Reviews

Event: Swiss Cottagers' 10th Anniversary
Venue: Lower Ground Bar
Town: West Hampstead
Date: 8th December 2009
Website: http://www.strawbsweb.co.uk/@swiss/index.asp/

So sorry. What with work, Xmas and flu it has taken me almost a month to get round to reviewing this.

Had promised myself that I would cut down on concerts, especially ones in the middle of the week, and especially ones where travelling was involved, but The Swiss Cottagers was not one I could miss. I've known Dick Greener for a few years now, and seen him play with his other band, the Strawberry Fools, but had not yet seen his first band. If you haven't heard of them before that isn't particularly surprising. This concert was the tenth anniversary of their first concert, but it was also the fifth anniversary of their last gig.

All members of the band work for the same company, so this was effectively a work's night out. I therefore felt that I was a bit of an interloper, and had planned to hide myself at the back, thinking that it wouldn't be fair on the rest if I went and hogged the best seat. However the Lower Ground Bar, as its name suggests, is a bar, and when I arrived the back was full, being the area where the drinks are served. The only place where I could hide away was right at the front. So completely unintentionally, I managed to get a front seat. Oh well, I'm not complaining.

I think that the line up was their original, though it was described as "the classic line up", so it is possible that there was an earlier incarnation. This line up featured Dick Greener on vocals and guitar, Jacqui Mowbrey on vocals, (though I believe she also plays flute and percussion), Martin Hyndman on accordion, and Nick Bliss on vocals, guitar and mandolin. They were also joined for a couple of songs by another work colleague, Greg Smith. The 'classic' line up had been forced to change when Martin transferred to Switzerland, and his role (and accordion) was temporarily taken over by Sarah Watt. Martin had returned just for this reunion concert.

Rehearsals aren't easy with one of you living in another country, so the band were a little worried that they hadn't had enough time to get back into shape, so they had written out the lyrics as an aide-memoir, but the lighting wasn't really bright enough for them to read. Luckily, they soon dropped into their stride, and put on a brilliant performance, without having to refer to their notes.

Ten years ago, when they first played at a colleague's leaving do, their repertoire wasn't large, and so Dick had filled in with a few solo songs. It has therefore become a bit of a tradition with them that at every gig, Dick plays a couple of tracks on his own. At the Lower Ground Bar, he opened each set with his own compositions, though most of their material consists of covers, drawn from quite a wide field. Although they play mainly covers, with the mandolin and accordion they have quite an original sound.

Most impressed with Jacqui's singing. For someone who hasn't sung for five years, she really put her heart into it, throwing back her head so as to widen her mouth and really belt out the notes.

Have to say also, that I was most impressed with the audience. Yes, in a bar it is impossible to have complete silence whilst the music is playing, but they listened intently, and cheered most animatedly after each song. Thought that there might have been a bit of a risk that as they were watching their workmates that they wouldn't take it seriously, but I'm pleased to report, they were fully behind them.

Their last gig, with the 2004 line up, was recorded, and interestingly enough, this has now been released as a live album (to complement their existing studio album), so it is likely that they are planning on further gigs to promote them.

Set list was:
Mystery Lady (Dick Greener)
Ar Éirinn Ní Neosfainn Cé Hí - (trad) track introduced by Dick as "Our Irish song" you can see why from the title - it's Celtic for "It's for Ireland I'd not tell her name"
After the Goldrush - a capella (Neil Young)
Leaving On A Jet Plane (Peter, Paul and Mary)
Be My Downfall (Del Amitri)
Rockin' Chair (Billy Mitchell - Jack the Lad)
Fulsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash)
California Dreamin' (The Mamas and the Papas)
Cotton Mill Girls (trad/ Hedy West)

Crocodile Tears (Dick Greener)
Killing Me Softly (Roberta Flack)
Driftwood (Travis)
Stuck In The Middle With You (Stealers Wheel)
On My Way (Strawbs)
Proud Mary (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
Mr Tambourine Man (Dylan (plus The Birds))
Walking In Memphis (Marc Cohn (plus Cher))
Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell)

White Christmas - a capella (Irving Berlin - Bing Crosby)
I'm A Believer (Neil Diamond (plus the Monkees))

Pete Bradley

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