TAMWORTH FOLK CLUB GUEST NIGHT

Vin Garbutt and Anne Adams

Another guest night, another guest, but what a guest. So that I could do justice to the event, I have been looking at the responsibility of a reviewer and according to the dictionary it is one who looks back on, reconsiders, gives critical notice, one who passes judgement, writer expert in judging works of literature, art, etc. Well for this particular guest night I might as well throw away the book, because for everyone who was there it was certainly a night to remember.

Firstly the room had been transformed by Nigel and Malcolm with the artiste's performing at the opposite end of the room under the floodlights, on second thoughts the room was not so much transformed, all the audience had to do was to turn their chairs round. It would be appreciated to have the general thoughts of this move. Did it make more room? Or did the action of the audience having to run the gauntlet in front of the "stage" to get to the bar distract in any way?

In any event the evening started well with Anne Adams, a local from The Black Country giving us some very tuneful songs, interspersed with some jokes I think she borrowed from Steve Swoffer. Remember the little lad who 'pssssed' in the cats ear. Anne was given a rousing applause by the audience who on looking round the room appear to have come from the four corners of the country. How they all found the Gamecock I will never know. It did inspire Malcolm though to pile many copies of "The Gamecock CD" on the table amongst Vin Garbutt's.

His poster has been on the notice board for many weeks before this date, but his reputation goes before him, as all the tickets were sold long before. Vin Garbutt was voted the best live act for 2001 by B.C. Radio 2 folk awards and we all would agree with that. His first half consisted of songs penned by himself, with his usual protest ones which can be about such a wide range of subjects, but are performed with a genuine feeling that affect the listener greatly. Vin is the only performer who can sing a five minute song with a fifteen minute introduction! But all his stories hold the audience spell bound, and waiting for the next rib tickling joke.

In the break the raffle was undoubtedly rigged with Steve Edkins winning the chocolates and after, Anne Adams doubled up with Emily Sanders on the violin, (no I am not going to change that) . We then held a second break, as Steve said to rearrange the PA, (I think it was for us to replenish our glasses without disturbing Vin in the second half).

In the second half we learnt from Vin that the Black Poplar was the tree most likely to be extinct in the British Isles and all this education put to words and music, if only schools could teach the kids this way. With his wit and wisdom Vin gave us a night to remember and the time went all too quickly, with the bar staff giving their own performance of "glasses to the bar and we want to lock up the pub".

The evening was a great success and many of Vins Tapes and CDs were sold at "The VG shop" by the door, I do not know how many Gamecock ones were sold, will let you know in the next issue.

R.D.C.