BARBARA DICKSON/BLAZIN' FIDDLE
(SAGE THEATRE, GATESHEAD - 24th November 2005)
The evening opened with Blazing Fiddles, who played a
45-minute set. The band comprised five fiddles, one
keyboard and one 6-string guitar in various combinations.
Much shoe-leather was worn away - it was quite impossible
to keep still during the programme which included jigs and
reels, a Johnny Cunningham song, Texas swing, and
Donegal Scots/Irish pieces. They were very good, and got
the audience nicely warmed up.
There were several Blazin' Fiddles fans around me, and
they were thrilled by the performance – but they weren’t
sure how Barbara would measure up (cheek!). One couple wondered whether to leave at the interval “since the rest of the show is bound to be "an anticlimax”. Fortunately, I refrained from giving them a good slapping, tempting though it was! Even some of the “neutrals” thought Barbara would be pushed to match Blazin' Fiddles.
They ended up complaining that she should have played a longer set! The comments on the way out included “really impressive”, “great band”, “great arrangements” and “I didn’t realise she was such a great singer”. Several people were discussing the 2006 tour (she mentioned the Whitley Bay gig), and were planning to go. One group near me didn’t know about the website, so naturally I told them.
It was interesting to see the reaction to Barbara's section of the show – this was definitely a hardcore folkie audience, and they just loved Barbara’s set. They were foot tapping, clapping along and there was loud applause and cheers for each song - people were even singing along at times! Barbara was clearly enjoying herself – she was making jokes after the second song (picking up her bottle of water, she said “we’re not allowed glass on stage, but it’s okay – it means I could fill this with vodka!”). and she really opened up and went for broke on the songs. There could have been no complaints about “Across the Hills” this time!! The boys were on good form, too; the band consisted of Neil, Troy, Peter and Russell (who seems to have settled in really well).
If this was a foretaste of what we can expect for the 2006 tour, we’re in for one hell of a good time!
There were no posters, no programmes, not even a flyer – and this was commented on, as The Sage was a new venue. People were interested in what was being offered, but didn’t know how to get the information.
Barbara’s set lasted an hour and ten minutes - the playlist was:
Garton Mothers Lullaby
Don’t Think Twice
Millworker
The Wife of the Soldier
Blowing in the Wind
Westron Wynde/Corpus Christi
Singing Bird
Lovely Joan
The Sky Above the Roof
Across the Hills
Caravans
Encore
Eriskay Love Song
(Vivienne Chick)
