Gig 9 Phil Beer. 7th February 2009
Footlights Folk Music
West Chiltington Village Hall
RH20 2PZ

Attendance: 110
Price: £10
My Location: front row

Record Recommendation: Proud Valley Boy: Martyn Joseph.

The next time someone complains to me about having to pay the TV license, I will invite them to watch a commercial channel until the mind numbing programme line up that encourages the brainless idolisation of “celebrities” makes them beg to be allowed to watch something of substance!

I’m not saying that everything on commercial channels is rubbish (Dave TV is pretty good), for a fulfilled life you can't watch 'brain in neutral' TV, or everything on the BBC is intellectually challenging. Take Horizon for instance. When I was a young undergrad, it used to be about hard science like plate tectonics and mountain building, or Rutherford’s atomic theory. These days it’s about “why thin people can’t get fat”, and “do aliens visit earth?”; hardly (not hard) science.

Anyway, to go back to my original point, one of my housemates was watching some nonsense about a group of wannabe models sharing an apartment, and how they wanted to become stars, before even she gave up and passed me the remote. I turned to BBC4 and was more than pleased with what was on- a new series of Transatlantic Session. I cracked open a larger- the new time makes it a bit too early to start on the Macallan- and made myself comfortable for the aural and visual feast that the show provides. Transatlantic Sessions is a fine show, which attracts many great stars of the folk world from both sides of the ocean. I particularly enjoyed Davy Spillane’s contribution. I’ve heard him play before- on Brian Adam’s unplugged version of Cuts Like a Knife, which influenced the Woodcut Process’ decision to cover it, but it’s the first time I have seen him. I don’t know why, but I expected him to be a lot older. And have smaller hands- he seemed to have an oversized pair- they were dancing up and down the whistle as you’d expect though. Anyway, what a show the Sessions are, and it was followed by Murray Lerner’s Festival! Programmes of this nature probably aren’t commercially viable- without licence payers’ money, they probably wouldn’t exist. Instead we’d all have to mindlessly watching some bloke who was on a reality programme once, showing us his medallion collection, his red with white leather interiored sports cars, before entertaining us by playing pool in his gaudy mansion.

As time relentlessly drags me to my middle age, it’s not very often that I hear a song that strikes me like the ones that used to drive me in my youth. In fact, the whole Martyn Joseph gig at Twickenham Folk club affected me like a gig hadn’t affected me for a long time. In an outstanding gig, the song that stood out, was Proud Valley Boy. The song unites Joseph’s patriotic Welsh roots with his awareness of injustice and social history. Proud Valley Boy is about a miner recalling the days when Mr Paul Robeson visited Wales in support of the oppressed coalface workers. Robeson, the son of a former slave, was intelligent, articulate, and on the side of justice; for this despised by the US government. During the Twickenham rendition, Joseph sang, “I hope Tiger Woods remembers your name”. A few months later at the QEH Theatre, Bristol, Joseph added Mr Obama’s to that of Tiger Woods’ during the tune. For me, it was a humbling experience to hear the future president being so directly associated with Robeson- a little remembered advocate of reform.

The song is not for the faint hearted, and I can understand why some Shirley Bassey fans objected to Joseph’s support slot on her tour; perhaps used to all the mediocrity we are subjected to these days, they felt uncomfortable with Martyn’s songs- they have substance. Proud Valley Boy explains how Robeson’s rich voiced rallying calls fired up Evan, a young miner at the time. After hearing the song being blasted out with every ounce of breath by Joseph, I too felt full of the fire that filled Evan’s belly!

At this point in my commentary, I must make an apology. The title of the blog states that I’ll be supporting “grass roots musicians”. To be fair, some of the artists I’ve seen have been grass roots; especially the floor spot acts. However, in the world of folk, you don’t get much less grass roots than Phil Beer, who I saw on Saturday. During the interval at the Beer gig, I was chatting to another fan who is a regular attendee at the Footlights Folk Club because of the organisation and the musicians who perform there. He had become so accustomed to seeing top class performers who were approachable and friendly, he said he now “only attends gigs where the artist is prepared to sign their CDs”. That comment could double up as my mission statement. I don’t want to use it as a slogan though, because it’s his, and his mission!

The West Chiltington village hall that hosts the Footlights, is not the most intimate of venues. This is because it is high ceiling-ed and spacious. It has good acoustics. It’s location serves numerous near-by villages so gigs held there are normally well attended. Before going into the hall, a couple of friendly locals said hello to me. When we were allowed in, I asked if I could sit at the front table they took, and was invited to join the conversation. I was told that Footlights had been around for about 14 years and in its time seen many great performances from lesser known, as well as famous artists.

