The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

This was posted in Twitter soon after their set. I really do think they're just a bunch of lads who can play instruments very well and write amusing lyrics to existing songs, and want to entertain. The last thing on their mind is to upset anyone. Their humour might be considered juvenile by some but it's just a matter of taste (or lack of!).  

[StephenB]

Well i was expecting them to be a one-joke band who'd be mildly amusing, but i was won over by their infectious enthusiasm and, yes, their musical talent. They were in the right place at the right time and I thoroughly enjoyed them. Yes it was puerile and smutty humour,  yes the Barron Kinights have done it before (and kudos to them), and of course some were bound to be offended, but noone was being cruelly mocked. It was seaside postcard humour pretending to be nothing else, and IMO perfect for that slot. My surprise enjoyment band of the festival.

[Wandering Steve]

Well I loved them and would love to see them play cropredy again.
The people around me were loving it and a couple of points...
1) They sold out of CDs in the tent
2) They were the only band to get the crowd out of their seats all weekend.

They are facts
You can look at on line videos and from the front to the back of the field the crowd were on their feet enjoying themselves.

I couldn’t buy a Doonicans cd as they’d all been sold.

These points enhance the fact that the overwhelming majority enjoyed them.

I appreciate not everyone has the same taste but as aj Clarke said after their set they absolutely rocked it.

What about DR busker filling the slot next year?

[Scott Doonican]

Hi folks

It's always nice to read the feedback from a new crowd, even if it's the negative stuff because what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Thanks to social media, everybody gets to be a public critic and many don't realise that comedians/musicians have feelings too. I'll lick me wounds later.

Firstly, can I just say that we were absolutely over-the-moon to be on that stage. Thanks to Fairport and their amazing behind-the-scenes crew who looked after us so incredibly well all weekend. To the doubters, I don't mind your comments about what we have worked our arses off for over 12 years, because we got the opportunity to do something that has been a lifetime ambition.

I never travelled all the way to Oxfordshire to be 'high-brow', so if you expected it to have the wisdom of Bob Dylan, you were a bit silly thinking it would. And I am quite happy to be compared to The Barron Knights. They were great musicians and masters of their craft.  
If we offended anybody, we're sorry. It certainly wasn't intentional. We're nice chaps if you meet us in the pub.

Lastly, our time on stage was a final chance to bring a smile to the face of our friend and mentor Maart Allcock, who has believed in us for a long, long time. Love ya Maart.

Peace and love
Scott Doonican

[YaBB Master (Colin)]

Well Maart should have warned you about coming in here.

This isn't your Facebook page where people will be there because they searched you out. This is a strange selection of people who have come here by many different routes (roots). I think the Fairport lads do read it, but with some trepidation. You really have to treat it as just putting your work in front of a random group of people and then ask them what they thought.

You'll have to take the crunchy with the smooth.

I'd say about a third of the posts here loved you and the rest are split between those who didn't and those that couldn't hear. So that's probably 10,000 people who liked you and you sold out of the CD. Sounds like a result to me.

[kevin]

I for one am still laughing.
The sound system let them down somewhat, but overall excellent.
Apart from morris dancing, they were the only ones who had nearly everyone on their feet.
Thar did reet good lads.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohneoZKw8es

You made Me laugh like this man does, with no offence.


Kevin

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Hi folks

It's always nice to read the feedback from a new crowd, even if it's the negative stuff because what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Thanks to social media, everybody gets to be a public critic and many don't realise that comedians/musicians have feelings too. I'll lick me wounds later.

Firstly, can I just say that we were absolutely over-the-moon to be on that stage. Thanks to Fairport and their amazing behind-the-scenes crew who looked after us so incredibly well all weekend. To the doubters, I don't mind your comments about what we have worked our arses off for over 12 years, because we got the opportunity to do something that has been a lifetime ambition.

I never travelled all the way to Oxfordshire to be 'high-brow', so if you expected it to have the wisdom of Bob Dylan, you were a bit silly thinking it would. And I am quite happy to be compared to The Barron Knights. They were great musicians and masters of their craft.  
If we offended anybody, we're sorry. It certainly wasn't intentional. We're nice chaps if you meet us in the pub.

Lastly, our time on stage was a final chance to bring a smile to the face of our friend and mentor Maart Allcock, who has believed in us for a long, long time. Love ya Maart.

