Sidmouth - was it good for you?

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 23 Aug 07 - 07:40 PM

Not quite such a good one quality-wise, as done on my wee pocket-size 4mp camera, but still fun!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyINHzR146U

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: John J
Date: 23 Aug 07 - 07:18 PM

Excellent video clip! Well done to whoever filmed it.

John

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 23 Aug 07 - 02:46 PM

I enjoyed it very much, met some nice folks, glad I didn't meet some of the people who have bitched on here though.
Sal [nice to meet you at last] was right, the smell was because the tents and ground sheets were put up on wet grass, and basically the smell was silage in the making. never could understand why cows ate the smelly stuff!
The bus service is good, and CHEAP, stop moaning about the cost!
I have booked my camp site for next year, [King's Down Tail] where the owners are friendly, the showers work, and the noise is minimal.
Giok

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 23 Aug 07 - 01:52 PM

I have given Jack to Severn for onward transportation to Wareham, gawd 'elp him, he has a bottle of Jim Beam Black Label, and Jack knows we didn't finish it all. He drank my Jim Beam too.
G.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: JennyO
Date: 23 Aug 07 - 09:44 AM

Well I just watched that, and I have to say -

YOU GUYS ARE ALL MAD!!!

What fun! Makes me want to go. Unfortunately that might be a little difficult seeing as I am in Oz. I did go once, in 2001, with the Solidarity Choir, but somehow I missed that event.

Well, you never know, if I save some pennies...

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: bfdk
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 05:40 PM

Kev, here's one for your scrapbook, in case you haven't seen it yet. Looks like great fun, pity I had to leave before then..

Best wishes,

Bente

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Kev The Clogs
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 05:35 PM

Hey John,

the post above from Guest - don't even give him time!!! We had a great time and we will continue to do so. See you in Faversham, Knockholt and Deal.

Kev

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: The Barden of England
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 04:55 PM

Where were you the GUEST, Crazy Man Michael? If not there, then where?
John Barden

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: GUEST,Crazy Man Michael
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 02:03 PM

"Well done Ralphie, more positive comments!!
Kev"

this lad really tries hard doesn't he..? but opinion won't change.*LOL*

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Kev The Clogs
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 09:57 AM

Me again.

Yes Bente, I am the one in the grey top hat, green and yellow tatters and drum. Hoffmeister (Richard B) you are going to get me a bad reputation - I behaved myself for the whole week in Sidmouth!!!

Rumncoke, are you the snare drummer or BIG bodrahn player for Herbascious? By the tee shirt that I was wearing in the photo that Bente posted, I think it was Wednesday evening (just confirmed, as I have a copy of the photo, and it has the time that it was taken and printed on the back!.

Well done Ralphie, more positive comments!!

Kev

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 03:37 AM

Have to agree with Kev the Clog.
Sidmouth evolves and changes as the years go by.
It's a very different festival from the one I first went to in the seventies, but, the town is the same, the sea is still the same, and I had a lovely time.
Congratulations to all the people running it.
I know how much work it takes to organise an event like that.
More power to them, and hopefully I will be back next year.
Ralph

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Rumncoke
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 05:44 PM

Ah - the Hosepipe Banned - with the front bit of the Napoli being towed away in the background.

That would have been Wednesday - I think - or Thursday maybe - the days get a bit blurred after the weekend.

I was always trying to be in two places at the same time, what with drumming with Herbaceous and singing/playing in different places around the town.

I don't know how many times I have been to Sidmouth - I do try to get there for the full week now, but in the past usually managed to visit for a day or two. I bought a tee shirt at the 25th I recall.

I don't buy a ticket, as I am not really interested in the concerts. I think I was almost entirely 'fringe' this year now they have displaced the singing from the Theatre bar. I always have a great time and need a week to recover, and I even lose weight as I don't have enough time to eat.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 05:08 PM

See the git with the grey top hat and the big (errm) drum? He's the reason they call them f**k festivals.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: bfdk
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 03:43 PM

Were you part of this lot then, Kev?

Best wishes,

Bente

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Kev The Clogs
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 03:09 PM

Now now people - all of this bitching is loosing the point of the thread!!! Sidmouth = was it good for you?

I had a fantastic time!! It's my sixth Sidmouth, so I'm new to it compared to a lot of you. All festivals have their good points and their bad points - so what!!! As long as a good time (in the main) was had, then surely, it must have been good!!!

I was Stewarding for the first time this year - and I loved every minute of it!! I was in the Pavillion/Arts Centre - great team - look forward to doing it in the future.

