January / February
With Ashley's success from Fairport Convention they were able to get Sandy Roberston aboard quickly as their manager, and thanks to his connections they get a record contract with RCA. This gave them the funds and the equipment to go and live
together in the Country, practising in Berwick St James for 3 months 'getting it together’. Later described by Ashley as 'Two couples and a referee', it went about as well well as you can imagine....
31st March : BBC Session (aired 11th April 1970). The only appearance of original band while they were recording the first album, but it has never Surfaced. It was noted on 'The Journey' sleeve notes that the recording was lost. Full details are available on the 'BBC Sessions' page. The Band went into the studio in April and recorded an Album in one week.
Gay & Terry Woods leave.
The recording of the new album was fractious and with one song still to finish, Gay and Terry left. However, as far as they were concerned there was an agreement that if anyone left, the band split up and they didn't expect the remaining members to continue using the name "Steeleye Span".
April / May
Martin Carthy (Guitar) Joins the band
The band effectively split up with the Wood's leaving. Ashley went off to pursue a project with Bob and Carole Pegg. However, Tim Hart was keen to continue the project and called up Martin Carthy to see if he would be interested. This encouraged Ashley to try again. These 4 practised for 2 months at the Vicarage, St Albans (Tim's Parents) but soon realised they needed another multi-instrumentalist as they were too guitar heavy.
June
FIRST ALBUM: Hark! The Village Wait (RCA Records) Released.
July
16th Lewisham Concert Hall. w.Lindisfarne & Al Stewart
17th London Festival Hall 'Folk In'"the greatest folk event ever". Review in NME. 20 minute set including Lark in the Morning & Female Drummer.
24th Tupholme Festival "Concert Of Contemporary & Traditional Folk Music" w.Maddy Prior who sang 'the dying soldier'. One day festival with an estimated 60,000! Incredible String Band, Pentangle; Sandy Denny and The Byrds all attended.
30th July - 1st Aug Cambridge Folk Festival
August
6th Plymouth, Van Dikes
14th 'Feast of Folk Festival. Syon Park, Brentford "Folk song and dance festival"
25th The Stables, Higham w.Pigsty Hill Light Orchestra & The Songwainers
26th The Sportsman's Club, Accrington
31st Pipers Tuesday Folk ConcertSt Johns hall Penzance.
September
Recorded Ten Man Mop and the following sessions at the same time.
15th (aired 26th) : BBC Radio 1 'John Peel's Sunday Concert'. The most extensive available BBC Radio Session. Appears almost in full on 2006 Re-issue of 'Ten Man Mop' but a much better quality recording exists as a Bootleg. Full details are available on the 'BBC Sessions' page.
22nd: BBC Radio: Sounds of the 70s with Pete Drummond. [aired 30th Sept]. Peter Knight was ill for this session which gave it a more unique set list and feel. Full details available on the 'BBC Sessions' Page.
October
1st: SINGLE: 'Rave-On' (B&C records). Maxi single with Female Drummer/Reels.
Long before the band started introducing the 'Rockers Encore' they recorded this single for a 'bit of fun' which their manager thought may do well as a novelty single. Apparently Tim and Maddy were singing it in the car and Ashley commented that it sounded quite good - which led to a release. The single got plenty of airplay but no real chart success.
UK TOUR. First Proper Headlining British Tour. Support by Andy Roberts
Based on Manchester: Four Nights Drunk, Jigs, Pace Egging Song, Gower Wassail, Lark In The Morning, Hornpipes (Pete & Maddy), Handsome Polly-O (Martin), I Live Not Where I Love (Tim & Maddy), Jigs, When I Was On Horseback, We Poor Labouring Men, Maddy's Poem 'The Hoop', Cold Haily Windy Night, Encore: Female Drummer, Rave On, Uncle Tom Cobbley
3rd Bristol Colston Hall
4th Southampton Guildhall
7th Leeds Uni
12th Free Trade Hall, Manchester
13th Abersytwyth Uni
14th Wawick Uni
15th Liverpool ST George
16th Leicester Uni
17th Birmingham Town Hall
18th Sheffield City Hall
19th Birmingham Town Hall. Review mentions these songs: 'We poor Labouring Folk; 'Egg Pacing' & Sweep Chimney Sweep'. The latter of course Martin would bring back in '77.
