Swarb's Lazarus in Nieuwegein, Netherlands 9 April

Yesterday I took the journey to Nieuwegein, near Utrecht (Holland) to see the first ever Dutch gig by Swarb's Lazarus - and, come to think of it, the first Swarb gig in the Netherlands in over two decades. That should have been a bit of an occasion, but the surroundings (Nieuwegein is a dreary town without any atmosphere, although the theatre isn't half bad) and interest (roughly 50 people in what I guess was a 300/400-seater) weren't uplifting.
Nevertheless, Lazarus - and especially an animated, enthousiastic, dapper and funny Swarb - gave their best. It's hard to see Swarb now without thinking of the last decade's "baggage" - being in awe of what he'd been through and where he's at now, a medical miracle if ever their was one, but also a triumph of will power. The last time I saw Swarb live he was in a wheelchair and kind of puffed up, looking not very comfortable at all, struggling to play (but doing it anyway). Now he's really back the way we knew him; mischievous twinkle and all, playing the fiddle flawlessly - walking on stage, looking healthy and happy. He might forget the occasional title of sets of tunes - at one point I thought he makes them up on the spot - but introduces everything with some interesting background story or a funny anecdote - and it's the way that he tells 'em. Like his intro to a tune called The Wives - he wanted to write a tune for every wife he had but ultimately decided he didn't have the time, saying however that now he's been "happily married for ten years ... which is some kind of record for me!" ... then adding "but then I've been unconscious for seven of them", before launching into the tune, in which we had to envisage lots of marital strife with previous ladies. Jill was at home "earning the money" but it's clear she was the best thing that could have happened to him.
Kevin and especially Maart took a back seat and let Swarb do his thing overall, although the two did have some lead vocals - amongst others, The Pride Of Kildare and Grey Funnel Line respecively. A highpoint was a frantic version of that old FC Nine chestnut, The Brilliancy Medley/The Cherokee Shuffle. One other highpoint was to finally hear Swarb sing again. It wasn't the most demanding of songs I guess, but it was unaccompanied, and in the light of what he's come out of, very moving - something called (I assume) Kennedy, Kennedy And Martin Luther King.
It was an absolute joy to see and hear Swarb again.
But it was a shock to see the theatre wasn't even 1/6th filled. It didn't stop us from giving the trio (who played 20:15 - 22:30 with a 20-mins interval) a standing ovation at the end. Those whom I spoke about it said they only knew about the concert by chance, either by looking at the Lazarus website or by reading a bit about it on a Dutch folk website called folkforum.nl ... I don't live locally so I have no idea how/if this gig was properly advertised, but I hope for Swarb, Kevin and Maart that the remaining concerts are better attended.
Maart said they'd come out afterwards and "have a chat" but I think the bulk left straight away - trains to catch and homes to get to, it was a Wednesday after all, and you don't really want to linger in Nieuwegein too long. My alarmclock was set at a horrible 5:20 and I wasn't home until 0:30; I had to leave straight after the gig ended and am slightly sleepy-eyed now. But with spirits definetely lifted by yesterday's gig. Thanks Swarb, Kevin and Maart!

Remaining gigs are:
Thursday 10th OTTERSUM Podium Roepaen (NL)
Friday 11th LANDGRAAF Theater Landgraaf (NL)
Saturday 12th MEISE GC Muze Meise (B)
Sunday 13th VLISSINGEN Arsenaaltheater (NL)