Nominations
and Winners of this years MAOTMAS. As voted for by both our readers.
Performer
of The Year
-Seriously?
Shut The Front Door! I'm not going to alienate 130 artistes and
almost a dozen venue hosts by singling out any one band or
individual. The rest would never speak to me again. They were
all bloody brilliant. So they are all winners. Including Nunc. (who?)
Folk
Newcomer of The Year
However, during 2016 I
saw and heard (Genuinely) lots of people I'd not seen before Glyn
Finch made his debut at NFC. A guitarist of great style and
passion. Elsewhere, Charlie Hart ,Paper Circus and Izzie Derry were amongst new acts who impressed me. Alan
Richardson was so good at Warwick's “Back In The Day”
concert that I bought all of his albums in one fell swoop. But he's
about 90,so hardly a newcomer. The Wright Brothers although
similarly ancient, carved out a new niche for themselves across the
region and bore all my puns about Kittyhawk admirably. Matt
Mallen Allen left his Sound Desk and came up onto stage both
as a solo performer and guesting for Nunc during a song we'd
nicked from his set list. The Hawkesbury Trawlermen showed
promise but really must try harder to stay awake during performances.
But for sheer impact, this award goes to David Goody.
Great Hat,great lyrics, and completely off his trolley.
The
Craic Award For Having a Bloody Good Time
goes
to.....Sly Old Dogs. Wherever they may be. But when (oh when?)
can I sit alongside Messrs Brooker,Kenny Ryder and Willow and
stop slumming it out with the Plebs as just a Friend in the audience?
The
William Shakespeare Poetry Prize
Brian
Phillips. Simple as. No one does poems like what he does.
And that's the truth.
Eddie
The Eagle Prize For Services to Comedy
Someone
must have once told John McIntosh he was good at stand up but
I fear he misunderstood this remark. Ditto Dave Fry His quips
and puns were mildly superior to the wordplay of Bob Brooker and
John B. Smith. Which took online jollity to a new level.
Literally. Max Wright's daily contribution to Facebook makes
him a runaway winner. Wonder where he will run away to? Eye watering.
The
Paul Kossof Most Pained Expression whilst playing a Guitar.
Phil
Hare, Dan Gascoigne and Glyn Finch were all strong runners
here, but it has to go to John Richards who often looks as if
he is in pain. And most probably is.
Folk
Album Of The Year
Well
now, seriously, I do get the opportunity to review
quite a few,courtesy of Folk Monthly. Kate Rusby's "Life in a Paper Boat" was
simply outstanding.
Local
Folk Album of The Year Although Bob Brooker
nominated 17 of his own, the judge's panel were not sure exactly how
many had been made in 1916 and how many actually were from
2016. Thrup'nny Bits made a sly move by sneaking theirs
out right at the end of the Year. So I guess it goes to them with "Old Christmas" .
Although bits of Daisybell's “new” CD kept slipping out
online throughout the year. Not really sure if it's finished yet. But
the new format (like the old one) sounds very good. Well done girls.
Great name,by the way.
The
Don Corleone Impresario of The Year Award
So
many Turf wars were fought out during 2016 that it makes The
Godfather look like Teletubbies. Tori Rushton has carved up
Stratford for herself. Pam has made Hinckley her own Manor.
Norman and er...Norman continue to rule Warwick. Nuneaton remains
a plum prize, fought over annually by yours truly,
Phil Benson and Steve Bentley. Pete Willow also has a fair
few strings to his Ocarina, over in Warwickshire's notorious East
Side.. But Malc Gurnham at one time, was running three
speakeasy joints a month (including one in a tent) organised
a festival, compered at dozens (hundreds?) of other venues as
well as broadcasting, recording, travelling abroad and singing
virtually where anyone would have him. Does he ever sleep?
Folk
Publication of The Year
Folk
Monthly. Because they publish my CD reviews. A commendation also
however for The Nuneaton News who in contrast to their bigger
neighbours seem to have no problem whatsoever with running stories
about Folk Music.
Self-Penned
Song of The Year
The
award is shared between Des Patalong's "Ironing Shanty" and
David Goody's "Straight Out Of Earlsdon" Which got
Da House well pumpin' in December.
Folk
Photographer of The Year
Judged
on output alone, the prolific John Wright and John B Smith
would surely have tied for this? Ray Buckler, Max Wright, Sue
Sanders put in some good work too. Their work has featured
highly in this Blog. And elsewhere. But for pure surrealism, John
Kearney's “Shot of The Floor in Sepia” won him
the award.
