TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

...started at 6pm.

Music from The Travelling Band, Fairport Acoustic, Jim Cregan, Kate Rusby & Police Dog Hogan so far.

But OMG, the presenters.  :o It is like Smashy & Nicey never happened.

It is also competing this year with the European Championships and later on the USPGA golf.

Just noticed this now! Yeahhhh! It’s a woman now, presenting. Anyway, I am just glad to have a bit of a link to the event.

Wow, unlike a lot of BBC stuff that's 'not available' over here, this actually works in LA, they claim to be airing all of FC's set.. and hopefully not just talking about it!
Thanks :)

They will, and have for several years though it does tend to get interrupted by irritating station idents.

Slightly excruciating interview with Brian Wilson.  :(

I was thinking that they should have kept the presenters away from the bar.... Though the eating of the Travelling Band's home made chilli sauce was rather amusing!

I felt sad listening to that.  :'(  

I think they should keep them away from the microphones.

Music good, presenters ?

Wow to ‘The Year Of The Cat’ guitar playing!

Presenters? 3/10 could do better

That's about 4 more than I'd give them...

...but they never do.

And now they have cocked up the sound at the start of Fairport's set, as they do every year.

So...Shuffle and Go, followed by Crazy Man Michael.  Do other people not struggle with that like I do?  Struggle and Go, maybe... Sigh :-\

...and you thought that was a bad segue...

Indeed so

Lol.  Honestly, nah, I can't do it.  Enjoy your evening, chaps.  I'm off to read.

Me too I'm afraid.  

You’re missing out. Seriously.

Just wondering whether to join you, as it is not quite the same listening in as being there  :( then again, this acapella singing has perked up my ears.

For every “Here’s a new song” there’s a spine-chiller.

Moving song but Peggy's voice is not up to it.



Urgently need another ne. This is bottoming out early but I'm sticking around for Maart.

Yes, me too. I decided to keep the faith and I have settled into it now. Albeit having to have it really quiet due to my temporary lodgings sitch.


P.s. what’s a ne? ;)

The perils of using a wireless keyboard too far from the PC.

Oh dear, Fish trying to sing Solo. They are not making it easy for us are they.  ::)

Just tuned in. Is that Fish? He should be fried for what he's doing to Solo.

Jules

Maybe battered.

Fish was dreadful.

Better!  Damn, wish I'd though of that.

Jules

It seems an odd way to pay tribute to Sandy by letting Peggy, PJ and Fish all sing songs out of tune.

Thank goodness for Iain Matthews but even he sounds unrehearsed.

Is it cold in that field, that can play tricks with voices?

At last, someone who can sing in tune and on pitch doing It'll Take A Long Time.

Jules

Yes, that was very good. Well played, Winter Wilson! WKWTTG coming up. Happy birthday Henry Nicol...

I think they have misjudged the setlist badly here. They are playing in a cold, wet field and there is no energy in this performance at all. I am betting that people are leaving in droves at this point.

And Simon's voice is wandering too now, as it has tended to do sometimes in recent years.

Yes.  My other half just left the room.

Come on, chaps, get it together!

Jules

Yes, I’d expect WKWTTG a bit nearer to the end, to mellow things down before MOTL. Still over an hour to go.

(OUCH ruddy Radio Oxford beepy jingle in my earphone things I’ve just put in)

Tortuous in parts but will stick it out. At least its comfy and dry in north wales and the beer is flowing nicely. we weren't able to attend this year, Money well saved for future ventures I think.

It is indeed cold and damp.
I have never seen the field so empty.
Many left when the rain poured down earlier and have not come back.
I am also suffering terribly from sciatica and may also leave the field soon.
I have never left before Meet on the Edge and almost feel disrespectful.
It has just started raining again.
I rather envy you in your warm houses!

Very pleasant listening on a sunny 87 degree afternoon, out on the deck smoking some good buds and re-reading William Gibson's Pattern Recognition.
Kudos to Radio Oxford for even doing this.. Respect. :)
Sounds pretty darn good to me.
@No 13 minutes an hour of of bloody commercials.

I wonder if the weather and the stress of possibly having to negotiate an emotionally difficult moment before the night is out is zapping everyone's energy.

Chris Leslie has his knockers (stop your titters) but the man is an utterly dependable singer and player.  Things are steadying out now.

Jules

 Yes, that was fab. Quite agree.

Just wondering if Simon actually has a bit of a sore throat.

Jules, you're The Reverend Ronald Simms aren't you!

His voice certainly isn't there tonight which might explain the clutch of under rehearsed guest vocalists earlier.

*Googles*

*still doesn't understand*

Jules

Umm, me too!

Maybe he meant Finbarr Saunders!

Knockers..  The Dirty Vicar Sketch?

That, I will not google!

Ah.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s9SYX7TSJ0

Jules

Living the dream.  8)

We were among those who left early as got soaked and didn’t fancy sitting around for 4-5 hours, before heading off to sleep in a cold tent (and my god, it’s been freezing this year). Got home in time to listen to the radio. Very patchy - Sandy tribute not a patch on that ten years ago. Seems to be livening up now, but overall nowhere near as good as this year’s winter tour. At least we’re warm and dry, and the red wine is excellent.

