How did you find Whitby folk week

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Diva
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 02:23 PM

Good to catch up with Surrysinger and I'm glad you like The Blackbird........have made mental note NOT to sing it infront of Irish speakers Ochone LOL......

Loads of highlights Tom McCarthy, Scots Concert (that I nearly sang in....ah mego stardom will just have to wait..hehee)

Jeannie Jenkins as sung by Sandra Kerr and Janet Russell....yir accents were fine girls.

The Mining Songs workshop

ach loads The after hours singing with old pals and new .............

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: treewind
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 02:32 PM

"wouldn't have happened in Malcolm Storey's days"

He used to send performers a working programme often with too much in it; you crossed out what you thought was excessive or impossble and sent it back, and negotiations continued from there as necessary...

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Mo the caller
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 03:19 PM

I can remember 25 or so years ago dance bands complaining of needing to be in 2 places at once

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 03:21 PM

LOL

Malcolm's a good bloke and it's a shame he stopped.

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: r.padgett
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 03:22 PM

Would love to be asked to "guest" at Wff

As it was I gave up my time to hear others, with the exception of the Friday Yorkshire concert where some were " a bit tired" and John Greaves recovering from an operation

The traditional singers have always been a feature, and so shgould continue augmented by some newer traditionalist, like John Conolly

There are some excellent singers worthy of being included in the guest list, Geoff Lawes, Hissyfit, Wendy Arrowsmith, Anna Shannon (was she there?)

Loved Bert Draycott as I said, funny men are at a premium!

Garside/Gough/Shanty Jack/Fyrish/Chris McShane/Gerry McNeice/Gilmore and Roberts/

Idea to use the Spa Theatre for more concerts and separate events, Jez Lowe, Show of hands, Vin Garbut, Bellow Head, Chris and Denny etc

Ray

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 03:32 PM

Quote from Ray Padgett

Idea to use the Spa Theatre for more concerts and separate events, Jez Lowe, Show of hands, Vin Garbut, Bellow Head, Chris and Denny etc

End of quote

I would have included Shep Woolley and Bram Taylor as well.

I agree about John Conolly, but I would have added Bill Whaley & Dave Fletcher as well.

Agree with you about Hissyfit.

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: r.padgett
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 03:51 PM

Indeed list meant to be added to!!

Ray

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 03:55 PM

As I mentioned to you the other day Ray, I would like to see Dave Goulder back at Whitby. It's long overdue in my book.

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 04:13 PM

Bert Draycott was a surprise guest at Jim and Graeme's maritime singaround in the Endeavour... his material's not really maritime at all, apart from the reference to surfing at Newquay, but oh what a star!

Kitty

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 05:31 PM

What about Graham Moore

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Liberty Boy
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 05:58 PM

Last I heard Graham was living in France!

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 08:02 PM

"Last I heard Graham was living in France! "

SO??!!

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Joe Nicholson
Date: 29 Aug 10 - 08:21 PM

We had a good time in The Rifle Club packed every night except Friday when a lot of people had gone home (exhausted I think). Mo counted the songs/poems etc. and she came up with threehundred and eighty with only four repeats.Not bad for a weeks work.

Joe Nicholson

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Liberty Boy
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 01:20 AM

He might not be contactable. Agreed he would be a great guest, when was he last there Malcolm?

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Wheatman
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 02:28 AM

