Pitchfork

UK folk rock revivalists revered the world over, the mighty Fairport Convention turn 40 this year. To celebrate that ruby anniversary, they're hitting the road and hitting us with a massive four-disc BBC sessions box set.

Live at the BBC strums its way into shoppes April 9 courtesy of Universal. It features a whole flaming heap of radio sessions recorded between 1968 and 1974-- including several with John Peel-- all once thought lost but recently rediscovered in a treasure chest deep in a mythical forest at the bottom of the ocean, or something. The box is as comprehensive a collection of Fairport BBC recordings as we can ever hope for, and even includes documents of low-quality, "off air" song renditions for the complete Fairport Convention radio experience.

The present Fairport incarnation, helmed by founding member Simon Nichol, takes to the rural pathways of dear Old Blighty next month as part of the 40^th anniversary Fairport "Acoustic" Convention Tour. On May 4, the Fairport acoustic trio-- consisting of Nichol, Ric Sanders, and Chris Leslie-- descends upon the United States for an extensive sojourn.

From August 9-11, Fairport Convention will once again host their annual Cropredy Convention "music and good cheer" festival in tiny Cropredy, England. Performers include Fairport, Jools Holland, the Strawbs, the Richard Thompson Band, and more. View the complete lineup here, and catch Fairport playing a trio of warm-up shows in nearby Banbury during the days leading up to the fest.

Live at the BBC:

Disc 1:

"Top Gear" - recorded 05/28/68; transmitted 06/02/68
01 Close the Door Lightly When You Go
02 I Don't Know Where I Stand
03 Some Sweet Day
04 You Never Wanted Me
05 Nottamun Town

"David Symonds" - recorded 06/18/68; transmitted 06/24/68
06 Marcie
07 Night in the City
08 Jack of Diamonds

"Top Gear" - recorded 08/26/68; transmitted 09/01/68
09 Gone Gone Gone
10 Suzanne
11 If It Feels Good You Know It Can't Be Wrong
12 Eastern Rain
13 Fotheringay

"Stuart Henry" - recorded 12/02/68; transmitted 12/08/68
14 I Still Miss Someone
15 Bird on a Wire

"David Symonds" - recorded 12/27/68; transmitted 01/06/69
16 Tried So Hard
17 Reno, Nevada
18 Book Song

"Symonds on Sunday" - recorded 02/04/69; transmitted 02/09/69
19 Who Knows Where the Time Goes

Disc 2:

"Symonds on Sunday" - recorded 02/04/69; transmitted 02/09/69
01 You're Gonna Need My Help
02 Fotheringay
03 Shattering Live Experience

"Top Gear" - recorded 03/18/69; transmitted 04/06/69
04 Cajun Woman
05 Autopsy
06 Si Tu Dois Partir
07 Percy's Song

"Top Gear" - recorded 09/23/69; transmitted 09/27/69
08 Reynardine
09 Tam Lin
10 Sir Patrick Spens
11 Jigs & Reels Medley
12 The Lady Is a Tramp

"Top Gear" - recorded 04/20/70; transmitted 05/02/70
13 Walk Awhile
14 Poor Will and the Jolly Hangman
15 Doctor of Physick (Transmitted 08/01/70)

Disc 3:

"David Symonds" - recorded 04/21/70; transmitted 04/27/70
01 Sir Patrick Spens

"Folk on One" - recorded 07/07/70-07/09/70; transmitted 07/26/70
02 Bonny Bunch of Roses
03 Dirty Linen (Jigs & Reels)
04 Now Be Thankful

"Stuart Henry" - recorded 11/12/70; transmitted 11/19/70
05 The Journeyman's Grace
06 Now Be Thankful

"John Peel" - recorded 02/05/73; transmitted 02/20/73
07 Tokyo
08 Matthew Mark Luke & John
09 Possibly Parson's Green
10 Rosie

"John Peel" - recorded 07/16/74; transmitted 08/06/74
11 John the Gun
12 Fiddlesticks
13 Rising for the Moon
14 Down in the Flood

Disc 4 (Off Air):

"Top Gear" - recorded 11/24/67; transmitted 12/10/67
01 Let's Get Together
02 One Sure Thing
03 Lay Down Your Weary Tune
04 Chelsea Morning

"Top Gear" - recorded 02/06/68; transmitted 03/03/68
05 Violets of Dawn
06 If (Stomp)
07 Time Will Show the Wiser
08 If I Had a Ribbon Bow

"Stuart Henry" - recorded 12/02/68; transmitted 12/08/68
09 Meet on the Ledge

"Top Gear" - recorded 12/09/68; transmitted 12/22/68
10 Light My Fire

"David Symonds" - recorded 04/21/70; transmitted 04/27/70
11 The Flatback Caper
12 Open the Door Richard

"Folk on One" - recorded 07/07/70-07/09/70; transmitted 07/26/70
13 The Deserter
14 The Hangman's Reel
15 Tam Lin

"Folk on One" - recorded 03/18/71; transmitted 03/27/71
16 Sir William Gower
17 Banks of Sweet Primroses
18 Sickness and Diseases
19 Bridge Over the River Ash
20 Lord Marlborough
21 Angel Delight

Dates:

03-31 Banff, Scotland - Duff House (Rant Festival)
04-22 Stratford-on-Avon, England - Coxes Yard *
04-23 Nettlebed, England - Village Club *
04-24 Andover, England - The Lights *
04-25 Worcester, England - Huntingdon Hall *
04-26 Leek, England - The Swan *
05-04 Berkeley, CA - Freight and Salvage #
05-05 Auburn, CA - Karfluki Fest #
05-06 Felton, CA - Don Quixote's #
05-09 Toulume, CA - Black Oak Casino #
05-10 Altadena, CA - Coffee Gallery Backstage #
05-11 San Diego, CA - Acoustic Music #
05-12 San Juan Capistrano, CA - SJC Library Concert Series #
05-13 Santa Monica, CA - McCabes Guitar Shop #
05-15 Rochester, NY - Bob Shop Series at the German House #
05-17 Pittsburgh, PA - Club Café Live #
05-18 Cleveland, OH - The Winchester #
05-19 Chicago, IL - Old Town School of Folk Music #^
05-20 Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark #
05-23 Norfolk, VA - Virginia Arts Festival #
05-24 Philadelphia, PA - Tin Angel #
05-25 Montclair, NJ - Outpost in the Burbs #
05-26 Pawling, NY - Towne Crier #
05-27 Northampton, MA - Iron Horse #
05-30 Wilmington, DE - Green Willow Venue #
05-31 Herndon, VA - Herndon Festival #
06-01 Chester, NY - Bodles Opera House #
06-02 Fall River, MA - Narrows Center for the Arts #
06-03 New York, NY - Joe's Pub #
08-05 Banbury, England - The Mill Arts Centre
08-06 Banbury, England - The Mill Arts Centre
08-07 Banbury, England - The Mill Arts Centre
08-11 Cropredy, England - Fairport's Cropredy Convention

* as Fairport "Acoustic" Convention quartet
# as Fairport "Acoustic" Convention trio
^ with Old Blind Dogs