20th Barnsley Civic Centre
21st Newcastle City Hall
24th Croydon Greyhound
26th Norwich St Andrews Hall
27th Bournmouth Winter Garderns. 'Rag Folk' Festival
28th BBC Radio Sounds of the 70s with Pete Drummond. Per Radio Times synopsis:
Radio 2's VHF channels join Radio 1 for two hours of progressive pop With Steeleye Span, Lindisfarme, Uriah Heep; Heads, Hands And Feet.
November
5th Salford Uni: Four Nights Drunk, Jigs, Pace Egging Song, We Poor Labouring Men, When I Was On Horseback, Bring Em Down/Haul On The Bowline, Jigs, Gower Wassail, Lark In The Morning, Hornpipes (Pete & Maddy), My Johnny Was A shoemaker (Martin), Female Drummer, Encore: Jigs
6th London L.S.E
9th Guilford Civic Hall; Cold Haily Windy Night (opener), Pace Egging Song (Ashley solo vocal with Pete and Martin on Banjo!), We Poor Labouring Men, Sweep Chimney Sweep, Handsome Polly O, Tim & Maddy - Medley of 3 unaccompanied short songs
11th Cantebury, Kent Uni
20th Cardiff Cory
Sat ? Leas Cliff Hall, Folkstone. A Saturday in November. Gig details thanks to Clive Pilcher.
26th Brighton College of Education; Per 'Sounds' this was Tyger's last gig
27th Hull Uni; The Wren, Pace Egging Song, Jigs, Saucy Sailor, We Poor Labouring Men, False Knight On The Road, Sweep Chimney Sweep, Dancing At Whitsun (Pete & Tim), Jigs, Maddy's Poem 'Hydranger', Rab Noake's song, Female Drummer, Encore: Uncle Tom Cobbley
December
BAND CHANGES: Ashley Hutchings and Martin Carthy Leave the band.
The exact dates are not clear but it seems that Ashley Hutchings announced he is leaving the Band internally before or during the October Tour. Maddy and Tim said it was because he didn't want to continue with the play 'Corunna' (A tour had been lined up for the Autumn) and because he didn't want to fly to America. Carthy says it was because Ashley thought the music was to 'Irish'. Ashley himself has indicated since that he just felt he had finished what he set out to achieve and the band had run its course. His announcement was almost certainly in November, probably just before 27th (RM Article). Rick Kemp was asked to replace Ashley by Sandy Robertson and agrees assuming that he would get the chance to play with Martin Carthy. It is believed that this this line up did one experimental gig, which could possibly be the 4th of December show below.
Subsequently however Martin Carthy also announces he is leaving, (5th Dec announced in NME that he is leaving at end of the year). Carthy made it clear it was amicable and suggested it was because for him the 'balance' of the band was not right after Hutchings left. Subsequently it was confirmed that it was mainly because he did not want a Bass player to replace Ashley, but rather wanted a Multi Instrumentalist to explore different sounds. Peter Knight then suggests Bob Johnson as a replacement for Martin, with whom he worked with as a duo. The public announcements of Carthy leaving and Rick and Bob joining were made at the same time. Not 100% if Rick then did some further dates in December after the 'experimental' one with Carthy, but a review in Birmingham Daily post suggests he did, although articles when Carthy left suggested Rick and Bob would join after rehearsals in January. It was also announced that Maddy and Tim would stop taking Folk Club bookings as a due to take a rest from being a duo a nd to focus on the new line up and not get stale.
3rd Dec Stockport College of Technology
4th Dec Birmingham Town Hall. Birmingham Daily post says the band are still 'numbed' by recent departure of Ashley, and the 'imminent departure of Martin' It also says "Rick Kemp, Ashley's replacement was 'introduced' so this, or the night before, could be the experimental' gig that this line up did with Rick and Martin.
