Lindisfarne

The Exchange,
North Shields,
Tyne & Wear,
UK.

2023-02-12 (Second night)


Until last year I’d never seen Lindisfarne play anywhere but their spiritual home – Newcastle City Hall. Also the first time in a long time that I’d seen them outside of December (they’re not just for Christmas). The one regret I did have (and a view shared by The Custodian of the Lindisfarne Legend – Tempusfugit (TF)), was that I didn’t go to both benefit shows at North Shields’ Exchange last year.

We put that right this year, as well as setting ourselves up for a good few others in and around the North East.

This second show was a relatively early one (6:00pm kick off). Looking at tonight’s crowd (average age now pushing 115. To be fair, though, birthdays are good for you. Those who have the most tend to live the longest), I couldn’t quite work out if a lot of people were also attending both shows or whether they just hadn’t been able to get up out of their seat from the night before.

Those familiar with the last Christmas show will be largely familiar with the set already. That said, there was a bit of rotation. The two “Christmassy” tunes were swapped out and Rod gave “Sundown Station” an outing in favour of “Train in G Major”.

Early start, but the band was every bit as enthusiastic as last light’s opener. Any notion that watching two identical sets on consecutive nights might be a little…wearisome was immediately dispelled. As TF remarked after the dying notes of “January Song”, that was a quick first set. The clock suggested otherwise – same fifty minutes or so that we got on the Saturday.

Part two flew by in similar fashion (the Holy Trinity of “Dingly Dell”, followed by “When the War is Over”, followed by “Winter Song”…breath-taking), although in the second set one or two folk finally made it to their feet to “jiggle around” a bit – one even wielding a maraca. Certainly gave Tena Pants’ claims of being leak proof a sturdy test.

In some respects, it shouldn’t be a surprise that two modest shows on home turf should sell out, a good time had by one and all – band and audience clearly feeding from one another and having a genuinely great time. Still knocks me out how much “humanity” there is in the room. With all the madness going on in the world (and mostly for no good reason) it’s a joy to be able to escape to a place of relative sanctuary and sanity. You can’t beat the atmosphere, the warmth & the general feel-good of “communions” like this.

Sunday’s Sermons consisted of:

S101 No Time To Lose
S102 Turn A Deaf Ear
S103 City Song
S104 Statues & Liberties
S105 Lady Eleanor
S106 Can't Do Right For Doing Wrong
S107 Log On Your Fire
S108 Anyway The Wind Blows
S109 Road To Kingdom Come
S110 One More Night With You
S111 January Song

I N T E R V A L

S201 Call Of The Wild
S202 All Fall Down
S203 Sundown Station
S204 Dingly Dell
S205 When The War Is Over
S206 Winter Song
S207 We Can Swing Together
S208 Fog On The Tyne
S209 Band Intros
S210 Meet Me On The Corner
S211 Run For Home
S212 Clear White Light Part II


ROD CLEMENTS Vocal, mandolin, fiddle, guitars
DAVE HULL-DENHOLM Vocal, guitars, harmonica
STEVE DAGGETT Vocal, keyboards, guitars, harmonica, percussion
IAN THOMSON Bass, vocal
PAUL SMITH Drums

Lineage
SP-CMC-4U >
TASCAM DR-40 >
Sound Forge Pro 14 >
Trader's Little Helper (level 8) >
Torrent Site


More upcoming shows this year than there has been for quite some time. Far reaching, too. A healthy handful of “first-timers” over the course of the weekend. Whether you’re still curious or already committed (?!), you’ll be happier for having made the effort.