Beverley Folk Festival

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: Hand-Pulled Boy
Date: 24 Jun 08 - 12:29 PM

As th opening concert is not folk music then I would suggest Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, ZZ Top, Muse, Yes, Nic Cave and the Bad Seeds, Bjork, Foo Fighters.....................................etc.....

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: Kampervan
Date: 24 Jun 08 - 04:15 PM

Deanmeister

I cannot beleive that you let any sort of weed pass by, tumbling or not!

K/van

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: Kampervan
Date: 24 Jun 08 - 04:17 PM

Sorry, senility setting in. Please amend spelling in posting above to

DeanMeister

&

believe

Apologies

K/van

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: The DeanMeister
Date: 25 Jun 08 - 04:19 AM

Hey, I'm a reformed character, KV... ;o)

The Eagles? Aerosmith, anyone?

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: danensis
Date: 25 Jun 08 - 08:26 AM

Unfortunately, I remember Burnley Folk Festival going the same way. It was a great festival until they decided to "diversify".

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: GUEST,Joe
Date: 25 Jun 08 - 09:05 AM

A few points, in my opinion, if the folk festival moved into pop / rock:

1) The fringe would disappear - it seems like the fringe and the festival have a symbiotic relationship. Without the fringe, there is less to offer to punters, therefore less punters. (I use 'punters' because money is probably the main factor)

2) For the size / potential revenue / cost etc, only small-time rock / pop acts would be available in comparison to Folk, where for the same money, big name folk acts can be brought in. Who wants to see small time bands when you can see bigger/better bands at Leeds etc?

3) Other smaller rock / pop festivals have been extremely unsuccessful

4) The folk festival has been a folk festival for 25 years, surely small adaptations can make this continue, big changes would just kill the whole thing off! YOu would lose the regulars etc.

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: oombanjo
Date: 25 Jun 08 - 11:51 AM

Hi Joe, take my word for what its worth, you are wrong on number one. the fringe in Beverley goes on 52 weeks a year on 5 or 6 nights a week we have live fringe music in various venues

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: theleveller
Date: 25 Jun 08 - 11:57 AM

Big attraction for me last year was New Model Army; I know some folkies didn't like it but the room was packed. I didn't go this year and one reason was that the line-up wasn't as attractive to me as before.

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: r.padgett
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 04:18 AM

Folk song and its future lies in the very strength of the folk clubs as reflected in the regular sessions of music and song at beverley throughout the year

Whilst larger festivals give money to the professional artists, who seem to be becoming younger! they add the icing on the cake as well as attracting larger more "uninformed" audiences, the folk clubs are folk singers bread and butter for all their ills

I for one do not like Green field sites as they cost "dead money" in tents and a whole host of extras such as toilets and lots more stewarding

They are at the mercy of the weather

Folk festivals should NOT be rock festivals with people standing waving their arms ~ well ok they might get that way, but they should not as the songs are totally different, not meaning less drivel!!

Ray

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: GUEST,Betsy at work
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 05:06 AM

Hiya Padge,
You're talking complete Yorkshire sense as usual. I say that, because I don't like Green field site Festivals either.
I would like to think a village, town or city benefits in kind by the use of its amenities by interlopers and that the interlopers see a side of the town, which one normally wouldn't. In this case, although you go for the Beverley Festival, surely you must also visit the Minster and its other churches, or eating houses, or purchasing food from the shops. It puts money into a local economy, not to mention the benefit to publicans who seem to be going through a well-documented hard time these days.
Apparently these boozers in Beverley have developed into a hot bed of music sessions, mostly as a by-product of the festival(s), so, the label "folk music" may not necessarily be as bad as it first sounded to Landlords, especially as it appears as it might be another useful source of income for them.
Sounds like everyone is a winner – I know GedPipes loves it there.
Cheers Betsy

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: theleveller
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 05:59 AM

I agree with a lot of what you say, Ray, but I do think there are rock bands who could broaden the horizons of folk festivals. I cited New Model Army earlier. They are a rockband and fans do wave their arms about, but Justin Sullivan's lyrics are certainly not meaningless drivel. In fact, I'd go so far as to say they are far more thoughtful, powerful, poetical and relevant than a lot of folk songs.

