# Yay, I'm gonna see Richard Thompson for the first time in May! \[fixed title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 28, 2024, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-im-gonna-see-richard-thompson-for-the-first-time-in-may-fixed-title/1010919 "2024-11-28T19:46:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-im-gonna-see-richard-thompson-for-the-first-time-in-may-fixed-title/1010919/41 "2025-08-12T03:04:53Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Richard Thompson Who’s he when he’s up and dressed? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-im-gonna-see-richard-thompson-for-the-first-time-in-may-fixed-title/1010919/42 "2025-08-12T23:58:23Z")
[Moderating] @SCAdian , if that was meant as some sort of reference, it went over not only my head, but Google’s. If it was meant as a threadshit, please don’t. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-im-gonna-see-richard-thompson-for-the-first-time-in-may-fixed-title/1010919/43 "2025-08-13T00:00:14Z")
It was a question about who he is. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-im-gonna-see-richard-thompson-for-the-first-time-in-may-fixed-title/1010919/44 "2025-08-13T00:03:04Z")
He’s a singer/songwriter/guitarist. No, I wasn’t familiar with him, either, but that’s in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-im-gonna-see-richard-thompson-for-the-first-time-in-may-fixed-title/1010919/45 "2025-08-13T00:49:10Z")
For those asking who Thompson is, here’s an article and some quotes about him. It’s too bad that he’s not better known, considering how talented he is. Richard Thompson – Vancouver Folk Music Festival [Richard Thompson – Vancouver Folk Music Festival](https://share.google/nJTLXlREcuhFaFTTm) “The finest rock songwriter after Dylan, and the best electric guitarist since Hendrix” – LA Times “Named by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the Top 20 Guitarists of All Time, Richard Thompson is also one of the world’s most critically acclaimed and prolific songwriters.” ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-im-gonna-see-richard-thompson-for-the-first-time-in-may-fixed-title/1010919/46 "2025-08-13T02:03:12Z")
Here’s a fun song (about Margaret Thatcher), very different from the more gentle ones in the OP. He doesn’t play this one live very often, understandable given the dynamics. [Richard Thompson - Mother Knows Best](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWjm6XdtEb0) ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-im-gonna-see-richard-thompson-for-the-first-time-in-may-fixed-title/1010919/47 "2025-08-13T11:52:46Z")
Someone once asked Thompson how good of a guitarist he considered himself to be. His reply was “Not as good as Django Reinhardt, but better than Neil Young.” ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-im-gonna-see-richard-thompson-for-the-first-time-in-may-fixed-title/1010919/48 "2025-08-13T19:29:42Z")
I’m sure Neil would be ok with that statement. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-im-gonna-see-richard-thompson-for-the-first-time-in-may-fixed-title/1010919/49 "2025-08-13T19:32:51Z")
Among music nerds and aficionados he is very well known and respected. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2025, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-im-gonna-see-richard-thompson-for-the-first-time-in-may-fixed-title/1010919/50 "2025-11-10T18:34:57Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I’m giddy right now, so please make me more giddy with some of your Richard Thompson concert impressions. > [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Woot! I’ve never been to the Cabot, should be fun. > > there are still seats in the back at Groton, by the way. We saw him last night and it was great. It was entirely amplified acoustic, with harmonizing by his wife, and as a special treat local resident and erstwhile Fairport Convention drummer Dave Mattacks came out for an extended encore. My wife and I have seen him many times, and we agreed that it was a great show, but not near his best. Part of that is that his electric shows are so powerful, part that his later shows are half hits but also half new songs, which are just okay. (that said, I did buy a t-shirt and an autographed vinyl album). Groton is also the best musical venue that I have ever been to. We aren’t seeing him at the Cabot location listed above, it turned out we had an unavoidable conflict. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-im-gonna-see-richard-thompson-for-the-first-time-in-may-fixed-title/1010919/51 "2025-11-10T18:47:25Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > We saw him last night and it was great. It was entirely amplified acoustic, with harmonizing by his wife, and as a special treat local resident and erstwhile Fairport Convention drummer Dave Mattacks came out for an extended encore. You must have seen a similar show like me, that also was him for the first half solo acoustic and the second half accompanied by his wife on vocals. No Dave Mattacks though, sadly, the only instrument in the whole concert was his acoustic guitar. And yeah, I hope he will play some gigs with a full band and electric guitar in the future near me. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2025, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-im-gonna-see-richard-thompson-for-the-first-time-in-may-fixed-title/1010919/52 "2025-11-10T19:06:45Z")
[Richard Thompson Concert Setlist at The Concert Hall at Groton Hill Music Center, Groton on November 9, 2025 | setlist.fm](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/richard-thompson/2025/the-concert-hall-at-groton-hill-music-center-groton-ma-b41bd4e.html) You’re right, she was half the show. I’m amazed at the diligence of people going out and posting these setlists. Looks like your show was similar. Neither of us got Beeswing! [Richard Thompson Concert Setlist at The Anchor, Leipzig on May 16, 2025 | setlist.fm](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/richard-thompson/2025/the-anchor-leipzig-germany-34605cb.html) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2025, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-im-gonna-see-richard-thompson-for-the-first-time-in-may-fixed-title/1010919/53 "2025-11-10T19:13:28Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Looks like your show was similar. Neither of us got Beeswing! I was at this show, in Dortmund. Yeah, sadly no “Beeswing”, but I was happy with “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” and “I Want To See The Brights Lights Tonight”. > **[Richard Thompson Setlist at Musiktheater Piano, Dortmund](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/richard-thompson/2025/musiktheater-piano-dortmund-germany-b4605e6.html)** > > Get the Richard Thompson Setlist of the concert at Musiktheater Piano, Dortmund, Germany on May 8, 2025 from the Ship to Shore Tour and other Richard Thompson Setlists for free on setlist.fm! Yes, similar set. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-im-gonna-see-richard-thompson-for-the-first-time-in-may-fixed-title/1010919.md?page=2)