John Renbourn's Ship of Fools in concert

[@PaulWhite-n3o]

Great video! Actually the Ship of Fools was formed in the late 80's. I saw them live at the Ontario Science Center in Toronto Canada in 1988. Thanks for providing us Renbourn fans with this fantastic video! Thanks to thewordofgord for sharing!

[@thewordofgord]

Heck this is pretty rare, so thanks! Plenty of Renbourn, but not Ship of Fools. Saw them In Toronto aound this time.

[@Theduckwebcomics]

Been listening to this music for almost 30 years since a friend introduced me to it, but it's been around far, far longer. I love it.

[@JoseIgnacioCordero-l4n]

Un gran disco Ship of fools. Otro excelente proyecto del maestro Renbourn

[@irissmusic3]

Wow, I absolutely love this song, amazing music! I’m grateful this just popped up. Greetings from Texas, a huge thumbs up and sub. like a #30👏👍🔔😊

[@mmcginnis100]

I've been in the music business since 1962 and have never heard of these people. I'm blown away with this brilliant little performance. So glad you could resurrect it so I could catch up. Marvelous!!!!

[@patrickclerkin-kz1cm]

Jesus!! John Renbourn was one of the finest fingerstyle guitarists who ever lived. Was a founder member of Pentangle. Check them out. I had the pleasure of meeting him a few times, the last at a gig ten days before he died.

[@kentholmberg1818]

This is good but not as good as John Renbourn Group or Pentangle. Both bands with Jacqui McShee on vocals. Check out!

[@raymonddixon7603]

You must have been a one man crusade. I am of your vintage here in Ireland and John Renbourn was our Hendrix.

[@tcvermont5947]

Thank you, thank you! I saw this line up, pretty much this same set, at the Iron Horse in Northampton, Massachusetts and it has always stood out in my memory as the best musical experience of my lifetime. The buildup of anticipation for Merrily Kissed The Quaker, the achingly beautiful flute duet Maggie and Tony played on the Lark In The Clear Air, all of it, really.

[@viking1au]

Good to see more Renbourne group music released. I had previously only managed to find the John Renbourne Group album, 'A Maid in Bedlam' I purchased many years ago.

[@GuiMallon01]

When music travels through time, it's recreated, and then continues its journey carrying stories and feelings in a subjective and magical dimension... Just lovelly!❤

[@daunrussell]

I saw the band around then - absolutely beautiful. Thanks for unearthing this.

[@jambonejim1249]

The level of musicianship here is astonishing.

[@MirekSzatkowski-j5h]

I❤this MUSIC!!!

[@natepicker436]

Thanks for making this available...so nice to see!

[@debs4mysweetbaby]

Wow!! What a rare treat!! Thank you for this!!💜

[@jimronayne97]

Ah.....so many fond memories here.

[@bobwhitleymusic]

Brilliant. Thank you for sharing.

[@camarasaurus1]

Like to hear more of Maggie Boyle's singing

[@ilanwinkel1942]

Amazing Mike! Rare and beautiful!! Thanks so much for sharing! Be well

[@theblackballoon.]

Great great!!! Thank you.

[@peskycritter6580]

Steve Tilston's still doing folk festivals nowadays, solo or in collaborations, as amazing as Renbourn imho

[@evansmith3589]

I have a Ship of Fools album but had forgotten they played live.

[@jimbennett3782]

Lovely mellow playing...

[@ElMcMeen1a]

Nice!!

[@adampapadam411]

Ασύλληπτη ομορφιά!

[@theblackballoon.]

I saw John playing guitar, sitar, but never that it seems a mandola.

[@daviddkilpatrick]

Not exactly sure what it is, but it's a five-course cittern in an octave mandolin scale length. I had a six-courser in more of a mandola scale, longer than tenor, for a while. Five course is more common, but the six-course can be tuned in 'alternative' guitar tunings, without becoming a sort of 12-string guitar. I never saw John with this instrument but if I had around the end of the 1990s I'd surely have asked him about it. Never saw Ship of Fools and if this really was early 1980s I know why, work meant not going to anything for a while!

[@theblackballoon.]

​​@@daviddkilpatrick thanks for your explanation.

[@plattwurm]

@@daviddkilpatrick Could it be a Sobell cittern, perhaps? The shape of the headstock and the soundhole look like his work. We get a decent look at it around 9:05.

[@daviddkilpatrick]

@@plattwurm Looks like a Sobell and at that date would be a natural choice. I had a Fylde five course shorter scale for a good few years, and despite being a good instrument not in the same league as Sobell.