 The
Old Rope String Band returned to Wivenhoe for one more time, appearing in the
Wivenhoe Centre, Phillip Road, on Sunday 23rd January,
2005, at 7.30pm.
The Old Rope String Band have been a roaring
success in each of their two previous appearances here. They are a unique
combination of music and comedy.
They project versatility, musical talent
and power to make you laugh (until it hurts). Truly zany trio.
The Old Rope String Band came to Wivenhoe as
part of the Essex on Tour programme run by Essex County
Council. This event was organised locally by Wivenhoe
Town Council with proceeds in aid of the Wivenhoe Mayor's Charity Fund.
NOTE: Tragically, Joe Scurfield was killed by a car in motor
incident in June 2005. Click here
for a tribute to Joe.
Report by
Peter Kennedy
When I wrote about this extraordinary trio of musicians a year ago, I said "by golly they were hilarious" and they still are and even more so.
The Old Rope String Band came to Wivenhoe at the end of a gruelling three day concert tour, which took in Canvey Island, Tilbury and Fingringhoe. They may perhaps have been more than a little relieved to find themselves here in Wivenhoe, albeit in Phillip Road instead of the William Loveless Hall - the latter being in use for a rehearsal of the
Panto.
The old school hall was stuffed to the gills with an eager audience, and Mayor Peter
Hill's welcomed us to this "alternative accommodation", whereupon The Old Rope String Band entered to huge applause and commenced a wonderfully spirited rendition of an Irish reel which after several choruses gradually became punctuated by what one can only call "Flinging of the Fiddles" by Joe Scurfield and Pete Challoner. The action of "Flinging of the Piano-Accordion" proved too much even for the redoubtable Tim Dalling, who solved the dilemma by laying down his accordion and, thus relieved of its bulk, by jumping.
From that point on we were treated to a feast of superb traditional musicianship interspersed with extraordinary feats of agility and derring-do, and of superb not so traditional musicianship. Fiddles, banjo, accordion, beer bottles, hollow pipes, colanders, vacuum cleaner - all these instruments were played astoundingly well; and during a rendition of The Wivenhoedown we became aware that we were present at one of the rare occasions when the nose flute has been heard in this town. There are indeed few specimens in captivity today. And the whole audience, at the instigation of Tim, Joe and Pete, sang along in authentic Cajun to J'ai plongé mes long jeans - a little bit of zydeco in what was a wholly authentic Old Rope String Band occasion.
I'm not going to try to tell you any more, I'm laughing so immoderately at the memory of it all that I'm going to have to use my inhaler.
Peter Kennedy |
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