Silvington Concert

As a change from the usual jumble sale, it was decided to make this season's fundraiser for St James the Great Church something a little different, and so on a draughty evening on 16th February over sixty guests assembled in

Slapton Village Hall to partake of an impressive supper and to hear Silvington play.

Tricia Moore and John Connor make up this duo of gifted acoustic guitarists with a folksy sound at times more than a little reminiscent of Ewan McColl and Peggy Seeger. Many of the songs on the evening's playlist were written by themselves - several have a strong

Devonian flavour and featured some of our better known historical characters.

For example, "The Fyshinge Feaste"

celebrated the annual trout supper held to commemorate the water supply (Drake's Leat) which Sir Francis Drake created to bring water from Dartmoor to the city of Plymouth; "Sir Walter's Almaine" is a jig in memory of Sir Walter Raleigh and has more than a touch of Bob Newhart about it, Several of the numbers had rousing choruses to them including "Chasing Dreams" and "Walking on Sunday".

"Dancing on the Hoe" and "Women of Steel" celebrated somewhat more recent events - the former describing the habit of Plymouth citizens of holding tea dances outside on Plymouth Hoe while the bombs were falling during World War Two and the latter applauding the women who took over the production of steel in Sheffield when the men had to go off and fight; the sound of the presses hammering away came clearly through the music.

Many of their other songs had a strong

narrative quality, not least those especially written for their latest album called "A Song in Every Window". This collection was inspired by the stained glass windows in Plymouth Guildhall, which Tricia had occasion to study while waiting to give blood One of their most recent compositions which was actually premiered on the night was a tribute to the sacrifices made during Exercise Tiger. Called simply "Tiger", we are very pleased to be allowed to print the words

in this magazine on page 24,

in addition to their own songs the duo also gave us a taste of others which fitted in very well with their style of singing. Particularly effective were their versions of Roberta Flack's"Killing Me Softly" and the Crystal Gayle hit from the seventies,

"Don't lt Make My Brown Eyes Blue". Sting's "Fields of Gold" rounded off their selection of covers.

Puddings were partaken of during the interval which also included a raffle, and the whole evening was deemed to be most enjoyable, as well as raising a healthy contribution towards church funds,

David Murphy

Deadline for Slapton Lines May-June 2019 issue is

Monday 1Oth April 2019

slaptonlines@gmail.com or 01 548 580627

For advertising contact Anne Murphy on 01548 580627 or anne.c.murphy@me.com

For subscriptions contact Carol Beaumont on 0'1548581481

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a review of the new CD

“There’s a song in every window” done in "What's Afoot", the quarterly magazine of Devon Folk

http://www.silvington.org/2221118Page1.pdf

http://www.silvington.org/2221118Page2.pdf