Went to some great concerts - Show of Hands, Spookey Men, Eliza an The Rat Catchers, Altan to name but a few - superb!!

Good variety of beer in the various pubs. Good selection of food for "on the move". My B&B was good, situated between town and campsite - so car was left in Rugby club during the day acting as a wardrobe, taken to digs at teatime, then bus to Bulverton in the evening.

Spent a fair amount of time drumming for Herbascious Border. Did a few sessions - what more could you ask for!!!

THEN - left Sidmouth at 11.45pm on the Friday and drove to Broadstairs for a workshop on the Saturday morning for another week of it!!

For me, Sidmouth is one of the jewels of the season. I'll be back year after year!   Hope this gets the thread back onto a positive note??!!!!

Hope to bump into some of you in Faversham and, certainly, Knockholt!!

Happy Folking pepes :-)

Kev

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: GUEST,Crazy Man Michael
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 12:01 PM

name calling the best you can do is it? *LOL*
and I do firmly believe it....

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: GUEST,Gadaffi
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 04:03 AM

Ten days later, I get round to reading the Sidmouth Herald! The story of the week was missing.

Anyone know what happened to the looney Pole who (allegedly) drew a knife on Steve Lea at The Volunteer, and precipitated a mass police raid with Devon's finest resplendent in body armour and weaponry on Monday night? Last I heard he was banged up in Exeter nick, but you know how these stories escalate from fact into fable!

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 20 Aug 07 - 08:01 PM

Keep saying it Guest. One day you may even believe it yourself.

Prat.
Don T.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: GUEST,Crazy Man Michael
Date: 20 Aug 07 - 05:41 PM

"hasn't the faintest notion of what Sidmouth is"


a festival that's way passed it's sell by date.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: GUEST, Topsie
Date: 20 Aug 07 - 01:57 PM

Sidmouth enthusiasts may be interested in this

ebay site that includes a Victorian watercolour of Sidmouth


it is the view looking west from Jacob's Ladder, towards Budleigh Salterton, as it was nearly 120 years ago - interesting to look at even if you are not planning to buy the picture.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: GUEST,bobcat
Date: 20 Aug 07 - 09:14 AM

The festival was good good good for me!! I had a great time.
Great workshops with Matt Norman for the mandolin..I managed better than last year! Great workshop with Nick and Mary Barber..loved being in the Ceildh band. Went to some excellent concerts. Saw my long term favourite, Martyn Wynnham-Read..Whalley and Fletcher, Mary Humphries and Anahata..Eliza and the ratcatchers...and an amazing 11year old fiddler, Kieran at the family concert and th fddle-fest who played with real feeling. One of the highlights for me was Cockersdale's presentation of Picking Sooty Blackberries.
Could do with more venues to reduce the feeling of being a sardine in a tin!! The Balfour should be back in the programme....huge space up there, not too far from the campe site and on a bus route( 20mins walk)There were a couple of fringe events there but few trekked up to see/take part..and good food there, not to mention near my lovely B&B!!

Suggestions for next year..how about getting Eric Bogle? Damian Barber and his latest Roadshow, which was tops at Dartmoor this year

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 20 Aug 07 - 03:17 AM

Almost nothing about the music or the fringe - the two bits that would interest me if I were to go.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Steve in Sidmouth
Date: 19 Aug 07 - 06:53 PM

Some collated comments together with copies of early local newspaper reports are here:

Sidmouth folk week 2007


I will be updating in the next few days, in the meantime any (sensible and considered) comments welcome via the email address on the webpage.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: fiddler
Date: 19 Aug 07 - 01:32 PM

Further to my last post: -

There is a pdf feedback form on the Sidmouth website at http://www.sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk/pdfs/2007-questionnaire.pdf

This is the same as the one which went out in hardcopy at the Festival and was included in the final Newsletter.

Some people are pasting it into word and emailing to [e-mail] which is fine.

Others are printing it out, filling it in and sending it to the address at the bottom of the feedback form – also fine.

Andy

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: GUEST, Topsie
Date: 18 Aug 07 - 05:20 PM

I once made it on foot from the Ham to standing in the bar at the Bowd (LNE) with a drink in my hand, in 35 minutes - a friend happened to be buying a round as I walked in, which was great (and I was a lot younger then).

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Dazbo
Date: 18 Aug 07 - 01:12 PM

I've added some clips from Sidmouth to youtube now. If you search on sidmouth folkweek 2007 you should find them. Clips include The Askew Sisters and Glorystokes.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: fiddler
Date: 18 Aug 07 - 12:48 PM

Peter, and everyone else

You seem to be right!

