Nick Drake on BBC4 tonight (UK)

Subject: Nick Drake on BBC4 tonight (UK)
From: Mavis Enderby
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 02:18 PM

Just a brief heads-up: BBC 4 Friday 16th:

9:00 The Songs of Nick Drake: Way to Blue

"Filmed at the Barbican in January 2010 and curated by Joe Boyd, producer and general champion of Nick Drake, 90 minutes of performance highlights from a diverse but renowned cast of modern day troubadours."

22:30 Nick Drake: A Skin Too Few

"I always said that Nick was born with a skin too few", says actress Gabrielle about her brother, the English singer-songwriter Nick Drake (1948-1974). This documentary approaches the silent landscapes, locations, people and music in the life of this unorthodox loner."

I know Nick Drake divides opinions, but even if you are remotely interested I recommend A Skin Too Few. It's one of the most beautifully filmed documentaries I've ever seen.

Pete.

Subject: RE: Nick Drake on BBC4 tonight (UK)
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 03:34 PM

Further info from Joe Boyd's latest newsletter, sent earlier this evening:

The BBC filmed our recent Way To Blue tribute to Nick Drake's music and is broadcasting the concert this weekend. It features performances by Vashti Bunyan, Lisa Hannigan, Teddy Thompson, Robyn Hitchcock, Krystle Warren, Green Gartside, Scott Matthews, Harper Simon, Neil MacColl, Danny Thompson, Zoe Rahman and Kirsty Almeida - with Robert Kirby's and MD Kate St John's arrangements.

Below are UK broadcast times. Not available online I'm afraid, and no immediate dates for BBC America.

The Songs of Nick Drake: Way To Blue will tx on BBC Four this Friday (16th April) at 9pm.

Repeats:
Sat 17 April 00:20 - BBC Four
Sun 18 April 23:45 - BBC Four
Mon 19 April 2100 - BBC HD

Subject: RE: Nick Drake on BBC4 tonight (UK)
From: GUEST,Folkyshaun
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 05:36 PM

I have just watched this. It was very good apart from Robyn Hitchcock, who was terrible, I haven't listened to Nick's songs for a while, after listening to them all my teenage years and i had forgotten how beautiful they are.

Subject: RE: Nick Drake on BBC4 tonight (UK)
From: GUEST,Strummin Steve
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 07:26 PM

admire the music but this gig didn't hit the spot for me. I would have liked to have seen some established performers,most of them were unknown to me. Danny Thompson was top notch as usual.

Subject: RE: Nick Drake on BBC4 tonight (UK)
From: Gillie
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 03:15 AM

Excellant, throughly enjoyed it.

Subject: RE: Nick Drake on BBC4 tonight (UK)
From: GUEST, Tom Bliss
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 03:52 AM

Has anyone found any web pages with more details on who the band musicians where, and what instruments were being played?

Subject: RE: Nick Drake on BBC4 tonight (UK)
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 05:37 AM

There's this, which sheds a bit more light:

http://www.warwickartscentre.co.uk/news/way-to-blue/

Found through Googling "way to blue songs of nick drake" - there's more if you look there.

Subject: RE: Nick Drake on BBC4 tonight (UK)
From: evansakes
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 06:58 AM

My expectations weren't great as I sat down to watch this (I'm a fan of Nick Drake's but I didn't know many of the names involved here).

I was very pleasantly surprised though.....the performances were consistently excellent throughout (Robyn Hitchcock was probably the weakest link).

Lisa Hannigan, Krystle Warren and Teddy Thompson were particularly good and I was also greatly impressed by Zoe Rahman's piano skills, Danny Thompson (of course....it were ever thus) and the lady playing the oboe and (I think) accordion. You can never have too much oboe...

Shame that Robert Kirby wasn't onstage but Kate St John did a great job....I loved the arrangements and the interpretations were faithful without being straight copies.

Thoroughly recommended.

Subject: RE: Nick Drake on BBC4 tonight (UK)
From: GUEST,AB
Date: 18 Apr 10 - 07:35 PM

I took my 15 year old daughter to see the original tribute concert at the Town Hall in Birmingham in 2009. I thought it much better than this version but a lot less polished. The Graham Coxon rendition of "Place to Be" was far superior and from the heart. From the comments I have read tonight on various sites, I think that the general concensus of opinion from Drake fans is that the concert wasn't generally well received on TV as the artists did not do justice to the songs. However, I feel that this is missing the point. I think the appreciation of Drakes music in this way is much healthier than the approach that many choose to take by hanging around his grave or morbidly obsessing about someone they will never truly know. It is also fun to see so many gifted and varied artists in one place, paying their own personal tributes to the music.