Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010

Subject: Princeton BC Traditional Music Festival
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 14 Mar 10 - 12:37 AM

The dates for this year's festival are 20-22 August 2009. We sure hope to welcome a bunch of Mudcat traditional enthusiasts. It's the town's 150th birthday, too. Performers: the application form is on the weblog at Princetonfestival.wordpress.com

Date: August 20-22
Title: 3nd Annual Princeton Traditional Music Festival
Location: Princeton, BC Canada. Princeton is about 300 km (200 miles) E of Vancouver (about a three-hour drive through spectacular landscape).

A free festival, open to all performers of traditional music. Two outdoor stages. The festival starts Friday night with a free public dance in the town square. Presentations, workshops, concerts, panels, from 10am to 6 pm Saturday and Sunday. About 100 performers. Glorious countryside (semi-desert, mountains), an ideal vacation spot, too.

Email: [e-mail]
Weblog: Princetonfestival.wordpress.com

Cheers!

Jon Bartlett
Coordinator

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Festival
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 15 Mar 10 - 12:44 AM

Whoops - the dates are in error. The real dates are 20-22 August 2010. Sorry 'bout that!

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Festival
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 19 May 10 - 08:55 PM

I'm pleased to say that we have an almost complete line-up for this summer's 3rd Annual Princeton Traditional Music Festival. The following performers are confirmed and a few others not yet confirmed will join them:

Danielle Arcand, Eric & Betty Armstrong, Alex Atamanenko, Sue Averill, Mike Ballantyne, Banquo Folk Ensemble, Jon Bartlett & Rika Ruebsaat, Blackthorn, Flip & Zeke, Glen Esdale, Fraser Union, John Gothard, Great Big Sing!, Rosaleen Gregory, Tom Hawken, Stewart Hendrickson, The Irish Wakers, King's Shilling, Barry Luft, The Malarkeys, Mike & Nakos Marker, Lyn Melnechenko, Morgan and Graves, Orkestar Slivovica, Kate Gibson Oswald, David Parkin, Ed Peekeekoot, Psycho Acoustic Ceili Band, Steve Quattrocchi & Simon Trevelyan, Quicksbottom Border Morris, The Rabbleberries, Tom Rawson, Doug Reid, Chris Roe, Larry Saidman & Elaine Rutherford, Skweez, Slack Key Slim, Soft Focus, Steel Phoenix Rapper And Sword, Paddy Tutty, the Van Lidth De Jeude Family.

In addition to the much admired workshops held last year (Blues, French song, The Celtic Jam, the Shanty Session and Ballads), we plan to add workshops of mining and railway songs (Princeton was founded as a mining town and had for a time two railways passing through it), a Hawaiian workshop, a harp workshop (with four harps!) and a free reed workshop.

The Festival takes place as usual on two stages in the centre of Princeton, and begins, as last year, with a public street dance and an Irish ceili band. Saturday and Sunday are given over, between the hours of 10 am to 6 pm, to a potpourri of concerts, workshops, panels and jams.

Music won't just be found on the stages – mini-jams and guerilla dances are liable to happen anywhere in town culminating in a Saturday evening town-wide party.

The Festival is free, though it asks its audiences to help with donations. It is supported by the Town, the local District and by a federal grant from Heritage Canada, and is an all-volunteer festival – all the performers, the organizers and the volunteers do it for the love of the music.

Princeton, with a population of some 2,600, is just to the east of the Cascade Mountains, some 300 km from Vancouver. Its location (in the rainshadow of the mountains) means that it's hot and dry from May to September. Bring a hat or buy one of the Festival's! There is a daily bus from Vancouver and flights from Penticton some 75 minutes away. There are numerous motels in and around town (book soon!), and bed and breakfasts throughout the Similkameen valley. There are also campgrounds close to town.

Jon Bartlett, Coordinator

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Festival
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 20 May 10 - 09:24 PM

I've reserved a cabin at the Riverside Motel -- $55. It was a dandy place when I stayed there during backpacking trips in the late 80s.

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Festival
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 21 May 10 - 02:54 AM

If only the date was sooner........
Tomorrow I leave Greater Vancouver heading toward Cape Breton!
Have a good one!
          Sandy

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Festival
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 28 May 10 - 01:03 AM

Bob, look forward to meeting you!

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Festival
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 13 Jul 10 - 07:57 PM

I'm pleased to say that the schedule for both days of the Festival, the bios of the performers and the workshops are all now on the website: princetonfestival.wordpress.com, together with pics of last year's event and a quasi-academic thing about vernacular song in the BC southern interior (more to come on this score).