How rotten.  I feel bad for everyone.  All the people who go and all the musicians look forward to it for so long.   :(

Jules

Wish we could swap today's weather, it would be mutually beneficial.

Listening to Jewel in the Crown - by heck, Maart's going for it! Great to hear!!!

METAL MATTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You beat me to it. Yay! God bless Maart!

\m/

Indeed!  :) :'(  ;D

MM should have seen that one coming. Certainly has improved a bit now. (Clearing emotional lump from throat).

You are not alone.

Thirded...

A powerful rendition and an emotional moment !

Can I say how fab it has been sharing the evening with you lot in this thread...join hands across the miles! :)

Same.  Thanks, Dim.   :-*

Jules

God, Maart's thanks to the crowd has just about finished me off.  :'(

As for Fairport, they just about pulled it out of the hat in the last hour, not least of all due to the contributions of the man himself, the last man to properly put the rock into the most famous folk-rock band in the world.

It will indeed all come around again...

That’s okay, Zeus!

See you there next year folks! It all comes round again indeed.

Yes.  Without Maart and Jerry, there will only be RT left to play lead electric guitar at Croppers.  Sad as hell.

His farewell was beautiful.

Jules

Diolch yn fawr pawb  o gogledd cymru / thank you all from north wales. Lots of raised hands here. Hope to see you somewhere down the road.

Like button!

A truly lovely farewell from Maart !

Agree of course. Wish I had been there for it, but glad to have heard it. Thanks, Radio Oxford.

Someone on fb just said they wished that Maart could do a Wilko (paraphrasing here folks)… don't we all?!

So pleased to have been able to hear their set via radio.  The icing on the cake was my brother phoning me from the festival to let me join in with him for Meet on the Ledge.  Very emotional for us all, for obvious reasons.

Those presenters though ::)

Ah, that's lovely.

Jules

Peggy’s being interviewed now. I am unable to get to sleep as awake too long, so still listening!

I think it is possible that Peggy may have had a drink.  ;D

Possibly!

The BBC presenters were dreadful.
FC were ok at best. There was dross.
Maarts farewell was emotional.
I'm not at all surprised the field emptied.
Peggy's interview was the best thing all night.
The Brian Wilson interview was for curling stuff.
I'm not at all sorry I didn't go this year.

Had Brian Wilson lingered, he could have joined them on stage for 'Cod Only Knows...'

I think just about everyone did, didn't they?  Anyway, I've just had a listen to JitC and MM. Mighty bloody fine.  Well played Maart, and everybody else.  Sadly, I think I'll pass on most of the rest of it, mind.

Update:  I couldn't stop myself trying Fish out for size.  Ouch!  Hilarious.  Hilariously sad.  A truly monstrous miscalculation by someone.  Notably Fish and Fairport Convention.......

Just downloading the radio Oxford program now! I'll listen to it at work next week.

I captured the Radio Oxford webstream using ffmpeg, quality is as good as it gets - but "the microphone can't lie"!!!

Yes, the sound quality for the broadcast was the best it has been (even if the performance wasn't). Last year by contrast, great performance but terrible radio sound.

Just listening to the first half hour of the radio coverage or so which I missed last night. The people who performed were really good. Missed who it was, have to rewind.

Somewhat mystified at all this talk of the field emptying during Fairport's set. I didn't notice many leaving (although a fair few had already gone before they started.) I've seen the field quieter for Fairport in previous years, and from where I was sitting/standing it was quieter for The Levellers the night before.

Interestingly, more people were standing for Fairport than in recent years - it was like a throwback to the good old days! Also, a word in defence of Fish. Yes, he was awful, but it was clear to see how much it meant to him.

This appears to be the set list from that website:
1. Ye Mariners All

2. Shuffle and Go

3. Crazy Man Michael

4. Summer By The Cherwell

5. Bankruptured

6. Song For Sandy
 (with PJ Wright)

7. Bushes and Briars
 (Sandy Denny song) (with PJ Wright)

8. Fotheringay

9. Solo
 (Sandy Denny song) (with Fish)

10. Rising for the Moon
 (with Iain Matthews)

11. It'll Take a Long Time
 (Sandy Denny song) (with Winter Wilson)

12. Who Knows Where the Time Goes?

13. The Gallivant

14. Bring Me Back My Feathers
 (with Anna Ryder)

15. Rosemary's Sister
 (Simon Nicol song) (Written by Huw Williams)

16. Sir Patrick Spens

17. The Wood and the Wire

18. John Gaudie

19. Walk Awhile

20. Eleanor's Dream

21. A Surfeit of Lampreys
 (with Maartin Allcock)

22. Jewel in the Crown
 (with Maartin Allcock)

23. Matty Groves
 ([traditional] cover) (with Maartin Allcock)

Encore:
24. Meet on the Ledge

Fish murdered "Solo" on his cover versions record.  People can be forgiven for inviting him to repeat the atrocity when he first appeared at Cropredy a couple of years ago.  However to invite him to do it again is unforgiveable.
 That said PJ Wright's efforts were just as bad if not worse in the vocal department. Many thanks for Ian Matthews as his wonderful voice for redressing the balance in the short Sandy set last night.
  I thought Winter Wilson did a nice version of it'll take a long long time and that he sounded very RT - like on the bv's at times.

Who on earth is Fish anyway?

Sorry but looks like a very weak set to me

Sad.

DW