A tiring and emotional weekend it was but, for the third year in succession, the N16 Fringe was a tremendous success.

The Fringe kicked off on Friday night at The Eye - headliners Senser ramming the venue with their frenzied, supercharged blend of rock, metal and rap - and ended on Sunday night at Barracuda, where Liane Carroll's mellow jazz piano playing and smokey vocals, with a guest spot from The Levellers' Simon Friend, rounded off a memorable three days.

In between, the Fringe's star attraction - the legendary guitarist and folk singer Martin
Carthy - filled a sell-out Abney Public Hall. The man from whom Paul Simon learnt to play
'Scarborough Fair' and who inspired His Bobness to write 'Bob Dylan's Dream', is regarded
as the greatest living interpreter of the English folk tradition. He produced a stunning two-hour set, ranging across some of his finest material and featuring his unique, melodic vocal delivery and trademark virtuoso guitar playing. Martin was ably supported by local singing/ songwriting guitar guru Mike Gibson and bassist 'Strollin' Al Kenning, and by Mediaeval Babe Katharine Blake, with her ethereal blend of plainsong and Arthurian myth.

Thanks to local librarian and noted rock music archivist Richard Boon for his enthusiastic
MC'ing and also to ex-Buzzcocks and Magazine superstar Howard Devoto for acting as doorman for the evening. Much appreciated, Howard. Sorry we couldn't supply a uniform. After the gig, Martin performed a few impromptu numbers at the Barracuda. 'I can't believe Martin Carthy has just played at my birthday party' said then awe-struck host of the, until then, private gathering.

Other noteworthy happenings at the weekend included the Rock 'n Roll Cinema and Hair Riots at the Vortex - specially reopened for the Fringe - featuring DJs, films, live bands, country and rockabilly all the way from deepest Shoreditch; live music throughout the days and evenings at The Eye with Monkey Island, The Hells and Dirtburg among the attractions; a full, sweaty programme at Ryan's with Rock 'n Roll in the basement on Saturday and an Alternative Country Hoe Down, ably DJ'd by Tattoo John from the Alabama Three, on Sunday; a well-attended Open Mic at The Lion; a packed Sunday afternoon at the Prince where ex-La's and Cast member John Power delivered a powerful, solo acoustic set; Turkish rock at Bodrum; and Saturday afternoon at the Auld Shillelagh, where the soaring voice of Katus blended sweetly with the flute playing of ex-Massive Attack's Tony Wrafter.