Pentangle Live Review @ The Philharmonic Hall (Liverpool) - 14 Jul 2008

Pentangle Live Review @ The Philharmonic Hall (Liverpool) - 14 Jul 2008Pentangle Live Review @ The Philharmonic Hall (Liverpool) - 14 Jul 2008Pentangle Live Review @ The Philharmonic Hall (Liverpool) - 14 Jul 2008Pentangle Live Review @ The Philharmonic Hall (Liverpool) - 14 Jul 2008

Photos: Elly Roberts

Live Review

Band reunions are all the rage right now. This is the most unexpected of them all. Pentangle's first gig was at the Royal Albert Hall on May 27 1967. By 1973 they were finished. In the five years of their existence, they are credited with creating the jazz-folk genre. Their greatest commercial success was album Basket Of Light (#5 UK chart 1969) featuring hit single Light Flight used as the theme to BBC drama series Take Three Girls. Over night, Jacqui McShee, Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Danny Thompson and Terry Cox became household names. They had a brief reunion in 1980. This time it was, presumably, sparked because of their Lifetime Achievement award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2007, where they played together for the first time in over 20 years. Back with a 12 gig tour this folk-jazz-blues band, with all five original members played their last night of the tour at the Phil in Liverpool. Having seen Renbourn / McShee and Jansch separately, I knew what kind of night to expect - no razzamatazz . It's normally serious business, though Mc Shee made light of their doom and gloom songs.

Nevertheless, we hadn't come to see 'fame' merchants. We'd come to hear quality music, and they didn't disappoint either. For over two hours they rolled back the years like they'd never been away. A fan next to me told me he saw them back in the 60s. I asked how they were measuring up: "They've matured," he whispered. The stage setting was pretty formal: Renbourn and Jansch seated each side of the enormous Phil stage. Bassist Thompson and drummer Cox set further back, with McShee rooted at the centre, where for most of the night she shimmied and swayed. The backdrop was simple coloured panels. On their second song in, McShee declared, "There's plenty of doom and gloom to come. This is our hit," Light Flight of course. It didn't sound as 'full' as the original, but McShee showed she'd lost none of her vocal gymnastics, now with added huskiness, drawing big cheers and claps. Jansch's introduction to The Hunting Song came like this." This next song is typical of songs we were writing in the 60s - maids, knights and castles. We wouldn't get away with it now." Cox's gentle glockenspiel eased in the bouncy ditty with masses of trad close harmony. Jokingly, McShee said, "We're going to play Once I Had A Sweetheart. It didn't get anywhere, but we like it." It was their first single in '69, reaching 46, good for a band of this type. This beautiful and gentle love song was spellbinding. Renbourn was almost snapping the acoustic strings.

Mc Shee left for the others to play out jazzy In Time. Thomson's funky bass precursored Renbourn's masterful bluesy picks while Jansch, head down for most of the night, strummed away. On McShee's return she said:" We really are going back to the 60s now", while Renbourn seated on he floor, prepared his sitar for trad styled The House Carpenter. Jansch plucked coolly on his banjo, McShee fluttered in. Renbourn mooched in next and Jansch followed with his deadpan vocal until the combo let rip with Cox's thumping sticks, closing the first set.

Back for more they opened with Bruton Town a trad classic about a farmer's daughter falling in love with the house servant, who gets a thumping from her brothers for his amorous advances. This featured some mind-boggling counter-play by Renbourn and Jansch while McShee swayed and tapped her feet. The cool and breezy I've Got A Feeling with its pop template, still allowed Thompson to indulge in one of his best solos of the night. With McShee off again, it offered a duelling masterclass from Renbourn and Jansch on It Snows, while Goodbye Pork Pie Hat gave rise to some nifty basslines by Thompson.

By 10.10pm it was all over. They soon returned for a further two - a request for Rain and Snow and the stylish closer Willy O'Winsbury bringing a triumphant end to a tour we might not see again.

File under: Classic gig.

Elly Roberts

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