Loughborough Folk Festival

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 07 Nov 08 - 05:29 AM

I believe, though I am no longer involved, that something is planned for the autrumn.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: GUEST,Mick
Date: 07 Nov 08 - 05:19 AM

Anyone know if there will be a Loughborough festival in 2009

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 11 Mar 08 - 08:50 AM

"Nothing to moan about at all"

Obviously not a REAL folkie! :-) :-)

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Mrs_Annie
Date: 11 Mar 08 - 07:45 AM

We were there the whole weekend.

Top class entertainment from start to finish. barely time to eat, good job the bar had such a wide selection of beer, as there wasn't time for the pub!

Highlights:
Mawkin:Causley, Demon Barber Roadshow, Faustus, The Devil's Interval, Crucible, Martin Simpson & Friends, oh can't do this, everyone was good.
Agree about Waterson:Carthy, is it the Saul influence?

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: mattkeen
Date: 11 Mar 08 - 05:29 AM

I went on Saturday

Lau were great as was the Distil event, especially Jo Freya

Waterson:Carthy seem rejuvenated and the Living Tradition singing session was great too

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 03:40 PM

Only able to get there on Sunday (traffic debacle Friday, Saturday sold out)but we had a great time! Tony Benn and Roy Bailey outstanding, Martin Simpson and a very eclectic group of friends very good indeed. Nothing to moan about at all except for not being able to be in three different places at once. Congratulations to all involved.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 03:35 PM

I thought the festival was fantastic, great guests, great atmosphere, great beer. Well done to all involved, setting the standards high for the start of the festival season!
Anyone else go?

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 08 Mar 08 - 04:06 AM

And very good she was too! More, please!
S:0)

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Rasener
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 01:42 PM

And she was also at Alford last Sunday :-)

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Mrs_Annie
Date: 04 Mar 08 - 09:14 AM

Well Joanie was on Folkwaves LAST Monday 25th - so there!!

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Folkiedave
Date: 03 Mar 08 - 06:42 PM

It was also promoted on "Thank Goodness It's Folk" on Friday - days before Folkwaves.

Do keep up! :-)

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 03 Mar 08 - 04:16 PM

no problem. Crucible is on at 5:30, America Over the Water at 5:30, Eliza Carthy and the 3/2 Five at 7pm, Martin Simpson and the ceilidh at 8:30pm. Should all finish at around 10:30.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: GUEST,dmcg
Date: 03 Mar 08 - 04:08 PM

Fair enough, but I'd like a hint whether Sunday's events finish in the late afternoon or evening so I plan getting home!

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Rasener
Date: 03 Mar 08 - 03:58 PM

Was promoted on Folkwaves tonight.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 03 Mar 08 - 03:45 PM

There will be programmes available on arrival, which will give times for all events.

Friday evening does now start at 6, because two bands had double-booked themselves and some judicious scrambling had to be done.

This is why we took a decision not to put times on the website. Timetables are always subject to change, and if someone prints out a timetable from the website a few weeks before the festival, it could cause more problems than it solves.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Mrs_Annie
Date: 03 Mar 08 - 02:38 PM

I had a phone call from the Town Hall on Friday telling me it now started at 6. But I haven't had a leaflet...........

Never mind, I know for sure I won't be able to see everything I want, as I want to see everything!

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: DMcG
Date: 03 Mar 08 - 12:42 PM

It may just be me, but I can't find times for anything that is happening at Loughborough. The only clue I had that it started at 7.30pm on Friday was that's when the ticket said and I still don't know Saturday or Sunday times.

Today I got a leaflet saying the Friday events now start at 6.00pm 'as shown in the attached leaflet'. Naturally, it wasn't there....

Ok, teasing aside, is there a list of times somewhere?

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Folkiedave
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 01:56 PM

Getting them onto the main stage is quite an achievement.

They will love that.

Dave

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 12:46 PM

The Gate to Southwell project was actually modelled on ours from the previous autumn! I'm glad it went so well - I tried to get there but never quite made it. Damien Barber told me today that Shrewsbury and Shepley will also be doing some work with the Demons, which is based on the success we've had so far.

We also started a rapper after-school club in January, taught by Damien Barber. The participants are some of those who took part in workshops last year, and they will be performing with the Demons on the main stage during the festival.

Thanks, Dave. I'm chuffed.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Folkiedave
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 12:38 PM

Well, at a time when the folk arts are getting cut all over the place that is quite an achievement.