Can't we like a wide spectrum of music and have this reflected in the festivals we go to? For instance, I'm going to the new Pickering Festival because I like the line-up and the fact that it is all on one site - ideal if you have young children, rather than Sandsend, which is spread out and which I have the (probably wrong) perception of being more for the 'finger in the ear' old brigade.

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: theleveller
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 06:22 AM

Sandsend? Whoops, meant Saltburn (both lovely places).

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: nutty
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 06:51 AM

Leveller...................

Had Saltburn Festival((and Redcar before it) catered only for the "Finger in the Ear Brigade" it would not have been running for at least 25 years.
Remember all 'old' folkies once had small children yet we still managed to support folk music within the community.

I wonder if you young folks will be so loyal.

Probably not ,,, hence the debate as to whether Beverley Folk Festival will remain in Beverley or move to somewhere where the organisers can make more money

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: theleveller
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 07:48 AM

"I wonder if you young folks will be so loyal."

Nutty, why do you get the impression that I'm a youngster. I've been 'supporting' folk music for almost 45 years and, at 59, can hardly be described as 'young'. But, yes, I do have an 8-year old daughter who I have to consider when deciding which festivals to go to and Beverley has always been a favourite (although we had previous commitments this year), especially as I was born in Beverley and live about 45 minutes drive away . I did say it was just my impression of Saltburn - so that's probably the fault of the festival for not promoting a more positive image, not mine for having that impression.

Ryedale Folk Weekend had a fantastic selection of artistes, plus a brilliant atmosphere - pity more people didn't support it.

Did you?

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: GUEST,betsy at work
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 08:35 AM

Hi Leveller,
I'm repeating myself from a distant thread....but ....Nutty ran a Workshop at Saltburn. Finger in the ear stuff ?? Not quite.
It was " Accessing folk music via the internet" with more half a dozen pc's set-up for individual "tuition". She was as busy as hell and I know for certain that introductions to Mudcat were high on her list.
I think it might be a case of some people like the big occasion / stage thing , whereas some of us are a bit more paroachial / want to join in / put some time aside to talk to old friends.Last year at Saltburn, Wendy Arrowsmith got a chance to shine , and shine she did, but I feel she would have had less of a chance at the bigger events , but Vive la difference.

Cheers Betsy

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: theleveller
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 08:54 AM

Thanks for that Betsy - I like both the big stage events and also the more 'parochial' stuff such as Ryedale - and the folk clubs where I've played over the years. I'll say it once again - right or wrong, that's my impression of Saltburn. It's up to the organisers to change that impression if it's wrong.

Yes, I know Wendy shone at Saltburn; we enjoyed her performance at Ryedale and at KFFC last weekend where we (Whipstaff) were delighted to have her join us in one of our songs - helping us fight against the wind and rain that tried to drown us out. We're also looking forward to seeing her at Pickering FF in August.

Beverley is one of the festivals I think has got the right mix (and I've told Chris Wade so, in the past) - the big stage, the mix of styles, the smaller stage events, the fringe and lots and lots of old mates to chew the fat with. Personally, I'd like to keep Beverley just as it is. Maybe I'll make it to Saltburn one year to see for myself - with so many festivals around now, there really is something for everyone. Let's just hope they can all keep going.

One last point: let's be careful about being too 'protectionist' about the festivals we love - change isn't always a bad thing and it may be needed to keep festivals alive. And some organisers need to put a lot more thought into the way they publicise their festivals (but, hey, as someone who's in the business, I would say that!).

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: GUEST,Joe
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 09:06 AM

"One last point: let's be careful about being too 'protectionist' about the festivals we love - change isn't always a bad thing and it may be needed to keep festivals alive. And some organisers need to put a lot more thought into the way they publicise their festivals (but, hey, as someone who's in the business, I would say that!). "

But there is change and there is change. If the festival is fine as it is, let it evolve, but from what I hear, one of the Directors wishes the festival to move somewhere else, and to become pop/rock orientated (losing the 'folk'tag altogether).