My first trip to Whitby Festival since 1968, Christine's first visit ever. We were concerned that we would have to "break" into the circle. This was not the case, every one was very welcoming. The Stewards on the official camp site were outstandingly helpful. The movements between venues were a problem (oh those hills) especially as most of the official concert type events were at times over subscribed and it seemed you had to be at the venue at least 1 hour before the programmed start. Well done also to the steward at the Met who managed to squeeze us in the Northumberland evening but the singers should have used the P.A. I must admit we were expecting a non dancing ceiligh as is the Mart at Rothbury. Difficult to single out outstanding performers as 90% of the guests were well up to the mark. The highlights for me were, Songs of the Western States, Miners Strike concert and the Mining Songs presented by Jonny and Christine (as you would expect from me), Pete Coes Strings workshop (inspiring) and Pete's CD Launch. Bill Whaley and Dave Fletcher presented a blistering set in the last concert at the Met. The boat trip to Staiths on Tuesday afternoon was great fun especially when we got the pub and the locals told us we should not sing as the pub did not have a music licence, the land lord did not seem to mind and supplied free chips (as if we hadn't had enough already). The whole festival was like an iced bun, naughty but nice and the cherry on the top of the bun (for me) was singing Keep Your Feet Still at the music session in the Con Club (cheap beer) with Jonny backing me. I guess that's my 5 mins of fame, we will return. Brian

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 02:36 AM

Fantastic. The atmosphere was tremendous. It's a fact that you need to get to many venues half an hour before your chosen event starts, but that's because the venues are all on a human scale - no huge stages with masses of amplification.

I spent most of my time in the Con Club with visits to the Rifle Club, the Rugby Club, the Spa, the Met and the Stakesby. The choice of beers was particularly good in the Rifle Club and I thought beer everywhere was on average cheaper than the £2.70 a pint I'm accustomed to paying at home in Lewes.

I've never had better fish & chips than at the Silver Street Fisheries. Alexander's were also pretty good and you can always sit down inside. There were cheap and cheerful filled rolls at the Festival cafe and the Con Club (£2.50-ish).

I believe that the date of the regatta is determined by the tide, so there isn't scope for moving it away from the Festival weekend when the two coincide unless someone is able to open negotiations with whoever is responsible for the phases of the moon. This has the administrative nuisance that human sacrifice might be required, but if anyone would like to compile a list of candidates now is a good time to start.

Valmai Goodyear
Spare Parts Concertina Band

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 03:58 AM

Valmai, I have deleted my cookie put this as I wish in this instance to submit as a guest. As you suggest the regatta is determined by the tide, if however the regatta had been held a fortnight earlier as is often the case (13/14/15 August in 2011, 10/11/12 August 2013, 9/10/11 August 2014 .... you get the picture) the difference in the tides would have been as follows (All times GMT)

Date    High Tide    Height      Date   High Tide   Height
Friday 6 13.19         4.4m       Friday 20

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 04:13 AM

I'll try that again

Date      High Tide      Height Date       High Tide   Height
Friday 6    13.19       4.4m    Friday 20    14.06    4.3m         
Saturday 7 14.32       4.7m    Saturday 21 15.05    4.5m
Sunday 8    15.32       5.0m    Sunday 22    15.50   4.7m         
Monday 9    16.22       5.3m    Monday 23    16.27 4.9m            

As you can see the maximum difference in the times of the high tide over the 4 days of racing is 47 minutes, the minimum is 5 minutes, the maximum difference in the actual height of the tide is 400mm. Now I am not a rower and there may be other considerations that I am not aware of, however I do hear every time there is a clash between regatta and folk week that it is the tides that determine when the regatta is held, on the above information I put my case, people may have more knowledge than I do and I would like to be made aware of considerations if they have an influence on determining regatta.

PS Joy of joys they clash again in 2012

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 04:15 AM

The rumours fly as to the reasons for the clash. I heard a new one this year.
It was alleged that a lady councillor [Conservative of course!], who doesn't like Folk Week, vetoed attempts to move the regatta dates, so they didn't clash.
Is this total crap, Labour propaganda, or the gospel truth?
I leave that decision to others.

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Johnjo
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 04:55 AM

Long time lurker here, but the first time posting with my own cookie.

I very much enjoyed the 3 nights spent with Mo & Joe at the Rifle Club (thanks), and especially George Garside's sessions at the Middle Earth (shame there were only 2 though), along with Mary & Anahata's session in the Con Club.

The highlight has to be the couple of hours spent in the Elsinore with the gathered hordes from the melodeon.net forum. Someone said they counted 18 box players, all giving it heavy welly. melodeon-anorak heaven!