I do know how much hard work goes into applications like this and Ruth deserves massive congratulations.

As can be seen some well-known and talented folk groups will be carrying this work forward. I have saw the work that the Demon Barbers and Pete and Sue did at Gate to Southwell last year - which was really superb.

Just before the festival started a lot of local schools were invited in to the main marquee to see the results of the work and the fascination on the young people's faces seeing their mates clog dancing, and doing longsword and rapper was wonderful to see. Folk Arts clearly goes down well with young people.

The Demon Barber Roadshow then gave a display (clog, rapper) and the young folk lifted the roof off the marquee with their appreciation.

BUT - the teachers looked exhausted!!

Well done everyone.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 12:09 PM

I thought you all might be interested to know that ACE East Midlands met today, and we have achieved another year's funding for Raising the Roots, Loughborough Town Hall's folk development project. This includes an extensive schools project with The Demon Barbers, workshops at Loughborough Folk Festival, playground games and longsword dancing in schools with Sue and Pete Coe, and a brand new schools project involving Gypsy and Traveller culture. Our total grant is £13,700.

I know it's a drop in the bucket compared with some of the funding to folk organisations that's recently been cut, but still, I hope, worth celebrating.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 04:54 AM

I've got my weekend tickets and eagerly await the event.

I enjoyed my visit to the Town Hall before Christmas to see Lester Simpson's Standing in Line.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jan 08 - 05:18 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Folkiedave
Date: 29 Jan 08 - 05:16 PM

This looks as if it will be a sell out at my guess. I'd grab any tickets going whilst you have a chance.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jan 08 - 12:59 PM

Ticket News...

Weekend tickets sales have now equalled last year. Theoretically this should mean that they are sold out, but with a bit of juggling we have released some more for sale. This means the number of day tickets has now been reduced - so if you haven't got yours yet, what are you waiting for?!

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 17 Jan 08 - 12:55 PM

New for Friday night, 7 March:

Welcome singaround at the Pack Horse Folk Club, featuring guests from Loughborough Traditions. From 8:30pm. This is a free event - all welcome.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: GUEST,Tim
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 02:59 PM

Thanks Ruth. Ticket bought. Can't wait.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: mattkeen
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 06:18 AM

Looks fantastic - and great value to

Will be there, at least for the Saturday.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 05:21 AM

Oops - forgot to give a clear response re finishing times on Sunday. The Martin Simpson gig should end 10:15 - 10:30. The Tickled Pink ceilidh finishes up around 10:30 as well.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 05:50 PM

Thanks, Mrs Annie.

Re who Martin's friends are: I thnk I'd better double-check with Martin that they're confirmed before I make any more announcements. But I'm never sure whether you should say who the lineup is going to be with gigs like this...I remember the Chris Wood and John Kirkpatrick gigs the last couple of years at Sidmouth - part of the fun was not knowing who was going to come on stage next!

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's Apprentice
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 05:26 PM

"And who is in Eliza's new band?"
Waterson Carthy's Saul Rose, Park Bench Social Club's Aidan Curran and Glorystrokes' Tom Wright (cut and pasted, expertly, from the festival website, Sunday line-up*LOL* )

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Mrs_Annie
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 04:59 PM

Thanks for clarification of the Sunday evening. We are also trying to decide whether to stay the Sunday night. Are you allowed to tell us who Martin's 'friends' are?
And who is in Eliza's new band?
I think the tickets are very good value for the line-up.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 04:38 PM

Hi,

Which Carthy? Martin is on as part of Waterson:Carthy, he'll be one of Martin Simpson's "Friends", plus he's doing an "in conversation with..." event with John Kirkpatrick. Eliza is also appearing with her new band, the 3/2 Five. I believe this will be their debut performance.

Martin Simpson and Friends are on Sunday evening at 8:30. This event is a total one-off, so details are sketchy, but last time I spoke to him Martin thought he'd probably do a full solo set, then bring on his various Friends for the second half. Should be good fun.

There are only day or weekend tickets available - we don't do individual event tickets, I'm afraid. But the venue has full disabled access.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 04:26 PM

Quite interested in seeing Martin Simpson - when is he on, and is the place accessible for disabled people who can't manage stairs?

Also is Carthy doing anything solo?

How much to do those things?

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Richard Spencer
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 10:37 AM

Hooray - got my tickets! Roll on March.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 10:19 AM

Richard, the Box Office should now be able to help you.

