November 16

 There has been something of a renaissance for Folk At The Oak. After a period of quiet, with few performers, noises off and a distinct lack of atmosphere there is a freshness to the evening, which brings a sense of anticipation, making the journey to Crick once more worthwhile. Whether it is down to a few new faces, a relaxation of the definition of what constitutes folk or the sharing out of duties, it seems to have paid off. There's also a growing audience of non-performers, which adds to the atmosphere. This is definitely now a 'must do' night.

There were less memorial songs than there have been in the past, but that added to the poignancy. Jim's Harvey Andrews song 'The Soldier', Steve, with Kate, and Mark Knopfler's 'We will remember them' and 'When This War is Over, We'll All be in Clover' and Caroline read a remembrance poem. Steve sang 'Fields of France', a long standing Folk at the Oak tradition.

 Harry Patch have played at The Oak before, and have a great sound. I failed to make a note the songs this evening, but I enjoyed them enormously.

Dave had his resonator and was singing alone this evening. Lay Down Sally and he almost broke into reggae with 'Willy and The Hand Jive'

Ian brought a French flair to the evening's proceedings, as well as supporting Jim, Jan, Caroline and Steve

 Tony is back for a while and was on good form with his whistle, giving us a couple of well known pieces. First, the aire, 'Dawning of The Day' and then 'The Irish Washer Woman' jig. His last performance of the night was 'Father O'Flynn, The Rollicking Irishman'.

If Folk At The Oak isn't quite as folky as it used to be, Bruce maintained his position as the font of all folk, keeping the good old songs alive and reminding us of a very rich heritage. Tonight he gave us Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Solitude and a sad Robert William Service poem. To finish, he had us joining in with something rendolent of a Cub Scout campfire song 'Yip I Dee, Yip I Dah!'

Mike and John started well, with Willie Nelson's 'Always on My Mind' but things became just a bit uncomfortable as they looked into each other's eyes through the frame of a 'mirror' and sang 'Oh Lord it's Hard to be Humble'. Finally, they left on a jet plane and we don't know if they'll return again. We hope they do.
 I don't often feature in the blog as I take the photos, but my friend Ken (had a great evening) took this one. My opening was Don't Start followed by The Canary. My last song was Brown Eyed Girl.

MDF were a bitlight on the ground this evening, but we made up for the lack of numbers and practice with an enthusiastic rendition of Kenny Rogers cheerful 'Ruby' and 'Fields of Athenry. There was a bit more audience particpation as the evening wore on and we had a bit of help with Sea of Heartbreak.

 Paddy was on good form once again. His song about Donald Trump looks set to run and run following the American Presidential Elections. He ended the evening with his song inspired by a collection of parrot jokes.

Keith and Kate didn't seem to be suffering from the lack of other Crowsfeet/Greengrass members, sounding great together. Starting with 'If it hadn't been for Love and ending with another song about people being shot. 'There's a Moon Over Memphis' In the middle was a song I hadn't known and missed the title of.






 Jim and Jan closed with Wheel The Perambulator John, a fun end to an excellent night's music.

May FATO

May FATO

Unfortunately, Paddy wasn't well, so John stepped in and smoothly ran the evening. There were ten on the list but Adele was unable to make it after all. There was a busy bar next door so there was a bit of competition to be heard.

First up was Graham, on his own this evening. Without Theresa 'to do the twiddly bits', John's banjo was a welcome addition. Their first song was 'You Are My Sunshine' and John performed an impromptu banjo solo part way through while Graham got his paperwork in order. Their second song was a much less problematic Take Me Home Country Road. That was two great vocal warm-ups for the rest of us as we joined in enthusiastically. In the second half, Graham and John sang 'Home On The Range' and then the second Status Quo number, cementing their repertoire firmly in the folk genre, 'Margurita Time'.
John and Mike My Aphro and Lodi

No Strings Attached played the same as pieces that they performed at Kilsby on Friday, Andy De Jarlis and Gold Ring, and it was clearly a struggle being heard over the bar given the importance of being able to hear each other. It was a bit quieter in the second half and it was time for a hornpipe, followed by a piece that sounded like it was called 'Wild Flower' which included a brief spell of 'When The Saints'. Their final offering was a very fluent and fluid ragtime 'Chateau Impney'.