Or if it is there it is well hidden.

I have emailed those who need to know and suggested it be rectified.

In the meantime and feedback sent to me by pm will be passed on to the appropriate people.

That is a cast iron guarantee.

This festival means a lot to a lot of people and we need to get it right.

Andy

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: mattkeen
Date: 18 Aug 07 - 09:59 AM

I know what you mean about the Ham queue,

But later on the week got more relaxed about it and starting turning up 20 mins before the concert start and got in fine though obviously had less choice of where to sit.


I though van Eyken, Yves Lambert, Devils Interval and the Spookies were all great.

Whalley & Fletcher were brill too at the Manor as was Lester Simpson

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 18 Aug 07 - 09:33 AM

I've been to the festival website so I can leave some feedback and I can't find any where to leave feedback!
How do you mail the organsisers?

Peter

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Declan
Date: 18 Aug 07 - 08:56 AM

I had a great time. Four Great Concerts - Altan, Spooky Men, Yves Lambert and Bodega/ Emily Smith, and a few other fairly good ones. I felt I got good value for my Platinum Season ticket, although its a shame to have to queue for an hour for the Ham when there's so much else happening around the town.

Plenty of sessions too from early until early. Three cheers for Colin Pyne and his great staff in the Bedford.

And I have a bit of a sun tan too, which is more than I would have got if I'd stayed here in rainy Dublin.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: MBSLynne
Date: 18 Aug 07 - 05:54 AM

Yes, I think balance is the key. I enjoy the street stalls and buskers and all the other stuff, especially lacking the colour and atmosphere of the Arena showground now.

I used to walk BACK from the bowd marquee in the pitch dark (and it was VERY dark down that little lane!)... and without shoes!

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Bob TB
Date: 18 Aug 07 - 05:38 AM

Like Lynne I always used to walk from the campsite (although I had shoes!). Even used to walk back out to the Bowd marquee at 11pm.

I have no objection in principle to traders but this year there were so many that they pushed many of the dance teams and folky buskers off the prom. There was simply no room. If word gets around I can see even more turning up next year. The sea front performances are an important feature of the festival and a showcase for folk music and dance. It is, as has been said, a matter of balance and that means some degree of control.

Bob TB

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: MBSLynne
Date: 18 Aug 07 - 05:22 AM

Certainly not for a long time. What moaners have to remember is that nothing is "Free". If the bus tickets were included in the season ticket price, presumably the season ticket price would need to go up accordingly and then you would have to pay it whether you wanted to use the bus or not. This way you do get a choice. I've always quite liked the walk down from the campsite, though these days I'd often rather get the bus back up!


Love Lynne

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: GUEST, Topsie
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 05:57 PM

I do remember one year when the bus rides were included in the season ticket.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: MBSLynne
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 01:11 PM

Not sure why anyone would assume it's free. It never has been. You didn't have to pay £20 either, you could pay £1 per trip giving you the option of getting lifts with people driving down, or walking. It's only a mile for goodness sake!

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 11:48 AM

Blimey!
Enough moaning from me.
I thought Eliza and the Ratcatchers was the highlight but Brass Monkey came close!
ALso the session in the sailing club every night! Fantastic!
More session next year!.
Peter

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 11:43 AM

It wasn't just the paying for the bus it was the fact we weren't told we would have to pay. There's no warning on the website or program. Plus the cost was not a quid but £20.00 for the week.
There were a lot of complaints at the bus stop on Friday eve! From a lot of people as they got on and realised the bus wasn't free.
Accusations of stealth tax even!

Yes, the value is good but if you don't want complaints then let people know!
Peter

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Surreysinger
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 11:05 AM

I'm surprised about the comments about having to pay for festival buses. I've only been to two festivals where buses were provided, and in each case payment for the service was the norm. I certainly did not object to paying £1 for a trip up the hill at stupid o'clock in the morning - anything rather than have to mountaineer back to the house!! And the driver was the same one on both occasions - thoroughly nice, and helpful at a strange time of the day to be plying his trade... nothing to complain about there in my book!

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Dick The Box
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 11:03 AM

Hi Sal,

Hope it was a successful Sidmouth for you.

How many catters signed the guestbook in the end?

Richard

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: GUEST,ms lemon
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 10:50 AM

I thought the buss drivers were fantastic. they drove on and on and on. It must have been an edurance test.

There was a horrible smell in the craft marquee too, did anyone notice that? the traders decided it must've been rotting grass and rotting carpet.

when bark was put down at shrewsbury festival last year the smell was absolutely dreadful. bark no, wood chippings maybe, straw no.

