Folk America at The Barbican

Folk America at The Barbican

26 January, 2009
by: J-rome

I like Billy Bragg. I like him even more now I've just watched him sing a beautiful rendition of an old Woody Guthrie song called 'I Ain't Got No Home', kicking off what promises to be an enjoyable night. Folk America is here, and tonight we are invited to take a lingering glance down memory lane at the Greenwich Village era of New York singer-songwriting history. I look around me and think to myself 'blimey I'm young'. Most of the audience might well have been there at the time; singing along to songs of protest as they rose from the sidewalk and circled the streets. 

First up in a quadruple bill is Roger McGuinn of Byrd's fame. I like his stories, each song is introduced with a small anecdote about what it was like to be a part of this place and time in history. He performs “Turn! Turn! Turn!” a song covered by the Byrd's but originally written by the folk legend Pete Seeger. After encouragement, the crowd start singing along. I'm not sure whether this is one of the cheesiest moments of my life or a moving tribute to a lyrical genius. Here in lies the contradictory nature of the evening. My parents would enjoy this so am I allowed to? I keep on imagining my dad singing along and it makes me cringe like a teenager at parents evening.

It's much of the same from Carolyn Hester, although she's brought along a petrified looking boy from Lipa to play guitar for her (after all these years she still hasn't learnt?). She seems like a lovely person though when she talks and reminisces. I'm beginning to think I like the stories more than the music.

I spoke too soon, because now its time for Eric Anderson who is introduced by Billy Bragg as the ‘song writer of song writer's'. Come on then Eric, no pressure. In fairness, he seems to fit the bill. A lovely deep sandy voice and for the first time I feel like I'm listening to real protests songs that move me. One particularly poignant song tells the story of an 18 year old boy who is sent off to Vietnam where he's killed. Anderson also name drops a little which is fun; nonchalantly explaining how one night he was just chilling when Clapton, McGuinn and Hendrix all turn up for a jam. Those were the days.

Finally we're on to the main attraction, Judy Collins arrives on stage all shimmering sequins and blonde waving hair. I have to shake myself to make sure I haven't stepped into a time-warp. She can sing, oh boy she can sing like time never touched her. Again, I'm not sure about the choice of songs; especially one of her own about Canada seems a little sentimental and mushy for my liking. There's a mention of when she met Leonard Cohen and first read the lyrics to “Suzanne” at which point she starts to sing the song before stopping and moving on.  She also recollects being next door to Bob Dylan and hearing him writing Tambourine Man for the first time. Again she starts to sing the song and then halts. Is she playing with me?

I'm trying to put my finger on what's wrong with the evening. I have really enjoyed myself and although I can't fault the performances, I just don't gel with the majority of the material. I realise that to my ear, a lot of it sounds dated which it is… forty odd years out of date. Judy Collins singing the beginnings to some of my favourite songs of this era just made me realise what was missing. Although these songs may be timeless classics to many, the majority just aren't to me.


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J-rome