Steve brought Status Quo into the folk arena, with Mark accompanying on accordion on Paper Plane. It was an unrehearsed performance but for a month ago, and in a different key at that. It was a brave effort, with a tricky start, a tricky finish, but the bit in the middle was superb. Mark then left Steve to it and on his own Steve gave us a ' Peaceful Easy Feeling'.  In his second half  performance he demonstrated a mean whistling talent, completing the instrumental to 'San Fransisco Bay Blues'. His next was declared an adventurous song, the rock 'n roll classic, 'Route 66', though whether it was the route that was adventurous or the singing of the song we never found out. Steve didn't seem to have any trouble with it. Steve's finale was a song we've heard before from Steve 'Who'd have thought that something as simple as rock and roll would save us all?' Might be an unlikely subject for a song for a folk night. but his performance of Frank Turner's 'I Still Believe' was perfect.

MDF had Mike on board this evening, (he had obviously heard how well they managed without him on Friday at The George), and with Ross, Tracey, John and Mark there were enough of them to make a fair old fist of Kirsty McCall's, 'There's a Guy Works Down The Chip Shop' and Me and Bobby McGee. In the second half, MDF were minus Tracey, so Ross resumed his role on vocals and we heard Tom Waites', 'Long Way Home', with Ross playing the cajon with his heel as he sang; slowly kicking it back towards the fireplace. With Dire Sraits' Walk of Life he added the harmonica riffs, but could he continue with the percussion? Their final offering of the evening was Guy Clarke's 'Baton Rouge'.

Martin, who declared the broadsheet as his least favourite form of folk song, proceeded to Grand Theft Auto. Then the art critic's favourite, 6 Black Paintings. How he remembers the words is a mystery to me. In the second half, Martin continued to amaze with his knowledge of the turf, 'The Fix Is In' and then offered a critique of Earl Grey Tea, a drink or perfume? Martin's final song of the night was what he described as the saddest song, 'Joyce The Librarian'.

I was going to sing a quiet Bob Dylon song, but noises-off were a bit loud, so I did Under The Patio and Prickly Bush, I tied to cut out most of the verses when the father said yes he had the money in the first verse, but I wasn't allowed to get away with it and had to do a few other relatives. As it had quietened down in the other bar, and with Ross on the cajon, I did the Bob Dylon, 'Forever Young' and then my own composition, 'Suger Love'. Ross really got into the rhythm, and it sounded amazing.
Final number was 'In The Woods (Like Bear Grylls).

Nelson was back, 'Karina Karina' and Leonard Cohen's 'Chelsea Hotel'. In the second haf , Arlo Guthrie's 'Coming Into Los Angeles' Mr Customs Man and Mama you been on my mind. Another Dylan from Nelsom, 'Visions of Johanna'.

The evening finished with an ensemble of The Worried Man Blues to rock the pub and get our own back. Well done John, another cracking night at The Oak.

In the snug

When the irresistable force meets the imoveable object FATO and The Darts Team.
Baggy put us in the snug, to the side of the main bar. To be fair, with the furniture rearranged it did make for quite a cozy night but, with a few spilling out into the main bar, there was room. To make sure that those on the fringe could hear Paddy asked if I could provide the PA that we use at The George, Kilsby. So at 7pm I started setting up, and by the time John, who was in the power seat,  arrived we were ready to go.

There was only time for three pieces each, two in the first half and one in the second, which to satisfy any pedants among you means that strictly speaking means that they weren't halves.

The Weasels opened  Nowhere Man and Streets of London. Their finale was a very pleasing 'Sound of Silence'. No that didn't mean they made no noise for a few minutes, that is a different piece.

