Steeleye Span

Steeleye Span, Barbican review - party like it's 1969

Originally created to electrify traditional folk music way back in 1969, Steeleye Span have gone on to become one of the most enduring stories in the folk world and beyond.

From glorious a cappella harmonies to stomping folk-rock, Steeleye combined the best of their past with experimental new work in this sold-out show

"Pity them who see him suffer, Pity poor old Steeleye Span." "Pity them who see him suffer, Pity poor old Steeleye Span." No need for pity: for punters of a certain vintage, this joyous concert was unalloyed nirvana. The 35th anniversary tour of the Sixties/Seventies folk-music doyens Steeleye Span continue

Mixing traditional folk music with electric instruments might not seem all that unusual today, but when the band's first album, Hark! the Village Wait, came out in 1970, it was nearly unheard of.

Here they were game as ever, on the last night of their tour, celebrating their 40th birthday.

Playing two sets, the band leant heavily on their history, with Seagull and Thomas The Rhymer both well received, while latter-day efforts like The Scullion King proved every bit as popular.