Johnjo

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Jack Campin
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 05:42 AM

I heard the most bizarre session request ever.

The session at the Station Inn was hosted by a student band from Sheffield (very nice people and fine players, but over-arranged settings for that venue - it would have been more effective to dump the arrangements and play the tunes and songs straight, which they were perfectly capable of doing). They mostly did Irish stuff with a bit of Scottish thrown in.

Near the end of one evening, after listening for at least an hour, a young bearded guy asked "could you play any Crass?". He appeared to be perfectly serious. Most of the band wasn't even born when Crass last performed, and I doubt if he was either. He spent some time explaining who Crass were. We should have asked him to sing some so we could fake it.

(If any of the band are reading this, I was the guy with the red picnic stool full of assorted instruments).

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Mo the caller
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 06:27 AM

I don't understand that, Guest. I thought tides always moved by the same amount. But the difference between Sun 22nd & Mon 23rd is only 37min, while between Fri 6th & Sat 7 is 1hr 13min.

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: GUEST,JAM
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 07:05 AM

In reply to 'Liberty Boy' the last time Graham Moore was booked at WFW was 2006. Graham has an informative website with contact details. It would be great to see him back at the festival.

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Raggytash
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 07:31 AM

Mo the Caller,
Tides vary according to the strength of gravitational pull of the moon, if the moon is full it has a greater pull than when it is a crescent, I do not pretend to understand the vagaries of the science however, I doubt if many do. The rise and fall varies with the moons fullness and the time of the tide also varies each day being a slightly longer (or shorter) time between high and low tides. It is possible to preict with a fair degree of accuracy the height of the tide for years in advance, for instance on September 20 2015 the tide is predicted to be 6.4 metres, the highest tide in whitby for some 20 years or so.

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Liberty Boy
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 09:58 AM

Thanks 'Jam'. I agree, a cracking performer with great songs.

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Paddy123
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 03:54 PM

Hello Jack,
A friend told me of your comments on mudcat. So I thought I would get in touch. I sang the song it is called What fettle old marra. I wrote it about 18 years ago now. Pleased you liked it. I do have it on a CD that I made of my songs if your interested let me know. my email is [e-mail]

cheers Paddy

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 04:37 PM

Whitby was, as I've found it to be for the six times I've been able to attend, wondrous. Fine music everywhere, separated by steep hills.
Parking this year was sparse to non-existent, so that my aging knees
restricted our choice of venues--there's not much time allowed between events-- and event organization seemed a bit more haphazard than it had in past years, but the music and the people were grand.
    Unlike many Mudcatters, Susan and I have chosen to focus on planned events, rather than fringe activities. There was too much good music for us to skip at the events, and pubs tend to get too crowded for my taste. But I've come to know so may Whitby regulars that going seems to be like coming home.
    I wish we could make it every year. As it is, we've already pencilled 2012 on our calendar.

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 06:58 PM

Jim and Graeme's maritime singarounds in the Endeavour raised £1733 for the lifeboat.

Kitty

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 08:53 PM

Jim and Graham - magnificent!

Maybe someone ought to tell the local rag.

TIDES

Total rubbish - the reason for the Regatta choosing the dates it did were probably dictated by the Tall Ships event in Hartlepool, but getting even a semblance of the real facts from the Regatta is almost impossible.

The unfortunate Monday weather saved the Regatta a large chunk of money because of the non-show of the Red Arrows so hopefully the Regatta's nominated beneficiary, the RNLI, will have done doubly well this year.

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 08:55 PM

Sorry Graham it's Graeme

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Old Vermin
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 03:26 AM

Has any considered actually asking the Regatta organisers how they chose the date? They'll probably be friendly and willing to chat.

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Jack Campin
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 03:36 AM

The unfortunate Monday weather saved the Regatta a large chunk of money because of the non-show of the Red Arrows so hopefully the Regatta's nominated beneficiary, the RNLI, will have done doubly well this year.

