They think it’s all over! It is now!! Fairport Convention and Jenn Butterworth rounded off a triumphant 2026 Spring Tour with a rousing ‘homecoming’ (of sorts…) show at The Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa. A carefree ‘end of term’ atmosphere pervaded; At The Barrier was there to share in the fun.

THE BUS ROLLS HOME

It’s been a blast! 24 shows in 27 days, along a route that has stretched from Swansea to Hunstanton, Exeter to Hexham, Southampton to Manchester and all points in between. There have been plenty jolly japes along the way and At The Barrier was delighted to be able to join the Fairport touring fun in Manchester, Canterbury and Lytham. And, on Sunday 12th April, we were there as the Fairport tour bus reached its final destination (for now) – The Royal Spa Centre in Leamington Spa.

Leamington has always been something of a homecoming gig for Fairport – the town is only a few miles north of the band’s Oxforshire HQ and the audience at their Leamington shows is always swelled out by a sizeable contingent of friends, relations and acquaintances. Tonight’s show was no exception and the party vibe was given an extra boost by the knowledge that this was the last show. It’s the end of term, and the holidays start tomorrow!The build-up started early; Simon was spotted lubing-up in various hostelries around Adderbury and Leamington and sundry Fairport members were drafted into service on the merch stall for one last push at shifting the remaining goodies. The mood was buoyant!

JENN BUTTERWORTH – AN INSPIRED CHOICE

We’ve covered the tour in varying levels of detail, so this time, I’ll be brief

Jenn Butterworth has been a truly inspired choice for opening the shows. She’s surely attracted a host of new friends and admirers as this tour has made its way around the country. At Leamington, her guitar prowess seemed to be more honed than ever, her dialogue with the audience was friendly and relaxed and the sound – her voice, her guitar and her electrified left boot – was perfectly balanced.

I thought that I’d detected a hint of something extra as she performed Fair Maids of February at the Canterbury show; at Leamington, the “little bit of synth” that she was using was crystal clear. All of Jenn’s songs are excellent but, if I was to be forced to select a favourite, I’d go for the magnificent One in Ten. It’s probably the only song ever to have been written about the condition of endometriosis; “If you’ve suffered from it, or if you love someone who has, this is for you,” said Jenn in her introduction to the song. Jenn was with us for just five songs; if, like me, the brevity of her set left you longing for more, then I recommend that you you cock an ear to her album. Her By Design is one of the best things I’ve heard in many a long while.

SET TWEAKS AND DODGY JOKES

“It’s the last show of the tour,” said Simon, after Jenn had handed over to Fairport with a last airing of Little Sparrow. “It’s a bittersweet feeling,” he concluded. And, after this run of shows, it’s clear that Fairport were fully road tested, firing on all cylinders and, dare I suggest it – Cropredy-ready. There’s been a few tweaks made to the setlist as the entourage has made its way around the country. Banbury Fair and Farewell Farewell had been put aside to make room for the welcome return of Lalla Rookh, the song that Chris wrote with Maartin Allcock before he’d actually joined the band and for Chris’s Moondust And Solitude, included tonight in honour of the Artemis II astronauts, following their safe return to Earth after their trip around the moon.

The quips and humourous asides came thick and fast as Fairport cruised through their set. “The Sex Pistols and their ilk did for music what Donald Trump is currently doing for international relations,” said Simon during his introduction to Crazy Man Michael. “We’re restricted, thanks to Brexit, to only working in England. That, and the fact that we’re only popular here…” commented Peggy as he reflected on the world tours that inspired Sandy Denny to write Rising for the Moon. “This is a song from the nineties… Not Dave Pegg’s nineties,” quipped Simon in the lead-in to Claudy Banks. And, of course, we were treated, once again, to a double dose of Ric’s jokes: “Handel has got together with Hinge and Bracket to form The Doors” (boom-boom!)

TRANSFIXED…

But, more than anything else, a Fairport show is about the music and, throughout this tour, Fairport have delivered – well and truly. At Leamington, the highlights came thick and fast. Rising for the Moon, dedicated tonight to Christine Pegg, was glorious; Flowers of the Forest, played by Simon on his‘electric cricket bat’ dulcimer has deservedly kept its place in the starting line-up and Sloth was, quite simply, awesome. I was utterly transfixed by DM’s mastery of the kit.

Elsewhere, Chris reminded us all, once again, of what a great song Moondust is, John Condon was as heartrending as ever and John Gaudie had the audience clapping and stomping along with no care for the fabric of the Spa Centre’s foundations. Matty was, once more, caught doing what he wasn’t supposed to be doing – and, suddenly, the show, and the tour were (almost) over. “We do know one more,” teased Simon, “And you need to practice singing it.” Jenn had rejoined the lineup for Meet on the Ledge and, yes, we sang along – fully mindful of the fact that, the next time most of us will get to do this, we’ll be in THAT field, in Cropredy. The date will be Saturday 15th August and it will be almost midnight. Bring it on!

I’ve always worked upon the basis that Fairport’s Winter Tour (OK, Spring Tour this year…) is a good indicator of what we can expect when Fairport take the stage for their Cropredy performance. If that correlation is as accurate as I claim it to be, this year’s show will be a cracker indeed. Fairport are fully-primed!

CROPREDY IS A-COMING…

Yes, folks – Fairport’s Cropredy Convention 2026 is now just a matter of weeks away. This year’s lineup is very special with lots of fantastic music in store. Alongside Fairport, the bill includes the likes of Richard Thompson, Le Vent Du Nord, Turin Brakes, Spooky Men’s Chorale, as well as At The Barrier faves like Barbara, Banter, The Celtic Social Club, Breabach and, of course, Will Pound & Jenn Butterworth. Don’t miss it. As I write, tickets are almost sold-out but there are still a few left. You can order yours here – but please be quick!

Fairport Convention: Website

Jenn Butterworth: Website

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