Hatfield & The North at the Baja Prog Festival Mexico – 2006

The third and last time I saw the reformed Hatfield was at Baja Prog, and no doubt the farthest I travelled to hear them.  It was a great prog rock festival that was organized by the keyboard player and leader of the Mexican prog band Cast, Alfonso Vidales, in his home city of Mexicali in Baja California, just South of the US/Mexican border. I’d already been to the 2004 edition, on account of SoftWorks performing what would turn out to be their last-ever gig there, and for both visits I have to thank Leonardo Pavkovic, who managed both bands and was also responsible for bringing a lot of reformed heritage prog bands, many from Italy, to the festival. Hatfield and the North wasn’t the only veteran band on the bill that year, I also got to see the likes of Nektar, England, Trettioariga Kriget, SBB and Mirthrandir, as well as contemporary bands like Marillion, the Flower Kings, Lazuli and Mostly Autumn…

 

03.09.22

In Cahoots London Astoria Progeny Festival 2003

In Cahoots London Astoria Progeny Festival November 15 2003

This is a short but unique performance by In Cahoots as it features Liam Genockey in his only gig with the band (among various connections with the other members, he had just recorded the excellent Psychic Warrior album with Elton, Fred and Alex Maguire, the same line-up already heard on most of Elton’s equally excellent Moor Song from 2001). My recollection is that initially, Mark Fletcher was unavailable, so Liam was brought in, then at the last minute Fletch was available again, but so as not to let his hard work go to waste, Liam drummed anyway with Fletch providing extra percussion.

Mean Fiddler March 2005

We didn’t know it at the time but that evening at the Mean Fiddler was an event not to miss and, sadly, not to be repeated. The official live debut of the reformed Hatfield and the North (with keyboardist Alex Maguire joining original members Phil Miller, Richard Sinclair and Pip Pyle), following an informal one earlier that year in Whitstable as part of what was billed as a Richard Sinclair Band gig…

 

28.01.22

The Fred Baker Interview

We expect you have all seen the news that Fred is now the new Bass player in Soft Machine, replacing Roy Babbington, whose hand problems have forced him to retire. Fred was Roy’s recommendation for the job and we look forward to seeing him play in this new role. Today we are showing the first episode of Aymeric’s interview with Fred Baker, the longest serving bass player in Phil’s band In Cahoots. Phil and Fred came together in 1998 and played together in both In Cahoots and as a Duo. There will be two further episodes of Fred’s interview, meanwhile here is the first…

Herm
31.12.21