On Wednesday LFC hosted Ric Sanders (Fairport’s fiddler) and Vo Fletcher (guitarist). They were preceded by another duo – Michael Mathieson from Mad Dog Mcrea with his wife Olivia Dunn on fiddle.
Michael usually fronts the Mad Dog Mcrea band, but it was great to see him in a smaller setting. They starting with a lovely ballad, “The Butterfly”, and then a selection of other peoples folk songs and standards including a beautiful rendition of “Beeswing” by Richard Thompson (which I’m assured is notoriously difficult to play). Both excellent instrumentalists working well together, very enjoyable. Hopefully they will return soon for a full evening.
Ric & Vo are hugely experienced and skilled musicians of a certain age (both were playing in the 60s and never stopped), and of course have played with everyone. Together they make a bluesy duo with folk fringes and psychedelia flashbacks. Most songs drawn from the 60s and 70s or old blues songs. They opened with a short bit of Dead style noodling which led into a stomping “Lets Work Together” with Vo channelling Bob ‘The Bear’ Hite of Canned Heat in both appearance and voice. “Norwegian Wood” followed, this has always been one of my favourite Lennon-McCartney songs and they did it justice.
The first set also included a Fairport track – “The Rose Hip” off 1988’s Red & Gold album, and Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” plus several blues tracks. The musical dialogue between guitar and violin was excellent. Between songs we were treated to Ric’s rambling bad puns which raised laughs..
Their second set opened with a couple of stomping blues standards, and then another favourite of mine “Mr Bojangles”, well done with good extended dialogue in the middle. The last three songs were more rock – Stephen Stills’s “For What Its Worth” (Something’s Happening Here) recorded by Buffalo Springfield in ’67 and still highly topical today. Again an excellent instrumental section by Ric & Vo before the final verse. Followed by Lennon’s “Come Together” bracketing the evening with Lets Get Together, and as an encore “Ruby Tuesday” for a bit more singalong.
A touch of the Two Old Gits indulging themselves in memories of a heyday, but we enjoyed it – and they were clearly having fun playing together. The depth of musicianship on display was astonishing and it all made for another memorable gig.
Just as a quick reminder you can see Ric Sanders again at Launceston Folk Club in another role as the fiddle player with Fairport Convention (since 1984) when they play here on Thurs 31st October – its in the Town Hall, and on Halloween, so expect a dance to remember! Tickets going fast – get yours now …