16th London College of Printing . Included Sweep Chimney Sweep, Wee Weaver & Saucy Sailor.
17th Little Theatre Middlesbrough. Almost certainly Martin Carthy's last gig with this line up.
January
Band Practices in the 'Irish Club', Deaton Square, London
31st: BBC 'Top Gear' (John Peel Session): See 'BBC Sessions' for full details.
Jan/Feb/Mch
First Tour debuting the new line up.
28th Bath w.Dando Shaft
29th Winter Gardens, Weston Super Mare.
3rd Durham Uni (Dundee per MS)
4th Edinburgh Caley
5th Stockport College of Tchnology
10th Trowbridge Town Hall
11th Lancaster UniMorgan/Keith Christmas
18th Hornsey Town Hal.
The tour was in the midst of 3 hour Power cuts that were occurring at the time due to the Miner's Strike. This particular show was brought forward to try and finish before the 9pm cut. However, the cut came early, so under Emergency lighting the band stayed on stage, holding candles signing unaccompanies for the least few songs! Thanks to Clive Pilcher for his fantastic memories of the concert.
19th Hatfield Poly
23rd Manchester Uni
24th Birmingham University Guild
25th Cardiff Uni
26th Exeter UniDando Shaft
3rd Mch Southampton Uni
4th Reading Uni
7th Liverpool Uni. Additional date per NME
9th Oxford Poly
10th London Queen Elizabeth Hall. Additional tour date per NME
11th Sheffield Uni. Additional tour date per NME
21st Feb: BBC Radio 1 'Friday Night is Boogie Night' (John Peel Session). See 'BBC sessions' for full details.
March
17th London Central Poly
24th Farnborough Technical CollegeSwastika & Ben
April
1st Boston Starlight
9th Croydon Fairfield HallAmazing Blondell
12th Birmgham Town Hall Town Hall
May
British Tour
5th Newcastle Mayfair
6th Norwich City College
12th London Noth East Poly. Clash of dates on Marmalade Skies
12th London Livingstone House w. Patto. Clash of dates on Marmalade Skies
13th St Albans City Hall
19th Brighton Uni of Essex
20th London City UniDando Shaft
23rd Oxford Town Hall
26th Lacock Folk Festival
27th Northampton Square Bandstand, London
May??Cecil Sharpe House
31st Port Madoc Criccieth Memorial Hall
June
1st: BBC Radio Session: 'Sounds of the 70's' (recorded 17th May). See 'BBC Sessions' for full details.
UK Tour or just one off dates?
13th Cambridge St John's College. w.Al Stewart
17th Bradford Uni.
18th Swindon Wyvern Theatre
23rd Reading Town Hall. Jigs (opener), Spotted Cow, Rosebud In June, John Barleycorn, Black And White Rag, King Henry, False Knight On The Road, Gaudete, Singing The Travels(?), Ups And Downs, Royal Forester, Encore: Reels, General Taylor
26th Dublin National Theatre. Part of Tour? "first visit to Ireland" Rosebud In June, Spotted Cow, King Henry, Black & White Rag, Ups And Downs
July
4th: BBC Radio 1 'Friday Night is Boogie Night' (John Peel Session). Full details on 'BBC Sessions' page.
Unknown Dates
European Dates? Per 'Tim Hart's Complete Steeleye Span Story' there should be some.
August
3rd-17th Play: Edinburgh, Lyceum Theatre. 'Kidnapped', another Keith Dewhurst play.
Ran for 2 weeks per NME. During the press photocall the band played Rag Doll. Included the songs: General Taylor, Rosebud In June, Cam Ye O'er Frae France, Parcel Of Rogues, Young Neil My Darling, Bonny Moorhen. Ended with Jacobite Rock ('an hilarious vocal from Kemp'), Jigs.
18th London, Lyceum Theatre. A 'normal concert performance
19th London, Lyceum Theatre. Final two Kidnapped performances.