Have a boo, and then come and join us in the mountains 20-22 August 2010. There's still room at motels in town, we have a campground just for performers, and the whole event's free.



Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Festival
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 04:15 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Festival
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 02:46 AM

I'm thrilled to be invited to participate in the Protest Songs of the 60's workshop.

Now I'm trying to figure out what to sing. I want to do Armstrong (by John Stewart)--although it's very late 60's. (1969). And I guess classics like Blowin' in the Wind or What Have they Done to the Rain should be sung by somebody in that workshop.

But all these songs are so serious. Can anybody think of a really funny or light hearted protest song from the 60's. (other than Phil Ochs' Draft Dodger Rag--which may not necessarily qualify as protest. It needs to be a song that I or my partner can learn quickly--can be sung by a male or a female, but it would be nice to have a harmony part. Any ideas?

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Festival
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 29 Jul 10 - 03:22 AM

I'm curious how many of the performers at the Princeton Traditional Music Festival are coming--and what is your mudcat name?

I'm also curious if there are any mudcatters who are coming to it. I look forward to meeting you.

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Festival
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 29 Jul 10 - 12:55 PM

I can't imagine a song that could not be sung by a male or a female. mg

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Festival
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 29 Jul 10 - 02:52 PM

Charlie Baum and Lisa Null (Mudcatters both) will be there. We're performing--both contributing to the Ballads workshop and the Mining workshop, and also as soloists. It will be wonderful to meet other Mudcatters there. We will also be wandering through Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana in the week before and after, although there are so many things to see in that region that we won't have an infinite time for music, as we might wish.

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Festival
From: Stewart
Date: 29 Jul 10 - 05:21 PM

I'll be there too, doing a set of Maritime Songs and Fiddle Tunes on Sunday, and as part of the Celtic Jam on Saturday. Looking forward to a great festival.

Cheers, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Festival
From: Deckman
Date: 29 Jul 10 - 09:51 PM

MG ... I'm a male and there are LOT'S of songs I can't sing. I even know some females that can't sing some songs! bob(deckman)nelson

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 29 Jul 10 - 10:59 PM

I can see if they are extremely foul or some such thing but then there are plenty of people of either gender drawn to foul..I don't mean bawdy..I mean foul..songs.

What song could you possibly not sing, if you liked it..not everyone has to like or sing every song but what song could you not sing if you liked the song? I feel pretty, oh so pretty? You could sing that. mg

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: Deckman
Date: 29 Jul 10 - 11:11 PM

Well ... there's one song in Finnish that I can't seem to get into my peabrain, then there's one Russian song and three Croation songs. Something about the language, I guess! bob

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: My guru always said
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 03:55 AM

Regarding male or female singing, I would guess that vocal range would be the first consideration, then vocal strength and breathing capabilites. Taste & choice would also be very much a part of the decision as to whether to sing a song or not.

This festival sounds fantastic, know you're all going to have a Fab time!! Maybe one year we'll nip across the pond to join the fun!
Hil & Richard

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: GUEST,Sue Graves
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 11:09 AM

Thanks again to everyone for all of the very helpful suggestions. It is a real shame that I'll be back in England when the Princeton Festival happens, but hope it will all go well. I see that some clubs close for August, as many do in England also, but such is life.

Thanks again, and hope to meet some of you in my travels

All the best
Sue

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 09:10 PM

Larry as looking for a funny protest song - here's one by way of Hamish Imlach:

It was doon in auld Invertoddie
The Gestapo were oot on their beats
Lookin' for murder and arson
And drunks as they stot doon the street

Noo two of the Chief Constables agents
Had note-books quite full of names
Fourteen men, three women and a dog
For peein' up closes and lanes

It was twelve o'clock when they found it
Lyin' there just like a log
'Twas a badly bashed aboot body
Tyre marks scotched up its physog

They went through the usual procedures
They kicked it tae mak sure it was dead
Then they went through its pockets and shared oot its cash
And smoked all its fags while it bled

They then lifted up this body
One at its head and its feet
and they carried it aff tae an alleyway
And dumped it on an ither man's beat

It was four o'clock when they re-found it
Propped up in an old chip shop door
It was naked by now with a note roond its neck
"Not wanted on beats three or four."

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 09:18 PM

And here's another. Zeke's coming to the festival, and I hope he'll sing this one (his SECOND Princeton song).


