Fairport Convention - Bouton Rouge - French TV 1968
Fairport Convention & Matthews' Southern Comfort - Live 1970
Fairport Convention & Friends - Granada TV UK 1981
A wonderful performance by Fairport Convention from the French TV Show "Bouton Rouge". It was broadcast live on 27 April 1968 and features the original Fairport Line up of Judy Dyble, Iain Matthews, Simon Nicol, Tyger Hutchings, Richard Thompson, and the late Martin Lamble playing Morning Glory, Time Will Show The Wiser and a simply awe-inspiring mind-melting performance of Reno, Nevada.
At this time Fairport had just released their first album and were very influenced by American folk rock and psychedelic groups like Jefferson Airplane, Bob Dylan and The Byrds. The sound, look and name of the band led many to think that either they were an American band or at best just a British version of Jefferson Airplane.
The star of the show is definitely Richard Thompson who is seen here in mega guitar hero role. After a fairly muscular solo in Morning Glory he delivers an astonishing perfectly paced 4 and a half minute six string marathon in Reno Nevada - so full of power, invention, imagination that the solo seems to run away with itself. Is Richard playing the guitar or is the guitar playing Richard? For the duration of this nearly 5 minute solo they are no longer the British Jefferson Airplane copying their heroes but arguably go beyond anything the Airplane, Grateful Dead or other San Francisco bands were doing in early '68 (although it must be said that the Dead would start to achieve similar high levels of jazz inspired improv syncopation before the year was out but that is another story and post). After this performance they signed with Island Records, Judy Dyble left the band to be replaced by Sandy Denny and they went off to reinvent British folk rock. From: https://strangerthanknown.blogspot.com/2013/01/fairport-convention-bouton-rouge.html
Many would contend that Fairport Convention, the first and foremost English band to combine rock 'n' roll with traditional folk elements, did its best work with singer Sandy Denny (including 1969's Liege & Lief, considered a genre landmark). Others, however, might argue that the Fairport lineup following Denny's departure, with guitarists Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, violinist Dave Swarbrick, drummer Dave Mattacks, and bassist Dave Pegg, was their finest, at least from an instrumental standpoint. This concert from the 1970 Maidstone Fiesta festival, captured by noted British filmmaker Tony Palmer, is billed as the only film record of that quintet, which helps overcome some quite considerable shortcomings—namely, bad sound (poorly mixed, shrill, and grating) and worse visuals (the camera's almost constant tendency to focus on the wrong guy during solo spots is only one of the problems). The performances themselves, however, are good, with much of the material drawn from 1970's Full House, the lineup's sole album together. Swarbrick and Thompson play swift unison lines on a couple of jigs and reels, while "Jenny's Chickens & The Mason's Apron" starts out at a breakneck pace and only gets faster, and "Sir Patrick Spens" and "Now Be Thankful" find the band doing its best to make up for the absence of Denny's voice. The film also features two appealing offerings from Matthews' Southern Comfort, fronted by singer Ian Matthews, himself a former Fairporter. From: https://videolibrarian.com/reviews/documentary/tony-palmers-film-of-fairport-convention-matthews-southern-comfort/
Broadcast in August 1981 on Granada TV and hosted by Mike Harding, Fairport Convention: Celebration is a rare full-set look at the band’s “Full House” lineup during their hiatus years. Featuring Dave Swarbrick, Richard Thompson, Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg, and Dave Mattacks—with guest Linda Thompson—the special blends 1970-era tracks, material from Smiddyburn, and unreleased gems like “Wall of Death.” This performance is a must-watch for folk rock fans and a snapshot of a band between chapters. From: https://www.thatericalper.com/2025/07/01/fairport-conventions-1981-granada-tv-celebration-captures-folk-rock-legends-in-rare-hiatus-performance/
At this time Fairport had just released their first album and were very influenced by American folk rock and psychedelic groups like Jefferson Airplane, Bob Dylan and The Byrds. The sound, look and name of the band led many to think that either they were an American band or at best just a British version of Jefferson Airplane.
The star of the show is definitely Richard Thompson who is seen here in mega guitar hero role. After a fairly muscular solo in Morning Glory he delivers an astonishing perfectly paced 4 and a half minute six string marathon in Reno Nevada - so full of power, invention, imagination that the solo seems to run away with itself. Is Richard playing the guitar or is the guitar playing Richard? For the duration of this nearly 5 minute solo they are no longer the British Jefferson Airplane copying their heroes but arguably go beyond anything the Airplane, Grateful Dead or other San Francisco bands were doing in early '68 (although it must be said that the Dead would start to achieve similar high levels of jazz inspired improv syncopation before the year was out but that is another story and post). After this performance they signed with Island Records, Judy Dyble left the band to be replaced by Sandy Denny and they went off to reinvent British folk rock. From: https://strangerthanknown.blogspot.com/2013/01/fairport-convention-bouton-rouge.html
Many would contend that Fairport Convention, the first and foremost English band to combine rock 'n' roll with traditional folk elements, did its best work with singer Sandy Denny (including 1969's Liege & Lief, considered a genre landmark). Others, however, might argue that the Fairport lineup following Denny's departure, with guitarists Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, violinist Dave Swarbrick, drummer Dave Mattacks, and bassist Dave Pegg, was their finest, at least from an instrumental standpoint. This concert from the 1970 Maidstone Fiesta festival, captured by noted British filmmaker Tony Palmer, is billed as the only film record of that quintet, which helps overcome some quite considerable shortcomings—namely, bad sound (poorly mixed, shrill, and grating) and worse visuals (the camera's almost constant tendency to focus on the wrong guy during solo spots is only one of the problems). The performances themselves, however, are good, with much of the material drawn from 1970's Full House, the lineup's sole album together. Swarbrick and Thompson play swift unison lines on a couple of jigs and reels, while "Jenny's Chickens & The Mason's Apron" starts out at a breakneck pace and only gets faster, and "Sir Patrick Spens" and "Now Be Thankful" find the band doing its best to make up for the absence of Denny's voice. The film also features two appealing offerings from Matthews' Southern Comfort, fronted by singer Ian Matthews, himself a former Fairporter. From: https://videolibrarian.com/reviews/documentary/tony-palmers-film-of-fairport-convention-matthews-southern-comfort/
Broadcast in August 1981 on Granada TV and hosted by Mike Harding, Fairport Convention: Celebration is a rare full-set look at the band’s “Full House” lineup during their hiatus years. Featuring Dave Swarbrick, Richard Thompson, Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg, and Dave Mattacks—with guest Linda Thompson—the special blends 1970-era tracks, material from Smiddyburn, and unreleased gems like “Wall of Death.” This performance is a must-watch for folk rock fans and a snapshot of a band between chapters. From: https://www.thatericalper.com/2025/07/01/fairport-conventions-1981-granada-tv-celebration-captures-folk-rock-legends-in-rare-hiatus-performance/
