Steeleye Span – Live at The Bottom Line 1974
Only a group as accomplished as Steeleye Span can open a concert with spare instrumentation (at first) that allows their glorious voices to just enrapture an audience. Impressed? I’m astounded. This is traditionally oriented music from the UK (England, Scotland, Ireland) is injected with so many B-12 vitamins that a pugilist would be hard-pressed to keep up with the energy, enthusiasm & determination of each performance.
This is a work shaped by emotional creativity, not merely musical tradition. Out of the gate “Beg Your Leave,” & “Irish Jigs (including Paddy Clancy’s)” sounds as if it were recorded in a studio. Steeleye Span was always a prime example of performance perfection. It’s never a music that ages.
It’s not rock n’ roll per se but I know that while the blues contributed to the birth of rock, you can’t convince me songs like “Alison Gross,” the “Robbery of Violins,” medley & “Thomas the Rhymer” don’t have a distant ancestry that led to rock’s structure.
Blues gave rock its foundation; this traditional music gave it the spellbinding dazzle. This essentially has all the properties in place. The vocalizing is highly seasoned & percolates You can almost see the steam rise from their instruments.
There are 22 masterful previously unissued selections produced for reissue by Gregg Bandian (who also wrote the wonderful liner notes) & Cheryl Pawelski on Live at The Bottom Line 1974 (Omnivore Recordings/Bottom Line Theater-Cabaret-Drops Feb. 16/74:00). It comes from a time when these kinds of bands proliferated. The early Renaissance with Jane Relf then Annie Haslam & Renaissance, Curved Air, Pentangle & the late Sandy Denny with Fairport Convention. It’s all captured in this vivid performance with ease, exceptional verve & drive.
A nice between-song patter was provided by the band before each ebullient song, at times remarkably humorous (“Two Magicians”). The marvelous vocalist Maddy Prior is featured prominently on the faithful “Song Introduction (&) Cam Ye O’er Frae France.”
The audience is musically hypnotized as the musicians unleash their showcase that’s simply beautifully played live. “Little Sir Hugh,” is one of Prior’s best, as is always the enthusiastic rocker “Thomas the Rhymer.”
When playing the final cut “The Mason’s Apron,” put a fire extinguisher beside your speakers.
Steeleye Span originated in 1969 & as a practitioner of excellence continues to perform to this day. The Gods are sometimes kind.
Highlights – Not a blemished apple in the bunch. “Beg Your Leave,” & “Irish Jigs (including Paddy Clancy’s),” “Alison Gross,” “Song Introduction & Cam Ye O’er Frae France,” “John Barleycorn,” “Little Sir Hugh,” “Two Magicians,” “Saucy Sailor,” the magnificent “Robbery With Violins” & the fiery “Musical Priest” medleys, “Thomas the Rhymer” & “The Mason’s Apron.”
Musicians – Tim Hart & Bob Johnson (guitars/vocals), Rick Kemp (bass/vocals), Peter Knight (strings/keys/vocals), Nigel Pegrum (drums/percussion) & Maddy Prior (vocals).
CD @ Amazon & https://omnivorerecordings.com/shop/span-live-at-the-bottom-line/