Towersey 2001

Subject: RE: Towersey 2001
From: Noreen
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 10:07 AM

Ah, Alan, you mean you've not read the FAQ? :0) Basic Mudcat HTML will show you how, then you can practice here

(What do you bet I'll have messed these links up now I'm trying to be a knowall...)

Subject: RE: Towersey 2001
From: alanww
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 09:49 AM

Noreen: "... so many men in dresses ..."
You obviously weren't at the wimmins' night at the Middle Bar of the Anchor at Sidmouth [more's the pity! X]
Try this link for the truth about it:-
http://www.exmouth.demon.co.uk/Play/WimminsNight.htm
"Kind friends and companions come join me in rhyme ...!"
Alan
PS How do you get set up one of those nice direct live blue linky things?

Subject: RE: Towersey 2001
From: Noreen
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 09:26 AM

Welcome, Cllr... tell us who you are?

Something I forgot to comment on earlier: I have never, in my whole long life so far, seen so many men in dresses as I did this weekend at Towersey.

And very fetching they looked too!

Noreen

Subject: RE: Towersey 2001
From: JudeL
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 06:44 AM

Fame at last .... this year it was even referred to as Mudcat Corner!
Jude

Subject: RE: Towersey 2001
From: Cllr
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 05:09 AM

Towersey was wonderful, and the mudcatters corner in the barn has finally persuaded me to sign up!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2001
From: Noreen
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 04:51 AM

I had heard so much about Towersey and in particular, the singing in the barn, that I thought it couldn't all be true... but it was, and more!

Very friendly festival in general, and particularly the 'barn singers'. Thank you all for making me so welcome.

So many high points, but three in particular from the barn to mention here: Being present at Ickle Dorritt's Towersey premiere of Sparehand, and witnessing the effect her song had on all present; the personal satisfaction of working out harmonies with Ickle for The Bergen and singing it together; and hearing Andy Barnes sing The Last Leviathan, and share his powerful song with all.

And I wouldn't have ben there if it wasn't for the Mudcat Café! Roll on next year.

Noreen

Like yonder river would I glide
To where my heart would be...

Subject: RE: Towersey 2001
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 28 Aug 01 - 01:12 PM

Just arrived home from Towersey; what a wonderful weekend! Besides meeting fellow Catters I also ran into some old friends I hadn't seen for years. It was a treat to meet Catters in the flesh, and the singing in the barn was thoroughly enjoyable to share.
Daisy's Cragg Vale Gamelan was a real delight, and it was nice to catch some of the other performances in the main festival. Mark Bazeley and Jason Rice did an excellent job of carrying their familys' musical legacies forward. Chris Coe was in superb form. I can't decide what to make of Kathryn Tickell's Ensemble Mystical, but John Kenny's entrance into the Concert Tent playing the one and only Carynx was a truly memorable experience.
Can't make Wareham, and don't know about Fylde, but I will be at Linlithgow as my sister lives there (so I'll be able to sleep in a proper bed - and not have to cross a big field for toilets!)

Subject: RE: Towersey 2001
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 28 Aug 01 - 10:50 AM

Or should that be 'My poor head in hand bear I....'

I remember hearing you sing, AliUK - as the tame Christian, I was stunned at the song - never heard it before, and the bells got to me too......

It has been a splendid weekend. My car stinks, my tent stinks, I stink, Micca stinks, EVERYTHING stinks.... it got very hot yesterday!

The only thing that would have made it better would be if Sean Connery were sharing my tent!

It has spawned not only a new song, but a tune as well, which I daresay, if I publish here, 26 people will tell me it's an old tune that has been around for years and it's really called something like 'Napoleon's Farewell to his kidneys' or something.

It needs polishing, and another verse, but I'll do it when I get chance.

And yes, I frightened Les Barker again.

Fantastic to meet lots of you in person, Pebbles the dog was perhaps the quietest, image of her with her head in a 'Babycham' ice bucket of water..... Alan - interesting dress sense..... Geordie - a true gentleman, plays the small pipes but didn't! Ickle - you and I will have to get very drunk together one night!!!! Matthew - lovely song, and well sung. Herga Kitty - welcome to the madhouse and please send me the words of Dennis Wheatley.

And for those of you interested in such things, I had a fantastic ride on a Yamaha XJR 1300... wheee!!!!

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2001
From: alanww
Date: 28 Aug 01 - 06:30 AM

I agree with all Kitty's comments! The Towersey Three Horseshoes Barn was great - I too nearly didn't get to the festival! The only exception was a Coope, Boyes and Simpson concert - in which they sung Pleasant and Delightful! I thought it had got a bit like The Wild Rover but they sang it well and of course it does have a smashing chorus - perhaps it will find its way back into my repertoire!

Essentially it was Rod Shearman's weekend - Micca even made sure that there was an empty glass for him on the table in the barn all the weekend. Very emotional!

See some of you on Friday at the Wail!

"The boar's head in hand bear, I ... !" Alan

Subject: RE: Towersey 2001
From: Madhatter
Date: 28 Aug 01 - 05:30 AM

Towersey was great but the Wareham Wail will be better, (no concerts etc to distract you from drinking and singing)

Madhatter

Subject: RE: Towersey 2001
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 05:11 PM

Wareham is one of the festivals that's managed to escape being included in the Folk Roots list. Which probably isn't a bad thing. (Buntingford in November is another such.)

The trouble around this time of year is all these festivals you want to get to coming on top of each other.

I nearly went to Towersey this year - I've never been yet - but it'd have been too much hassle going on to Fylde, and I missed that last year. I think. They start to blur a bit...

Subject: RE: Towersey 2001
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 04:09 PM

I think you'll find several catters who've already been, including me - see you there. It's not all singing though - there's a mediaeval banquet and quite a lot of (optional)drinking involved as well.

Subject: RE: Towersey 2001
From: GUEST,AliUk
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 04:09 PM

I remember Towersey fondly, though it's been 9 years since I went ( due to moving out here to Brazil) I hoped that I would be able to get there this year but I had to return to Brazil in June and that was my one major regret. I spent many a drunken day singing in the village hall, and a few un-drunken ones when I was asked to do some spots. The best time I ever sang Burning Times was one Sunday lunchtime amd the church bells started to ring as I was getting to the bit where I sing "... they were bonded in their worship for a dead man on a cross." Still sends shivers down my spine.

Subject: RE: Towersey 2001
From: lady penelope
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 03:52 PM

I'm going down to something called the Wareham Wail on Friday, an ALL singing event. I've never been before but someone from my choir recommended it , so I thought , why not?

I'll let you know how it goes.

TTFN M'Lady P.

Subject: Towersey 2001
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 12:31 PM

Having used the day after my arrival back from Whitby to join Mudcat and do the washing, I managed to get to Towersey on Sunday - the day the catters held a singaround after the big singaround in the 3 Horseshoes barn. We had some wonderful singing from King Brilliant, Daisy, Geordie broon, Morticia, Gervase, Micca, Noreen, JudeL, Liz the Squeak, Ickle Dorrit, Alanww and Matthew Edwards. There were some very squeaky moments when I sang Dennis Wheatley. It was great to meet catters I didn't know before, as well as to realise that there are many catters I've known for years and years from Towersey, Sidmouth and even my local folk clubs. The atmosphere in the barn was very emotional - we were walking on Rod Shearman's ashes, Rod's family were there, and the collection was going towards the project to publish Rod's songs, hopefully in time for the memorial day on 11 November. Don't ask me about the Steve Heap festival because I didn't manage to get to that bit. One of these days I will get away from the fringe and go to official events, honest, but the fringes seem to be getting better and better....