Robyn Hitchcock... Gigography

Robyn Hitchcock Nick Lowe, Sleepy LaBeef, Lynn Miles
Concert appearance: Sat., 27 July 2002

Calgary Folk Music Festival
Calgary, Canada

Set list:

Not Dark Yet (Bob Dylan) First workshop
De Chirico Street
You Can't Judge A Book By the Cover (Willie Dixon) Second workshop
Arms of Love
Sleeping With Your Devil Mask
Gene Hackman Main Stage performance
Cynthia Mask
Uncorrected Personality Traits
Silver Dagger (Traditional, arr. Baez)
My Wife and My Dead Wife
Madonna of the Wasps
Unprotected Love
Satellite
Serpent at the Gates of Wisdom
Yip Song

From Kevin: Great Day! It started with my daughter, Natalie, spotting Robyn
around 1:00, running up to him, and asking him if it was Mucky or
Bucky the pig in "Queen of Eyes". He was extremely friendly, and went
on to explain that it was indeed Mucky, and that it had been a
favourite squeaky toy of his daughter, Maisie, and that later it had
crept into one of his songs.

Met Mr. Rocky Greenwood, fellow member of this club, resplendant in
purple "Jewels..." t-shirt. Always great to meet another fan, he got
a miniature guitar signed by Robyn. The first workshop was a round-
robin with Robyn playing last of 4 performers. His first song
was "Not Dark Yet" which he sang in this kind of subterranean
register, very very low. He seemed to be watching the other
performers with a kind of bemused look on his face, but did
contribute some guitar picking to a song by Lynn Miles, a Canadian
singer. His second and last song was a rousing version of "De Chirico
Street" - it was the turn of the other performers to look bemused! My
daughter and her friend were able to get autographs - one was a
drawing of clouds - Robyn said "If ever you're feeling sad, just look
up at the clouds". The other was a big pointed arrow. He said to my
daughter "If you get lost, just point this arrow and it will take you
in the direction you want to go". These 2 nine year olds were a bit
starstruck, I think, and clutched onto these autographs for the rest
of the day, as if their lives depended on it. On a sadder note, Robyn
said the Soft Boys wouldn't be including Canada in the tour starting
in November. He did say "Seattle's not that far" - so that's probably
where I'll end up seeing them.

The second workshop was more interesting as it included Nick Lowe and
this rockabilly guy from Arkansas called Sleepy La Beef. Robyn was
the MC for this one, and started by saying this was the first time he
had met Nick Lowe - I was hoping he'd do "Clean Steve", but no such
luck. He did contribute some very enthusiastic blues-harp to Sleepy
La Beef's songs and also played on Nick Lowe's "I Knew the Bride
(when she used to rock n roll)". Robyn's first song was this bluesy
thing called "You can't judge a book by it's cover". The second song
was a pretty straight version of "Arms of Love". He saved the best
till last with a great rendition of "Sleeping With Your Devil Mask",
which had Nick Lowe laughing all the way through, especially when he
sang "my mother's second name is Joyce". All in all, a great set.

The mainstage performance ran from 7:15 - 8:00. Set List:

Gene Hackman (done very very slow)

Cynthia Mask

Uncorrected Personality Traits - first time I'd heard him do this
without the Egyptians

Silver Dagger

My Wife and My Dead Wife - during this song the heavens opened up and
we all got drenched. Robyn then improvised a song called "When the
Rain Comes", and offered everyone tissues!

Madonna of the Wasps

Unprotected Love

At this point he remembered that he had never finished "Dead Wife"
cos of the rain - so played the last verse and chorus.

Satellite

Serpent at the Gates of Wisdom

Yip Song


So, great day - Robyn was in fine voice and a good time was had by
all, well me, Rocky, my daughter and her friend anyway.


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