Fire
Windlesham Theatre
30th November, 2007

It’s not every day you get the chance to see the original line-up of a band playing together for the first time in 37 years. Fire did just that at a windswept Windlesham and pulled off an unqualified success. The Strawbs’ guitar wizard Dave Lambert, together with drummer Bob Voice, bassist Dick Dufall and original Magic Shoemaker co-producer Ray Hammond handling the narration, performed that highly collectable album for the first time ever. Included also were surely the best 60s single never to have charted – Father’s Name Is Dad – and its partner track, Treacle Toffee World, together with Lambert originals from the era, This Would Never Have Happened In My Day and It’s Just Love. From Lambert’s frilly-cuffed retro jacket, to the smoke machine and the psychedelic lighting, an authentic and memorable evening was had by all. The stripped-down live sound only served to bring out the songs’ strong melodies, sometimes masked by sound effects and overdubs in the original recording. Put me down for the live CD!