Reviews
Artist:Dave Pegg & Friends
Venue:Nettlebed Folk Club
Town:Nettlebed
Date:2/11/09
I was lucky enough to be at Nettlebed for Dave Pegg's Birthday Bash. It was Mark Evan's from Red Shoes birthday on the same day. Thus is Mark's view of the events.
On Monday November 2nd, which is just last week, we both set off for Nettlebed in Henley on Thames. A very rural and small Oxfordshire village, the place epitomises what is quintessentially English and quite obviously embraces it's folk music. This was to be both mine and Dave Pegg's joint birthday bash - Unbelievable I know, as only 2 years ago we were Myspace newbies, who had long thought that we would enjoy our music playing at home and on singers nights in small clubs.
Peggy had arranged and instigated the whole gig and invited other guests along to play and entertain an audience at Nettlebed Folk Club. We arrived at lunchtime and met up for a bite to eat and drink, meeting up firstly with Steve Ashley at the hotel. It wasn't long before Peggy arrived, along with Tom Leary, then PJ Wright and Anna Ryder, there was talk that Chris Leslie would also turn up soon.
We all adjourned to a hotel room and proceeded to run through various songs for everyone's sets, smiles never left our faces as the music wafted out of the open door to be heard by passing onlookers and diners in the hotel restaurant. Already there was a party atmosphere, and after 2 hours we took our gear down to the club and ran through the soundchecks. We'd never been to the Nettlebed before, and were both taken aback by the fabulous building, with it's exposed rafters, pannelled walls and old-time music hall stage . . . wonderful.
It wasn't too long before the hall filled up at a rapid pace and the lights went down ready for the arrival on stage of PJ and Peggy. The played brilliantly, and with witty banter between songs had the audience laughing along all the way. A great version of Peggy's "Bankruptured" and introducing themselves as the Everly Brothers - "he's everly smoking and I'm everly drinking", they went down a storm, joined for the last couple of numbers by Tom Leary on fiddle.
They came off to loud applause and Peggy gave us both a lovely introduction, and we went on to play a new song called "Tender Earth of England", just the two of us. Then it was our turn to bring the "band" on for the next few numbers - as Carolyn introduced Peggy, PJ, Tom, Anna and Chris Leslie who had arrived in time for the soundcheck, we both felt as if we'd won the lottery! We launched into "Celtic Moon" and to hear this awesome sound behind you was just amazing . . . the album as it sounded on cd, but now live! playing song after song, we ended with "Ring Around The Land", with it rousing chorus, being sung both onstage and in the audience, with Anna Ryder playing a mean French Horn in the background. We left the stage to rapturous applause and the biggest grins on our faces . . .
Anna Ryder opened the second half after the raffle, and treated us to a lovely set of personal songs that she does so well, ably supported by PJ and Tom Leary. It was a pleasure to watch her perched behind her piano, delivering each tune with such aplomb. Then Steve Ashley came on and delivered a truly mesmerising set of what can only be described as exquisite songs, the lyrics standing out against a beautiful backdrop of fiddle, piano and mandolin. It wasn't long before he sang his final number and we all joined him onstage to sing backing vocals on "Rough with the Smooth". This was the last song of the evening, but we were all called back for an encore, but first it was time for Steve Ashley to lead everyone in a rousing chorus of "Happy Birthday" for me and Peggy. With both of us arm in arm and singing along it had to be one of the highlights of my life (apart from marrying Carolyn and the birth of my children lol), we then burst into a rendition of "Roll Over Beethoven" - folk style . . .I say it myself, but it was blistering!!! all of us taking turns at verses and solo's.
We'd both like to say a big personal thankyou to Peggy for his support, love and friendship and including me in this Birthday celebrations - Here's to many more, with Red Shoes being "Pegged & Fiddled"
Mark Evans
pics:Neil King