The
Frankie Boyle Heckler of The Year
A
tough category here,with some strong contenders. For sheer number of
outbursts per session, Gill Gilsenan would be hard to
beat. If there was a team prize it would have to go to The
Old Uns, each one of whom gave as good as they got from every
direction when I compered them in November. Dragonhead's
John Harris can be a tricky customer, adding his two penn'orth
not only from the wings but also whilst on stage. But winner Joe
Roberts is loud, persistent, and difficult to cope with if you
are in the middle of a song. His Hearing Aid at full power can be a
show stopper. Literally.
The
Darcy Bussell Award for Onstage Poise Balance and Grace
We
saw several attempts by some musicians to take out stage fittings and
some of the audience with exuberant stage movements. Maria
Barham is always a strong
contender for this category-her expertise in hooking Christmas
Decorations on the neck of her guitar at The Larder is etched in many
of our memories. But
Steve of Moses and
The Ref clinched the top spot
by falling onto the
stage at NFC in December. So many performers fall off it-this was a
stunningly original new variation. Well done, Steve
Folk
Club of The Year
Clearly,
those few courageous enough to allow any of us through their
doors,during 2016, let alone granting us access to their audiences
are in the front running. Stockton Folk Club, Warwick Folk
Club and Willow and Tool's (Or is it Tool
and Willow's?) Music Parlour out at Long
Itchington get honourable mentions. As always,Bedworth (both
venues), Atherstone Folk Club and The Tump all proved
to be hospitable and generous in the time they afforded to us. But
come on. I'll get lynched if Nuneaton Folk Club don't
inexplicably just pip all the others past the Winning Post.
Festival
of The Year
The
Mac Awe shortlist included Nuneaton's CAMRA Festival, The
Ragged Bear,and Warwick's "Back In The Day "
Festival. Principally because we got invited to them. But
once again, Bedworth Folk Festival scooped the Prize
spot. Purely because Malc Gurnham is a legend and remains the only
organiser (as yet-another 30 years to go?) to book Mac Awe
members solo together or in various combinations (some long,some
knitted), on an annual basis.
Venue
of The Year
Aside
from The Crown, Nuneaton (which obviously, I could
not possibly comment upon), Draper's Bar in Cov. was
a front runner up to late Summer. When it suddenly shat in its own
pants by inexplicably scrapping their Sunday sessions. Just as we'd
really started to enjoy them. Their beer was too expensive,
anyway. The Broomfield Tavern was a new one for
us. We enjoyed playing there but the sleeping dog on stage was a trip
hazard. We returned to The Abbey Theatre during
the Ragged Bear Festival,for a Fringe concert which was so fringe
hardly anyone turned up. We enjoyed it though. The Weaver's Arms
out at Fillongley, ably hosted by the lovely Jan Richardson
was fun,too.
Jan
and Campbell Perry introduced Mr. Kearney and I to the delights
of Warwick's Wild Boar in October. The Hawkesbury
Trawlermen were well treated in their two appearances
at hospitable The Lord Hop. I did not get
to The Larder very often, but it remains delightful
and unique. Sly Old Dogs uniquely tried three venues for their
monthly sessions.
However, the winner by a
barrel of Sine Qua Non is the Twisted Barrel Brewery Tap in
Fargo Village,Coventry. Noisy audiences,brilliant bar staff,
excellent acts, and I rarely have to buy a drink in there. No need at
all to mention The Accident however. I am virtually healed now and
the scars will fade eventually.
The Tony Blackburn Radio Gong Award
C'mon! Radio Two? Who they? Yeah, everyone's doing it now. Even The Wedge, who spun a few platters on CWR this morning at 5.30am. And Tori over at Stratters. But we ALL know who the best Folk Jocks are on air, don't we? The Eliot's Smashey and Nicey, that's who. If you wanna get played let me hear you shout "Yeah!"
The
Singing Postman Hall of Fame
Induction this year Goes
to Comharsa's lead man Mick Stanley. For services to
music. He has created a band whose personnel numbers so many that by
his own admission, when they all rehearse together they have to play
in adjacent rooms They take longer to get onto and off a stage than
anyone else,and have established themselves as The Mariah Carey of
Folk-a sort of Polesworth version of Bellowhead. Mick is one of the
few performers who has actually shed blood for Folk music,and has
even lain down in the middle of a main road to draw attention to
himself. The man even supports Aston Villa-he is just an absolute
hero with the heart of a Lion. And probably one or two others.
Watching Villa get relegated alone (the best way) deserved an award
all on its own-well certification of some sort, certainly. Step up
Mick and take the Golden Sack.