Derek, introduced the new love of his life and sang Jeff Lynne's 'When I was A Boy' and one of his regular contributions Four Non-Blondes. His new love sounded fabulous and there was just a little suggestion of guitar envy in the air; mostly mine.

No Strings were back and on good form as they performed a seemless medley of reels. The sheets spread wide across the music stands. 'Burns', 'Waterloo' and 'Fishers'. Their second half, 'The Robber's Retreat' had everyone singing along.

I benefitted from having Ross playing his Cajun, we even stuck a mic in it to give it more bottom, though when Ross sat on it, it probably had plenty already. I had the sweetest of first parts with a song about the amount of sugar in a high street coffee seller's most popular drinks, called 'Twenty Spoons of Sugar' follwed by the song inspired by the website 'sugardaddy.com' after learning all about it listening to Woman's Hour on Radio 4. My last song was a bit more serious. With a reported 11% of the adult population on antidepressants, my song about being stuck in a metaphorical hole, probably to be called 'Spade' or 'In a Hole' is quite topical.

Highlight of the night for me was one of Paddy's absolute gems. His song inspired by the presidential hopeful Donald Trump to the tune of Nellie The Elephant (Trump, Trump, Trump) was hilarious and so very clever. I am only sorry that the election will be over in only a few more months. His other first half song was the beautiful Gordon Lightfoot 'If You Could Read My Mind Love'. And he finished on 'The Doghouse Blues'.

We had to wait for the second half of the evening to hear Jim and Jan. 'Ladies Go Dancing At Whitsun'  and 'Wheel Your Perambulator John'

One of my Dad's favourite songs that we were subject to in the car, before he had one with a radio in was 'Home On The Range, but I never heard the full version until this evening, when it was performed by Graham and Theresa with John. They follwed that up with another childhood favourite, this time one of my Mum's, 'You Are My Sunshine'
They were joined for the second part of the evening by Andy, for the instrumental 'Cluck old Hen'.

Andy brings a diverse range of material to FATO often with a good slice of Rock and Blues. Tonight he finished with Lynyrd Skynyrd's,  'Ballard of Curtis Lowe'. First half was much more folky, Ralph McTell's 'Hiring Fair' and to bring some cheer to the assemblage of older men with their guitars, Terrence Blacker's 'Sad Old Bastards With Guitars'
Some SOBWG

 MDF with Ross on vocals, Dave on guitar, Mark on accordion and Brian on the tea-chest base. 'Sea of Heartbreak', and 'Dirty Old Town' Their final performance was Violent Femmes, 'Fat'.

Tony, helpfully passed printed copies of the chorus, sang again about the life of those on the canal, 'Here Come The Navvies' and 'Hard Life of The Bargee'. Then wet his whistle for the second half, playing 'The Irish Washerwoman'.

Bruce was in somber mood for the first part, singing about incarceration and injustice with songs 'Birmingham Jail' and 'Twenty One Years' his last song of the evening was much more jolly. 'Bob, The Pedigree Sheepdog.' The song about a Dalesbred sheepdog that was always on the lookout for an ankle.

 We should be back in the big room at the back for next month's gathering, but this evening's fun atmosphere will take some beating.

FATO Feb '16

Fato February '16

It was another busy night at The Oak, Crick; with plenty of performers and a growing number of audience members.

Paddy opened the proceedings with a warning. In between performers we were to be subjected to 'one liners'. I won't subjec

t you to them all, but the highlights for me were “Universal remote? That changes everything.” and “Dry Wipe boards, they're remarkable.”

Then he delighted us with his song about the 'selfie' culture. I think it was about taking selfie photographs, but I'm not entirely sure about that.

Bongo The Weasel were in 1940's mood with the theme to Dad's Army. “Don't tell him Pike!” Followed by Run Rabbit, Run. For both pieces they were armed with three ukuleles.

