The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun

Subject: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 14 Jun 09 - 08:13 AM

Dear Everyone,

We're thrilled to have The Claque appearing at the Lewes Saturday Folk Club, Lewes, Sussex, UK, on Saturday 27th. June. They are magnificent, and quite a rarity in the south-east, being based in Devon. They are Barry Lister, Sean O'Shea, Tom Addison and Dave Lowry. Between them they have been in The Songwainers, Isca Faryre and Hollinmoor; they came together as The Claque a couple of years ago. They sing unusual, mainly traditional songs in unaccompanied four-part harmony, and they are quite unlike other male a capella groups of today - Coope Boyes & Simpson or The Wilson Family, for example. The harmonies are strong, complicated, powerful and often almost dangerous. Here's an example: The Claque sing 'Once a Farmer'.

You'll also find some well-informed reviews of their CD, 'Sounding Now,' on http://foreshorefolk.com/Sounding-Now-Reviews

They are guaranteed to sound terrific in the acoustics of our new room in the Elephant.

Admission is £6 and as always, floor singers will be welcome.

Valmai (Lewes)

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Will Fly
Date: 14 Jun 09 - 08:19 AM

Sounds great, Valmai. Alas! I shall in Bradfield, playing guitar/concertina duets with Alan Day, so can't make it to Lewes that night. However, I believe WW2 Night follows a week later - and that's a must. (Just practicing my "heils"...)

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Surreysinger
Date: 14 Jun 09 - 08:30 AM

Awwww ... wish I could be there Valmai... but I'm also going to be elsewhere, up at the Traditions Festival in Preston bigging up Lucy B. It'll be a good night I'm sure. If you've never heard the Claque - go!!!

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 14 Jun 09 - 08:30 AM

Thanks! I'll start a separate thread for the WW2 night, which, as you say, is on Saturday 4th. July. Bradfield is in for a treat.

Valmai

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 14 Jun 09 - 12:54 PM

And from me, regrets.. I'm performing myself that night otherwise I'd take the drive!

They are a fantastic group, funny, merde chaud on the harmonies and not at all hard on the eye either!

LTS

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 15 Jun 09 - 03:34 AM

Gosh, I'd never thought of them in that light, but now you mention it ....

Just a word to say that the date of their appearance in Lewes is definitely Saturday 27th. June - their website has it as the day before, when they are at the excellent Fo'csle club in Southampton.

Valmai

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Will Fly
Date: 15 Jun 09 - 04:30 AM

LTS:
They are ... not at all hard on the eye either!

Well, I've trimmed the beard, put my hair into decent shape, slimmed the waist down a bit and have started flexing my pecs. And I've started an all-male guitar and concertina duo called "The Clique".

Come on ladies - take advantage of us!

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 15 Jun 09 - 11:07 AM

Egad! When you descend on Bradfield, we should be able to hear the screams from Lewes. It just remains to be seen who will be doing the screaming.....

Tootle pip,

Valmai

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 16 Jun 09 - 08:15 AM

There's also a chance that The Claque may turn up with instruments and voices to Vic & Tina Smith's monthly song and tunes session in the Royal Oak , Station Street, the following day (Sunday 28th. June, 3.30 - 5.30 p.m.). It depends on their travel arrangements - further and better particulars later.

Valmai

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Vic Smith
Date: 17 Jun 09 - 06:50 AM

Valmai said

"There's also a chance that The Claque may turn up with instruments and voices to Vic & Tina Smith's monthly song and tunes session in the Royal Oak , Station Street, the following day (Sunday 28th. June, 3.30 - 5.30 p.m.). It depends on their travel arrangements - further and better particulars later."

That would be fantastic, Valmai

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Will Fly
Date: 17 Jun 09 - 08:06 AM

And then, perhaps, on to Ian Chisholm & Stephen Sibbald's evening session at the Bull in Ditchling (8pm-10.30pm) - free pint for each musician... Well - you never know.

I might have to do max revs down the M1 on Sunday morning to fit all this into the weekend!

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 28 Jun 09 - 03:19 AM

Good news for this afternoon -The Claque, who gave us a terrific night at the Lewes Saturday Folk Club last night, are coming to Vic and Tina Smith's free song and tunes session in The Royal Oak, Station Street, Lewes from 3.30- 5.30 p.m.

Valmai

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 30 Jun 09 - 05:44 AM

The chaps were, of course, superb in both places. After a consultation during the interval on Saturday night Sean announced that two of them had been out with the lady on the stairs, pictured here with Alan Day, the old tart (her, that is).

We have high hopes of getting them back to do a workshop for us.

