Fairport Convention

If you're planning your calendar for the spring, Fairport Convention are scheduled to play at The Old Market in Brighton on Friday, 3rd April 2026. This performance is one of 24 stops on their Spring Tour across England and Wales, a significant undertaking for a band that originally formed back in 1967. This particular tour is a bit of a milestone, marking three decades of their current line-up. A notable addition for this run is the return of drummer Dave Mattacks, whose session work with artists like Paul McCartney and Elton John has made him a well-regarded figure in the industry. He joins founding member Simon Nicol, as well as Dave Pegg, Ric Sanders, and Chris Leslie, maintaining a consistency that’s rare for bands with such a long history.

The music itself tends to bridge the gap between their early days and their more recent output. You can expect to hear staples like 'Who Knows Where the Time Goes'—a track that has found a massive audience online with over 32 million streams—interspersed with songs from their later albums. There’s a lot of history tied to their 1969 record Liege and Lief, which is frequently discussed as a foundational piece of British folk-rock. For the Brighton show, they’ve invited Scottish folk musician Jenn Butterworth to open the evening. Her presence adds a contemporary folk element to the night, complementing the band’s established sound.

Logistically, the event is being put together by Horizon Promotions, and doors at the Hove venue will open at 19:00. Tickets are available through Ticket Tailor, so it’s a standard ticketed gig rather than a free community event. It’s a night that generally draws in those who appreciate the technical side of folk-rock and the legacy of the 60s and 70s music scene. While the band has been touring for over half a century, recent reviews suggest they still bring a lot of energy to their live sets. It’s a chance to see a group of musicians who have influenced a significant portion of the UK’s folk landscape, all within the relatively intimate setting of The Old Market.