Fairport Convention with Luke Jackson - The Stables Wavendon

We are back at the Stables in Wavendon or Milton Keynes as some prefer to say. It must have been a while since the last visit as I managed to get lost too.. 

A great deal of building work is going on around the venue. I noticed the road leading to the Stables is now called 'Dankworth Way'. A tribute to Johnny who with his wife Cleo Laine founded The Stables in 1970. Surely it can only be a matter of time before we have a 'Laine Lane' sign put up.

I do love The Stables as a venue. The sound is always wonderful in the Jim Marshall Auditorium, as you would expect. You are always guaranteed a good view wherever you are seated. My only problem is that they very rarely allow any photography. I don't understand it, and never seem to get a reasonable answer. They usually blame it on the Artist, but this doesn't hold true as I've seen the same Artist in other places with no such photography ban. As I've mentioned before I find the 'Waistcoat Assassins' quite sinister. They look meek and mild mannered but believe me at the merest hind of a phone being aimed at the stage they swoop like a Seagull on plate of chips. So be prepared for more waffling and filler in this write up than I would serve up. 

One such 'WA' had already tried to 'usher' us into the wrong seats. Apparently a seat had been removed which had thrown her counting into chaos. We were a chair short for some reason? All was fine until a couple then arrived and only one seat was available. Out of nowhere an 'odd job' man with a chair appeared, a bit like the shopkeeper in the 'Mr Benn TV Series. He soon got to work securing it to the floor, and the couple were  quickly seated. Clearly relieved the lady soon got out her flask of tea and settled herself for the evening ahead. 

I'm really looking forward to seeing Fairport Convention. Beforehand we have a support 'Luke Jackson.'In fact the photo taken from behind the stage was taken by him. He has kindly given me permission to use it.    

The picture on the left he hasn't given me permission to use as such. It is his Facebook profile so I'm hoping he won't mind me 'borrowing'?

He's no stranger to The Stables having played their last month on the intimate Stage 2. He seems to be building up quite a following if the number of names being added to the mailing list is anything to go by. From Canterbury, he has some tales for us tonight. 

 Starting with a bluesy 'a Capella' number with some finger clicking and foot stamping, he has the attention of the audience. There is no let up as he glides through the short set.Some great explanations too about what is behind some of the songs. Clearly the Covid Lockdown has had an influence on his songwriting. Not least in appreciating the 'here and now' 'living in the moment' aspect. There was a good blend of Blues, Folk and Pop Rock and he is clearly a talented chap. It puzzles me sometimes how far less talented artists (no names mentioned) seem to hit the big time very quickly. I hope that he gets the break he deserves! Good to catch up with him after the show for a brief chat.

Fairport join Luke for the last song of his set 'Nothing but time'. A light hearted take on having too much time on your hands. He leaves the stage to great applause and hope he is back again soon. The Fairport tour will be a great learning experience that's for sure.

Fairport kick off  with 'Walk a While' on this 'Winter Tour' and Simon (Nicol)describes it as being back at school after the half term break. A reference to the enforced cancellation of shows after the 8th of February due to Covid. 

A good half a dozen songs will come from the 2019 album 'Shuffle and Go' The album was being sold off in the foyer for the bargain price of £5! Thankfully Mrs A had the cash as credit cards were not taken. Dave Pegg went on to say a bit later that he has about two thousand of them boxed up in his garage, and they need to 'get rid.' It all sounds highly dodgy but I'm glad to do my bit at least. There were also signed tour brochures on sale for a fiver too which in today's climate would have been a good buy too.

We get two tracks from the album, 'Cider Rain' and 'Don't Reveal My Name'. Ric Sanders introduces the instrumental 'Steampunkery' something of a new hobby of his it would seem. 

The first set closes with 'Sloth' from the 1970 alum 'Full House'.' The band disapear for twenty minutes for a cup of tea. I'm sure a lot of the audience are grateful to make full use of the facilities too. There were a few young faces too, some of which hardly looked a day over 50! 

Some confusion in the toilets too..On the auditorium level the 'mens' are now the ladies and the 'ladies the 'mens' if you follow. One gentleman in particular was most perturbed at the lack of a urinal..... Change clearly isn't always a good thing.

Set 2 starts with 'Journeyman's Grace' from the 1971 album Angel Delight. This is followed by 'Honour & Praise' another of many of their catalogue of songs that relate to the sear, sailing and maritime history. Strange really says Simon from a band who have always been based in Banbury! We are also treated to the now customary 'bad' jokes from Ric, the Jehovah's Witnesses are in the firing line in one of them. All in good fun of course.The Dave Pegg penned ' Bankruptered also gets an outing. More tracks from 'Shuffle and Go follow with, 'Moses Waits and 'Moondust and Solitude'. Chris (Leslie)explains that the song comes from his love of all things outer space.He even tells us about his friends 3ft  high scale model of the Saturn 5 rocket. Which in typical Lego style has 1969 pieces. 

