One Last Holiday Elseblog: A Thompson Family Christmas
plus Covers of Lennon’s Happy Xmas (War is Over)
It’s my engagement anniversary tonight. The stocking are hung by the pellet stove with care; the children may not be dreaming of sugarplums just yet, but at least they’ve stopped stirring. But before I head off to cuddle by the fire with my beloved, here’s a short last-minute post for my regular readers on this slightly rained-out Christmas Eve.
I wasn’t planning on posting again until Sunday, but this lovely hour-long holiday special from BBC Radio 2 is only available for a few more days, and I just discovered it tonight. So quick! Click the pic of Teddy above, and head over to BBC2 to stream A Thompson Family Christmas (requires Real Player), starring previously featured Cover Lay Down favorites Teddy Thompson and Kathryn Williams, plus Rachel Unthank and the Winterset, Bert Jansch, Ed Harcourt, sister Kami Thompson, and older folkies and family progenitors Linda and Richard.
This is supposedly the first time all four performing Thompsons have played together live, so don’t miss the window of opportunity. Kathryn is a great friend and a delicate songstress, too, and I was blown away by Unthank and the Winterset a few months ago at a local show. Here’s the set list:
- Silent Night - Teddy Thompson and Katherine Williams
Purple Snowflakes - Kami Thompson with BV’s
Christmas Time Is Here - Ed Harcourt
New Depression - Justin Bond
Albert’s Ashes - Brendan Campbell
Christmas - Teddy Thompson
Bright Morning Stars - Katherine Williams
Last Christmas - Kamila Thompson
Let’s Not Fight This Christmas - Chris Difford
Cutty Wren - Richard Thompson
Tar Barrel in Dale - Rachel Unthank and the Winterset
Moonshine - Bert Jansch
Christmas Will Be Just Another Day - Jenni Muldaur and BV’s
Blue Christmas - The Thompsons
BBC licensing being what it is, UK listeners can also access three bonus audio tracks unavailable in the US via the same link. If anyone on that side of the pond manages to capture the stream OR the bonus material, please let me know ASAP; at this point, it’s about all I want for Christmas.
While I’m here, might I tempt you with the original and two great folkcovers of John Lennon’s Happy Xmas (War is Over) over at Star Maker Machine? I thought that I could.
Oh, and Happy Holidays, everybloggy. May your days be merry, fearless, and bright. I’ll be back Sunday as usual, assuming we make it back in one piece from our annual Christmas trip north to see the wife’s parents.
Category: Uncategorized
December 24th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
PS: Interestingly, reviews of the live performance suggest that there were some great songs that never made it to air, including a Thompsons/Williams take on The Holly and the Ivy, and a Bert Jansch tribute to Dave Graham. Now THAT would be a boot well worth having.
Anyone out there attend the show itself? I’d love to hear more about it.
December 25th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Thanks for posting about this, BH!
Here’s a first-person account with complete setlist I found on the RT list:
Right, it’s late & I’m up early, so suffice to say for now that Linda, Richard, Teddy, Kami & Zac (he’s 14 now - printed as Thompson in the ‘programme’, but introduced repeatedly by Teddy as Hobbs - I’ve used ZT as his initials below) were all there, and all on stage for some of these numbers….Teddy was the instigator of the show, and his manager appeared to be running the show - Gary, you were a star!
The house band were Roger Eno (Piano / Keys), David Coulter (various), Rory McFarlane (note spelling, back to his birth name - bass), Neil Wilkinson (drums), Julia Thornton (harp, just beautifully played) & Kate St John (pronounced Sinjun) - Musical Director / squeezebox / sax / others
RT & Teddy sat in on somer numbers too.
Silent Night (Kathryn Williams & Teddy, a capella)
Purple Snowflakes (Kami & House band + BVs (LT, KT & ZT)
Fat as a Fiddle (Chris Difford & H/Band)
Bleak Midwinter / Anji (Bert Jansch - the latter as tribute to Davey Graham)
Christmas Time is Here Again (Ed Harcourt & H/Band)
Farewell Regality - this might have changed, as Hexamshire was regularly in the lyrics - Rachel Unthank & Winterset
White Christmas (Jenni Muldaur / Teddy & H/Band)
Wrong Presents (new - RT solo)
New Depression (Justin Bond (Kikki from Kikki & Herb) & H/Band)
Albert’s Dreams (?) (Brendan Campbell)
Christmas Medley (Shlomo & Voice Orchestra)
Run, Rudolph, Run (ZT & H/Band)
Holy & The Ivy (Teddy, Kami, Linda & Bob Davenport w/RT on acoustic)
Christmas (Teddy & H/Band + BVs KT, LT, ZT & RT on electric)
Interval
Shay Fanyan (LT from off-stage, she couldn’t bring herself to sing onstage, and I think cut it short - but Teddy brought her on, rather emotionally, m=
ore her applause)
Good King Wenceslas - (Brendan Campbell & H/Band)
Bright Morning Stars (Kathryn Williams / Neil MacColl / Teddy / LT & Kate St John)
Last Christmas (Kami & H/Band)
When the Bailiffs Came / Little Boy Santa Claus forgot / Holy Thursday / Jerusalem - Bob Davenport
Let’s not Fight this Christmas (Chris Difford / Kevin Malpass & H/Band)
Cutty Wren (RT)
Tar Barrel in Dale (Unthanks & Winterset)
Have Yourself a Very Merry Xmas (Justin Bond & H/Band)
Moonshine (Jansch)
Christmas will be just….(Jenni Muldaur & H/Band + BVs KT, LT & ZT)
Back Door Santa (ed Harcourt & Shlomo)
Blue Christmas (Thompsons x 5 (RT, LT, TT, KT & ZT) & H/Band)
Encore
Winter Wonderland (everyone!)
3 hour show……including interval.
December 26th, 2008 at 8:25 am
If you have a torrent client, the BBC highlights show can be found on DimeAdozen. There is also an audience recording(poor quality)of the second half of the show.
I could capture the stream from BBC iPlayer using Audacity but it would mean re-compressing.
Or, of course, if you don’t have a torrent client, I can get it, change from flac to mp3 and rapidshare it. The Dime show has the official Teddy Thompson track removed.
Or, anything else that you can suggest….whatever’s best for you.
December 26th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
BBC Stream captured just in time — thanks to all who helped, or offered it! Watch this space for highlights next Xmas!
January 1st, 2009 at 10:23 am
I found it here…
http://nevergetoutoftheboat.blogspot.com/2008/12/thompson-family-christmas.html