Sal

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Dick The Box
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 09:40 AM

Dear anonymous guest,

I do not resent the pedlars - I said that they were a problem. It is not the selling that causes aggravation, it is the size of some stalls and pitches (and maybe the quantity). This causes bad feeling between pedlars, performers, audience and motorists (when pedestrians spill onto the road), especially on the Sunday when the morris teams all dance. I realise that it is a free world but since the council purports to control the pedlars by licencing, then maybe they should exercise that control by removing the unlicensed pedlars and making sure that the licensed ones don't take up an unreasonable amount of space. Compromise is the name of the game.

Richard Ashe aka DickTheBox

PS I am actually a mate of one of these pedlars I apparently resent so much.

PPS Sorry about rising to troll bait. Bad habit.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: GUEST,Why so mean minded?
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 09:15 AM

What kind of person would resent pedlars being at a festival?

Without the hair braiders or the clothes sellers, the orangutan man (cue Tom Palmer) or the wooden rose seller, the jewellery stores or the artists, Sidmouth seafront would be just boring old Sidmouth Sea Front.

I appreciate Sal's comment above about the othe other lemonade sellers and see her point of view about that entirely.

But come on folks...it's a festival! Lighten up and let some people make a bit of money on the side now and then for heaven's sake. It's not the end of the world!

Live and let live. The pedlars are great!

Next you'll be wanting the buskers to have licences and a 'pitch'!!

1984 Here We Come

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: fiddler
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 08:40 AM

Seat comment on the Ham are noted and have been elsewhere too - you are not alone.

Being like it for 30 years never was or is a reasonable response, that said finding the right solution may take more than one year and even then may take more attempts to get it right.

The chairs are the same one used by many festivals, though this year they were on very soft ground and not quite even in their attitude becaus of this. Their spacing is their width where they are tied together - a legal requirement.

Sorry about Brass Monkey and all other sell out concerts, but by calculation on the seats pre sold, sold on the door and those seasons (all of which was 'clicked' in and out) who came it was full!

Volunteer staff did as much as they could adn worked very hard to try and 'keep teh customers satisfied'.

I'm sure folk would be less happy if too many were let in and then an incident occurred! The Ham did open the doors early when the weather was bad, and all artists asked on such occasions accepted that it was needed and they could not finish the sound check in private.

There are no laurels to rest on here, the right solutions are not far away but not as yet obvious when the whole equation is taken in to account. Lucidly and clearly expressed constructive criticism as in many of the posts above on all aspects is worthwile.

Please send it to the festival via the web site too!

Andy

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Bob TB
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 08:18 AM

There are notices on every lamp-post forbidding trading on pain of a £1000 fine. But where was the enforcement?

The problem is that the act that imposes the £1000 fine also exempts anyone who holds a pedlars licence issued by their local police under the Pedlars Act 1871! Unfortunately there are limited grounds for refusing a licence and the definition of "pedlar" is not clear. This makes it difficult and expensive to control the trading. That said, I believe that the traders could and should have been controlled. As mentioned in my original post the organisers are on to this, although EDCC are the only ones with the power to enforce the law.

Busking is even more difficult to control as there is no law specifically preventing it. Obstruction is the usual one.

Bob TB

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: GUEST,Peter Stockport
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 07:51 AM

I can see I'm not the only one who found the seats in the Ham uncomfortable, too small and too close together.
I'm surprised no one has said "It's been like that for 30 years"
Because that's what everyone said when we dared to mention the campsite or anything else!
Is Sidmouth the only festival to charge for the festival bus? £20.00 for a weeks ticket, after I'd forked out for the platinum ticket and camping. It could have been mentioned beforehand!
Oh, I forgot.
"It's been like that for 30 Years"
Yes, it was good for me and I will go back. Just get those seats better!
Peter

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Surreysinger
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 07:13 AM

Ruth - yes,noted, but that concert was only mentioned because it was the one that my friend went to... It probably was the only one that I might have paid that price for if I'd wanted to go to, in view of the novelty value.

The pricing for the others was still very high, particularly since each concert generally had only ONE artist that I actually wanted to see, plus only one other support (who I generally didn't want to see.) And it still doesn't make the seats any more comfortable, or the accommodation any lovelier :-)

And hey... I didn't mention the smell ... the comment was nothing to do with me!!!
See you at Whitby!

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Dick The Box
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 06:45 AM

Oh yes. Nearly forgot.

Spooky Men were superb.

And I am pretty enough......

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Dick The Box
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 06:43 AM

My collected thoughts......