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: theleveller
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 09:32 AM

Just making a general point, Joe. As I've already said, I want Beverley to stay the way it is. I think the local council and ERCC should be more even more supportive than they are. I don't mind some of my council tax going on the festival - they waste pelnty on other things.

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: theleveller
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 10:10 AM

Obviously, cost plays a big part in the success or failure of festivals. I've already put here some of the comments I received from Chris Wade after last year's (2007) festival. Here are some more:

"Over the 25 years of running the festival there has been the need to make many changes due to various pressures imposed on us - loss of venues; increasing costs - Artists fees; venue hire costs, increasing pressure imposed by the ever expanding H & S issues, Insurance; License fees; plus the costs of extra marketing due to greater competition from other events etc. When the festival was first staged, we were the only festival on our weekend - now there are 2 other major festivals - both with similar artistic programmes. No doubt numerous smaller festivals exist that I do not know about. Also - this year we had increasing competition from another festival that took place on Beverley Racecourse on the Saturday of our festival. This, whilst possibly catering for a different audience, competed with us for media coverage. So you can see that life never gets easier - and this year has probably been the hardest yet in terms of the organizing of the event. It has been totally exhausting for all concerned. Up until 2 weeks ago, ticket sales were low and a great deal of extra effort took place to build up to the figures we eventually reached. We only have one paid administrator (this year - Cally Barker) and the rest we rely on voluntary help - so there is a massive amount of work and co-ordination that goes on.

The ultimate aim is to produce a festival that is successful in terms of an event for our audiences, but also to break even financially (as we cannot afford to subsidise it ourselves), and if possible to ideally earn sufficient money to put back a little as a reserve for future festivals."


Out of interest, I've just done a quick comparison of what various local festivals would cost us (2 adults, 1 child, plus camping):

Pickering (top name acts plus a wide variety of other excellent performers on greenfield site) - £150.

Beverley (top name folk acts, excellent range of performers but no big names outside the folk world) - £180.

Saltburn (good range of 'folkies' but not top names) - £132


Well, yer pays yer money and yer takes yer choice of what you think is good value.

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: Graham and Jo
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 04:25 AM

Oombanjo – Joe knows about the year round fringe. He has been along to much of it. I think I know what he means. During the festival, if you leave the leisure centre site and walk into town its like there is a big party going on, and a big celebration of everything 'folk'. It gets us all together at the same time. We get to share tunes etc with more people. Local non folkies understand a bit more of what folk is about. It makes traditional stuff more exciting to the younger local folkies and keeps them interested.

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: Jane of 'ull
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 04:24 PM

Well I hope Beverley doesnt change. I went this year for the first time in ages and really enjoyed it. I hope it doesnt go too far in inviting other musical styles in, I think the opening concerts this year and last year didnt go with the festival.. I'm not sure about world music either at the festival..ok maybe the levellers and some folk rock but I think that should be the limit.

dont get me wrong I'm into lots of different music not just folk, but i think trying to please evreyone can result in a 'one size fits nobody' situation. I'm not a fusty old purist either, I'm 37 and been into folk music for nearly 20 years. I just dont like this dilution that seems to be happening more and more nowadays, for various reasons.

I'd like to have come to the 'future of beverley festival' meeting recently but couldnt make it, would be interested though if anyone can keep me informed of any future meetings like this?

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: Graham and Jo
Date: 28 Jun 08 - 04:31 AM

You can register on the Beverley Folk festival forum and that will probably get you on the contact list.

We think that dilution of the 'folk' focus is a danger too. It's not that we have a thing against school bands and wanabee pop groups doing some thing of their own in the background (as long as it doesn't interfere with the folk festival). It was the statements by one of the festival directors about folk music and folk festivals that we didn't like. He had no interest in folk at all.

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: Graham and Jo
Date: 28 Jun 08 - 04:34 AM

A link to the forum is in (Wildboy's) second post on this thread.

Subject: RE: Beverley Folk Festival
From: GUEST,Joe
Date: 08 Jul 08 - 09:11 AM

I read that the festival will go ahead next year in the same format. Hurrah! I just hope the weather wont be there next year in the same format... (booo!)