Reviews
Artist: Strawberry Fools
Towns: Aldermaston/ Staines
Date: 14th May/ 15th May 2010
Website: http://www.strawberryfools.co.uk
Not just one Strawberry Fools gig, but two on successive nights!
As their name might suggest, the Strawberry Fools (or just Fools to their friends), are a Strawbs tribute band. Unlike many a tribute band, though, they do not try to imitate, but to honour. They both compliment and complement the Strawbs. As well as playing several of the Strawbs more well known songs, they have tried to include many rarer gems amongst their set list, so several of their songs are tracks not normally played live by the Strawbs.
These two gigs were the Fools first tour, of which, hopefully, they'll be many more. They did play a short set once at a Strawbs Xmas party, and they were due to play a set during the Strawbs fortieth celebrations, but had to withdraw due to illness. Considering that this was their first time on the road, and considering that the band members are based all over England, so rehearsals are both difficult and expensive, they were amazingly good.
Aldermaston appears to be almost the perfect English village. Very beautifully bedecked with spring blossom and not too far from civilisation, with a very sweet little parish hall. Apparently, to book the hall there was a maze of health and safety hoops to jump through, but luckily the keyboard player, Pete Rand, is a trained First Aider, so that helped swing them the venue.
At Aldermaston they started the show with a few solo spots from band members and friends, opening with Dick Greener playing his own song, "No Crocodile Tears". He was followed by Kevin West, (one half of the duo Wychwood, more of whom later). He played two songs, beginning with the Strawbs classic, "A Glimpse of Heaven", followed by a composition of his own, which I believe is called "Five Tons Before Home" (apologies if I've got that wrong). Ian Rand, (son of the Fools' keyboard player) continued. He played two very beautiful songs, the first of which, I believe, was called "The Nest" by Jose Gonzalez, and the second was "Heartbeat" also by Jose Gonzalez. He has a lyrical, soft gentle voice, and a skilled way of simultaneously playing both rhythm and lead with his guitar. He will go far. This was his first ever live performance and it was a very accomplished performance.
The next solo spot was Ralph Tonge, who played 10cc's "I'm Not In Love". Totally acoustic without any of the electronic wizardry of the original, but every bit as impressive. He was then joined by fellow band members Dave Claridge and Dick Greener, for a rousing version of Stealers Wheel's, "Stuck In The Middle With You". Dave Claridge, ably assisted by Ralph, then took over with Dylan's, "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight". Dave then swapped his guitar for a ukulele and played a song that I'm afraid I don't know the title or history of. It might be his own composition. " ..even when it's raining, stop all your complaining, I've got a ukulele."
Two very full sets by the Fools followed, packed with some of the most beautiful of the Strawbs songs. For me, one of the highlights was "Deadly Nightshade", from the Strawbs much overlooked album "Deadlines". Another highlight was "Forever", originally sung by Tony Hooper, who was present in the audience. Apparently he said afterwards that he thought that the Strawberry Fools version was better than the original. High praise indeed. Most humorous moment happened during "Tell Me What You See In Me". Dave Claridge was playing bongos, (as well as guitar, vocals and ukulele, he also played bass guitar and dulcimer throughout the performances), and had positioned his microphone vertically above his lap to capture the sound. Of course, a few bars into the song, gravity took over and the mic dropped into his groin.
The Hythe Centre at Staines is a fairly new, purpose built entertainment centre with two function rooms. The room we were in was extremely well lit, and had very good acoustics. I don't think the room is very well sound-proofed though as we could hear a plane fly overhead at one point, but as far as I know, the neighbours don't complain. Not with music this good, anyway. The first set at Staines opened with four songs by the acoustic duo Wychwood, whose name presumably was derived from the Strawbs' album "From the Witchwood". Amongst their set were two Strawbs songs: a fairly recent song by Dave Lambert called "Cold Steel" and an old Sandy Denny song, "Where Does The Time Go"." Wychwood are Kevin West (who played a solo set at Aldermaston) and Lyndsay Hemphill (currently five months pregnant so excused from not playing at Aldermaston). They also played two of their own compositions, one whose title I didn't catch, and one called, "Icons and Imagery".
The second set was opened by Roy Hill. He mainly played tracks from his forthcoming album, "Switzerland", which he has been working on for a while now, but release seems to be imminent. He dedicated the first track, "Happiness" to Brian Willoughby and Cathryn Craig (both ex members of the Strawbs and both present), by quipping that he was a better guitarist than Brian and a better singer than Cathryn. Brian, apparently accidentally, retaliated at the end of the song by turning out the lights.
Switzerland sounds as if it is likely to be much darker than Roy's usual material, but just as good. Between songs though, Roy threw in some of his usual witty set pieces, such as "Sheep", and "Gas Mask", which kept the audience in fits of laughter.
The Fools were tremendous. The sound and lighting was definitely better in Staines, but at both gigs they excelled themselves. Dick Greener, Dave Claridge and Ralph Tonge took turns with the lead vocals and harmonies, and on Chas Cronk's "Starshine", Les Cotton swapped his bass for an acoustic, and took the lead vocals. Throughout, the keyboards were brilliant, particularly on "Temperance Of Mind" (or "Temporary State Of Mind" as Dick called it) when Pete Rand could have given Rick Wakeman a run for his money. Les kept up a storming bass rhythm, particularly on "How Everyone But Sam Was A Hypocrite", where the bass was the lead instrument. Seemingly effortless lead guitar ("twiddly bits") from Ralph, a complete mastery of a wide variety of different instruments from Dave, and Dick swapped between percussion and guitar throughout. Great humour from all, particularly from Dave, in introducing the songs.
All told, a band bursting at the seams with talent.
Set List for both nights was:
Flying
Forever
Face Down In The Well
Here It Comes
Evergreen
Back In The Old Routine
Shine On Silver Sun
Golden Salamander
Starshine
Tell Me What You See In Me
The Flower and The Young man
When You Were a Child
How Everyone But Sam Was a Hypocrite
Deadly Nightshade
Temperance of Mind/ Song Of a Sad Little Girl
The Shepherd's Song
Fingertips
We'll Meet Again Sometime
Part Of The Union
Pete Bradley