Theresa, Graham and John on the banjo raised a smile with their

rendition of The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band's Urban Spaceman  and The Star of The County Down

My two were as Ross noted a self-penned Marxist propaganda about the state of the NHS “Too Posh to Wash” and “Aesop's Fables”.

I can't help but feel a bit envious when a performer puts one instrument down and then picks up another to perform something a bit different. Andy Wenham performed 'As Bonny As The Morning' with guitar accompaniment and then swapped to accordion for 'If I were a blackbird.'

Old Folky, Bruce sang us 'The Wreck of The Number Nine', a salutary tale warning of the perils of marrying an engineer. Followed by 'Able Rogers', as Bruce described him, a man as happy as the sea will allow.

There were some lovely harmonies from Steve and Carolyn celebrating the centenary of Ewan McColl's birth, though I will be a few more years 'til we can celebrate the centenary of anything he wrote. Still, their “Sweet Thames flow softly” was delightful. On his own, Steve sang something a little way off its centenary, the theme to “The Royale Family”, “Half a World Away.”

Roland, on his own this evening, sang a cheery song about violence towards women, with a version of Waterson Carthy, Oxford Girl. 'with a dark and roving eye..I promised her I'd marry her if she would lie'. His second piece came from Henry Lawson, one of The Bush Poets, “Reedy River”. It didn't end well for Mary Campbell, and none of us were at all surprised.

MDF, Ross, John, Brian and Dave (only three working knees between them) City of New Orleans, finished with impeccable timing by Brian on the whistle. It's no bloody good getting old, capo 2 Brian.

Tom and Steve, House of the Rising Sun and Ring of Fire

Paddy restarted after the break with Raining in my heart and his perceptive account of canine nutrition, Kibble.

Bongo The Weasel, with only one uke this time, took us all back to school assembly for 'Lord of The Dance' and then “The Rout of The Blues”,  In the 1800's rout had a different meaning to the current understanding, it was simplly the chaos and heartbreak caused when the soldiers broke camp and headed to a new posting.

My second half contributions were Dylan's “Knocking on Heaven's Door” and one of my own compositions, “Simple Life” that has nothing to do with Marx at all, though I'm sure he would have approved of the sentiment.

Andrew Wenham picked up another tune from the radio, this time by The Kills, a wonderfully melancholic “The last goodbye” and then triumphed with a song to the tune of My Grandfather's Clock, but about something else entirely.

A BEAST OF LITTLE MERIT!

“My Grandfather's ferret was a beast of little merit” “it would bite off anything it could reach if you stood too close”. And when it shot up the dress of the aunty in distress it could only go from bad to worse. Andy's comic timing was perfect, though whether that was by design or just his being overwhelmed by the funniness of the lyric is uncertain.

Bruce was Out on The Mara Again, the Beggar.

Steve was a rockin' with “Oh Boy!” and the maried man's lament, a bit of Chas 'n' Dave, There ain't no pleasing you.

When he's on his own, Roland often comes up with some cracking monologues or songs from 'Up North', but tonight it was Blues and an old Mississippi John Hurt song 'Richland Woman Blues',
  and a self penned ragtime tune.

MDF finished the evening off with 'Fields of Athen Rye' and Dedicated Follower of Fashion. There is something slightly disturbing about the way Ross sings about pulling 'his frilly nylon panties right up tight'.

FATO January '16

Folk at The Oak – January 2016

I approached the first Folk at The Oak of 2016 a bit tentatively

Mike and John require careful handling.

having spent the previous few days feeling very sorry for myself and complaining about 'man-flu'. The effort of lugging my guitar to the van and wrestling it into the pub was too great, so I resigned myself to audience participation only, and decided that I would only stay for the first half; but what a first half.

For some inexplicable reason, after a couple of years bumbling along FATO has really taken off. Perhaps it isn't so inexplicable after all; a great atmosphere, a variety of performers and a selection of well kept beers has meant that audience and participator numbers have steadily grown. So full was the room that there was standing room only by the bar and John, whose turn it was to m/c, had to limit performances so that only those that arrived at 8pm got to play the second half.

