By Colin McIlwaine
Having watched the film, “Fisherman’s Friends” twice, I relished the prospect of seeing the real thing live in concert at Birmingham Town Hall. I certainly wasn’t disappointed.
Coming from a family in which my grandfather and many great-uncles served in the Merchant Navy (and also being a folk singer myself), much of their repertoire was familiar to me and I quickly
found myself singing and clapping along. The vocal leads and harmonies were excellent and ably supported by guitar and accordion. Another very pleasant aspect of the evening was the warm and down to earth humour with which each song was introduced.
The audience responded at the end with a well-deserved standing ovation and the group commented on how much they always enjoy their visits to Birmingham. I for one certainly hope to be there on the next occasion. In the meantime, I can listen to the album which I bought on the evening and I must purchase my own copy of the film as soon as possible. It was definitely a night to remember and an inspiration to visit Cornwall and hear see them doing one of their regular open-air concerts for charity.