Valmai

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Will Fly
Date: 30 Jun 09 - 05:51 AM

Alan Day, the old tart (her, that is)

Oh, I don't know...

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 30 Jun 09 - 08:36 AM

I'm beginning to feel that no Mudcat thread is complete without that photo of Will Fly's.

Valmai

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Surreysinger
Date: 30 Jun 09 - 08:17 PM

If they come back for a workshop, put me down at the top of the queue for a ticket Valmai. Just sorry to have missed them thanks to being at the other end of the country bigging up Lucy B instead. AND to have missed the Sunday session as well ... boo hiss!!! That old tart is becoming quite notorious, isn't she ??

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 02:29 AM

She certainly is. We'll have some explaining to do if she ever follows anyone home.

An observation about The Claque's stage technique: they apparently have an invisible batsman standing just in front of them. Barry would appear to be in the wicket-keeper's position, Dave and Tom are first and second slip, and Sean's run-up allows him to deliver the occasional faster in-swinger.

Valmai

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: GUEST,Perfect Pitch
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 04:39 AM

Mmmm I've known the guys for many, many years and I am afraid that to me their harmony structure is far too complex to be 'easy on the ear'. Any musicologist will tell you that challenging harmonies and complexity of arrangement does not necessarily give rise to pleasurable listening. Unfortunately, it's a little bit like the 'King's new clothes' scenario when people think that strange, discordant music 'must be good' .....!!

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 04:57 AM

Fortunately there's room in the world for a wide variety of personal tastes. I greatly enjoy The Claque's intense textures and dangerous chords; I also enjoy the sweeter sound other vocal harmony outfits produce.

When they sang 'Farewell, Farewell' in the Royal Oak's public bar session last Sunday afternoon, a non-folkie customer who had previously been jigging about to the dance tunes was moved to tears. That was certainly not affectation or the product of a desire to show off a musical taste not shared by the majority.

Tootle pip,

Valmai

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: GUEST,Sean O'Shea,The Claque
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 09:53 AM

These threads are great fun and then the uninformed get involved.
I don't know who PERFECT PITCH might be but his declaration that he has known us for many,many years is off the mark,in the least.The Claque sang together for the first time in 2006 and prior to that,never appeared as a rehearsed or cohesive group...some would say we still don't!
Our harmony structure is not complex,just different.We do not structurise songs in any fixed or set way of harmonies-we are just aware,as I'm sure many are,that you can leave the norm
and it takes no more effort to set a song by bending notes than it does to sing it in a more easily identifiable fashion.We do not look upon our songs as an intellectual exercise-we want to be as wild as possible in presentation!

May I also take the opportunity to say how much we value the new friendship of both Valmai and Bryan Creer,for whom we have the greatest regard.

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: GUEST,Perfect Pitch
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 10:25 AM

Well, I have known you all, individually and collectively since Isca Fayre days ... so I am able to comment, with some knowledge, on your 'career development'. I think the name of 'The Claque' and your comment Sean about being 'wild with your presentation' is absolutely fitting.

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 12:36 PM

I don't know who P. Pitch is, but I'm saddened by the note of personal rancour he or she has introduced into what was a rather jolly conversation.

I'm sure I speak for the committee and regular supporters of the Lewes Saturday Folk Club in saying that we all look forward to the chaps' next visit.

Valmai

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Vic Smith
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 12:46 PM

Since we are introducing photos to this thread - see Alan Day and lady friend above - how about The Claque at the Royal Oak Session - with many thanks to Barry, Tom, Sean and Dave for their excellent contribution to a super session.

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: TheSnail
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 06:44 PM

Thank you, Sean. It was a joy to have your company. Your harmonies are, indeed, "different" and all the more interesting for it. I particularly liked the final chord on "Once a Farmer".

As for your choice of material, "You can bet your Bristol Cities he's a sailor man" is a line that will live in my memory for years to come.

Looking forward to the next time that you, Tom, Dave and Barry come to see us.

Bryan Creer

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: GUEST,Sean O'Shea,The Claque
Date: 02 Jul 09 - 02:01 AM

P.Pitch,
Cyber Bitching,nah,not the goods for me.

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 02 Jul 09 - 03:11 AM

Vic, many thanks for your photo. It gives some support to my cricketing theory.

Valmai

Subject: RE: The Claque @ Lewes Saturday FC 27th Jun
From: Surreysinger
Date: 02 Jul 09 - 10:43 AM

Nice photo Vic .. and great pair of shades Sean!! I'm half inclined to put up a video of the four of you singing in front of the bar in the Trooper in Stourton Caundle last year where choreography is definitely to the fore ... but shall desist !! [grin]