The past, present and future of folk music were all on display on a fascinating night at Brighton Dome. It has been 50 years since Richard Thompson arrived on the scene as part of the seminal and hugely influential folk group Fairport Convention, and tonight was an opportunity for rolling back the years. Having recently re-worked much of his extensive back catalogue into a series of acoustic albums, the show was a reflection of that with a stage stripped of any dressing.

Before Thompson’s performance, however, the audience was treated to a superb set by Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker, who specialise in melancholy tales. Clarke possesses a Joan Baez-esque voice and, as she began a cover of traditional folk ballad ‘Reynardine’ (once also covered by Fairport Convention), Walker provided a beautiful accompaniment on acoustic guitar. Word had obviously spread about this highly regarded duo, signed to Rough Trade, as it is rare to see a support act with such a large crowd. Clarke herself was hilariously self-deprecating between songs, whether talking about a diva moment after a show in Chicago that nobody came to, or describing their album as the perfect setting for “a night sitting by yourself in an empty house with a bottle of red wine”. After a beautiful rendition of new track ‘The Birds’, and a cover of Nick Drake’s ‘Time Has Told Me’, it was easy to see why Richard Thompson has chosen them for a support slot and why they are held in such high regard.

Acoustic sets deliver a level of intimacy that draws an audience in closer, and even in the vast room this was true tonight. Wearing his trademark beret, Thompson began with ‘Gethsemane’. His voice shares the same deep, imposing power as Nick Cave, and the opening lines of “Among the headstones you played as boys / crypts and tombs like a roomful of toys” cast the same semi-gothic shades. Thompson employs a vast array of different guitar-playing and tuning styles, each implemented perfectly. ‘Valerie’ was frenetic, ending in whoops and hollers from a euphoric audience, while ‘Persuasion’ was beautifully delicate. Kudos must go to the sound and lighting engineers, who performed miracles with the minimum of stage production.

Revisiting his sole hit single from 1974, ‘I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight’, (“I’ll be back” he jokingly promised), before an affecting (though not as lip-trembling) version of Fairport’s ‘Who Knows Where The Time Goes?’, this was a night in which to admire and recognise the sheer scale of his work. His influence goes beyond merely the folk genre, as a direct line could be drawn from ‘Right From Wrong’ or ‘Wall Of Death’ to the folk-punk of Billy Bragg and Frank Turner as well as the afore-mentioned Cave. It was interesting to note that much of the audience was significantly younger than the performer, a sign that his reputation and influence continues to be passed down as musical folklore and heritage.

This was a night for devotees, with the majority of songs not needing or getting an introduction but still being instantly recognised by a crowd for whom he could do no wrong. Showing all of the ease and comfort that you would expect from a performer as experienced as he is, there was a gentle patter throughout. Taking requests for the first of two short encores before finishing with an exquisite ‘Beeswing’, the standing ovation at the end of 100 captivating minutes was long and heartfelt. An exceptional performance from one of the true pillars of the British music scene may have been over, but the future looks as rosy as the past on the strength of tonight’s performances.

Jamie MacMillan

Website: richardthompson-music.com