John and Mike Newhouse started the proceedings with their covers of 

The Travelling Wilburys 'Handle Me With Care' and Credence Clearwater Revival's 'Proud Mary'.

No Strings Attached made a far better fist of their Waterloo than they did at Kilsby before Christmas.

Captain Smooth was amazed.

There was a real pace to the piece and their complementary picking sounded fantastic. Their second piece, the title of which escaped me, had something to do with commemorating the death of a second wife (his fiddle).

Prize for the most romantic gesture of the year (so far, but willtake some beating) had to go to Derrick Meyer who took advantage of the situation to tweak the lyrics of 'Amazed By You' to publicly announce his and Tracey's engagement. The women sighed, and the accompanied men

scowled as their wives elbowed their ribs saying 'Why do you never do anything romantic like that?' Of course we were all delighted for them, wish them well and look forward to the wedding party.

Tony brought his whistle with him but left his hat at home this evening, resulting in a new soubriquet, 'The Cat Without a Hat'. It remains to be seen if the name sticks, or if the hat makes a return. His playing was as good as ever though, and he treated us to a couple of lovely Irish tunes, Last Rose of Summer and then 'Come to The Fair'.

The second Credence tune came from Bongo The Weasel and 'Bad Moon Rising' this was followed by 'A Smuggler's Life for Me'.

Then it was blues time as
Andrew Wenham stepped up
and treated us to a bit of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, with
a perfectly paced 'Need Your Love So Bad followed by Neil
Young's Harvest Moon. 

Torgul, Sandi, Sue and Paul made up 'the band with no name'
gave an accomplished rendition of Harry Nilsson's
'Everybody's Talking At Me', but there was real feeling
evident in their cover of Johnny Cash and June Carter's
'Jackson'.

Feet were tapping when Graham and Theresa, accompanied
by John on the banjo, were joined by improvised cajon
drumming and spoons for 'I'll Tell Me Ma' and 'This Little
Light of Mine'.  The little light was kindly provided by Derrick.

Off duty, Paddy was able to

relax and enjoy himself, and
his 'Rock a bye Sweet Baby Jane' and his increasingly famous Gilbert and Sullivan parody 'I am the Very Model of an Education Secretary.

After a brief and enlightening anecdote about Steve's erection, Steve and Carolyn brought an end to the hilarity with a mournful 'January Man' before Steve provided a lovely tribute to the recently deceased David Bowie with his own moving composition, 'Let's Dance The Blues'. I wish I'd recorded it, and would certainly be glad to hear it again.

The floor was then offered to a new face to FATO. Mark played a self-

Move along Mark.

penned number, the title of which escaped me, but his dropped D tuning gave the song a very gritty and dark feel; and it suited his second song too, Ewan MacColl's 'The Moving On Song'. A moving account of the lives of traveling people.

An almost complete MDF, their line up is almost as large as Fairport Convention's these days, had the benefit of Brian on the tea chest and John on the banjo. Billy Joel's 'Piano Man' had everyone joining in, though Andy Wenham wondered where the piano was; an opportunity for a pianist there, I think. With their second song, Ross, becoming more adventurous, introduced our Monica to their crowd pleasing standard Johnny Be Good.

I've seen Crow's Feet at FATO a couple of times, but tonight we heard the full ensemble. Tobacco Road with the mandolin, and Brian on the tea chest, was awesome, but it didn't prepare us for their next. I didn't catch the name of the song but it seemed to be about uncontrolled, psychotic, dancing, possibly the best performance of the night, certainly of the first half.

The end of the session was on a lighter note as Jim and Jan gave us 'The Morpeth Rant' and the delightful 'Ardvark Song'. Jim's face glows with glee when he sings Aardvark and it is very contagious.

If it gets around what a top night it is, Baggy is going to need a bigger pub.