Distributor:
Umbrella Entertainment Certificate: PG |
101 minutes | All Region Pal Format Available to buy Director: Colin Webb Extras: No
ANYONE
IN IT WE KNOW?
Dave
Pegg, Simon Nicol, Ric Sanders, Chris Leslie, Gerry Conway
WHAT’S
IT ABOUT THEN?
A
documentary record of erstwhile
folk rockers Fairport
Convention’s 1998 performance
at their now legendary annual
Cropredy Festival.
SO
IS IT ANY GOOD?
Now
elder statesmen of the folk rock scene Fairport Convention were once at
the forefront of revitalising the traditional English music scene, back
in the late 60’s they were blessed with the talents of the truly
magical and golden voiced Sandy Denny as well as legendary guitarist
Richard Thompson, turning in some awesome albums (Leige and Lief
guaranteed to make anyone’s round up of classic LP’s) the band’s
line up changed over the years but guitarist Simon Nichol remained a
constant, as has (since the early 70’s) the ebullient Dave Pegg on
bass. Sometime in the early to mid 90’s the gang decided to lay on an
annual festival in their home village of Cropredy, small scale at first
the event now attracts upto 250,000 people and performers of the calibre
of Robert Plant and Richard Thompson.
This
release from Umbrella showcases the 1998 festival and besides Nichol and
Pegg the band also includes the eccentric Ric Sanders on fiddle, long
time Fairport associate Gerry Conway (who back in 1970 played in
Fotheringay with Sandy Denny) on drums and fairly recent addition Chris
Leslie (multi talented he plays fiddle, mandolin, batocaster and
bouzouki), Simon Nichol handles most of the vocal duties these days and
whilst it’s not overtly powerful his voice does have a wonderfully
warm quality to it, also the band are clearly enjoying themselves on
choice cuts from their catalogue (including The Lark in the Morning,
Crazy Man Michael, Matty Groves and Who Knows Where The Time Goes) as
well as on newer material, the guys wisely choose to open and close
their set with their signature song Meet on the Ledge.
Guaranteed
to please all folk rockers Beyond The Ledge is also more than just a
concert with its interviews with the band and their fans. First rate
stuff.