Four Hydrogens And A Carbon                © 2008 Zeke Hoskin SOCAN

Methane is a gas, I will sing of it now
It's found in the flatulence of human and cow
There are people who want it and aren't worried how
Four hydrogens and a carbon

Chorus:
So pump up the water and boil off the gas
Then pump all the water back under the grass
We're not upset, we're just trying to learn
How to water our gardens with water that burns

Methane is the gas that we burn in our stove
The searing blue flame that all master chefs love
And deep under Princeton they've found a big trove
Four hydrogens and a carbon

Methane is a gas you can find any day
A product of every organic decay
And there's lots underground where they won't let it stay
Four hydrogens and a carbon

Where coal seams run deep, there can methane be found
By miners who then burn to death underground
So let's pump it and poison the farms and the town
Four hydrogens and a carbon

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 03:39 AM

So far mudcatters who stated they are performing are:

Jon Bartlett.
Charlie Baum and Lisa Null
Stewart (from Seattle)
Larry Saidman

Nonperforming mudcatters coming: Bob the Postman.

I look forward to meeting all these mudcatters.

Anybody else?

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 07:45 AM

Lots of best wishes for a great festival!

Maybe next year...

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: robinia
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 05:52 PM

I'm looking to carpool from Seattle (your car or mine), very flexible on times, and I don't have a lot of gear (minimal camping). Email or phone [phone]).

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 04:56 PM

Robinia, hope this works for you! You can also put this as a query on the Festival website: princetonfestival.wordpress.com

Jon Bartlett, Festival Coordinator

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 01:52 AM

I was googling some of the performers slated to play at next weekend's free Princeton (B.C.) Traditional Music Festival. Liked the write up (and what I heard of the songs) of a Victoria group called "Without a Net". Interestingly they play first thing on Sunday morning (10A.M.).   Here's there writeup. I'd be curious if any mudcatters have heard them, and what you think.

"David and Mary Lowther were employed by the Province of British Columbia until spring of 2002, where they had busy careers serving the sick and needy and, despite being well acquainted (well, married anyway) they had never played music together! However, when the new government decided it did not need to care for the sick and/or needy anymore, they found that they had a lot of time on their hands.

Since they are married sex was out of the question, which left either bridge or gardening to pass the hours. Unfortunately, David cannot count to 52 without getting very confused indeed, and once you have them planted the peas do much better if you leave them alone. Digging them up every morning to check for growth is actually counterproductive! Consequently, once our heroes had caught up on their reading they were left with a whole lot of not much to do.

Then one day, while looking for his zig zags, David discovered a clarinet in the back of the closet. "Honey," he called, "can you actually play this thing?" Did we mention that they had been married for years at this time? Is David a true guy, or what? Do you suppose he calls Mary "Honey" as an endearment, or because he can't remember her actual name? Before you answer, we remind you he is a guitar player. He owns a banjo.

Yes, in fact, Mary can play that thing, among others. This led to much klezmer music, and a few original songs.

Eventually it occurred to them that they should take their act to an open stage or even a main stage, which is kind of frightening when you do it, because you are playing live, with an audience but without a net. Thus we have David and Mary, "Without A Net."

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 11:28 AM

Amidst all these guitar and banjo biggers, there's 9 piece (approx) Serbian Brass Band. Orkestar Slivovica is the group I'm most looking forward to. I believe they're on last (around 5) on Saturday. Get up to Princeton B.C., and you can see them for free.

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: GUEST,Chris Corrigan
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 12:22 PM

I'm in Ontario this year, at a family wedding, which is lovely, but I'm sad to miss this festival, which a friend of mine last year called "BC's only folk festival." So best wishe to the Princeton crew and keep an empty chair for me, for I'll be back next year.

And as a blessing, here is the song I wrote last year for Jon and Rika:

THE NEW INTERIOR

The coast is all green, up here it is red
They have the money, our forests are dead
They never took notice of the things that we said
And the old ways slowly are passing

If it weren't for the real estate, the wine and the oil
We'd have nothing to show for our decades of toil
Now we watch as the rains wash away the good soil
And colour our rivers with mud.

The mines are all shut and the mills scaled down
The Chamber of Commerce is running the town
Now the tourists fly by without stepping down
They never have time for a story.

But we're people of rivers, we understand flow
When the water's in freshet and the times when it's low
And the strength of the currents that stir deep below
And how to hold back what we need.

So damn their neglect, we'll make a new start
Beginning with songs sung straight from the heart
That honour this place, of which we're a part
And remind us of who we once were.

We'll sing of the mucker who takes gold from the veins
We'll sing to reverse this bloddy red stain.
We'll sing for this valley to rise up again
And take it's own place in this world.

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 01:51 PM

A fine song, and we'll welcome Chris to sing it next year.

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 04:41 PM

Great song, Chris. Any chance of recording it and then posting it as a link? I'd love to hear it.

