nice variation in the set.

And a variation also on the go off/come back expectancy of an encore that’s becoming increasingly popular is the “We’ll hide (behind our instruments) and you clap if you want more.” So – if you’re puzzled by images of the band with their instruments held up in front of their faces… It works too as the applause almost reaches the level that greets the finale of John Gaudie where Chris and Ric provide the sort of powerhouse jiggery fiddle frenzy that marks FC as still the daddies of whatever Folk-related (or not) music they create together. Next stop, where else but Banbury…

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