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Well, I thought the weather for the quayside concert was pretty grotty, but it was nothing compared to today. The rain started on Friday afternoon - it rained all night, and all day Saturday. By the time we arrived at Walker Riverside Park at 7.30 the field was rapidly turning into a lake. Luckily we'd put wellies in the car - just in case - otherwise we'd have been up to our ankles in mud as we splodged across the field - which was deserted! Worryingly, it looked as if the stage was being cleared of equipment - had the concert been cancelled? Luckily it hadn't, as there was also a large marquee, and the concert had been transferred to where it would be dry. There were lots of very happy people in there - I think many of them had been in the bar all day (lucky things!) and there were kids with mud up to their waist who were having a whale of a time.
I think the band took pity on the poor people who had been out in the rain all day as the concert started early - or were they just as cold as everyone else and wanted to warm up? Who knows, but we started to feel warmer as soon as they came on stage, with Marty leading on No Time to Lose. I was expecting the set to be the same as last week, but the order had changed quite a bit, and there were a couple of extra songs and omissions. One of these extras came next, with Marty still singing lead on Working my Way Back Home. Marty's third song was Driftin' Through - I was glad this was included as I'm not sure we'll be hearing it in the near future - we'll just have to wait and see.
Next, Billy took over on lead vocals, singing Ghost in Blue Suede Shoes, first of all inviting us to waltz to it - nobody took him up on this invitation! They then went into Marshall Riley's Army, which had its usual rapturous welcome, and not just from me! Then we had Meet Me on the Corner - another rapturous welcome - in a similar early position to last week, followed by Born at the Right Time. This was for anyone who was old enough to remember when it used to be sunny, according to Billy.
Billy continued in the lead with One Day, following on with Jubilee
Corner. Then Marty produced his flute and we knew it was time for Lady Eleanor - a glorious version as usual, and I don't think I was the only one it made feel emotional. Marty continued in the lead with
Any Way the Wind Blows. Dave then took the lead with January Song - as at the quayside, his only solo spot. (The weather made me think he should've sung Winter Song!) This might be a good time to mention that they are definitely turning into the Men with Hats - Rod has been wearing one since last year, Ray joined him at the quayside, and tonight Billy was sporting a baseball hat and Ian had on a woolly ski-hat! Whether this was due to the weather, I don't know! Only Marty and Dave were hatless - as they were the only ones not wearing a coat, perhaps it was due to the weather, and these two were just showing how tough they are! About this time in the concert, Billy did take off both his hat and his coat - unlike those of us in the audience who were still well wrapped up.
Next came a treat for me - Call of the Wild, sung by Billy and Marty, which was wonderful and made me want to dance, as usual, but I contented myself with contributing the "Woo!" after the introduction! Why don't they put that in any more?! It was followed by Rod singing Devil of the North, which actually did bring a few brave souls up to the front to dance - but not for long. Run for Home came next, which made me realise with a shock how close to the end of the concert we were - by now the crowd was going mad for more.
We were asked if we were going to get up and dance as Road to Kingdom Come started - so of course quite a number of us did, and Billy pointed out some who were actually dancing on the table! About now, quite a lot of the audience started chanting
"Marty! Marty!" which produced some big smiles from the man himself. After this everybody shared in singing
Fog on the Tyne as usual. Just as Billy had started the introduction, a guy at the front waved an LP at them all and asked if they would sign it - Billy said
"Would you like us to do it now, or can we finish the song first?!" Luckily he decided later would do.
Just before the final song, Marty came to the mike and said we were all wonderful for staying around so long on such a dreadful day, and that if it had been in the south everyone would have gone home long ago complaining about the rain! (I have to say, if it hadn't been your last concert, Marty, so would I!) The very last song was - you've guessed -it - Marty singing Clear White Light for the very last time, finishing, as before, to chants of "Marty!". As the band took their bows, Billy said, "So it's goodnight from us, and goodbye from him!" which elicited more cheers, and then it was all over. When the stage had cleared, Marty came to the barriers at the front and had a chat, a handshake or a hug for the people waiting to see him - polite as ever! And we all splodged out into the mud and - guess what - it was still pouring down.
All in all, a very happy, upbeat concert for Marty's exit, which he seemed to enjoy as much as the audience did. Nothing was said about Marty leaving, other than Billy's final comment, which I assume was what he wanted - but those of us who knew anyway enjoyed the occasion, and have gone away with many happy memories.
Judith Watson June,2000