26th /27th Festival, Chelmsford Agricultural Showground
September
15th FOURTH ALBUM: Below the Salt (1st for Chrysalis)
21st SINGLE John Barleycorn (date of NME review)
23rd Sept. Grangemouth Festival, Scotland. With Jeff Beck Status Quo & Lindisfarne. 12k people at a damp 1 day festival. Steeleye were third last before Status Quo and Jeff Beck. Compare was John Peel.
September / October
Autumn UK 'Below The Salt' Tour. Support from Amazing Blondel
Set list combined Manchester, Bradford & one other, so not every song played each night: Spotted Cow or The Ups and Down; Cam Ye O'er Frae France, Gaudete, Rogues In A Nation, Bride's Favourite/Tansey's Fancy, (Or Bank O f Ireland) The Weaver, Sheep-crook & Black Dog, King Henry, Gaudete, Wea Weaver, Truck Drivin' Man (also called 'Cup of Coffee' with Tim on Mandolin and Peter playing Bluegrass fiddle) , Royal Forester, John Barleycorn, Encore: Rag Doll, Reels: Oak Tree/Pigeon
30th Royal
Festival Hall, London
1st Uni of Wawick
5th Uni of Cardiff
6th Loughborough Uni
12th Town Hall Oxford
13th Free Trade Hall, Manchester
14th Leeds Uni
17th Birmingham Town Hall. Sang 'Weaver and the 'Tailor'; Parcel of Rogues, Gaudete.
18th Univ of Aberystwith
19th Fairfield Hall, Croydon
20th Victoria Halls, Stoke upon Trent
21st Liverpool Stadium
22nd St George's Hall Bradford
23rd City Hall, Sheffield
24th Town Hall, Middlesbrough
26th City Hall, Newcastle
27th Univ. of Strasthclyde
28th Caird Hall, Dundee
15th : BBC Radio 1 ' Sounds on Sunday'. (Recorded 19th Sept) Whole hour on Steeleye Span. See 'BBC Sessions' for details.
24th Oct: John Peel Session. (Recorded 2nd Oct) See 'BBC Sessions' for full details.
November
FIRST US Tour, Supporting Procul Harum (+ Tir Na Nog )
Based on Brown Uni and Washington, incomplete: King Henry, Black & White Rag, Three Drunken Maidens, Reels: Bank Of Ireland, Cam Ye, Gaudete, Ups & Downs, Royal Forester, Truck Driving Man, Spotted Cow; Reels: Mason's Apron, Rag Doll
1st Syracuse Loew's State Theatre
2nd New York Palace Theatre
3rd RI, Providence Brown Uni
4th Buffalo, NY Kleinhan's
5th Boston Aquarius Theatre. Write up on Procol site: Steeleye 'played a lively set to generous applause"
6th New York Queens College.
7th Washington DC George Wash uni
8th New York Academy of music
10th Denver Regis College
12th LA Santa Monica Civic
15th Detroit Ford Theatre
17th Cleveland John Carrol Uni
18th Phili Temple Uni
19th Baltimore Lyric theatre
20th Hartford Yale Uni
21st Ash Grove Theatre, Los Angeles. (Loudon Wainright III)
November
24th: SINGLE: Holly and the Ivy/Gaudete. Interesting release as it was the first, yet 'unsuccessful' attempt to release Gaudete. It was not until a re-release in 1973 that hit became a hit.
27th: BBC Radio 'Sounds of the 70's' with Bob Harris. (recorded 11th Oct) Full details on the 'BBC Sessions' page.
December
Per cutting, the 'tour' (? The US one?) extended to December 13th with a series of 'club dates' with Loudon Wainwright
8th Alumnae Hall, Brown Uni, Providence, RI, USA (mistaken for one above?)
30th Royal Festival Hall, London w.Amazing Blondell
January
13th 'Full House' BBCTV appearance.
Synopsis: 10.45 Steeleye Span. Imagine a group of village singers in 18th-century England playing electric guitars and percussion instruments - that's the kind of music Steeleye Span make, traditional airs from all over the British Isles performed in the rock idiom. Steeleye Span are MADDY PRIOR, TIM HART , PETER KNIGHT , BOB JOHNSON , RICK KEMP. They played Gaudete; Spotted Cow; One Misty Moisty Morning; Cam Ye O'er Frae France. No Footage currently from this Sunday night Live Arts show is available but it does seem to exist, as the BFI found the tapes when researching a Ken Loach play that was on the same episode.