Negative:

I attended several concerts at the Ham and was disappointed at how little effort was made by the stewards to get people to move to the centre of rows to make the remaining empty seats obvious and accessible. Halfhearted announcements were made by the artistes but then seating management is not part of their job. It is not fair that people could not get in when there were many empty seats available (around 5% on each occasion).

With regard to the smell, I think that the straw outside and the carpets inside had nothing to do with it. I think it had more to do with the intense showers on the Monday forcing gas out from the sewage plant under the ham. This would normally percolate through the soil and disperse but with a marquee on top it became trapped because there appeared to be no roof vents in the canvas. The concert part of the tent was not affected but the music stalls were, which indicates a specific problem at that location. The smell was distinctly sewage based rather than rotting straw or carpet. Whatever the cause, it needs sorting out.

The traders on the prom and the street artistes were a problem. There are notices on every lamp-post forbidding trading on pain of a £1000 fine. But where was the enforcement? The street artistes are not booked by the festival but they muscle in on the audiences generated by the festival. The money they collect goes straight into their pockets. We also had problems on several occasions on the market square in getting them out of the way so that scheduled displays could go ahead.

The campsite was noisy but that is part of festival life. However, there has to be some thought for others - a noisy session (that can be heard all over the site) still going on at 4.00am is not reasonable.

The bottom camp site exit at Ice House Lane needs to be open. The last bit of main road up to the main entrance is extremely dangerous and the bottom exit allows you ot avoid at least part of it by going down dark lane, or else going into town via the Sidford road past the Volunteer.

Sad to see the Arena as just a dogs toilet and play area for the rabbits.

Positives:

Bought a new melodeon - You can never have enough....

Blackmore Gardens - Lovely relaxed family space.

Blackmore Dance Tent - Good dance floor, good bands, good bar (best and cheapest beer in town).

Festival Bus - Really useful, frequent and available from early until the wee small hours.

Chez Nous - Usual good grub, good value and loads of it.

Camp site entrance road and bus park improvements - Big thumbs up.

Radway - No pool table and nice carpet.

Jig Contest - Usual high standard of dance and huge number of entrants

Hammersmith - They kick ass (but not as much as Great Western)

Lots of happy people - What more could you ask for?

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 06:39 AM

I had a great Sidmouth: loved the Upper Middle Bar (like the new venue, but I haven't as long a history in the MBS as Lynne and some others, so maybe not quite such a strong bond to downstairs). As usual did the Bedford late night, but I also found Rosie's sessions in the Faulkner, where people actually listen to you, and you can even hear yourself sing: amazing hilarious songs (and delivery of same) from Dave Taylor.
Did the Cockersdale (Keith Marsden songs) workshop, which was enjoyable, educational and emotional (thanks to Val, John and Graham).
Concerts: Tinker's Bag, Spooky Men,Altan and JK ("Did you know it was my birthday?") were all outstanding, and I loved the Omega 3 who "warmed up" for Vin Garbutt (as well as Vin himself, of course).

Other stuff: mainly good weather, but the Monday downpours and standing outside the Ham tent in the rain trying to get into Brass Monkey (one out, one in, but there were LOADS of free seats when I eventually did get in) And the smell.......yes, woodchip next year, please, if needed.

The bow section of the Napoli being towed away, while the red sails of the dinghies sailed nearer inshore, and a lone girl piper played on the prom. I eventually wrote my "Napoli" song in the car on the way home: didn't get to the songwriting workshops, sorry.(Not me driving!)

The guys with the wrap-around monkeys doing "Rolling Home" in the Bedford: oh yes, the monkeys joined in!

And the Rugby Club: Norma and Martin sitting just in front of the brass plaque on the wall that says "Old Farts Corner"!!

Ageism: I thought it didn't really exist in folk: I've always maintained it doesn't matter what age you are or what your day job is. No, I'm not a geography teacher either. I have my bus pass, but was up dancing for Altan.

Roll on next year!
Love and hugs to any friends I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to.
TB

Subject: RE: Sidmouth - was it good for you?
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 06:05 AM

Surreysinger, the JK concert was him AND FRIENDS - not the same as seeing him in your local venue, as he had a number of artists with him like John Tams, Barry Coope and Martin Carthy, and all the members of the erstwhile JK band, several of whom were not performing elsewhere in the festival and came especially for that concert. It was a special event, with a lot of artists to be paid...the ticket price surely had to reflect that.

For the millionth time, the smell was nothing to do with the straw. It had started before the straw went down and was emanating from the CD and merch marquee.