Warwick Folk Festival
Jul. 25th, 2005 08:22 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
annwfyn*yawns sleepily*
Yes. I know it's 8.20 am. I seem to have problems with mornings and they aren't the problems most people have. Instead I find it impossible to sleep through them. Ever since I got back from Australia I've been waking up at ungodly early o'clock and flaking really badly by midnight.
However, since I am up, I shall write up my weekend because it was good and I am mostly in a happy mood.
I went to a folk festival this weekend. To be specific - Warwick Folk Festival whichwildrogue's family have been involved with for years. The website is here. I'd never been to a folk festival before - didn't even know that much about folk music - and really wasn't sure what to expect. I think I had a vague fear of large men with beards wearing socks and sandals, while morris men capered and women in too much tie dye yodelled over their accoustic guitars. I think I had hopes of something a bit like Glastonbury, but with more ballads and perhaps some nice celtic fiddle music. I'm rather fond of celtic fiddle music.
What I got was probably something in between.
The music
First of all, the music. Again, I wasn't entirely sure what 'folk music' really was. As such it was really nice to have one place with an absolute mass of different examples. Elle and I spent Saturday evening wandering around between concerts listening to a bunch of different artists, which was fantastic fun. It did mean that we did spend a while sitting in a dark theatre listening to a man with a beard and an accoustic guitar singing moodily about the life of a miner down t'pit (aye - it's grim up north), with both of us struggling with a strong urge to be unconscious. On the other hand, it also meant that we discovered a group called Rachel Unthank and Winterset who are a lovely all girl group with gorgeous lilting, slightly husky voices and some great tunes - there are some samples of their songs here. They have a song called 'Raven Girl'. I was happy.
Other bands we heard included Mabon (ceilidh type music - and on that note - I danced at a ceilidh! I don't do that often), Bellowhead (folk music with a bit of a big band feel - probably more fun if you're not beginning to fade at the end of an evening) and No ID (no one should be that talented at the age of fifteen!).
Elle, Scott and I also spent the later part of Saturday afternoon and the early part of Saturday evening in the pub at something that was billed as an 'Irish Music Session'. Apparently, the 'session' bit meant that it was a chance for anyone who wanted to pull out their instruments and join in with the band, and generally just try and make music. It was first of all, very cool. We sat outside in a nice beer garden, drinking and listening to some really good celtic type music. It was also somewhat amazing to me. I used to play the clarinet. I played the clarinet for years. I played music when it was written down in front of me on a sheet of paper. I don't think I ever realised that there were so many people who were capable of just picking up a violin, or flute, or accordian, or guitar and just joining in with a tune, putting together the notes that they think will work and actually being right. It was quite an impressive thing to witness.
The dancing
While there we also got to see some folk dancing - Saturday afternoon was spent lying in the grass, in the sunshine, watching a variety of dance troupes performing on an open stage at the centre of the Craft Market and occasionally making comments in an evil manner.
It must be said, that after having been to the Warwick Folk Festival, I am still unconvinced that Morris Men should really be allowed. I understand it is quite skillful and not quite as very silly as it sometimes looks, but I find it really hard to take a group of grown men with bells around their knees seriously. It's the bells. They jangle. And they often wave handkerchiefs. You all understand, right?
On the other hand, the Appalachian dance troupe - Feet First - were really quite good fun to watch, and they had a really good backing band who had some lovely folksy fiddle and double bass music.
Special mention should also go to the nice youth group who were doing a display of folk dancing. It's been ages since I've seen a group of teenagers get a fit of the giggles that badly on stage. Watching the youthful romance developing at the side of the stage while two of the kids were waiting to go on was also one of the definite viewing hightlights of the afternoon. I'm still not convinced the girl is going to go for it, but that boy was really putting the effort in.
The other bits
In other notes - the shopping was great. I got mead, I got a new frock with a big swirly skirt, and I gotmelsner a Morrigan t shirt. Go me! Of course, now I need to prove that I am capable of posting this t shirt off to him and so far I have failed him repeatedly when it comes to using the international postal service. I also got a book on ley lines, for reasons that all players of jez's Play Yourself Game will understand entirely.
The ceilidh on Friday night was a lot of fun, although I'm not sure that traditional Mummers have been funny since the 17th century, and I actually danced! Keith Donnelly - a comedian we saw on Sunday afternoon - was also a highlight, and made me giggle a lot. He had an inflatable cowboy costume! How many comedians can do that?
We were due to stay until Monday, but it began to rain heavily on Sunday morning, and by lunchtime we were soaked. My phone was out of battery, there were ants in my food and I was getting cold. It seemed like a good idea to go home and make sure the weekend stayed a good memory instead of a mixed one. I think that was the right decision to make and I think it worked.
I drove back through sheet rain, being forced onto the central reservation at one point by a driver who decided to move into the fast lane without checking if someone was already there. It was a mini adventure! I made it safely back to London, and on to Zeitgeist Sabbat, which will be a topic for another entry.
I think I'm glad I went. It was interesting, and it was really nice to spend some time hanging out with Elle and Scott, even if Scott did rapidly discover that fire eating craft stall holders were way better company than us. I just wishpierot could have made it instead of needing to work. Hopefully next year however...