16th: John Peel Session. (aired 6th Feb) See 'BBC Sessions' for full details & Track listing.
17th Frankfurt Jahrunderthalle. 'Sound of Britain' concert with Gentle Giant, Amazing Blondel & more.
27th NME article: 'Group are to be featured in a film documentary which Anglo-EMI Productions are making about Radio 1'. There was a clip of Steeleye singing 'Hello Mary Lou'
Potential US Tour. Maddy in an interview in Dec '72 said they were returning to the US in January. No evidence and not mentioned in NME so likely to have been cancelled/moved to March.
12th Feb: John Peel 'Top Gear' Session. See 'BBC Sessions' for full details and track listing
3rd March ITV: Russell Harty Plus (11.30pm) with Shirley Bassey and Joe Bugner.
British Tour. Support: Planxty on some dates.
2nd Feb Brighton Poly
6th Leeds Uni
15th Leicester De Montford Hall
16th Portsmouth Poly
17th London Kingston Poly
24th Eastbourne Congress Theatre
27th Bristol Colston Hall. Included en core of 'Rag Doll' and 'Truck Driving Man'
2nd March St Andrews, Norwich
3rd City Hall, Newcastle. 60p with Pete Scott & Derek Brimstone.
4th Crucible, Sheffield
9th Royal Court, Liverpool
10th Free Trade Hall, Manchester. Turned away 1,000 people per SOUNDS article. Only mention of a song/tune called 'Four Poster Bed' in the encore, which I assume was a 'Rockers Encore' as it followed Rag Doll. Misty Moisty Morning, Three Drunken Maidens, Ups And Downs, Spotted Cow, Alison Gross, Bold Poachers, Saucy Sailor, Oak Tree/Jenny's Chickens, Cam Ye O'er Frae France, Bank Of Ireland, Royal Forester, Gaudete, Encore: Rag Doll, Four Poster Bed
12th College, Worcester
13th Town Hall, Birmingham. Included 'Truck Driving Man'
14th Guild Hall, Plymouth
16th Hull Uni
19th Usher Hall, Edinburgh
20th City Hall, Glasgow
Click on image for full details (wiki)
April / May
April 12th: BBC2 TV - "In Concert" .
30 minutes of Steeleye in concert. Per Radio Times listing but no further performance details. Episode was wiped by the BBC
US 'Parcel Of Rogues' Tour.
Some dates are supporting Procol Harum. 'All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go' appeared as an encore, all part of the 'rockers encore' that the band frequently did at the time. According to NME they could command 4 times the fee of last year due to rising popularity.
1st: ??? Per cutting 1st April is 'start of US tour'.
5th Hartford Uni, Conn. With Procol Harum.
8th Ash Grove in Los Angeles California
11th Columbus, Ohio. With Procol Harum
13th Folk Festival , Penn State Recreational Hall, University Park, PA, USA
15th Muhlenberg Memorial Hall,
Allentown, Pennsylvania. Supporting B.B. King.
16th Columbus, Ohio. With Procol Harum.
17th Main Point, Bryn Mawr, PA. Live Broadcast Ups & Downs, Oak Tree/Pigeon, Weaver, Spotted Cow, Saucy Sailor, Robbery With Violins, Cam Ye, Gaudete, Royal Forester, Truck Drivin Man, Reels
18th Main Point, Bryn Mawr, PA. (could also be the show that was broadcast)
19th The Dome, Greenvale, Long Island NY. With Procol Harum: One Misty Moisty Morning; Oak Tree/Pigeon on the Gate; Up's and Downs; Cam Ye O'er Frae France; Alison Gross; Robbery With Violins; Spotted Cow; Gaudete; Royal Forester; All Dressed Up and Nowhere to go; The Masons Apron.
