Not many artists receive a standing ovation before playing a single note - but when Martin Carthy, the 84 year-old hero of English folk music, graced the stage of EartH, Hackney on Saturday, 27th September, his entrance was enough to bring the packed venue to its feet. The occasion, a joint collaboration overseen by Eliza Carthy and Jon Wilks, marked the musician’s six-decade career with an uplifting tribute concert of epic scope.
A cavalcade of musical royalty, including Billy Bragg, Graham Coxon and Maddy Prior, plus a cast of performers from across the traditional sphere, joined forces to honour the singer and guitarist’s achievements. Whilst an in-depth knowledge of the English folk scene isn’t crucial to understanding the impact of Carthy’s legacy, a recognition of his accommodating spirit and generosity certainly is. Divided into three chronological parts, what lay in store was a sophisticated assortment of songs, stories and tunes, with each number highlighting a different milestone in Carthy’s life - from his early days as as an up-and-coming folk troubadour on the sixties London scene to his key role in pioneering acts such as Steeleye Span and Brass Monkey.
For the unstoppable Carthy, folk music has always been an unpretentious and collaborative affair. Nowhere was this notion clearer than on the stage of the restored Art Deco cinema, which had been transformed into a village pub (dubbed ‘The North Country Maid’) for the night. Behind the honoree sat the performers, eagerly awaiting their turn with various pints of golden liquid not far off.
For some, respite could only be earned once they had risen to sing: take Bristol-based Nick Hart, easily one of the evening’s peaks, who had been tasked with interpreting ‘The Famous Flower of Serving Men’, or, as he put it, “a by-word for a very long ballad.” Other early highlights came from Olivia Chaney, the ethereal songstress who took the traditional ‘Sovay’ to new heights, as well as Coxon, whose electric guitar sweeps added a touch of frost to the timeless ‘Scarborough Fair’.
All aspects of Carthy's lengthy endeavours were covered. From his first encounter with skiffle music by way of Lonnie Donegan’s ‘Rock Island Line’ to his work with The Imagined Village project, the audience were convincingly reminded of the musician’s stamp on English culture - there was even time for a specially arranged performance courtesy of the Hammersmith Morris Men, complete with handkerchiefs and leapfrogging. Further afield, the interval provided refreshing well-wishes from friends who couldn’t be there in person. Video messages came in from KT Tunstall, Robert Plant and Paul Weller - but it was a candidly rare appearance from Bob Dylan, who had tracked down Carthy during his first visit to the UK in 1961, that brought gasps from the crowd.
Amidst the rousing cheers for the Women’s Rugby champions and some emotional, last-minute singalongs, it was hard to imagine a more fitting expression of appreciation for this national treasure. Thanks to promoter Broadside Hacks - the driving force behind much of the current folk revival in and around the capital - the evening was on every level a spectacle of heart-warming tales and jaw-dropping coups. And of course, there was Carthy himself: a man of quiet dignity, content to sit back and enjoy hearing the soundtrack of his life unfold. His parting words, “this music is for all of you,” made it passionately clear. This tradition remains alive and well.
