Welcome to the third issue of the English Folk Festivals Newsletter. Subscription to this newsletter is free. Email us if you are not already subscribing and would like to.
We have been receiving a lot of news, views and feedback from artistes and festival organisers but not much yet from the ordinary festival goer - please send us your views.
ARTISTES
In Issue 1 we reported that THE FLING from Australia are at Stainsby, Brampton and Warwick festivals since then they have sent us two CDs the most recent one of which, Peeler & the Goat is excellent. A five piece with instruments including, Uilleann and highland pipes, whistles, fiddle, harmonica, guitar, cittern, mandolin, and electric bass together with strong female and male vocals they describe themselves as Powerhouse Australo-Celtic Music but plenty of other influences can be detected as well including a touch of American west coast, The tracks of their CD move from gentle acoustic rock ballads , through strong folk rock songs to traditional jigs and reels all done with lots of fresh ideas.
On the evidence of this CD they should have appeal for all of the wide variety of tastes and age groups that attend the festivals they are playing at. I'm certainly looking forward to hearing them live.
The Fling were previously called THE PRESSGANG. Perhaps they changed their name to avoid confusion with the British group of the same name, who combine world beat with traditional and contemporary folk songs with a selection of world beat. I have never seen this group live even though their CD of last year Mappa Mundi gets lots of play on my CD player. The reason is probably that although they appear at festivals throughout the world they get very few bookings at home.
Last year they played Croperdy and Glastonbury and although they have a few UK bookings on their gig list for this year none are at mainstream folk festivals. The event they are appearing at of most interest to readers of this newsletter is JUNE 27TH READING WATERFEST MUSIC which also has music from DIWALL (from Brittany), Garam Marsala (Asian/Celtic crossover) and others. 8 hours of free and exciting folk sounds in the beautiful Abbey Ruins by the Canals in Reading. Details from waterfest@voxpop.demon.co.uk Damian Clarke <damian@voxpop.demon.co.uk> of Pressgang tells me that they are keen to do more UK gigs and demonstrate that the trad folk/contemporary dance mix appears to a large audience and will do a good deal with any festivals interested.
CASTLEBAY are Fred Gosbee and Julia Lane. They play traditional and original songs often about Coastal Maine (USA). They are playing at PORTSMOUTH FESTIVAL OF THE SEA in late August see www.Portsmouth98.co.uk . They have sent me two CDs. Julia plays exceptionally fine Celtic Harp and sings in a strong clear voice. Fred plays a variety of instruments including guitar, viola, mandolin, tin whistle and also sings. For me, the traditional songs work better than the new ones with some interesting reworking of the familiar and semi-familiar. Many of the original songs are also well crafted and the sound is always pleasant -very much music for a sunny festival afternoon. Catch them if you are at Portsmouth. Fred and Julia are also looking for gigs in the two weeks following Portsmouth so if you're an organiser looking to complete the right mix contact them at cslbay@gwi.net
VIEWS
Following my comments last issue about festivals on the same day as Princess Di s funeral Peter Bradshaw (PeterBradshaw@dial.pipex.com) of Swanage folk festival writes;
I was interested in the piece in your last newsletter about the weekend of 6-8 September last year and the impact of the funeral of The Princess of Wales. Swanage Folk festival is always two weeks after August bank holiday and so last year fell on that weekend. We spent many a long hour on the telephone in the days prior to the festival and, with the backing of the local councils and the committee unanimously agreed to co ahead with the festival.
On the morning of the funeral the festival was quiet with a memorial service held in the open air overlooking the sea. The events then continued in the afternoon and many visitors were glad to be able to return to normal life after the hiatus caused by the funeral and the grief felt by many.