Yes. I know it's 8.20 am. I seem to have problems with mornings and they aren't the problems most people have. Instead I find it impossible to sleep through them. Ever since I got back from Australia I've been waking up at ungodly early o'clock and flaking really badly by midnight.
However, since I am up, I shall write up my weekend because it was good and I am mostly in a happy mood.
I went to a folk festival this weekend. To be specific - Warwick Folk Festival which
wildrogue's family have been involved with for years. The website is here. I'd never been to a folk festival before - didn't even know that much about folk music - and really wasn't sure what to expect. I think I had a vague fear of large men with beards wearing socks and sandals, while morris men capered and women in too much tie dye yodelled over their accoustic guitars. I think I had hopes of something a bit like Glastonbury, but with more ballads and perhaps some nice celtic fiddle music. I'm rather fond of celtic fiddle music.What I got was probably something in between.
The music
First of all, the music. Again, I wasn't entirely sure what 'folk music' really was. As such it was really nice to have one place with an absolute mass of different examples. Elle and I spent Saturday evening wandering around between concerts listening to a bunch of different artists, which was fantastic fun. It did mean that we did spend a while sitting in a dark theatre listening to a man with a beard and an accoustic guitar singing moodily about the life of a miner down t'pit (aye - it's grim up north), with both of us struggling with a strong urge to be unconscious. On the other hand, it also meant that we discovered a group called Rachel Unthank and Winterset who are a lovely all girl group with gorgeous lilting, slightly husky voices and some great tunes - there are some samples of their songs here. They have a song called 'Raven Girl'. I was happy.
Other bands we heard included Mabon (ceilidh type music - and on that note - I danced at a ceilidh! I don't do that often), Bellowhead (folk music with a bit of a big band feel - probably more fun if you're not beginning to fade at the end of an evening) and No ID (no one should be that talented at the age of fifteen!).
Elle, Scott and I also spent the later part of Saturday afternoon and the early part of Saturday evening in the pub at something that was billed as an 'Irish Music Session'. Apparently, the 'session' bit meant that it was a chance for anyone who wanted to pull out their instruments and join in with the band, and generally just try and make music. It was first of all, very cool. We sat outside in a nice beer garden, drinking and listening to some really good celtic type music. It was also somewhat amazing to me. I used to play the clarinet. I played the clarinet for years. I played music when it was written down in front of me on a sheet of paper. I don't think I ever realised that there were so many people who were capable of just picking up a violin, or flute, or accordian, or guitar and just joining in with a tune, putting together the notes that they think will work and actually being right. It was quite an impressive thing to witness.
The dancing
While there we also got to see some folk dancing - Saturday afternoon was spent lying in the grass, in the sunshine, watching a variety of dance troupes performing on an open stage at the centre of the Craft Market and occasionally making comments in an evil manner.
It must be said, that after having been to the Warwick Folk Festival, I am still unconvinced that Morris Men should really be allowed. I understand it is quite skillful and not quite as very silly as it sometimes looks, but I find it really hard to take a group of grown men with bells around their knees seriously. It's the bells. They jangle. And they often wave handkerchiefs. You all understand, right?
On the other hand, the Appalachian dance troupe - Feet First - were really quite good fun to watch, and they had a really good backing band who had some lovely folksy fiddle and double bass music.
Special mention should also go to the nice youth group who were doing a display of folk dancing. It's been ages since I've seen a group of teenagers get a fit of the giggles that badly on stage. Watching the youthful romance developing at the side of the stage while two of the kids were waiting to go on was also one of the definite viewing hightlights of the afternoon. I'm still not convinced the girl is going to go for it, but that boy was really putting the effort in.
The other bits
In other notes - the shopping was great. I got mead, I got a new frock with a big swirly skirt, and I got
melsner a Morrigan t shirt. Go me! Of course, now I need to prove that I am capable of posting this t shirt off to him and so far I have failed him repeatedly when it comes to using the international postal service. I also got a book on ley lines, for reasons that all players of jez's Play Yourself Game will understand entirely. The ceilidh on Friday night was a lot of fun, although I'm not sure that traditional Mummers have been funny since the 17th century, and I actually danced! Keith Donnelly - a comedian we saw on Sunday afternoon - was also a highlight, and made me giggle a lot. He had an inflatable cowboy costume! How many comedians can do that?
We were due to stay until Monday, but it began to rain heavily on Sunday morning, and by lunchtime we were soaked. My phone was out of battery, there were ants in my food and I was getting cold. It seemed like a good idea to go home and make sure the weekend stayed a good memory instead of a mixed one. I think that was the right decision to make and I think it worked.
I drove back through sheet rain, being forced onto the central reservation at one point by a driver who decided to move into the fast lane without checking if someone was already there. It was a mini adventure! I made it safely back to London, and on to Zeitgeist Sabbat, which will be a topic for another entry.
I think I'm glad I went. It was interesting, and it was really nice to spend some time hanging out with Elle and Scott, even if Scott did rapidly discover that fire eating craft stall holders were way better company than us. I just wish
pierot could have made it instead of needing to work. Hopefully next year however...