Ring 01509 218113 and speak to Stephanie.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 10:02 AM

AAAAARGH!

Will go down and kick some Box Office bums...back with you shortly.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Richard Spencer
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 09:40 AM

I have just contacted the box office, and they claim no knowledge of the Traditions part of the festival, and didn't have any tickets for sale at £30. Please can you advise?

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 08:59 AM

NEWS:

I've just come back from reccies to the Swan in the Rushes and the Old Pack Horse pubs (it's a tough job...)

Both have had recent spruce-ups and both offer spacious function rooms for sessions and singarounds. Both are also great real ale pubs, and both will be doing food during the festival, so provide a good chance for re-fuelling!

On the Saturday and Sunday afternoon of the festival (8 and 9 March), from 12 pm, there will be traditional singarounds upstairs at the Old Pack Horse, while upstairs at The Swan in the Rushes there will be traditional music sessions. Both may feature guests from the Loughborough Traditions programme.

Entrance to both will be free.

I'm really glad we can do this - last year we used the function room at the Swan for workshops in the afternoons, so it was unavailable for this sort of thing. The Pack Horse was a bit run down, but since its recent facelift by the lovely new landlord, I feel much more confident about recommending and using it.

So there we are. Anyone fancy running a session?

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 06:23 AM

Richard, you can book by ringing the Box Office on 01509 231914.

I'll have a look at the online booking situation, but if you book by phone it will both be quicker and save you the on-line booking fee.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Richard Spencer
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 03:09 AM

I would like to buy tickets for the Traditions part of festival, but the online box office doesn't appear to support this. Do I book by post?

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Giant Folk Eyeball (inactive)
Date: 06 Jan 08 - 03:01 PM

Loughborough looks great this year and I'm hoping to get to it. When you compare ticket prices to the pricing policy for rock and dance music events, £58 is an absolute bargain. And what a line up!

Cheers

Nigel

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 05 Jan 08 - 04:06 PM

I do, Tim, but the timetable is on my computer at work. I know the finish time isn't tremendously late, but it depends how you're travelling - the last train to London leaves notoriously early. I'll do some checking on Monday and get back to you.

Thanks for your feedback on the line-up!

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: GUEST,Tim
Date: 05 Jan 08 - 03:06 PM

Hi there,
This'll be my first attendance but I was wowed by the lineup (properly wowed - well done, it's pretty close to my dream lineup!) and tickets are also cheap enough for me to be able to afford to travel up from London.

Annoyingly though, I can only make it on Sunday but do you have an idea of when it'll all finish on that evening - so I know whether to get a room for the night or not?

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 05 Jan 08 - 01:56 PM

Anyway...hopefully those who think it's good value will come. Tickets are selling well.

If anyone is still looking for stewarding opportunities, by the way, please PM me.

And I was serious about fringe events: if you'd like to start something locally, let me know. I'd be delighted to promote it in the programme.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Folkiedave
Date: 04 Jan 08 - 11:33 AM

The ticket pricing looks brilliant to me.

I cannot imagine why on earth Old Nic wants to compare Disney World with a folk festival but simply as a matter of fact Disney World charges around £30+ per day per adult I.e. over 9 year old, and that's when you can get through what have to be some of the world's worst websites and sort your way through the various deals. (well done for the Loughborough Festival Website Ruth).

It also looks as if Old Nic wants a free festival where he can go and sing for nothing with his mates. I cannot for the life of me see what is stopping him going to a pub and starting a session during the festival or at any other time. All you have to do is find a friendly landlord with a music license. Whilst I accept that has been a bit more difficult since the changes to licensing in 2005 it surely isn't impossible in a place like Loughborough which I seem to remember is well-provided for in the way of licensed premises.

Such festivals do exist of course and I have no objection to them - indeed I go to a number of free sessions myself. But I do go to festivals where I am happy to pay and see top of the bill professionals performing.

These are usually but not exclusively the people who are trying to move music forwards, who have spent hours researching and rehearsing and in some cases give up the opportunity to do well-paid work in other fields to perform the music they love. I am happy to support them and the hard-working festival organisers with my hard-earned cash.

We have had varieties of discussions around this topic before where people who do not wish to pay for a festival nevertheless want to attend it and then whinge when they can't without paying. They then accuse the orgnisers of running exclusive festivals.

Which remarkably for an exclusive festival - then sell out.

