I thought it went July August September. More like July November September in fact. In the damp and gloom of a typical August seaside afternoon (and in a beer tent), Porvari nevertheless played a set to lighten the spirits.

You could tell it was going to be a good 'un from Sam's first calling the assembled faithful in from the rain. The whole thing had a Glastonbury air with children and animals welcome, people sprawled at the boys' feet and the beer (and other substances) flowing.

So who needs a PA rig and stage? The sound through the makeshift monitors was fine and clear and to be honest I think this is the best I have ever heard Porvari: timing exemplary, every nuance of instrumentation audible and tight.

Too many highlights to be specific except for two:
I've always seen 1st May 1999 as the most emotional song they do but this time, with Sam taking the time to explain the origin, Smile For Me drew more than a few tears from the universally appreciative crowd. That rising arpeggio of Simon's Martin guitar in C tuning - unbelievable!

And to prove it was a family affair Sam's youngest, Max's, starring performance leading the handclaps in My How Times Have Changed.

A truly English disregarding of the meteorology and a fabulous all-together-now-we-WILL-have-a-good-time gig. I loved it!

Has no-one told the Powers That Be (whomsoever they may be) that Midsummer is Just Too Early? For the third year running Porvari played at East Hoathly at midsummer and 66% of the time it's been Windy and Not The Best Weather.

Anyway, true to form, there was no whinging from the good hearted people who ignore meteorology and attend Outdoor Events in the English Summer.
Porvari played a Great Set: some old favourites and some new ones.

Best bit of irony was definitely when Sam dedicated Satellite Pictures to Michael Fish, as he commonly does, and the breeze blew the clouds away for 1.4 minutes and the Sun came Out.

Keep up the Great Work East Hoathly! We'll be rivallng the fireworks you have at the other end of the year soon!

STANDING ROOM ONLY The Brazz, Eastbourne Enterprise Centre 1st February 2008
Review by Bev Machin

I have to confess to wondering about last Friday night. Bad time of year, credit crunch, you know the sort of thing. But when I thought about damn fine tunes and empathetic lyrics I realised Porvari was exactly what was required to show my lethargy the door. Having missed half the first set I expected to creep in and be victimised mercilessly by Sam for my tardiness but to my (very pleasant) surprise the place was full, literally not a seat to be had.

It was another entertaining evening with the polite applause in the first half turning to something slightly more to compete with a few rather loud Celts arguing about the rugby at the bar. (the less said about THAT the better now :o( )

Musically I reckon the new "dance" number Say Yes is a winner: its deceptively numerous guitar parts Simon syncs with apparent ease. Not everyone can play Duane Eddy and Snow Patrol in the same song. And, despite Sam's obvious luke-warmness to covers, the soulful 12 string version of You've Got to Hide Your Love Away got a great reception(it doesn't hurt to do a FEW covers Sam, honest!)

Thanks for another great evening boys. And I guess I'd better turn up earlier next time if I want to get a seat!

Porvari versus The Noise!
Lammas Festival Yule Party 15 December 2007

Review by Alastair Deem

Think of Yule...
What's going through your mind?
Darkness? Roaring Fires? Oak? Holly? Ritual?
How about combining these thoughts with Madonna? Shakin' Stevens and Wham?
Normally one would not be exposed to these arguably diametricaly opposed influences concurrently. However if one WERE so inclined, Saturday night, Terminus pub, Eastbourne was the place for you.

And it was fab!

It was great to see the look between the totally unamplified Sam and Simon as they surveyed the scene, took a deep breath, thought "what the hell..?" and plunged from stage to heart of assembled throng to give us a half hour of Porvari versus The Noise.

The good news was that a lot of the noise was by now coming from the warmed up people INSIDE the room as well as the adjacent disco. And every song was cheered wildly as the boys performed a peripatetic set from For You, Chatterbox, True Drop Out through Soon to Genie.
Nice bit of dada to finish the Porvari year, and obviously hugely enjoyed by the band themselves. Nice to know that the Old and the (relatively)New can coexist, particularly at this festive time of year .

See you next year Porvari People.

The Brazz - Eastbourne Enterprise Centre
23 November 2007

Review by Stu Lullworrth

November, freeeeezing and residual depression from footballing fiascos not withstanding it was Porvari's job to entertain the faithful at The Brazz on Friday night. And at least one thing in the week proved it can still do what it says on the tin.

In this unusual and original venue (an old engine shed in fact) we were treated to a two hour set of unremittingly high standard, sprinkled with those all important Porvari ingredients: clowning and banter.

For me highlights were Sam's ever hypnotic vocal in Shock to the System, the new and brilliantly-transposed-to-harmonica Soon and the ludicrous / brilliant My How Times Have Changed.