20th My Fathers Place, Roslyn, NY. Some tracks on a famous Bootleg - 'Sunken Meadows', The rest on a separate Bootleg: One Misty Moisty Morning; Up's and Downs; Oak Tree/Pigeon on the Gate; Sheep Crook & Blackdog; Spotted Cow; Jigs/Reel; Rouges in a Nation; Cam Ye O'er Frae France; Alison Gross; Robbery With Violins; Gaudete; Royal Forester; The Masons Apron.
26th Supporting Beach Boys Regis College, Denver, CO
1st May Majestic Theatre Dallas Tx. (Gentle Giant Support)
4th Armadillo World HQ, Austin Tx (Gentle Giant Support)
6th: Santa Rosa Theatre, Houston. (per Newspaper Archive)
8th Ash Grove Theatre Los Angeles
11th Ash Grove Theatre Los Angeles ('Weeks residency')
12th Ash Grove Theatre Los Angeles . It is assumed 'Rag Doll' was recorded while in LA at this time
13th Ash Grove Theatre Los Angeles (Per NME the band return from US and spend next 4 weeks rehearsing)
23rd-27th: Ash Grove, LA. One Week Residency. (newspaper). Further residency dates? This comes from a newspaper archive site so reputable, but the dates don't fit in and could easily be the tour above that was moved or misstated here)
US TV: KCET PBS-TV. Los Angeles.
Exact date aired unknown (but almost certainly on the above tour) One track, 'Cam Ye.' was repeated on the 'Midnight Special' show on 30th Nov '73. The show was repeated a year later. A video recording has never turned up but decent audio bootlegs are easy to find. One Misty Moisty Morning; The Oak Tree/Pigeon on the gate; Sheep Crook & Blackdog; Parcel of Rogues; Cam Ye O'er Frae France; Gaudete; Robbery with Violins; Tune collected by 'Sally Grodpile'.
June
1st June BBC Radio - 'Speakeasy'. Very few details exist - see 'BBC Sessions'
Nigel Pegrum (Drums) joins band
Joins '2 weeks before US tour'. (NME) The band, after touring the US , and with another upcoming US tour supporting Jethro Tull in big stadiums knew they had to beef up the sound of the live band. Per Record Collector he joined 'half way through US tour' but that doesn't stack up with NME.
The 'Classic' Steeleye Line up
British dates (incl ireland)
15th June Nottingham Trent Uni. Nigel's first gig per MS review as well as NME.
16th Bristol Colston Hall. Lyke Wake Dirge (first time?) into Robbery With Violins/Jigs, Misty Moisty Morning, Weaver And Factory Maid, Sheepcrook And Black Dog, Alison Gross, Wee Wee Man, Cam Ye O'er Frae France, Gaudete, Royal Forester, Musical Priest, Long Tall Sally (Rick singing) (NME Article).
19th Cork - Savoy
20th Limerick - Savoy
21st Dublin State Hall. A TV show also recorded in Dublin per MS article
22nd Dun Laoghaire Pavillion, Dublin
23rd Oxford Uni x2 Uni Balls the same evening w.Spencer Davis Group
July
US Tour (Supporting J Tull). Incl. 5 nights at the LA Forum. Left Uk on 1st July
Audiences were shocked by Steeleye who came on dressed in Cassocks with tall hats and ribbons, singing 'Lyke Wake Dirge' which is a lamentation at a vigil of a deceased person before they are buried. The shows were very visual with dancing and a dramatic light show, which tied in well with the 'Passion Play' which Tull were touring with as well. As an English folk band playing to an American Rock audience, they made an impressive impact. The bands got on well and Ian Anderson worked on the next Steeleye album.
??'Onondaga War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse, NY
3rd Pershing Centre, Loncoln, NE
4th Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, MO
8th University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
9th County Civic Centre, El Paso, Texas
12th Tarrant County Convention Centre, Fort Wrth, Texas
13th Convention Centre ArenaSan Antonio, Tx
18th LA Forum
19th Sports Arena, San Diego
20th LA Forum
21st LA Forum
22nd LA Forum
23rd Coliseum, Oakland, Ca,
There are some hints at further solo US Tour dates with Sha Na Na but no exact details found. They could be around the time of either the Procul Harum or Jethro Tull tours, or even around the May Ash Grove residency that there was an article about.
