The annual Fairport Convention tour hits the road
29 Jan to 6th March 2010
More info
Fairport Convention, the group which pioneered folkrock, hits the road
in January for its 2010 Winter Tour. The 32-date run of concerts will
be Fairport’s twenty-sixth consecutive new year outing and these tours
have become an annual tradition.
"Fairport Convention is primarily a live band," says lead vocalist and guitarist Simon Nicol, “and we are happiest when we’re on the road. Fairport has been gigging for over forty years and we still love every minute of it. Our regular Winter Tour aims to bring a spot of brightness and warmth to the dark cold evenings of January and February – for us as well as our audiences."
Mr Nicol is the only founding member left of the group which played its first gig in May 1967. However, bass player Dave Pegg has been in the line-up for nearly as long. He joined the band in 1970 so this is his fortieth year with Fairport. “It’s an important anniversary for me,” says Mr Pegg. “Forty years is a long stretch – you’d think I might have got time off for good behaviour! Obviously, the band – like music itself – has seen a lot of changes over the last four decades but I can honestly say it’s always been a joy to be part of Fairport.”
Next to Mssrs Nicol and Pegg, the other band members are comparative newcomers. Violinist Ric Sanders joined in 1985, singer and multi-instrumentalist Chris Leslie in 1996 and drummer Gerry Conway in 1998. That means the current line-up has twelve years of musical rapport under its belt.
This year’s Winter Tour concerts will open with a set from Fairport’s guests Keith Donnelly and Flossie Malavialle. Keith, a long-standing friend of Fairport and a veteran of Cropredy, is a talented singer, guitarist and songwriter. He is also renowned for his banter – as Jasper Carrott says, Keith could make a sheep laugh. French singer-songwriter Flossie Malavialle is well-known on the British folk scene, not least for her recent performances with Show of Hands.
"Fairport Convention is primarily a live band," says lead vocalist and guitarist Simon Nicol, “and we are happiest when we’re on the road. Fairport has been gigging for over forty years and we still love every minute of it. Our regular Winter Tour aims to bring a spot of brightness and warmth to the dark cold evenings of January and February – for us as well as our audiences."
Mr Nicol is the only founding member left of the group which played its first gig in May 1967. However, bass player Dave Pegg has been in the line-up for nearly as long. He joined the band in 1970 so this is his fortieth year with Fairport. “It’s an important anniversary for me,” says Mr Pegg. “Forty years is a long stretch – you’d think I might have got time off for good behaviour! Obviously, the band – like music itself – has seen a lot of changes over the last four decades but I can honestly say it’s always been a joy to be part of Fairport.”
Next to Mssrs Nicol and Pegg, the other band members are comparative newcomers. Violinist Ric Sanders joined in 1985, singer and multi-instrumentalist Chris Leslie in 1996 and drummer Gerry Conway in 1998. That means the current line-up has twelve years of musical rapport under its belt.
This year’s Winter Tour concerts will open with a set from Fairport’s guests Keith Donnelly and Flossie Malavialle. Keith, a long-standing friend of Fairport and a veteran of Cropredy, is a talented singer, guitarist and songwriter. He is also renowned for his banter – as Jasper Carrott says, Keith could make a sheep laugh. French singer-songwriter Flossie Malavialle is well-known on the British folk scene, not least for her recent performances with Show of Hands.
Last updated:
06/11/2009 10:11
Fairport Convention06/11/2009 10:11
Keith Donnelly
Flossie Malavialle
Tour Dates
January
Friday 29, Tewkesbury, The Roses Theatre, 01684 295 074 Saturday 30, Margate, The Theatre Royal, 0845 130 1786 Sunday 31, Yeovil, The Octagon, 01935 422 884
February
Tuesday 2, Worthing, The Pavilion, 01903 206 206 Wednesday 3, Harrogate, Harrogate Theatre, 01423 502 116 Thursday 4, Bristol, St.Georges Hall, 0845 402 4001 Friday 5, Leamington Spa, Royal Spa Centre, 01926 334 418 Saturday 6, Truro, The Hall For Cornwall, 01872 262 466 Sunday 7, Exeter, The Phoenix, 01392 667 080 Tuesday 9, Farnham , The Maltings, 01252 745 444 Wednesday 10, Portsmouth, New Theatre Royal, 02392 649 000 Thursday 11, Milton Keynes, The Stables, 01908 280 800 Friday 12, Tunbridge Wells, Assembley Hall Theatre, 01892 530 613 Saturday 13, Hunstanton, The Princess Theatre, 01485 532 252 Sunday 14, Cambridge, The Corn Exchange, 01223 357 851 Monday 15, Swindon, The Wyvern, 01793 524 481 Tuesday 16, Lincoln, The Drill Hall, 01522 873 894 Wednesday 17, Pontardawe, The Arts Centre, 01792 863 722 Thursday 18, Chesterfield, The Winding Wheel, 01246 345 334 Friday 19, Burnley, Mechanics Theatre, 01282 664 400 Saturday 20, London, The Union Chapel, 0207 226 1686 Sunday 21, St Albans, The Arena, 01727 844 488 Tuesday 23, Colchester, The Arts Centre, 01206 500 900 Wednesday 24, Gateshead, The Sage Gateshead, 0191 443 4661 Thursday 25, Edinburgh, The Queens Hall, 0131 668 2019 Saturday 27, Huddersfield, Lawrence Batley, 01484 430 528 Sunday 28, Berwick, The Maltings, 01289 330 999
March
Monday 1, Inverness, The Eden Court, 01463 234 234 Tuesday 2, Dumfries, The Theatre Royal, 01387 254 209 Thursday 4, Douglas, Isle of Man, The Gaiety Theatre, 01624 625 001 Friday 5, Crosby, Crosby Civic Hall, 0151 928 1919 Saturday 6, Birmingham, Town Hall, 0121 780 3333
This information was last updated on 06/11/2009 10:11. Please check with the event website for any last minute changes.
See also:
Buy Fairport Convention music
Fame & Glory
CD £13.99 [2009]
Live At Cropredy 08
CD £13.99 [2009]
Fairport Convention & Matthews
CD £13.99 [2009]
Off The Desk: 2cd
CD £13.99 [2008]
Liege & Lief: Reissue
Album £5 [2008]
Unhalfbricking: Reissue
Album £30 [2008]
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