From: owner-little-wings-digest@smoe.org (little-wings-digest) To: little-wings-digest@smoe.org Subject: little-wings-digest V5 #9 Reply-To: little-wings@smoe.org Sender: owner-little-wings-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-little-wings-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk little-wings-digest Monday, January 27 2003 Volume 05 : Number 009 Today's Subjects: ----------------- little-wings: chautuaqua tour play, tregaron, wales ["Matt Morden" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 21:41:56 -0000 From: "Matt Morden" Subject: little-wings: chautuaqua tour play, tregaron, wales The "Chautaqua Tour" (Jeffrey Foucault, Peter Mulvey and Kris Delmhorst) rolled into Tregaron in Ceredigion, Wales on Friday night. Tregaron is a large village/small town situated some 15 miles inland from Aberwystwth. It has half a dozen chapels and half a dozen pubs. Nothing much happens there - it is surrounded by deep bogs and lonely mountains. The streets are full of quiet and woodsmoke. In short, not a typical UK place, but maybe a Foucault kind of a town The Talbot Hotel is an old drovers' inn dating back to the thirteenth century. The oak beams, stone walls and open fires are strong reminders of long ago and a good place for acoustic performers to practice, as the trio were when we arrived. I must have spent too much time watching big bands, but seeing the three of them hanging out in the bar and chatting to the punters made a pleasant change. After a brief intro from our Cambria Arts host, JF took the stage at 9.30. He seemed a little nervous - maybe the culture change and the prospect of playing to an older UK folk audience ( at 40, I would say I was one of the younger members) was daunting. First up was Crossing Mississippi, then Miles from the Lightning with backing from PM and Secretariat. Californ-i-a was presented as a song about "a the girl I drove away " and followed by I'm Alright - a happy song "written on a bet to prove I could write one". JF's set closed up with Bucket of Rain? (Bob Dylan). All excellent stuff. While it was tempting to feel the set could have been longer, the interplay and shared performances to follow made up for the brevity. Next up was Kris Delmhorst ( described by my wife as "a pussycat" ) with East of the Mountains, Broken White Line, Little Wings and Hummingbird. JF joined her on stage for the Welch/Rawlings composed "Little Red Bird" and engaged in some good tempered banter about JF asking KD to marry her (allegedly..:). She then sang I Love North Dakota? and was accompanied by PM for Juice in June, Clucky Old Hen? and Lullaby. KD has a great voice and no little charisma - should go far. After a break, PM took the stage,with whole of his set marked by top-draw guitar playing. Stranded in a Limousine (P Simon) , Just Don't Get It, Two Janes (Hidalgos) and an un-named instrumental were performed solo. JF pitched in on National Hard Time Loving Man and Running Up the Stairs (Kimball) and there was a good account of the two of them getting fleeced at poker by KD. Five solo songs followed (Believe Me?, I Got a Secret?, Tender Blind Spot, Brand New 64 Dodge and Shirt) before a duet with KD on Irving Mills's Moonglow. The duo then ran through the Lennon McCartney harmonies of For No One, and the trad Red Apple Juice before three-way rendition of Welch's Orphan Girl, Sad Sad Sad Sad and a heartfelt Faraway from Home. The hundred strong audience then cheered sufficiently for an encore of Hard Times (Come Again No More) and Big Trucks (for TVZ). The intimate nature of the gig was typified by the trio virtually shaking hands with all the audience as they left. A great night out and I would recommend that all UK listers make an effort to see the remaining shows over here. PS On a personal note, my thanks to Jeffrey, Kris and Peter for an excellent show. It is appreciated. Matt PS Apologies to the players and fans if I botched any titles here... ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Jan 2003 22:10:11 -0000 From: "Dave McKay" Subject: RE: little-wings: chautuaqua tour play, tregaron, wales > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-little-wings@smoe.org [mailto:owner-little-wings@smoe.org]On > Behalf Of Matt Morden > Sent: Monday, January 27, 2003 9:42 PM > To: little-wings-digest@smoe.org > Subject: little-wings: chautuaqua tour play, tregaron, wales > > > The "Chautaqua Tour" (Jeffrey Foucault, Peter Mulvey and Kris Delmhorst) > rolled into Tregaron in Ceredigion, Wales on Friday night. > Tregaron is a large > village/small town situated some 15 miles inland from > Aberwystwth. It has half > a dozen chapels and half a dozen pubs. Nothing much happens there - it is > surrounded by deep bogs and lonely mountains. The streets are > full of quiet > and woodsmoke. In short, not a typical UK place, but maybe a > Foucault kind of > a town > > The Talbot Hotel is an old drovers' inn dating back to the > thirteenth century. > The oak beams, stone walls and open fires are strong reminders of > long ago and > a good place for acoustic performers to practice, as the trio were when we > arrived. I must have spent too much time watching big bands, but > seeing the > three of them hanging out in the bar and chatting to the punters made a > pleasant change. > > After a brief intro from our Cambria Arts host, JF took the stage > at 9.30. He > seemed a little nervous - maybe the culture change and the > prospect of playing > to an older UK folk audience ( at 40, I would say I was one of the younger > members) was daunting. First up was Crossing Mississippi, then > Miles from the > Lightning with backing from PM and Secretariat. Californ-i-a was > presented as > a song about "a the girl I drove away " and followed by I'm > Alright - a happy > song "written on a bet to prove I could write one". JF's set > closed up with > Bucket of Rain? (Bob Dylan). All excellent stuff. While it was tempting to > feel the set could have been longer, the interplay and shared > performances to > follow made up for the brevity. > > Next up was Kris Delmhorst ( described by my wife as "a pussycat" > ) with East > of the Mountains, Broken White Line, Little Wings and > Hummingbird. JF joined > her on stage for the Welch/Rawlings composed "Little Red Bird" > and engaged in > some good tempered banter about JF asking KD to marry her > (allegedly..:). She > then sang I Love North Dakota? and was accompanied by PM for > Juice in June, > Clucky Old Hen? and Lullaby. KD has a great voice and no little > charisma - > should go far. > > After a break, PM took the stage,with whole of his set marked by top-draw > guitar playing. Stranded in a Limousine (P Simon) , Just Don't Get It, Two > Janes (Hidalgos) and an un-named instrumental were performed > solo. JF pitched > in on National Hard Time Loving Man and Running Up the Stairs > (Kimball) and > there was a good account of the two of them getting fleeced at > poker by KD. > Five solo songs followed (Believe Me?, I Got a Secret?, Tender Blind Spot, > Brand New 64 Dodge and Shirt) before a duet with KD on Irving Mills's > Moonglow. The duo then ran through the Lennon McCartney harmonies > of For No > One, and the trad Red Apple Juice before three-way rendition of > Welch's Orphan > Girl, Sad Sad Sad Sad and a heartfelt Faraway from Home. The > hundred strong > audience then cheered sufficiently for an encore of Hard Times > (Come Again No > More) and Big Trucks (for TVZ). > > The intimate nature of the gig was typified by the trio virtually shaking > hands with all the audience as they left. A great night out and I would > recommend that all UK listers make an effort to see the remaining > shows over > here. > > PS On a personal note, my thanks to Jeffrey, Kris and Peter for > an excellent > show. It is appreciated. > > Matt > > PS Apologies to the players and fans if I botched any titles here... ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Jan 2003 22:35:31 -0000 From: "Dave McKay" Subject: little-wings: Hazelwood House Sorry for the last (mis)post ... finger trouble! Last night saw Kris, Peter and Jeffrey hit isolated Devon. Hazelwood House is an early Victorian edifice set in 67 acres of woodland and meadows surrounding an extensive stretch of riverbank. The nearest major conurbation might as well be a million miles away ... the place is peace incarnate. Kay and I arrived mid-afternoon (we were staying overnight), and, after a stroll down to the abandoned boathouse and back, were reading newspapers in front of a roaring log fire when Kris and co arrived. After renewing old acquaintances (and meeting Jeff for the first time), the trio left to prepare for the gig, which was to take place in the chapel on the grounds. Night had fallen (thump!) when we began to make our way to the chapel for the concert, and such is the isolation of the area that, had it not been for the candles marking the road, we would not have been able to see our hands in front of our face. The chapel held around 50 people, of whom the first to arrive had apparently interrupted a sound check from the trio which had metamorphosed into an extended jam session! In a departure from the Tregaron gig as described by Matt earlier (presumably due to the lack of backstage facilities), the trio launched into an in-the-round performance from the outset ... a format which lasted the entire night. Kris and Jeff's sets were much the same as before (though Kris did play Honeyed Out ... her "field holler" song as described by Peter). Peter, however, trotted out a very different set, with comparatively few of his own songs (Shirt, 29-Cent Head, Black Rabbit, On The Way Up). The entire set (two halves of 70 minutes) was filled with harmonies, guitar interplay, and the kind of off-the-wall humour which makes Peter and Kris a joy to know (and a trait which Jeff certainly shares). In short, it was a great night, and the audience, who came in the main on the strength of Peter's performance the previous year opening for Chris Smither, were newly captivated by both Kris and Jeff. A good trade in CDs was obvious in the interval. We bade an extended farewell to the trio at breakfast this morning (they were staying an extra night since they have no gig tonight), but will catch up with them again in Portsmouth on Tuesday, and at the Borderline on Friday. If you haven't made up your mind to go to the remaining concerts yet, then take it from me ... you will be missing a fantastic show. Those remaining dates: 1/27 The Globe Hotel, Topsham, UK, 01392 873407 1/28 City Bar, Portsmouth, UK, 02392 863 911 1/29 All Saints Centre, Lewes, UK, 07790 363139 1/ 30 The Musician, Leicester, UK, 0116 251 0080 1/31 The Borderline. London, UK, 020 7 395 0777, www.borderline.co.uk 2/1 Astor Theatre Arts Centre, Deal, UK, 01304 366 077 (**minus JFoucault) 2/2 The Pit, Farnham, 01252 850 789 (**minus JFoucault Dave. ------------------------------ End of little-wings-digest V5 #9 ********************************