1999 was the tenth anniversary of The Fleadh which was held on 10 July in Finsbury Park, London.
Three stages – The Main Stage, Second Stage and, you guessed it, The Third Stage.
John played the Second Stage at 2pm.
Other artists included The Pretenders, Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, The Saw Doctors, David Gray and many more. The full colour programme included this welcome note from Vince Power.
Welcome
Looking back over the past ten years of Fleadh programs, in 1990 – The opening lines were “The Mean Fiddler and Workers Beer Company warmly welcome you to this celebration of the best in Irish Music – Fleadh 1990 which we hope will be the first of many”. Little did I realise that at this point we would be celebrating the tenth anniversary of the London Fleadh which has become the biggest and longest running collaboration of Irish music and culture in Europe and the U.S.. Not to mention that it will of course be the final Fleadh of the decade, century and millennium.
The Fleadh’s unique theme, spirit and character over the years has set it aside from other festivals. The atmosphere, the music, the drink, the craic have all added to make it an annual event in many Londoners’ diaries. A community within many communities.
Interest from international artists to play the Fleadh built up a reputation within the business and it’s this which also attracts an audience enthused by quality music. The sheer volume of Irish music that was obvious in the 1980s is still prevalent today. Some of the major worldwide pop and rock successes – The Corrs, Boyzone, Divine Comedy, Ash, The Cranberries all played the Fleadh at one point or another. The Fleadh program has progressed musically to accommodate the demand for a wide variety of diverse quality music. The Fleadh celebrates wider Celtic influences, as well as those artists who wish they had Irish roots! It mirrors the Irish Diaspora worldwide who still have strong connections with “the old turf”. This is the reason why we can welcome the likes of The Pretenders, Elvis Costello, Barenaked Ladies and John Prine all onto the same stage as long standing Fleadh patrons Van Morrison, The Saw Doctors and Shane MacGowan. It is the open spirit of the Irish seisiun and the quality of good music that makes the Fleadh the peoples’ festival. Its a meeting of minds, and a meeting of musicians, a meeting of musicians’ minds! Located in north London, easily accessed by public transport (useful for finding your way home!) it is a day out for folk fans, rockers, parents and kids. People make the annual trip to visit friends and family in the UK and catch a great day out too. We have even heard tales of married couples who met at the Fleadh. The old Irish tradition of matchmaking making its presence known, and nothing to do with drink!
This year the London Fleadh boasts forty artists over three stages. Shows have also taken place in San Francisco, Chicago, Boston and New York City. Plans are afoot for European excursions next year.
There are too many individuals to thank for all their involvement over the past ten years. I would like to thank all my Mean Fiddler staff who have worked so hard to make this and other events happen. Special thanks go to Festival Director, Melvin Berm and Mean Fiddler Director’s Mick O’Keeffe and Eileen Sweeney. Heartfelt appreciation goes to our decade long partners -Workers Beer Company for providing ‘refreshments’, as well as support over the years. We have all enjoyed an excellent partnership over the past nine years and long may it continue into the next millennium.
I have many favourite moments over the years of the festival in all its successes and of course the inevitable things that are sent to test us. One of my own special memories is from the first year of the event in 1990. As it was the first year, London Transport had not anticipated such a crowd in the N4 area and left around 6,000 people stranded in Finsbury Park. We organised the police to escort a human chain of thousands of singing revellers to Trafalgar Square. A Christy Moore mantra rang through the streets of London, proving that the first Fleadh had set a very positive precedent for years to come. High spirits prevailing, no incidents were reported and it was a credit to all involved.
The artists who have appeared over the ten years are all listed and thanked in the programme. Most of all, and I say this every year, the artists appear because they know the Fleadh will be a special occasion due to the audience reaction. It is you who makes it every year. The Fleadh in all its different pronunciations remains London’s biggest, best and longest running live music festival and a huge amount of that is because of you.
Have a memorable day and may I raise a toast to the next ten years of the Fleadh.
All the best
Vince Power
Short Biography of John
JOHN MARTYN
John Martyn is currently putting the final touches to his latest album, due out in the Autumn. As-yet-untitled, it sees Martyn return to writing original material. His last release, The Church With One Bell, was a collection of covers of songs which had inspired him in the past. His diverse choice of artists – which included Bobby Charles, Randy Newman, Dead Can Dance, Sonny Boy Williamson, Ben Harper and even Portishead, said much about Martyn’s past. Since he began recording in the ’60s, he has broken ground by mixing musical styles as diverse as folk, jazz, dub, rock and blues, working with the likes of Lee Perry, Steve Winwood, Burning Spear and Phil Collins.