That was an eye-opener. The military actually CHARGES people to do propaganda displays?

I presume the rally of vintage vehicles and engines was an add-on to the regatta rather than to the Folk Week. It was pretty interesting. (And at a guess they didn't charge to do it).

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 03:39 AM

Apologies for the misinformation about the tides dictating the regatta date - I'd been told that this was gospel, but Malcolm will be better-informed than anyone not directly involved in organising the jolly boatmen.

Valmai

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 05:18 AM

Valmai

The information I gave about the tide times was accurate to the minute, there was no mis-information, I think Malcolm was trying to say that the reason given by the Regatta committee for holding the regatta was not so much driven by the tides that weekend but by other factors.

Regards

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Barb'ry
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 05:31 AM

Did anyone see the commodore/person in charge of the regatta being interviewed on tv? The film clip showed hundreds of people milling around town, people singing/playing instruments and dancing as well as watching the regatta and not one word was mentioned about Folk week! All credit for pulling people in to Whitby was due, allegedly, to the regatta!
I couldn't decide whether the woman in question might have mentioned folk week and it had been edited out, or she had 'forgotten' to mention it at all (in which case the reporter should be drummed out for not finding out the facts). Either way, it was a shame.

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: MikeofNorthumbria
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 05:45 AM

How was Whitby Folk Week for me? It was great – the thought that there won't be another one for 51 weeks is very depressing.

Problems? None, apart from my own inadequacies - the inability to be in two places at once, and the need for a few hours sleep every night.   There were so many goodies on offer that nobody needed to go short.

Highlights? Top of the list was the Monday night gathering in Max's honour at the Endeavour – great to meet so many 'catters and hear them sing and play. Also highly memorable were Will Kaufman's marvellous multi-media presentation about the life and songs of Woody Guthrie, and Doc Rowe's fascinating archive film shows. And as usual, the sessions and sing-arounds at the Station Hotel (the raucous ones in the big back bar, and the more decorous ones in the little front bars)were great fun.

Like Arnie the Terminator, I'll be back.

Wassail!

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 05:55 AM

My understanding is that The Red Arrows appear for free but the booker has to pay for public liability insurance.

All the best

Jim Hancock

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 02:46 PM

Mike oN - we had the slightly unnerving experience of realising that Doc Rowe was filming us singing in the family room of the Station Inn on Friday evening! We've rebooked the B&B for next year - see you in just under 51 weeks.

Kitty

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: r.padgett
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 03:25 PM

o fame at last Kitty!!

Ray

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: MikeofNorthumbria
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 03:58 PM

Herga Kitty: "Mike oN - we had the slightly unnerving experience of realising that Doc Rowe was filming us singing in the family room of the Station Inn on Friday evening!"

Kitty, I can understand your Friday night nerves! At the Wednesday night ceilidh, just as we were going on, I realised that Doc Rowe was filming Hexham Morrismen's spot. Fortunately nobody fell over, dropped a stick, or lost the plot - but no doubt the video will expose a few technical flaws for other Morris-persons to mock, if and when it becomes publicly available.

Wassail!

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Ann N
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 05:04 PM

Had a great time and my friends bagged the spare room for next year almost as soon as they'd unpacked for this one :)

Only got to a few official events as there was so much going on in 'the fringe'

I didn't see the TV interview (too busy with music/sessions etc) but in the run up to Regatta/Folk Week the local radio station had several interviews with Regatta officials and they all said that the committees for both events were working together to ensure that everything went as smoothly as possible :D

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Mo the caller
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 03:09 AM

Ann said "my friends bagged the spare room for next year almost as soon as they'd unpacked for this one"

We booked for next year in July, when we paid the balance for our self catering flat (been caught out by leaving it till August).

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 07:52 AM

Speaking as a person who some years ago used to be the one responsible for the figures published in the Admiralty Tide Tables, it all gets rather complicated in some locations.

Surpisingly it is all a bit like music!