The CD is FINALLY out, as you've probably seen from the website and it is FAB! Quite a few were sold by Sam's glamorous Mrs (yes, it would have been difficult to say no!) but it was definitely worth the fiver whoever was selling.

Well done boys, cheered us up no end!

Porvari Unplugged!
Eastbourne Underground Theatre, 1st September 2007

Review by Bev Machin

In today's politically correct world one has to be careful about using terms like one man and his dog, so to be absolutely accurate, One woman and no dog were there to see the first number as Porvari took to the stage at the UGT on the dot of 10.00 a.m. on Saturday. So you can tell I wasn't there either (overslept - oops!)

However by the time I did arrive there were maybe 20 people who'd shaken off the worst of Friday night's excesses and Sam was singing about how alcohol abuse can in fact lead to enlightenment (When the Note of the Engine Changes). As you'd expect the lack of numbers made no difference to the guys and their relentlessly cheerful demeanours were just the job for turning what might have been an embarrassing situation into a lot of fun.
With Sam's son Max doing a turn on the stage during one number, literally behind dad's back, there were a lot of indulgent smiles too.

This being a genuinely acoustic event it was great to hear some of the less played numbers: Next to Immortal, Bradford to Capricorn, True Drop Out. Simon has a new mandolin, in fact this was its first outing, and it has just the level of output required to blend with Sam's legendary strumming volume.
By the final half dozen of the set I'm very glad to say there was a respectably sized audience and another morning gig finished in style with Star of the Show and Genie.

Time to get that CD out boys, the world is waiting!

Eastbourne Lammas Festival 2007
(Ashley Hutchings Rainbow Chasers Support) Review by Bev Machin

With a venue resembling a posh aircraft hanger the sound for Porvari's 13th and lucky for some gig was going to be a challenge. However it soon became apparent that the Sound Man knew his Hertz from his elbow and all the jangly best bits made it to the ear rather than the roof: well done that man!

The set was interesting, starting out upbeat with the finally-polished-and-ready-for-shrink-wrap For You, gradually slowing and quietening through Chatterbox and When the Note of the Engine Changes before ramping up again for the This is the Real Porvari mandolin finale of True Drop Out, Star of the Show and Genie.

It was obviously hot up there. At one point in Note of the Engine I thought Simon was going to fall off the stage with all that puffing and blowing. And with sweat running into his eyes like the old time rocker we know he really is Sam was certainly glowing more than usual. So Big Sound, Nice and Jangly, Another job well done lads. And speaking to the punters afterwards it seems a few more names have been added to the Porvari mailing list.

At this rate they'll be real stars before they're 200 :o)

Porvari in Pieces at East Hoathly Review by Stu Lullworth

A little statistical quandary for you:

How many days are there in a year? How many gigs do Porvari do a year? How likely is it that one out of a total compliment of two band members would be unavailable for a gig?

Well I don't have the foggiest what the real answer is but it definitely did happen on 23rd June this year.

So Sam did the set all alone, well with a little (literally) help from four year old son Max, who did a bit of show stealing while dad was on the stage. (For those who don't know Million is written to Max)

The miserable June weather managed to stay dry, at least for Sam's spot, and we were treated to the bare bones of Porvari - an interesting slant - all the rhythm and life you'd expect from the Sam side of things but sounding almost like a demo version without that all important Simonesque fairy dust.

Went down well though, second glorious year.

Thanks to Liz for organising another great day for real music!

If you were looking for variety then you came to the right place!

Porvari's second annual UGT gig spanned 200 years of music from a young wench's lament to her errnant love on HMS Victory through to the 21st century reverberations of Modest Mouse's Cowboy Dan, And that was the support!

The second half of the evening saw the boys in great form: Simon clowning at his exceptional best in My How Times Have Changed and Next to Immortal. It always amazes me how Sam can remember the words and remain so straight when Meader's aping it up a few feet away but that's Porvari for you. Never a dull moment!

The set was timed to perfection this year, containing as promised 100% pure Porvari tunes. Old Favourites like Chatterbox and Star of the Show stood shoulder to shoulder with the brand new For You and the rousing stomping finale Genie.

Look out for the guys at a folk club or open mike pub near you this Summer. Sam told me afterwards he's aiming to play at least 25 gigs this year so you've no excuse!

And we look forward to the third glorious year at the UGT - what will they think of next?!

11.30 am on a Sunday Morning is not a time I usually know a lot about!
But, as this was Porvari's Lammas festival slot I thought I'd better at least attempt to know it today. And true to form they did not disappoint.

With the sea breeze gently humming in the background via the unused instruments the boys kicked off in upbeat style with Horse With No Name followed by two of their strongest of the moment: Watch Yourself and the near jazz funk Satellite Pictures - a welcome addition to the already multi threaded rythmns that grace a Porvari gig.

