One of the best days of music I ever had was at The Fleadh in Finsbury Park, London in 1999. It was a hot day, almost too hot. Me and Kim left our Paddington hotel and caught the tube to Finsbury. The first band we saw were called Lunasa who played some great Irish music. Then we watched a singer-songwriter from Wales who I was really impressed with whose name was David Gray. Little did we realise that he would shortly become world famous with his album White Ladder. Then we raced to the second stage to catch John Martyn whose performance was warmly received. There was just time to run to the main stage to catch a bit of fine Irish music by Altan. Then back to stage two to see Luka Bloom who as you know is the brother of Christy Moore. Luka said what a pleasure it was to listen to John Martyn earlier. Then we faced an awkward choice, either Eddi Reader or Afro Celt Sound System. We opted for the latter because I had bought their album quite recently. The music of the day was getting better and better. Canadian band Barenaked Ladies were next. They were good fun and I especially like their song Lying In Bed Like Brian Wilson.
There was no rest as we chased back to stage two to catch Brian Kennedy who I had got to know through his work with Van. I think my favourite song of his set was the Dusty Springfield classic Goin' Back. Following this, we were back at the main stage for one of my favourite Irish bands The Saw Doctors.They were great, playing such classics as The Green And Red Of Mayo and Joyce Country Ceili Band. Then it was all the way to stage three to see the late great Ronnie Drew, a legend whose band The Dubliners started the whole popularity of Irish music. It was a pleasure to see him. We were getting tired now, so we took a rest and a bite to eat on the grass. Who should come strolling along carrying his guitar but Ronnie. We had a little chat and I said said how much i enjoyed his work with Jah Wobble on the Celtic Poets album.
"Oh you liked that one did ya?" said Ronnie, and we shook hands and off he went. A great moment.
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| Saw Doctors. |
After our meeting with Ronnie we headed for stage 2 to catch most of Lonnie Donegan's set. He was good but he didn't do My Old Man's A Dustman which I hoped he would. This was the second time we had seen Lonnie that summer. Previously we had seen him at Glastonbury. This was followed by Elvis Costello on the main stage. I lay on the ground for this I'm afraid as I was getting tired by now. Pop star Ronan Keating of Boyzone fame did a short 15 minute set next which the youngsters in the audience loved. Sadly we missed John Prine on another stage.
Then it was time for the act that I'd waited all day for, Van Morrison. This was the first time I had seen Van in two years since Glastonbury 97. We managed to make our way right to the front. Van didn't disappoint. His performance began with Baby Please Don't Go, Here Comes The Night and Brown Eyed Girl all in a medley, followed by Its All Over Now Baby Blue.What a great start. I can't remember a lot about the performance now. My main memories are of Lonnie Donegan joining him onstage for Muleskinner Blues and Elvis Costello coming on to sing Jackie Wilson Says. Elvis stayed for a rousing Gloria to finish the show. I think Van only did an hour, but it was great. After Van there was still The Pretenders and Shane MacGowan, but we were exhausted by now, so we headed back to Paddington on the tube before the rush. Sitting in a pub near our hotel I reflected that this was one of the busiest and best days of music I had ever had.
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| Van Morrison at The Fleadh, Finsbury Park 1999. |
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