You would think that the variations ot the pull of the moon and that of the sun would make for a pattern of tides that could easily be deduced, but you have to consider 64 different "harmonic constants" and see if the maginitude of each of them is sufficient to make a difference. They are all deduced from readings taken at the location over a number of years and then in turn used for prediction. The shape of the coastline and seabottom depths will affect which of the harmonic constants come to the fore for each location.

If you think of each harmonic constant as describing a sine wave of a particular wavelength, telling you the amplitude and the offset of the starting position, then all you have to do is add up the heights of each one at a particular time to get your prediction. You can see why it all became easier with the use of computers.

We used to have a mechanical "predicting engine" at the Hydrographic Office that used just the 16 most important constants. A fascinating piece of machinery!

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: GUEST,Lurkio
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 09:49 AM

This year was (I think) my 30th Whitby. I often think that the location is so charming and interesting that the festival organisers could easily become complacent about the events on offer, knowing that most people would return to Whitby regardless. Thankfully, this has never been the case in my experience, and the festival never disappoints. I still miss Roy Atkinson's fringe competition and the old tooth-loosening scrum for the heather, but I wouldn't miss my time there for the festival for the world. Thanks to all involved in this year's event.

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 10:08 AM

Just been speaking with Graham Moore and he is a alive and kicking.
He is away at the moment, but said that if the organisers wanted to book him for next year, he would be more than happy to oblige. Just e-mail him and he will reply.

He asked me to say hello to everyone and of course Malcolm Storey. He said he is missing the lobsters and crab sandwiches.

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: JHW
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 03:08 PM

Re the Tides and Regatta?
Now I wouldn't know a Coxless Pear from an Orange Pippin but does the FLOW of the river change with height of the tide?

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: treewind
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 03:36 PM

The flow of the river is affected by the FLOW of the tide!
Tide coming in - river is slower; tide going out: river is faster.

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Commander Crabbe
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 03:48 PM

JHW

The effects would vary considerably depending on the size depth and course of the river, the weather conditions at the time and the strength of the opposing flows involved.

From my time in the RN Hydrographic Surveying Branch I dont think I came across a river that actually flowed backwards as the tide came in.

However our own river Severn has a tidal bore that flows up river as the river is trying to make it to the sea. Whether there is a counter current flowing below the Bore I know not.

From http://www.riversevernbore.co.uk/

The River Severn Bore is a natural example of a self-reinforcing solitary wave or solution.

A curious phenomenon associated with the lower reaches of the Severn is the tidal phenomenon known as the Severn Bore . The river's estuary , part of the Bristol Channel , has the second largest tidal range in the world which is approximately 15 metres , exceeded only (couple of feet) by the Bay of Fundy in Canada - and at certain combinations of the tides, the rising water is funneled up the estuary into a wave that travels rapidly upstream against the river current

The bore travels a distance of approximately 25 miles between Awre and Gloucester.

Severn Bore enthusiasts even attempt to surf along on the bore wave, which can be 2 m high. Being the onset of the flood tide it is accompanied by a rapid rise in water level which continues for about one and a half hours after the Severn Bore has passed.

According to some sources, the name " Severn " is derived from the name Sabrina (or "Sabern"), based on the mythical story of the drowning of a nymph in the river . Sabrina is also the goddess of the River Severn in Brythonic mythology .

From my experience of the river Esk it generally slows down as the tide is coming in and speeds up as the tide is going out. The rate varies with the following:

Whether it is Spring or Neap tides and the height of tide at the time.
The wind direction and strength
The amount of water coming down the river as run off from rainfall.

Sorry if the waters have been muddied but there are many variables to take into account.

CC

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 04:14 PM

Graham Moore then for Witby next year?

Dance to Tom Paine's Bones
Dance to Tom Paine's Bones
Dance to the oldest boots I own
To the rythm of Tom Paine's Bones

Subject: RE: How did you find Whitby folk week
From: Liberty Boy
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 04:40 PM

I'll second that!