I think my views on Local Festivals which like to promote "local" acts (but actually operate musical apartheid instead,with participation restricted to mates only)are well documented elsewhere.Excluded for many years from two notorious "local" Jollies,I have actually had a whole lot of fun over the last few weekends by playing elsewhere. Performing at friendlier and more welcoming venues where having a good time seems to be valued above ego. With not a Diva in sight or earshot. Size isn't everything:there is excellent stuff going on all over the county thanks to the dedication and enthusiasm of people like Doug Armstrong,Matt Mansfield Dutch Van Spall and many others. Power to the People!
SATURDAY 6TH JUNE: STRATFORD RIVER FESTIVAL
Although the two major Summer events I refer to above attract massive audiences, actually this one wasn't that small! It is always a pleasure for us to travel South in the County. We've always had a good reception at Long Itchington and Stockton Folk Clubs. Last Summer we greatly enjoyed closing Folk On The Water at Napton and earlier this year we had fun on our return to The Lord Leycester in Warwick.
But The Old Town was looking particularly magnificent for the two days of music, merriment and mirth and particularly on this Saturday as we arrived,feeling privileged and honoured to get an invitation at all. (Bless you Marion Fleetwood!) It took some time to get onto the Recreation field (because of the queues/crowds) and even longer to get off again (even more crowds).
Though the weather was warm,it was humid, and it began to rain as Coventry Singer Songwriters set up. This change in the weather worked for all performers as more people crowded into the marquee to shelter from the drizzle. Dave Taylor was performing his epic " White Boots" as I arrived,as he and Julia were on before John Neal.
John had persuaded George Van Wristell to join him,so this gave me a chance to finally see this fine musician performing. George is a loyal supporter of Nuneaton Folk Club but I cannot for the life of me persuaded him to get up on stage there. Which is a pity. He is a fine musician, particularly on the mandolin where he is much in demand as a Sessions man. John performed some of his own songs,dragged our own Paul Moore in and got the crowd singing before we took the stage.
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| John Neal |
Tyburn, unfortunately,were indisposed,which meant a minor reshuffle for the organiser and a slight readjustment to our set list. We were actually up there playing for about an hour in our six-piece format. Technically it was Drunk Monkey who took to the Acoustic Stage at 1pm as all six of us were involved. I'd had a slightly fraught journey there via public transport,but fortified by some Purity American IPA from the pop-up pub nearby,it all seemed to go swimmingly well.
None of the photos taken that day show Dragonhead's bass player John Harris in his full glory, but he was there,giving new meaning to the phrase "back line." Indeed if you scrutinise this view closely you can see his foot just to the right of Flossy's left boot. The rain intensified,the crowd drew nearer,and all hail to the group of small children who danced energetically in front of the stage throughout our set. We managed to get the audience singing well before "Knocking On Heavens Door" and our Finale involving some Irish Reggae enthusiastically sung. Special thanks to Doug Armstrong for compering the afternoon and to John Bird for mixing our sound so sympathetically.
Whilst the rest of the band went off to forage,I stayed on to watch Flesh and the mirror,who were really rather good. They did a selection of their own songs and some covers,and played them all with a youthful intensity which was really endearing. With a charismatic female singer and supplemented by strong musicianship,it could have been us,ninety years ago.
As they ended their set I realised that I'd been standing up for over three hours and my feet were going numb. I had totally lost contact with the others and I was beginning to regret having not eaten earlier. Being a T2D I was beginning to feel a bit wobbly. So I went off to search for a food boost. Big mistake, All the stalls were by now four deep and I needed input fast. I queued to get off the Rec and over the Tramway Bridge,by which time Greggs was my salvation. (Other food outlets are available-but they had no queues so a couple of ham salad rolls rallied the Blood Sugar Levels.
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| Flesh and the mirror |
I was so disoriented by this time that I rang home and said I might stay on to catch Merry Hell in the bandstand at 6pm. (Good job I didn't-they were on Sunday night!) It had now been four hours since I'd managed a sit down at all due to Stratford being utterly RAMMED so the X18 was an attractive prospect. I took the bus home and three hours later I had travelled the few miles back to North Warwickshire courtesy of public transport. Rock and Roll.
