| 2-27-86 |
Dom Polski Centre. Adelaide |
Set list taken from ABC broadcast of the show from the Dom Polski Centre, which was originally scheduled to be held at the Adelaide Brickworks.
The advert is typical of that used for the tour,the only changes being the name of the venue . In general , this tour was not well advertised and this may be one reason why audiences were so small. I had a job to find any adverts at all, none in any of the Sydney papers, one in the Melbourne rags and a tiny advert in the Adelaide paper.
| Lark In The Morning. Walk Awhile. The
Cat In The Mixer > Honour and Praise. Instrumental Medley 85. The
Hiring Fair.
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Jams O'Donnell's Jigs. Sloth Dirty Linen. Close To The Wind. Matty
Groves > E : Meet On The Ledge. |
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Advertiser 2-28-86.
What a terrible shock it was to see so few people sitting frigid in the air-conditioning. Here were Britain's most successful folk-rock pioneers, Fairport Convention, and our own Bushwhackers, both once capable of pulling huge audiences wherever they went. Sitting in the audience was Redgum's John Schumann. He must surely have been counting his blessings that his band has moved comparatively closer to the pop chart mainstream than either of the outfits on stage, and can always pack houses. The rejigged, irreverent but lovable Bushwhackers turned in a lively set, with familiar songs about Les Darcy, shearers and great Australian rivers. Sometimes rough, sometimes sweet, the lads left lots of evidence about why they were so in demand several years ago before the split.
The Fairports showed themselves to be predominantly instrumental in their present guise, sans Sandy Denny, sadly missed. I'd venture to say the dramatic reduction in emphasis on the soaring, surging vocal harmonies which motorised early albums such as Unhalfbricking and Liege and Lief may have been one of the reasons for the low attendance last night. It is doubtful that Dire Straits took ALL the rock money out of the local economy, or that everybody else was at the Fringe, for goodness sake. There's reason to suspect that the Fairports' tendency to concentrate on extended instrumental skirmishes leaves them less universally attractive than before.
However, that is not to pour cold water on the entire gig . It is always worth climbing mountains to hear the masterful Dave Mattacks on drums and vocalist -guitarist Simon Nicol , a founder member , remains a giant. Songs such as Walk a While and the Hiring Fair were delicious reminders of just how grand Convention can be.
Robbie Brechin
Fairport Convention In Australia pages
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Fairport Convention in the Mother Country
- Fairport Convention photo gallery
- Fairport at the Bath Festival 1970.
- The 8th National Jazz and Blues Fest 1968.
- Glastonbury 1971.
Links