Martin Carthy at Robin Hood Bay FC

Subject: Martin Carthy at Robin Hood Bay FC
From: Uncle Tone
Date: 08 Dec 12 - 07:17 AM

At very short notice MC stepped in as a guest at the Robin Hood Bay FC last night 7th Dec. He was obviously unrehearsed and struggled to find songs that fitted the Bawdy Song Evening that had been scheduled, but that is no criticism. He sang some very unusual material and played an even more unusual but beautiful tune written by a WW2 POW.

It was not easy. While he was performing about a dozen of the audience were within touching distance, the place was that packed. At one point a couple stood up to leave the room in the middle of one of his songs, and he had to stop performing and let them through! Sheer ignorance on their part, but he shrugged it off and started the song again.

It was a memorable evening. It is gratifying to us lesser musical mortals that even Martin can occasionally forget the words and exclaim, "Oh bollocks!".

Maybe the voice is not quite the same now, but the charisma is. Not bad at 71 years old.

Great to share floor space with a legend.

Tone

Subject: RE: Martin Carthy at Robin Hood Bay FC
From: Vic Smith
Date: 08 Dec 12 - 07:20 AM

I hope he got his travelling expenses!

Subject: RE: Martin Carthy at Robin Hood Bay FC
From: Uncle Tone
Date: 08 Dec 12 - 08:02 AM

I think he was getting the proceeds of the raffle. I suggested that we just give him the bottle of wine, but that was considered a bit too stingy!

He was spotted walking up the hill afterwards. Wish I could still do that!

Tone

Subject: RE: Martin Carthy at Robin Hood Bay FC
From: GUEST,Big Al Whittle
Date: 08 Dec 12 - 11:27 AM

Martin is excellent for any age. Walking through Sidmouth this year, he looked downright sprightly.

Subject: RE: Martin Carthy at Robin Hood Bay FC
From: The Sandman
Date: 08 Dec 12 - 12:53 PM

Martin is an excellent performer and it was very good of him to step in and help the club out.
I know from my own experience that this club [which has many people who come to the pub primarily to have a meal and tend to treat the music as background] is not a particularly easy club to perform in, I too have had the business of letting people past who are not aware of folk club etiquette, i have had to change repertoire to some extent to succeed in pleasing the audience.
It is worth it, IF it manages to interest people who would not otherwise have been interested,venues like this are fine to do OCCASIONALLY,they have the effect of making me appreciate clubs like the darlington brit, and the wilsons club, and stockton and saltburn.