Sour Grapes - May 1974: Matlock, England

Artwork

Disc 1

  1. I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
  2. I'll Regret It All In The Morning
  3. Jenny Lind Polka/Belfast Polka (Trad.)
  4. Georgie On A Spree
  5. Has He Got A Friend For Me?
  6. It Sure Didn't Take Him Long (Jennings)
  7. The Great Valerio
  8. Dundee Hornpipe/Poppy-Leaf Hornpipe (Trad.)
  9. "Simon's going to sing it"
  10. When I Get To The Border
  11. Hokey Pokey
  1. Hokey Pokey
  2. Georgie On A Spree
  3. I'll Regret It All In The Morning
  4. I'm Turning Off A Memory (Haggard)
1-11
Recorded live at Sherwood Hall in Matlock, England during May 1974
12-15
Recorded live for BBC Radio 1's Top Gear on February 12, 1974.

Another superb Richard & Linda performance, playing together with Simon Nicol as Sour Grapes. Linda sounds rather the worse for wear (for which read "pissed"), making for some mildly entertaining between-song banter. The venue was plagued with sound problems, but the performance still shines through. Simon sings lead vocals on When I Get To The Border.

There's some confusion dating this one - the In The Cave boot (which included some filler tracks from Lancaster 1979) places it as New Merlin Cave, London on November 27, 1973. I'm fairly sure this is incorrect, as the Derbyshire surroundings are referenced in some of the intersong banter. May 1974 would fit with the dates of the Traffic tour for which Sour Grapes were the support. Then there's Simon Nicol's recollections, which mention a tour with Gerry Rafferty. Either way, this appearance consists of the Thompson/Thompson/Nicol trio, without bass or drums. Any more information welcome.

The filler is a Peel session from the same year; the sound quality isn't the highest, with a fair bit of hiss and the final track cut at the end.

Note: The artwork available here doesn't include the filler material and puts the intro to When I Get To The Border on the same track as the song itself.