In my opinion the best is still to come. 'The Hiring Fair' written by Ralph Mctell is a personal favourite of ours.Thankfully it is pretty much a staple on the set list since 1986. A real case of songwriting and poetry telling a story with this lovely song. There were a few teary eyes too, one very close to where I was sitting. 

This was followed by another classic 'Matty Groves' from Liege and Lief (1969). This time with Chris playing the Banjo rather than his Mandolin. Always a tremendous feel to this song and a lot of passion fro m Simon 'I'll kill you if I can' in particular.  

If there were a few tears earlier it was nothing compared to the traditional finale of 'Meet on the Ledge'. A tribute to friends and family who are no longer with us, that perhaps one day we will all meet up again. I'm sure that the song had extra poignancy for some members of the audience. Luke Jackson returns for a really rousing encore.  It has been a great night night for sure. One or two hiccups, the odd false start, and a couple of no starts at all! Are you there Gerry (Conway)? But this is live music without the massive production that other bands might have. The Stables and Fairport Convention continue to go along very nicely together. 
 

  

   

Stamford Circular Walk

 

We are just over the county boundary halfway between York and London on the Great North Road. Stamford is a beautiful stone town with great architecture and history. Parked up close to the centre we make our way down towards the River Welland. We pick up the 'Torpel Way' which connects Peterborough with Stamford. 

The River Welland rises near Sibbertoft in Northamptonshire before reaching The Wash approximately 105 km away. For much of it's length it forms historic Count boundaries between Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, Leicestershire and Rutland and Lincolnshire and Cambridge.   

 

It's a very chilly an blustery day. I have definitely made the right call in going for the 'Big Coat'. At least it looks as though the rain will stay away which is always good!

 A 'mystery object'  in the meadow and close to the water  and pictured below left?

 

The 'mystery object' turn out to be an animal operated pasture pump. I'm not entirely sure of the physics but as far as I can tell the cow would press it's nose against the plate and the water is released. It's all a bit too high tech really but I'm glad the animals can get a drink when they need one at least. 

 

Uffington and Barnack was a railway station in the soke of Peterborough. It opened in 1846 and closed to passengers in 1952 and to goods in 1964. The signal box is still in use and is a 'block post'. The level crossing gates are still opened and closed manually by the signalman.The station house has survived and is now a private house. 

 

We leave the Torpel Way for the Uffington Road and pass through the village of Barnack. Noted for its former Limestone industry and 'Hills and Holes' nature reserve built on an old medieval quarry. This site of Special Scientific Interest is one of Britain's most important wildlife sites. Covering an area of 50 acres, the grassy slopes are home to a profusion of wild flowers. The unique hummocky landscape of the Hills and Holes was created by quarrying for limestone. The stone, known as Barnack Rag, was a valuable building stone first exploited by the Romans over 1500 years ago.

Talking of The Romans we are now on 'Ermine Street'. This major Roman road starts in London and ends in York.It was built between the years 45 AD and 75 AD as the conquest of Britain progressed. 

The signpost says that we are also on the Hereward Way. The Way links the Viking Way (at Oakham) with the Peddars Way near to Knettishall Heath. It passes through Stamford, Peterborough and Ely to reach the Brecklands heaths and forests at Brandon and Thetford. In total  distance of 110 miles. 

We are now on the edge of the Burghley Park estate.The house is visible in the distance. Burghley House (listed grade I) lies in the north-east quarter of the park and is one of the largest Elizabethan mansions in the country, erected by William Cecil Lord Burghley between 1555 and 1587.

The Burghley Horse Trials are one of the six leading three-day events in the world.Horse trials have been held at Burghley House since 1961. 

Since then no other international horse trials site has staged as many championships, a record ten in all including the first World Championship in 1966.

We continue on without seeing the vaguest sight of a horse. We do see several golfers battling the windy conditions on Burghley Park GC. 

From our elevated viewpoint the spires of Stamford come into view again. We are on the homeward leg of the walk now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the bridge and two the left is the lovely old fashioned style Railway Station. We make our way back into the town passing the old Baths, now a private residence. It has been a very windy but enjoyable walk coming in at 9.44 miles.

It is still early so time for a pint at the Slater's  Arms in Collyweston on the journey home.