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 06:28 PM

Weather for the Festival: cool and cloudy. Slight chance of showers. A relief after 35 degrees!

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 19 Aug 10 - 11:31 PM

Lots of smoke from a wildfire near Keremeos, but I think everything's find if you're driving from Vancouver. I think we're going to get a huge turnout for this festival!

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug
From: Charley Noble
Date: 20 Aug 10 - 10:04 AM

Good luck on this one and give us a full report, especially the late hours singing.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 20 Aug 10 - 10:05 AM

Will do!

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 20 Aug 10 - 11:46 PM

Friday night was a rip roaring success! Lots of people line dancing to the music of Psycho Acoustic Ceili Band (which includes a terrific English concertina player named John Gothard--who will be doing a solo concert tomorrow at 1:30.)

Tomorrow we start off with a $5 pancake breakfast from 7:30 to 9:30, and a full day of great, mostly traditional, music on two stages. I'm looking forward to our own set, plus getting to be part of the 60's Protest Songs workshop. For that one we decided to do Draft Dodger Rag (Phil Ochs), What Have They Done to The Rain (Malvina Reynolds), and an interesting Jimmy Webb song called "The Hive" (a protest against the subjugation of women in the traditional marriage and wedding ceremony).

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 22 Aug 10 - 05:12 AM

Saturday was an incredible day at the festival. The highlight was Orkestar Slivovica--a traditional style Gypsy (Roma) band who ended things off today---but felt that their 45 minute set was too short, so played another hour off the stage. As well as playing traditional brass instruments very well, they are marvellous vocalists.

I Got to jam with some fine musicians, many of who are playing tomorrow (Bob Doucet, Mike and Nakos Marker--the latter is an awesome dobro player.

Looking forward to tomorrow.

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: Chris Corrigan
Date: 22 Aug 10 - 08:54 PM

Thnaks for the updates Larry...

And thanks for the request...I'll record the song when I get a chance.

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 23 Aug 10 - 12:56 AM

The Princeton Traditional Music Festival has come and gone. it was really wonderful! Jon Bartlett and Rika Ruebsaat did such a fine job putting together the itinerary. The ending on one of the two stages (didn't see the other) was inspiring, with this remarkable younginternational French instrumental group, EX PIRATA INTERNATIONAL COMPANY followed by the retired long-time Princeton physician, Doug Reid. It symbolized going outward, then bringing it back home.

Another highlight (and definite crowd pleaser) was Aboriginal guitarist/singer/songwriter Ed Peekeekoot.

I met many wonderful people, and was very glad to meet the talented, wise, and gracious mudcatter, Charlie Baum.

And after the official part of the festival, the Orkestrar Slivovica marched across town a couple blocks (playing all the way) to the local coffeeshop that many of the performers frequented--Cowboy Coffee--in response to staff and management's complaint that they were too busy to take in any of the festival. I mean if they can't come to the festival, let the festival come to them.

Thanks to all the wonderful performers who provided their talent for free, as well as to all the volunteers. And what a terrific audience to play for.

Looking forward to the 4th Annual Princeton Traditional Music Festival in 2011.

Subject: RE: Princeton BC Traditional Music Fest 20-22 Aug 2010
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 23 Aug 10 - 03:27 AM

It was a great little festival in Princeton. The festival seems to integrate itself into the town like the West Virginia Folk Festival at Glenville. The performers have a much bigger breadth than that, and the informality reminds me of NOMAD, NEFFA, or the FSGW MidWinterFest. The weather on Sunday afternoon was mostly cloudy, cold (low 50s F), low humidity, and windy--and as one who deals with Summer in Washington, DC, it was refreshing to be cold in August. Sort of like the inverse of the cremation of Sam McGee.

The music was incredible. The Orchestar Slivovica led everyone through a processional of the town at the conclusion of the festival. It was amazing to me to find out how many people are singing the songs of my neighbor Janie Meneely. Lisa Null performed brilliantly as usual. Ed Peekeekoot is an amazing guitarist. A lot of the fun for me was meeting folksingers from Western Canada and the Pacific NorthWest who I wouldn't have known about otherwise--folks like Paddy Tutty, Chris Roe, David Lowther, the Rabbleberries, Sue Averill, and Larry Saidman--and getting to know them both as performers and as people. And it was great to have a chance to reconnect with Jon Bartlett and Rika Ruebsaat, and spend some time with them on their home turf (quite literally).

It's definitely a festival I'd recommend to anyone--intimate in size but with great music and socializing. Now if only it weren't so damn far from my home...

--Charlie Baum