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Dick The Box
Date: 04 Jan 08 - 11:06 AM

From my recollections of weekend festival ticket prices I think that £58 is par for the course. I would be interested to hear of any festivals (that aren't just of the singaround and cheap/unpaid local performer variety) that cost significantly less for a weekend ticket. To see one paid act at a folk club will cost around £10 a head (maybe £20 at a concert venue) and so £58 to see maybe 15 acts over a weekend seems good value. I would also point out that health & safety and licensing legislation has ramped up the costs for all festivals enormously and this cost has to be passed on through ticket prices.

As Ruth points out, any festival has to be financially viable and so no matter how desirable cheap tickets might be, it would water down or destroy ANY festival to have them. You have to cut your cloth according to your means and having a family (your choice) necessarily entails more expense. Why should those without children in tow subsidise those who have?

PS I hold these views despite the fact that I have three children and I also could not afford family tickets when they were young.....

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 04 Jan 08 - 09:40 AM

If you feel that £58 is a bit on the heavy side for a weekend ticket, that's you're opinion and you're obviously entitled to it. But have another look at the lineup and tell me where you'd get similar for better value.

"£15 for a day ticket is about as bad as there appears very little for the money apart from Victoria Room events."

A £15 day ticket, depending on the day you're coming, will include artists like Lisa Knapp, the Young Coppers, Kerfuffle, The Distil Showcase, Mary Humphreys and Anahata, Belshazzar's Feast, Maggie Holland, Wistman's Wood, Shirley Collins's America Over the Water...plus Loughborough Traditions, including Mike Waterson and Louis Killen, Pete Coe, Jim Causley et al...plus the workshops and talks taking place at the Ramada, including Doc Rowe's films of the Copper family...plus ceilidhs with Last Orders, Tickled Pink...and singarounds and sessions.

I'm afraid I don't see that as £15 badly spent, though you may disagree.


"£150 for a Family Ticket is downright discriminatory."
Well, parents will choose the ticket that best suits them. If you've got children under 9, weekend tickets for each of them will cost you a fiver, so you won't need the family ticket. The family ticket will suit families with 2 or more older children, and for some, but not everyone, works out at pretty decent value. Family tickets are notoriously difficult to get just right. Unfortunately, our venue has a limited capacity. Every person in the main auditorium, regardless of their size or age, is taking up a seat. We have to make that work financially, while still offering the best value we can.

I really don't know how to respond to your accusations of exclusivity, apart from saying that yes, we do charge admission to the festival and no, if you haven't bought a ticket you won't be able to enjoy the events which are taking place.

The reason you weren't allowed into the Town Hall in the evening is because the festival was sold out and you didn't have a ticket. Again, I'm very sorry, but the festival was extremely popular and tickets sold out before the event. Because of our limited front of house space and fire regulations, a decision was reluctantly taken on the day to close the Town Hall to everyone except ticket holders.

We tend to encourage participation in folk with our outreach work. We have done extensive work in folk arts with 9 local partner schools, and will be working with them again this year.

If you just want somewhere to go and sing (which is what I remember from our phone conversation last year) why not start a fringe event in a local pub?

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: GUEST,OldNicKilby
Date: 04 Jan 08 - 08:17 AM

Well I reckon £58 for a ticket is a bit on the heavy side and £150 for a Family Ticket is downright discriminatory Which family can afford this it would be cheaper to take the Kids to Disney World heaven forbid. £15 for a day ticket is about as bad as there appears very little for the money apart from Victoria Room events
I went last year and was refused entry to the Town Hall by the Heavies in spite of a poxy A4 notice on the door,the only advertising in the Town, and an assurance from an American woman on the phone that there would be singing sessions in the Town Hall
We need events that are inclusive not exclusive and we need to be encouraging non committed Folkies on board. Last year the car parks around the Town Hall were empty in the evening, the biggest Chinese Restaurant was as well, there was very little impact on the Town of Loughborough. Sorry Folks but this what I feel ,annoyed and disappointed that with Loughborough the effective centre of our Music in Leicestershire so little was done to make it accessible

Subject: RE: Loughborough Folk Festival
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 03 Jan 08 - 09:14 AM

arrrgh! That was me just now. As I say, please PM me now you know who I am!

I have just checked this year's prices against last year's, in case I'd made a huge cock-up: festival tickets have gone up by £3, some children's tickets have gone up by a pound, and the family ticket is the same price as last year, but better value as it includes 3 children instead of 2.