A great gig at Sidmouth last night, an emotional goodbye, (never been to a concert and cried before, the lady next to me was crying too) wishing you a happy retirement, and deep thanks for all the great music and nights.
I saw you a couple of times at the Chestnut pub near Whips Cross, North London. Just fantastic. You filled the room with sound. I knew I'd seen something special. Cheers lads. I still love the Oxford Girl and coal not dole. And New York girls can 2:19 get me bopping around the kitchen.
Last words i said to her were that her vocals are the best i have ever heard in a live performance and i used the words to die for and its now a flashback moment from her trio tour at Greystones in Sheffield..... proper treasured memory and Im grieving like I lost a sister, So glad they committed this to you tube as she is truly unforgettable with John and the band.
Watched you at South Petherton this week after not seeing you for over 10 years. You still do what you do best incredibly well and it was an excellent evening. Thank you.
I have only just discovered Rowan singing on the Spirit of Dust video. She was so good I had to find out more and I am so sad but not at all surprised to find God has recruited her into His Heavenly Choir. She was channeling Heaven right there - vibrations directly from Heaven through her voice into the souls of every listener. And best of all she knew she was doing that. You can see the joy on her face in every note she sang. Just go and watch her again carefully and you will understand what I mean. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6pNHmC-OPP4.htmlsi=WJlJBUcUyY81V4CS
You blew me away in a club near Matthew Street, Liverpool 1996 after repeated listenings to your earlier stuff. Met you backstage in St Ives, Dolgellau and Bodelwyddan Castle Noth Wales late 90s. Not seen you seen you since, apart from peeking through the marquee in Swanage a few years ago. On the reserve list for Settle in April. You were one of the greatest musical discoveries ever for me. I thank you and wish you all the best. Andy Willan. MY MOUTH GETS ME INTO TROUBLE!.....
I so hope that the festivals in Canada will make you welcome one more time! On a personal level, I thank you for HOURS of terrific music over all these years; your sheer joyfulness brings tears to my eyes. And a special thankyou to Ian; I will never forget that Turkish restaurant you took me to in London! - Richard Flohil
Very grateful that I got to see you a few times, starting off with the Oxford Girl & Other Stories tour, and a couple times on the tour supporting the rerelease of Holy Bandits. My Dad was luckier and saw you in the early 90's when the crowd had fewer knee and hip replacements so were a bit rowdier, but I was a little too young at that point to go with him ;). You've been on ongoing soundtrack in my life, to the tapes my Dad would play in the car, to nicking his CDs and taking them with me as I made my way from my teens to being nearly 40 myself now. You're probably the band I could least live without, so thank you, I hope you enjoy the retirement - and selfishly I hope you make it over to Toronto, or happen to be somewhere near where I am when I visit my family back in the UK this year!
Transcendent, thank you. I saw/swayed/danced to and breathed in your soulful vibrations and energies in the grassy tented Leicester festival sometime about 2010 (time is a strange illusory human construct) - and then again I think at a Simon Says festival in Leicester too, where later I was to meet Liane (Rude Angel, etc) - an angel only borrowed now in the stardust and trees, oceans and breeze. I'll to see you again on your long long goodbye tour, and on the infinitely beautiful path of our souls. Peace is now, inside our heads, along with all the loving universes we are making our realities, for all human beings and living plasma universes. Infinite love and gratitude, Alan Chapman (#RattledAwake volume 7, and much else beyond magical)
You will be sorely missed. You have kept the faith since I first met you all in about 1975 and I have watched you with a mixture of joy, and a little envy, ever since. Some truly memorable songs and some marvellous personal memories as well. I'll see you there - somewhere. Love and hugs xx Andy
I can't get through a day without Bright Morning Star. I wish you a long long goodbye after Oysterband. All the best to you all as you've given us through your talents.
'Fountains Flowing' is the traditional English folk tune that is also used for the hymn "To Be A Pilgrim" and is sung at both funerals and weddings in the Elstow Abbey Church - the home of author John Bunyan. It was also my home for the first 25 years of my life. Hearing the Oysterband and June Tabor sing this 'other' version brings me to tears every time. And so my heart is breaking again - but nothing that is any good can last forever. xxx
Awesome. I was there and it's hard do imagine that this is already 20 years ago. I saw them last Saturday in Aarup (Denmark) and the next day they announced their retiring from the tour business. I was shocked!!! But well, Ian is now 75, John and Alan 74. At least we can be happy that they played so many years for us.
I've only ever seen you live once, but it was one of the most memorable nights of the past two years. absolutely brilliant, you've done a ridiculous lot over the span of your musician-hood and I wish you all the very best-- thank you for all the incredible music <3
Saw you guys at the De Montfort Hall in Leicester a couple of times, I] ‘Meet you there ‘ is still one of my favourite album, I still play it . Enjoy your ‘retirement’ ❤👍
Sorry to hear this, but I guess you deserve a rest! I’ve only seen you twice, but they were two of the best gigs I’ve ever been to. Just a thought, but I’d love to see you again during your ‘long goodbye’ but for health reasons I can’t get out these days. If you could livestream one or more of the gigs, or even stream a special one for which we could buy tickets, that would be amazing. Pretty please and thank you 😊
You have been part of my life since I was at university and someone lent me the tape (tape??) of Wide Blue Yonder. Your Liberty Hall album got me through my dad's (far too early) death. You guys are just wonderful, and I wish you the most lovely retirement.
Muchas gracias por vuestra música y actitud. Llevo décadas siguiendo la carrera de la Oysterband y siempre os he considerado como una de mis bandas favoritas. Os vi en directo en Madrid hace muchos, muchos años y charlé un rato con vosotros: un grato recuerdo para mi. Espero volver a veros en el escenario en esta gira de despedida, aunque tenga que ir hasta UK. Thanks for the music, thanks for the lyrics, thank you all!!!
Thanks for all the great music,concerts and festivals.....you always played with such love and passion.....sad news but you have left me with so many memories..The Brook in Southampton with my mate Andy and you in the bar after the gig for one....great time. God Bless you all and enjoy your well deserved rest..take care Steve in Jersey.
John...You were a great colleague and a great character in Canterbury all those years ago. I remember those nights in the Royal Dragoon Pub when Pete would put the money taken upstairs and you and the band.played into the wee small hours. I saw you in Sevenoaks prior to the pandemic and you were all amazing. You have all left so many indelible memories.....Fantastic times.May all of you enjoy your lives and find happiness. God Bless...David Green
This is certainly not welcome news! You've kept many of us sane (and moving) for many years. Thank you - all of you, through the years. I first saw you at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, a long time ago. Then a couple of times in Seattle, including at the New Melody Tavern (I still have the ticket stub). Unfortunately, you then decided you wouldn't perform in the United States any more; though I couldn't blame you. Maybe I'll have a chance to see Oysterband one more time before you quit; I'll be paying attention to your calendar of last shows.
Thank you so much for all the wonderful music. Through good times and bad, it's always been there, a source of joy. And I will forever regret skipping my once chance to see you live, many years ago...
To have given us so much joy in your albums and at gigs means that we have been a blessed listening audience! We have so much wonderful music to listen back to. Thank you guys! It's so sorry but all good things come to an end. Best wishes to you all for the future and hope to see you soon❤
As a 17 year old, I only saw you live once in Gooik previous year. We were there with some friends of my fathers who were there just to see you guys. They saw you live back in the nineties and you blew the roof off the place. When they saw Oysterband was going to perform on Gooik, they immediately informed me and my brother (13 year old) to go with them. I still get nostalgia when I think about that night and 'put out the lights of londen city'. Your music is timeless and talks to younger generations too.
