I think you'll agree with me, when i say that Fairport's Winter Tour this year, is the real 40 year anniversary. And I was lucky enough to be part of that celebration in Milton Keynes, The Stables on 6th February. I understand they had an album to promote last year, and what a great job they did, it made me want to buy it.

It was great to see Anthony John Clarke again, as I couldn't remeber much of his set from last year. His set was entertaining and funny 'John, Paul, George and Ringo......Dave, Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich'. I'm pleased to hear he'll be back again for Cropredy this year.

Fairport came on, all 5 members in top form. They started the evening with 'The Happy Man', which I've never heard them start with before. They did an absoloutley stunning version of 'Doctor of Physick', Chris Leslie sung it with such pride and power. When Simon Nicol was introducing the next song, by Steve Tilston, 'About the whole thing that is touring' I thought they were gonna bring 'Over The Next Hill' back into the set, but I was equally thrilled by 'Rocky Road'. I'd never heard 'The Rosehip' before, but it was a beautiful instrumental piece from Chris Leslie and Ric Sanders. The unexpected 'My Love Is In America' was a great track from Chris Leslie. Up to that point, when I listen to Liege and Lief, I normally find 'Reynardine' quite dull, but after I heard Chris sing it that night, I wanted to go home and listen to Sandy sing it again. 'The Wood And The Wire' was a treat as well,as they had only played it as a last minute request at Cropredy last year. They finished the first half with Ric's arrangment of Percy Granger's Mock Morris, with 'Mock Morris '90'. Quote from Simon Nicol 'It's called Mock Morris, but that's not an instruction, like Miss Banbury!'

The second half started with one of the two songs from Sense of Occasion 'Keep On Turning The Wheel' which when played live finishes with the riff from 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'. 'Wat Tyler' was a track I haven't heard them play for a few years, a nice traditional sounding track by Simon Nicol and Ralph McTell. Then came some more rare tracks. Dave Pegg's 'The Swirling Pit' Mandolin tune flowed into 'Jams O'Donnells Jig'. Then three tracks from Babbacombe Lee, 'Breakfast In Mayfair', 'The Cell Song' and 'The Hanging Song'. Chris Leslie seemed to sing them with complete confidence. 'Who Knows Where The Time Goes' the most recent version being my favourite version of it. 'The Eynsham Poacher' another rare track that hasn't been played for a while. 'End Of A Holiday/Matty Groves/The Bowman's Retreat' a new version of Matty Groves played with such energy. The Band came back after much applause, Gerry Conway came from behind the Drum Kit to sing 'Best Wishes' with the band(as well as plucking the bass strings while Peggy played the tambourine during the instrumental part) followed by a Fairport tradition of 'Meet On The Ledge' with Anthony John Clarke.

I left with not only a smile on my face, but a copy of the fantastic 'Fairport@Forty' DVD signed by the band, The Fairport Convention Winter tour 2008 Programme signed by the band, A Fairport Convention Poster signed by the band as well as Fairport's new T-Shirt, the revised version of Maart Allcock's Fairport songbook and a Jethro Tull CD Broadsword And The Beast.

Dan