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Essen 1970 captures Fotheringay performing at the Grugahalle in Germany on 23 October 1970, only a few months after the release of their sole contemporary studio album. Led by former Fairport Convention singer Sandy Denny, the short-lived group combined traditional British folk music with original songwriting, American country influences and the power of a full electric rock band.
The line-up features Sandy Denny on vocals, twelve-string guitar and piano, Trevor Lucas on vocals and acoustic and electric guitars, Jerry Donahue on lead guitar, Pat Donaldson on bass and Gerry Conway on drums. The musicians create a finely balanced sound in which Denny's expressive singing is supported by fluid electric guitar, restrained rhythm playing and carefully arranged vocal harmonies.
The concert opens with the traditional Scottish ballad “Eppie Moray,” followed by Denny's atmospheric composition “The Sea.” Trevor Lucas takes the lead vocal on “The Ballad of Ned Kelly,” while “Gypsy Davey” demonstrates the group's ability to transform traditional material into dynamic electric folk rock.
Bob Dylan's “Too Much of Nothing” provides a relaxed contrast before the programme moves into several of Denny's finest compositions. “Nothing More” and “John the Gun” reveal the emotional and dramatic range of her songwriting, from quiet reflection to forceful, guitar-driven intensity.
The group also performs Gordon Lightfoot's “The Way I Feel,” a song included on their 1970 studio album. Jerry Donahue's expressive lead playing and the flexible rhythm section allow the arrangement to expand beyond the original version without losing its melodic character.
The concert closes with a spirited interpretation of Chuck Berry's “Memphis, Tennessee,” showing that Fotheringay could move easily from intricate folk rock to direct rock and roll. The relaxed finale also captures the spontaneous character of the group's live performances.
The recording was made semi-professionally by the festival organisers rather than through a modern multitrack concert system, so the sound retains a distant archival quality. Jerry Donahue subsequently remastered the surviving tapes, preserving an important complete performance by a band whose original career lasted barely a year.
This Thor's Hammer edition presents the complete nine-song concert and includes an extensive 32-page booklet with bilingual historical text and photographs.
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