A crisp clear melodic set included the now standard "Mandolin Middle" of Star of the Show, Chatterbox, Next to Immortal and Maggie May all of which were very well appreciated by the surprisingly large crowd. I'd had my doubts and talking to Sam afterwards was not surprised to learn he had too about the wisdom of atempting Porvari so early in the day but once again the Human Race proved to be less predictable than was first thought.

One last mention: the new one My How Times Have Changed - highlight of this particular show. What a nerve to go for audience participation! But it worked like a charm with Meader at his comedic best perfectly juxtaposed Sam's blusey bemoaning. Not something I've ever seen before and definitely high risk. And I guess that's why it was the peak of this particular performance.

This was a great part of a great festival. Roll on next year. Maybe even the local paper will realise you can't ignore something this good for ever 

Swan Hotel Tunbridge Wells 26th July 2006 - A band's eye review

When you ask the barman where to set up and he stares blankly and says "We haven't had live music here for years" you wonder if it might have been a mistake to take the gig.

However after a phone call quite literally from on high (the Receptionist on the floor above) Porvari set up nicely obscuring the 72" plasma TV that is usually showing Premiership football: "We're a football pub" the barman helpfully explains.

I have played probably a thousand gigs in my life and I never tire of the many ways you can turn a downer into an upper with music. And this was no exception. The Spafest had run into real problems, the Pool Team were playing away, there was thunder in the air, it was a Wednesday, there was a marathon petanque game competing for attention that lasted longer than our stay in the town, but we still played a fab couple of (slightly curtailed) sets before walking away a little wiser and with some kind words from a few of the punters thrown in.

Rock on Tunbridge Wells.

Eastbourne Lammas Festival Fundraiser
Review by Sally Denton

For the second year running Porvari played the Eastbourne Lammas Festival fundraiser on 22nd July.
With support coming from the accomplished 5th Quarter it was again an acoustic treat for the folk who turned out on this hot, humid evening.

You can really tell the influence Simon is having on Sam these days: the newly revamped Shock to the System is at last properly arranged for the acoustic environment and all the pent up anger and irony of the lyrics can now be suffered mutually as Whimpenny bemoans the almost inevitable bowing to convention that (he says) stifles the human spirit.

Following a comedy interlude in which Sam seemed unable to tune up, eventually resorting to Simon's electronic device for salvation, the Porvari machine rolled on. Other highlights included a wonderfully harmonic version of Norwegian Wood (not the most obvious of choices for a cover) and the incomparable self penned Don't I Know You From Somewhere with its heart beating strong and true through the swirling flanged 12 string Em7s.

Hats off to the disappointingly small but very enthusiastic audience who made what could have been a damp squib of an evening into a Real Good Time.

Make sure you catch both 5th Quarter and Porvari at the festival on 5-6th August

Review of Eastbourne Underground Theatre show by Pete Jarvis:

With the curvy sensuous jangling of his trusty Fender 12 string Sam Whimpenny opened Porvari's first live gig this year at the Eastbourne Underground Theatre last Friday night.
A varied first set ensued ranging from the bluesy "House Rules" (wittily dedicated to John Prescott) through the gorgeous mandolin playing of his multi instrumentalist partner Simon Meader in "Star of the Show", to the simple and beautiful "Million" dedicated to Sam's literally one in a million frozen embryo youngest.

A lively audience boyed up the band and a great atmosphere from the start just got better as the evening went on.
With a total of over 50 strings it was always going to be a bright and twangy night and the second set improved on the first with the addition of dulcimer and ukelele. For me the barely controlled "Mrs. Sayers" (Sam assured us he only ever looked at the young lady, check out the web site - porvari.co.uk - for lyrics!) and the genuinely optimistic "Soon" were highlights amongst a rich texture of differing styles all of which Porvari seem to pull of with aplomb.

SPOOF VIRTUAL BAND WILL PLAY UNDER GROUND
(Eastbourne Gazette, Wednesday May 3 2006)

Celebrating 30 years of live performance Sam Whimpenny has teamed up with multi instrumentalist Simon Meader for an unplugged evening on Friday 5th May at the Eastbourne Underground Theatre.
“I was sacked from my first job for taking too much time off to play live” recalls Sam. In those days it was a tiny pub (alas no more) called the Squirrel in Terminus Road.
Sam’s latest venture, Porvari, started life as a spoof virtual band.
Simon says “We were just keen to record some of the songs for posterity but it mushroomed into a dada-esque “live” recording so we put it out as a CD in 2004 which was actually very well received.“So now we’re going to prove we can play the stuff live.” Says Sam “It’s a weird feeling sometimes playing a song you wrote 30 years ago and remembering all the places and bands you’ve played it in. But please don’t think we’re stuck in the past – the 2 hour set will be from 1976 -2006, I’m still writing now and will do till I peg it"

Porvari are playing at the Underground Theatre, Eastbourne, Friday 5th May, from 8.00pm