Fairfield is an avid collector of 78s and his sets are often made up of treasures found on his search for field songs from around the globe. As if lifted straight out of the early 20th century, his technical brilliance on banjo and fiddle, his gentlemanly demeanour and the way he inhabits each song are nothing short of amazing to witness, with a sound so authentic you expect to hear scratchy surface noises behind him. Arrive early for Steven Finn’s stomping Northern blues. Words by Steve Clements.
Second Opinion:
Following a stunning sold out show last summer, Frank Fairfield makes a welcome return to town. Frank sings soaring old-time hillbilly stompers and murder ballads, delivered in a reedy tenor and backed by his prodigious fiddle, guitar and banjo playing. Still in his early twenties but steeped in the sounds of dust-bowl era Americana, he has the raw intensity, passion and technique to make your hairs stand on end. This is a man who lives and breathes it, rarely separated from his guitar and fiddle, and in possession of a seemingly limitless repertoire of songs. Words by Ian Chambers.
Prince Albert Tues 28th Aug 2012