Gig 7 Vin Garbut. 11th January 2009
Twickenham Folk Club
The Cabbage Patch
TW1 3SZ

Attendance: 100
Price: £10
My Location: 3 rows from the front

Record Recommendation: Every Line of a Long Moment: Roddy Woomble.

Martyn Joseph said it, Vin Garbut said it, and I think it quite a lot. In Joseph’s case it was at the Twickenham Folk Club last year, in the best performance I have witnessed at a venue that has hosted many illustrious guests. Two songs into his second set, Joseph said, “I’ve had a request, it’s a great song, but I don’t like playing it ‘cause it’s the one I always wish I’d written.” He then proceeded to stun the crowd with his amazing rendition of Springsteen’s Thunder Road. Afterwards, I let my friend, and Springsteen worshipper, Big Barry know I had just been to an outstanding gig, which was topped off with Thunder Road. The lad was very impressed. On that recommendation, we went later in the year, with my parents, to see Joseph in Bristol. Even though Thunder Road wasn’t played, Baz couldn’t help falling in love with the music.

On Sunday, with a lot less regret than Martyn had, Garbut played If I Had a Son by Phil Millichip. Garbut had the same perspective on the track that Joseph took to Thunder Road. Millichip was the first person in his family to not work down the pit, and the song is about his father’s decision to educate him so that he didn’t have to. It was stirring stuff, and I really enjoyed the song.

If you are lucky enough to attend a Woodcut Process gig, at some stage in the evening, you will be treated to a beautifully mellow, yet fast tempo-ed, modern folk classic. The song is Roddy Woomble’s Every Line of a Long Moment. The song is to me what If I Had a Son is to Garbut, and Thunder Road is to Joseph.

Even though Every Line is played at, for a drummer, an arm-busting tempo, it is such a joy to perform, that I soon forget my aching limbs and admire the melody that invites the audience to tune in. Woomble’s background as front man for Idlewild (the Woods also play their song Safe in a Hiding Place), has given him the confidence to write songs that will rouse an audience. Indeed, Every Line is co-written with Rod Jones, Idlewild’s guitarist. The long list of folk celebrities that play on the My Secret is My Silence album the song’s taken from, could only influence positively Woomble’s dip into the world of folk.

Biggs and I have played Every Line as a duo, and with my busking buddy Lambert improvising John McCusker’s violin, on the harmonica. The song is always greatly received, and we have been lucky enough to have had Miss Stott guest for us on violin, and help to play the song as it really should be played. More recently, Bigg’s sister has taken on the mantle of full-time violinist for the Woodcuts, and the instrument adds the extra dimension to the song that makes it a privilege to perform.

As we played Every Line of a Long Moment at a gig recently, I glanced out at the audience. The singer of the band who’d been on before us was standing next to the stage, his foot tapping and a huge smile on his face. At the time I had a twinge of regret that it wasn’t one of our own, but to quote Vin Garbut “the best songs are ones you choose- not ones you own.” I’m now going to insert the disc into my player, turn the volume up, and play along.

Before I start, I must apologise for keeping you all waiting for this blog entry- the last was written well over 3 weeks ago. I have been very busy, and under the influence of the Moveable Feast gig, I have written a new song. It’s called The Government Man. Biggs has a copy of the words and is pushing his music writing skills to their limits in coming up with an apt tune. When it’s recorded, the song will be on our myspace site for your aural pleasure.

Talking about aural treats, Vin Garbut delivered on the 11th Jan at the Cabbage Patch. I attended this gig, with my busking buddy, Lambert. The audience numbers were too high to fit in the bar annex, so the expectant crowd were ushered up-stairs to the night- club venue, which was filled to over flowing with chairs. It was so busy, that Twickenham Folk club organiser Gerry said we might have to stand! I don’t mind standing at gigs; before I started watching folk, 95% of the ones I attended were standing only. However, as I squeezed into a seat on Sunday, I did appreciate it, even though we were like sardines at the front. The crowd was at least double that of Vin’s originally planned, but ill fated, October gig. When announcing the acts, Gerry observed that cancelling a performance, then re-scheduling it as Vin had done, seemed like a sound business plan- no wonder Vin’s been around so long.

The music commenced with the club’s sound man, Paul Vile, and Pip Collins playing a couple of Pip’s songs. Paul is an accomplished guitarist who sounds good and always looks in control. I’ve seen him play a few times, and he has an air of calm on the stage. Pip was obviously enjoying her singing, and it is always a pleasure to see someone performing openly and honestly. Next up was Vin Garbut’s “chauffer”, Martin Nesbit. Martin explained that he knew Vin pretty well, as he was his builder too, and he thanked Vin for lending him his guitar. Nesbit was a very witty man, and his singing and playing were good- for a brickie!