28th Cambridge Folk Fest, Headliners. Straight after US Tour. They opened with Lyke Wake Dirge and did the 'Rockers Encore'
August
1st 'London Music Festival' Alexander Palace with Incredible String Band. Included the Rockers Encore (including the dressing up). They played Da Doo Ron Ron, Long Tall Sally and Sing Something Simple.
11th Harrogate Royal Hall - Harrogate Arts Festival. Headline with Bridget St John.
31st Free Trade hall, Manchester
September
1st Blackburn ST Georges Hall
3rd Edinburgh Empire FestivalPlanxty
16th White City, London
18th BBC TV
-Recorded a spot on 'Mostly Country'
29th Festival Theatre Chichister
30th Leicester De Montford Hall
October
8th Albert Hall, London. Included Rockers Encore 'as usual' at this time.
Lyke Wake Dirge, Misty Moisty Morning, Alison Gross, Sheep Crook And Black Dog, Cam Ye O'er Frae France, Thomas The Rhymer, Lark In The Morning (the song), Drink Down The Moon, Gaudete, To Know Him Is To Love Him, Doo Ron Ron, Long Tall Sally, and ended with a 'C&W number' (Truck Driving Man (?)) (NME Review).
October / November / December
Recording sessions for Now We are Six in the run up to next tour, Ian Anderson helped with mixing and got David Bowie to play saxophone, although Maddy said later that Rick had asked Bowie via a friend. Anderson said he helped make Thomas the Rhymer sound more commercial.
27 date British Tour
Incomplete Set list, based on Hove and Manchester : Lyke Wake Dirge, The Weaver and the Factory Maid; Three Drunken Maidens; Drink Down The Moon, Two Magicians, Mooncoin Jig, Thomas The Rhymer, Gaudete, Alison Gross, To Know Him Is To Love Him, Doo Ron Ron, Long Tall Sally or Truck Driving Man (costume change) Reels
26th Oct
Lancaster Uni. Provisional first date after Albert Hall
27th York Uni
28th Newcastle City Hall
30th Bradford Uni
1st Nov Portsmouth South Parade
2nd Southampton Uni
3rd Leicester Uni
6th Hove Town Hall
9th Fairfield Halls, Croydon. w.Harvey Andrews
10th Exeter Uni. w.Horslips
11th Bristol Colston Hall. w.Horslips
12th Plymouth Guildhall. w.Horslips
15th Glasgow Apollo. w.Mike Maran. £1.20
16th Aberdeen Music Hall
17th Edingburgh Usher Hall. w.Mike Maran
18th Birmingham Town Hall. w.Alan Stivell
19th Oxford New Theatre
20th Swansea Brangwyn Hall. w.Harvey Andrews
21st Derby Kings Hall
23rd Sheffield Uni. w.Dave Burand
24th Liverpool Empire. w.Alan Stivell
25th Manchester Opera House. w.Alan Stivell
27th Preston Guildhall. w.Planxty
28th Newcastle City Hall. w.Planxty
30th Bradford Uni. w.Planxty
1st Dec Leeds Uni. w.Planxty
2nd Norwich City Hall. w.Richard/Linda Thompson
November
Nov/Dec Filming of Electric Folk Series
9th Nov SINGLE: Gaudete single/Holy & the Ivy
7th BBC2 - George Hamilton IV show. Probably 1 track (Gaudete?) judging by length of programme and guests.
10th: In Concert on Capital Radio.
No record of this found but was on Tour Advert above.
Becomes a Christmas staple staying the Top 40 for 8 weeks.
Unknown Date
Short Film (30m) "Radio Wonderful" (1973)
Shown in cinemas during 1974 as a prelude to the the main film. A documentary about Radio 1. Included a clip of Steeleye playing 'Hello Mary Lou' from their BBC Session.