This year the Swanage is on 11-13 September (two weeks after Bank Holiday as usual). We emphasise dance and drama as well as song and place importance on events for all the family. Headlining in 1998 are Roy Bailey, Rory McLeod, Horace X, The Eelgrinders, Wishounds, Les Barker, the Play Dick'O'Th'Banks with a large variety of support acts, workshops, street theatre etc etc
FESTIVALS
Nearly five years ago myself and Judy, plus Steve Rudd of Kings England Press and Bob Norton who was then spending a year working for the Charity Tree Aid organised the Tree Aid Festival in Sheffield Hallam University both to raise the profile of Tree Aid and money for their work. Tree Aid works in the bitter desert lands of Africa and attempt to break the disastrous cycle of poverty and famine by planting trees to provide sustainable food and fuel sources simultaneously help the environment. There was exceptional support for the festival from all areas of the folk music community and as well as having an excellent festival we increased Tree Aids membership and raised over 1000 UKP. Steve is now reviving this festival with THE TREE AID FESTIVAL OF POETRY, STORYTELLING AND SONG on the 22nd & 23rd August 1998 at Hebden House, Hebden Bridge, North Yorkshire. For further details or offers of help Email Treeaid@kingsengland.demon.co.uk or telephone/fax 01484 667185.
Diary:
May 1-4 UPTON UPON SEVERN FOLK FESTIVAL, Worcs. Beautiful riverside setting with Roy Bailey, Fred Wedlock, Strawhead etc. Details from Ted Webb, 25 High Street Croughton, Northants. NN13 5LT. Tel: (01869) 810733.
May 16-18 MOOR & COAST FESTIVAL, Whitby, N. Yorks. Second year of a new festival for Whitby with Vin Garbutt, Roy Bailey, Jez Lowe, Eliza Carthy, The Wilsons etc. Details from Glen Rogers, 9 Windsor Terrace, Whitby, N. Yorkshire, YO21 1ET. Tel: (01947) 820408.
May 22-25 CHESTER FOLK WEEKEND, Kelsall, Nr Chester. with Brian Peters Martin Carthy & Norma Waterson Tom Lewis Eliza Carthy Band Kate Rusby Details from Cheryl Hunt, 13 Dee Fords Avenue, Chester, CH3 5UP. Tel: (01244) 320424.
May 29-31 CAVERSHAM CHARITY FOLK FESTIVAL, Reading, Berks. Alan Burke, Johnny Collis. Clan Lir (Belgium) Coope Boyes and Simpson, Dis Disley. Musical River Cruises. Most Events admission free. For more details see last issue or from Colin Waters, 95 Hemdean Road, Caversham, Reading, Berks. RG4 7SS. Tel: (0118) 948 3145. e-mail: 100754.764@compuserve.com
June 19-21 MIDDLEWICH FOLK & BOAT FESTIVAL, Middlewich, Cheshire. Details from Dave Thompson, 33 Manor Crescent, Middlewich, Cheshire CW10 0EW. Tel: (01606) 836896.
June 26-28 EAST KIRKBY FOLK FESTIVAL (Nr Horncastle Lincolnshire). A delightful weekend concentrating on Lincolnshire artistes the most notable of which is John Conolly(writer of Fiddlers green and many other great songs) Enquiries Telephone 01205 750753
July 3-5 CLECKHEATON FOLK FESTIVAL, West Yorks. Details from Geoff Pickles, 7 Listerdale, Littletow, Liversedge, W. Yorks. WF15 6EN. Tel: (01924) 404346. Fax: (01924) 404346. e-mail: cff@argonet.co.uk
10th-12th July ELY Folk Weekend is a small and friendly festival based on a single site which includes marquees camping facilities, food stalls, trade stands, real ale bar tent, real toilets, showers, childrens entertainment..... Ely city centre, with it's world famous cathedral, is less than 10 minutes walk away. We are in the City centre for Morris displays and pub sessions during the daytime. It's only 20 minutes from the A14 & M11. It's on a main rail line to London, and has good rail links to the rest of the country.Artists booked include: Vin Garbutt, Cran, Fernhill, Cordelia's Dad,
This newsletter is put out by by Little Pot Stove Records. We have a CD stall at many of the festivals mentioned. We also supply most independent label British folk CDs mail order at reasonable prices and put out a monthly list of collectors vinyl folk records.
Contact us at Little Pot Stove
The snail mail address for both Little Pot Stove Records and the English Folk Festivals Newsletter is 213 Nursery Rd, Dinnington, Sheffield, S25 2QU. Telephone/Fax 01909 569481
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