The more folk gigs I attend, the more I realise the importance of Guinness in the proceedings. Trays full of the stuff was being taken back stage- it is good for you after all.

It wasn’t long before the warm up act took to the stage in the form of Jerry Page- the club organiser- on vocals, accompanied by Steve Winchester on acoustic and John Wigg on multi instruments. The first song was Between the Lines, which featured a nice fiddle line, followed by Flying Dreams. Jerry sang well in a subdued, Leonard Cohen type style. I was impressed by the confidence and skill they played with. After Flying Dreams, Jerry left the stage for Steve to take the vocals on the last song, the more lively sounding Ghosts. We all know Phil Beer is a very talented musician, vocalist, sailor….but to add to that list of skills, he is also a top sound-man! He was in charge of the sound, and his skills were called upon a couple of times to sort out the monitors. Phil dealt with the problems to a small round of applause!

Beer then swapped his soundman role for the one of main act. If anyone thought that Phil was not a multi-instrumentalist, the array of musical apparatus on the stage would have informed them otherwise. He had a mandolin, fiddle, and three guitars, and used them all. He opened up with a couple of toe-tappers to get the audience on board. Phil then played JJ Cale’s Cocaine in the style of a 12 year old Phil Beer performing it at his parent’s/ teachers’ evening. Beer tells a cracking story and is a true entertainer, however, in my humble opinion, the crowd weren’t very lively. I think it’s a middle-class thing to remain reserved at all costs!

Cocaine was followed by a medley, which Phil really seemed to enjoy playing, made up of Marriage Vow, Gwenapp, and Springsteen’s Factory. I don’t know if readers are aware that I am a fan of the Boss; it was great to hear Beer’s interpretation of Factory played on the fiddle. Phil swapped his regular acoustic for his small four stringed tenor guitar. He explained it was the “Lakeman effect” that inspired him to re-learn that instrument. The tenor has a lighter sound to a six string, and Billy Joel’s Downeaster Alexa sounded superb played on it. So good in fact, that I would never have guessed that the song was his! Beer was starting to warm up now and he treated the audience, who were slowly getting there too to Warren Zevon’s Ballad of Frank and Jesse James. I loved the way he was showing off on guitar during this one.

Unfortunately the first set was over all too soon. I had just enough time to get a much-in-demand tin of Vitamin G before Winchester and Wigg opened up the second set with Anorak Town, a well performed feel good song. Wigg played the low whistle to this tune- the lady sitting opposite observed how long it was! The final song the duo played was Clearwater, which produced a wonderful combination of sounds. One thing that impressed me about Wigg, was that he appeared to just miss the beat. He couldn’t have though because the timing was perfect- must be my eyes letting me down.

Beer took to the stage with tenor in hand to open his second set with another Springsteen homage, in the form of Young’s Town. Phil’s vocals were superb on this song about the industrialisation of a mid-western town. Country Music was then played on the fiddle, followed by Steve Earle’s Devil’s Right Hand, and Good Morning Weathercock. I really enjoyed the simple vocals and melody of Weathercock.

To play Broadside Ballad, Beer picked up his “big”, tuned to G, guitar for the first time that night. According to him, it’s great for Ry Cooder impressions, and he did an awesome impression, showing just how good a guitarist he is, playing to perfection the most complex run I’ve heard for a long time! Beer, being an astute performer noticed that the audience warmed to an “epic” song, so he treated them to Nic Jones’ Warlike Lads of Russia. The song was perfect. Lol George’s truck driving lament, Willin’ was sung with Phil’s powerful vocals pushed under perfect control, to their limits. I was impressed by the backing provided by the audience, with yours truly supporting too.

Just as I thought things couldn’t get any better, Phil played Acadian Driftwood from his Rhythm Methodist album. This was a beautifully captivating tale of Native American Indians being disposed from their land. Before I run out of superlatives, I must mention When This Bloody War is Over, and the medley of Flowers of the Forest and Holy Brook, also from Methodist. For the encore, Beer picked up the mandolin to play Robbie Robertson’s Broken Arrow.

That night, the audience at the Footlights were treated to musicianship of the highest quality, performed by one of the Country’s best talents, at the top of his game. I’m not gushing; I’m just telling how it was. I bought a copy of Downes and Beer at Nettlebed, and the man himself signed it for me. I don’t know why, but I felt a bit nervous when I spoke about the weather to him.

Before leaving West Chiltington, the people who had kept me company that evening invited me back to see the other half of SOH, Steve Knightley in March. I would love to see him there; unfortunately there are so many other folk clubs I have to visit. Once again, no flyers were distributed, so I have consulted my Folk Diary and the next stop on my tour is to Seaford Folk Club to see Trotwood on the 20th of February.

Hope to see you there. Mark.