Fairport Convention - Fairport Convention & Matthews Southern Comfort

Rediscovered reels of jigs

First introduced to the band by vocalist Sandy Denny, director Tony Palmer was subsequently invited to make this film of the Full House-era Fairport Convention, a short and sweet recording of the band live at the Maidstone Fiesta in summer 1970. Bankrolled by actor Stanley Baker as either an attempt to gain some kudos with the hip rock crowd or, more pragmatically, as a tax-loss, it received a cinematic release in 1971 but since languished neglected and forgotten.

That’s a shame as its 30 minutes, featuring five Fairport numbers, interspersed with two by their former vocalist Iain Matthews’ band Matthews Southern Comfort, is a delightful snapshot of a warm English summer’s day in the sort of environment that’s now the stuff of wistful nostalgia. The Maidstone Fiesta at Oakwood Park was that typical family-orientated day out with side-stalls and army displays where the performance of an already significant folk-rock act on a hastily-erected stage seems both incongruous and entirely fitting.

Though copies of this film have been knocking around the fan-circuit since an earlier limited release on video, Voiceprint’s version has been remastered from recently unearthed 35mm master tapes and is presented complete with John Peel’s original narration and a 15-minute interview with Tony Palmer.

Voiceprint | TPDVD 105

Reviewed by Ian Abrahams
<< Back to Issue 346