Festival Chatter

[dog-nap (Ian)]

The Museums at Night festival from the 16th – 19th May.  Hundreds of evening events in museums and galleries around the country.  Many of them musical, quite a few of them free.  The one that appeals to me is Olivia Chaney playing a set in Jimi Hendrix’s bedroom (not free, sadly).
http://museumsatnight.org.uk/

[dog-nap (Ian)]

Just checking out the line-up at Leigh next weekend, as they generally manage to come up with something totally unexpected.  This year’s surprise is Stone Angel – the old acid-folk band which released several records on the Kissing Spell label.  Hmm, could be worth a trip down to those mud flats.
http://leighfolkfestival.com/portfolio_page/stone-angel/

[davidmjs]

Just checking out the line-up at Leigh next weekend, as they generally manage to come up with something totally unexpected.  This year’s surprise is Stone Angel – the old acid-folk band which released several records on the Kissing Spell label.  Hmm, could be worth a trip down to those mud flats.
http://leighfolkfestival.com/portfolio_page/stone-angel/

Yowzer!

[Bingers (Chris)]

Quick question...has anybody ever been to the Great British Folk Festival at Butlins in Skegness held at the end of November/start of December? Just wondering what’s it like....how many stages; indoors or outdoors; accommodation; food etc?

Just pondering whether it’s worthwhile trekking up from Essex to see Lindisfarne, Jon Boden, Merry Hell, The Men They Couldn’t Hang, Lau, Ralph McTell, Strawbs, Oysterband etc who are all on the bill this year

Thanks

[Swamp Donkey (Keith)]

Chris, see the threads in music festivals area on this board (GBFF 2018 & GBFF 2017) to get a flavour.

[Bingers (Chris)]

Chris, see the threads in music festivals area on this board (GBFF 2018 & GBFF 2017) to get a flavour.

Ah thanks...didn’t realise those threads were there...ta!

[GubGub (Al)]

Just seen on Facebook that Looe Music Festival has been cancelled and the organising charity put into administration. Gutted for my brother who was attending to celebrate his 60th birthday.  

[Chris]

Various extracts from their most recent annual report

Despite the increase in ticket sales year-on-year the event is set to make a profit and this is largely due to the rising operational and infrastructure costs. However, 2016 saw an unjustifiable amount of people demanding free tickets to the event.
The organisation issued 1653 guest tickets in 2016, totaling £147,117 in revenue. This is the difference between the annual music festival becoming a sustainable event and continuing to contribute to the town’s tourism and the event folding.

However, last year we saw over 15% of people not turn up for their shift. Volunteers who signed in and collected their wristband but failed to fulfill their role not only caused operational challenges but resulted in increased costs and lost revenue.

Their accounts show they started last year with a deficit of £263,000.....

[neil fatea]

Good volunteers are worth their weight in gold. Volunteers can make or break events, particularly in key roles.

[PhilipK]

I've just had an email to say that Cambridge Folk Festival 2019 tickets go on sale on 1st October.

Feels very, very early to me - especially as no details of the line-up have been announced yet.

[davidmjs]

I've just had an email to say that Cambridge Folk Festival 2019 tickets go on sale on 1st October.

Feels very, very early to me - especially as no details of the line-up have been announced yet.

Welcome to 2018...where promoters like to keep hold of your money for at least a year if they can get away with it.

[Chris]

Be interesting to see the take up as it no longer is a guaranteed sell out!

[JJ (Joanna)]

Derby Folk Fest anyone? Especially looking forward to 'Sheffield Made'

http://www.derbyfolkfestival.co.uk/events/sheffieldmade/

[Chris]

Yes - good to see you there.....

PA problems dogged the main stage in their marquee - seemed to be the bass bins producing very muffled sound. Steve Tilston being the only act I saw that conquered it.

Excellent bill I thought, however more work needed to ensure enough time is provided between acts to get setup & soundchecked in good time - letting 600 people through the doors with 4 minutes to first act was never going to work. If you book a 12 piece band the size of Eliza's Wayward band, soundcheck *will* take over a hour - just 5mins a person is an hour, then the whole band need to run through at least a couple of numbers....qwith two full drumkits, at least 40-mins to set up too. With two other acts on the same bill as well, all requiring setup & at least a line check too, two-and-a-half hours between concerts was never going to work....

But otherwise, an enjoyable weekend.

[JJ (Joanna)]

Yes - good to see you there.....

PA problems dogged the main stage in their marquee - seemed to be the bass bins producing very muffled sound. Steve Tilston being the only act I saw that conquered it.

Excellent bill I thought, however more work needed to ensure enough time is provided between acts to get setup & soundchecked in good time - letting 600 people through the doors with 4 minutes to first act was never going to work. If you book a 12 piece band the size of Eliza's Wayward band, soundcheck *will* take over a hour - just 5mins a person is an hour, then the whole band need to run through at least a couple of numbers....qwith two full drumkits, at least 40-mins to set up too. With two other acts on the same bill as well, all requiring setup & at least a line check too, two-and-a-half hours between concerts was never going to work....

But otherwise, an enjoyable weekend.

Agree there Chris and left halfway through Eliza's set.  Really enjoyed 'Sheffield made', at times a bit dogged by sound issues but such a class performance all round.

Have to say Sam Kelly and the Lost Boys were really good, some great songs, one or two non-folkie but they did rock, got to laugh at Ciaran Algar. Enjoyed Jack Rutter on the theatre stage.

John Tams and Barry Coope, wonderful, sound was excellent for those two!

Not too keen on Lucy Ward atm, unsure of which direction she's heading  

Plenty of great music though and an enjoyable time in Derby (even managed to walk part of the Tissington trail from Ashbourne!).

[Chris]

Ahhh...Lucy. Motherhood seems to have changed her attitude to life....no old numbers & her new stuff totally different. No life angst any more. Gone from solo to 5 piece, hope she can make it pay. Good to see old mate Anna Esselmont on stage as one of the quintet though.

[Delfini (Diane)]

Ahhh...Lucy. Motherhood seems to have changed her attitude to life....no old numbers & her new stuff totally different. No life angst any more. Gone from solo to 5 piece, hope she can make it pay. Good to see old mate Anna Esselmont on stage as one of the quintet though.

I saw her solo on Saturday. Lots of old stuff, lots of ‘angst’ as you put it, still clearly motivated and powerful. Yes, her new album is different - she says she was looking at traditional songs, and writing some based on the tradition - but, rest assured, she’s lost none of her fire and power.

 

[Chris]

That is so good to hear!

Obviously a quintet festival special. I need to hear it all again I think

[neil fatea]

Does look like more of a festival special, though she's playing http://www.fateafestival.co.uk on the 3rd of November solo

[ColinB]

The Highest Point festival is on this weekend in Lancaster. I'm going along tomorrow though to be honest I haven't heard of most of the bands playing apart from headliners The Zutons and Feeder. Tonight it's Sister Sledge and Grandmaster Flash so there's quite a diverse range of acts on. It'll be interesting to see how they use the different parts of Williamson Park as there are five different stages with one titled Gin and Disco.

https://highestpoint.co.uk/line-up/