His second song was a “funny” song. I will make things clear right now- I’m not a fan of “funny” songs. Invariably the one thing they are not, is funny. If you want to make people laugh, write a joke or a sketch, and tell it in between your songs, which can be about sensible things like the open sea, betrayal, revenge or murder. I went to an open mic evening in an Oxfordshire pub recently, where the musicians, many of whom were very proficient, were predominantly from the local folk club. I thought I was in for a real treat when the first artist played a sonnet on the replica of a middle-ages lute. It transpired that he was one of the country’s foremost traditional instrument makers, and regularly gets commissioned to create them for film sets. The next musician proceeded to set a dower, for me, tone with a song about curry. This was followed by other members of the club trying to get a laugh out of chocolate, badly behaved ladies, and vegetables, amongst other un-comical themes. The only thing that made me guffaw that evening was when they passed around the jug expecting imbursement! Leave “funny” to the Baron Nights! Having said all that, Nesbitt’s song was quite amusing, and I think that a smile even cracked the cantankerous lips of yours truly.

James Henry took the final floor spot. He was promoting his latest CD Sweetener. He sang City Fox, and All that I Want for Myself, from the aforementioned disc. The lad is a good musician. Check out his website.

Garbut took the stage with guitar, Guinness, complete with holder attached to his mic stand, and about 10 minutes of gags. After his tale, he asked if he’d sung Land of Three Rivers yet. He hadn’t, but proceeded to do so, his distinctive clear voice hitting all the right notes. Three Rivers was followed up, shamelessly, by his fortnight late Christmas song. I found the song strangely catchy, and it had the perfect balance of regret, melancholy, expectation and seasonal allusion that make for a great festive tune. This was followed by more tale telling, and scene setting for Diary of a Northumberland Miner. The tune was about how Lord Londonderry forced miners out of work, and even stopped their water source in an act of cruelty condemned in John Wrightson’s song.

It was after Diary, that Garbut introduced Craig- the man with the camera. The show was being filmed- if you purchase it, keep an eye out for me, three rows back, on the left as you look at the stage, furiously writing notes, and wearing a blue and white shirt if I remember correctly! I’m not too sure when the film will be available; the gig it captured was a cracker though.

While the songs were played, I didn’t really notice the running theme of dissent and dissatisfaction in them. This may have been due to Garbut’s skill as an entertainer. In between songs, he spun yarns and told witty tales about subjects as diverse as the difference between his and Bob Fox’s (brought back memories of Dartford) accents, kids falling off chairs, and childhood ambitions. However, as I type, and look through the titles he played, it is obvious that Garbut has a message, which is one of stand up for yourself. Don’t be afraid to be an individual. Talking about individuals, Fang- of ukulele playing fame back in October- was seen sitting in a corner enjoying the ceremony. The message was pounded home with Fear of Perfection. Garbut wrote the song in 1976 during a visit to the States. Back then, anxious parents persuaded their children to wear teeth braces to meet the dentists’ standard model of how teeth should. As far as I know, the practise still exists today; the really concerning thing is that it is one of the less obvious forms of “enhancement” that are around these days. The point Vin was making was that these treatments cost money so are most accessible to the rich…. I will concentrate on the music. The delivery of Fear of Perfection acappello style, gave it the extra potency a song with that message deserved.

Other songs performed included I Never Found My Eldorado, Troubles of Aaron, A Teacher from Persia, Edgar Guest’s It Couldn’t be Done, Beer’s Children, and Streets of Staithes- about the demise of fishing in the small North East town. After the rendition, Vin told us that last time he played the song here, a local had congratulated him, with a tear in his eye, and announced that he didn’t realise there there had been such an influential fishing industry in Staines. This was obviously received with roars of laughter from the Twickenham crowd! Highlights for me were If I had a Son, Man of the Earth, which is about a man forced to retire, and England my England. Vin’s powerful voice draws the listener into this captivating tune. A tin whistle tune had the crowd toe- tapping on the edge of their seats.

On exiting, with great grins on our faces, Lambert and I agreed that the entertainment value was second to none. The gig was the longest lasting one I have seen at Twickenham- the rules flaunted as Vin played after 11 o’clock- oohh- eerrr!

I took the obligatory flyer with me, and I am very pleased to say that my next outing will be at the 2007 Folk Club of the Year, The Ram. On show will be Mick Ryan and Paul Downes.

See you there, Mark.