Peace and love
Scott Doonican

Hello Mr Doonican
I thought you were amazing. Everyone around us was laughing like drains and thought you could have a spot every year.
I'm now desperately trying to get tickets for Watchet just to see you again!  
And seeing Maart up there enjoying every minute was wonderful, if not a little emotional  

Carry on doing what you're doing and ignore the naysayers  

Bridgwit (not from Yorkshire but Barry in South Wales)

[Tasha]

I like schoolboy humour (I watch hours of Inbetweeners repeats) so I loved them. Couldn’t catch a lot of their lyrics but I caught the gist of all of them. I thought they were brilliant. Great musicians, plenty of funny banter and they had most of the field in hysterics, not to mention jumping around! The crowd surf was inspired and I noticed he didn’t spill a drop!

People often talk about “these troubled times” so let’s enjoy ourselves and have a laff  

Couldn't agree more Bridge! I love the Inbetweeners too! I was looking forward to this lot and I loved them! Yes it's schoolboy humour so what? Life is too short to not have a laugh especially at a festival.  I went down the front in order to hear the lyrics better and enjoyed it immensely.

[Poor Will (Bill)]

The young lady stood next to me at the front was literally crying with laughter, and I wasn’t far from it myself!

[Sue & Chris]

This was posted in Twitter soon after their set. I really do think they're just a bunch of lads who can play instruments very well and write amusing lyrics to existing songs, and want to entertain. The last thing on their mind is to upset anyone. Their humour might be considered juvenile by some but it's just a matter of taste (or lack of!).  

Well strictly speaking the song was about someone's reaction to a transgender person. But really, that's such an overreaction to a daft comedy song. Sigh.

Since, you're here, Scott, my group had only one complaint - the absence of any songs based on the work of the great Val himself. How come? Surely you could make something out of Paddy McGinty's Goat, for a start off?

[Scott Doonican]

We reworked Delaney's Donkey on our second album back in 2011 as Doonican's Dog... a genuine true story too (it's all in my book).

For those of you that liked any of it we have a website at www.thebarstewardsons.com

for those of you that didn't, I have a thicker skin than an onion. I just played the biggest gig of my life and loved every second. And I get to do it all again at the next handful of weekends at festivals up and down the country. This still beats being stuck in my old infant classroom. It ain't a boring way to make a living.

Peace out folks
Scott D xxx

[barton cobbler]

All of our group thought that the Doonicans were terrific. I'd seen a couple of things on YouTube so I was looking forward to seeing them and they were to quote "s**t hot".
    A few of us are heading up to Castle Donnington in September where we can see not only the Doonicans but the wonderful Mad Dog McRea on the same bill

[PhilipK]

[Fegg]

From where I was standing it appeared that everyone was having a blast, though I may have missed one or two sitting in their deck chairs with arms tightly folded and faces like slapped backsides, determined not to enjoy what they had paid for.

[StephenB]

I think that last pic sums it up...

[Sue & Chris]

We reworked Delaney's Donkey on our second album back in 2011 as Doonican's Dog... a genuine true story too (it's all in my book).

For those of you that liked any of it we have a website at www.thebarstewardsons.com

for those of you that didn't, I have a thicker skin than an onion. I just played the biggest gig of my life and loved every second. And I get to do it all again at the next handful of weekends at festivals up and down the country. This still beats being stuck in my old infant classroom. It ain't a boring way to make a living.

Peace out folks
Scott D xxx

Thanks for replying Scott. Not sure whether an onion has a thick skin or a thin one (!), but for the record all of our ten strong group really enjoyed your turn and spent half of last night regurgitating it to friends in the pub. So keep on keeping on, and if you ever make it down to darkest Worcestershire, we'll be there!

[YaBB Master (Colin)]

Apprentice Bar-Steward

[Bingers (Chris)]

Apprentice Bar-Steward

Not sure about his sartorial elegance but love the look of that bass!

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Apprentice Bar-Steward

Not sure about his sartorial elegance but love the look of that bass!

And the sound of it!

[Malcolm]

Apprentice Bar-Steward

Not sure about his sartorial elegance but love the look of that bass!

There is a load of interesting stuff about that bass on Maart's website. And enough instruments there to make anyone drool