Hull Shanty Festival 2012

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 29 Aug 12 - 06:38 PM

Not fixed yet, but as soon as it is it'll be plastered all over here.

Very subtle, Mally. I like your style.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: mally
Date: 29 Aug 12 - 02:03 PM

I went down to have a shufty on Fri. and sat.
Fri.I started at the Minerva which was practically empty then went into the music room and doubled the audience and listened to anything but folk songs, after which the other half of the audience got up and played an harmonica so I went back to bar.Monkeys Fist turned up later, who I   thoroughly enjoyed.I have never known the Minerva be so depressing.The staff where fed up, the management pissed off so I pissedoff and walked the empty streets to Greenbricks. This was not much better, there was an accordion band playing there, but the dozen or so customers weren't very interested,credit due to them, they played a couple of shanty tunes.The night then continued with open mike sessions but still no folk music.
Never mind I thought things can only get better there's still Ruscadors.Well I couldn't have more wrong.Either the artists were taking a very long break or had taken the night off there was nothing.The manager was optimistic though saying it should be better tomorrow,he then showed me the posters he had been given to put up which read 'HULL FOLK FESTIVAL FRI.18th AUG and SAT. 18th AUG.' Oh dear can't they get any thing right? Went back to the Minerva (10-45) the music was finish and the pub closing so went home a little dischuffed.         

Went down Sat. but it appeared to be like any other day apart from a few stalls including one trying to get me to join the navy and one which would paint a smile on my face. Two or three boats where there but one of the owners was not very pleased that he had only been given 4weeks notice. There was a main stage that was quite well attended but I didn't hear any folk or maritime stuff. The "Greenbricks" apeared to have taken the day off from music so I thought I'd try the "minerva". There was some music there but still it was not folk or maritime stuff. Since there was more people outside than in I decided to join Les outside for a natter then I decided to try the "greenbricks" but still nothing. By this time it was 5-45ish and everything was packing up.Yet again I thought there's still "Ruscadors".Then BINGO! "Colleen's Fancy" came on and sang some REAL SONGS.At this point I decided to end on a ROLL and take the long walk home knowing that tomorrow I had a party to go to because my local pub was closing.

In a nut shell;
The dates were not known until end of May. Then he had the stupidity to set them for when all the folkies where in Whitby.

There was no publicity, so no one knew it even existed.

For them that did get there, there where on programes so one knew who was on and where.

All the artists where plugged in and staged.
There where no rhythm and booze sessions or the like, where people could do their own thing or just listen. these could have been put in the programe if there was one?

I think a complete audit should be done to find out exactly what the thousands of pounds of the rate payers money was a spent on by this person who in my opinion couldn't even run a bath or a pissup in his own brewery let alone a folk festival.

    Mally

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: stallion
Date: 29 Aug 12 - 03:53 AM

what date in october?

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 28 Aug 12 - 06:49 PM

Hazel,
I hear whispers that the old crew are getting together to see what can be done in Hull. Probably at the next Shanty UK meet in Goole sometime in October. Keep fingers crossed.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: nutty
Date: 28 Aug 12 - 04:27 PM

If the council are unlikely to give support then there are two choices -

either -
keep the event small as the previous event

or -
find another venue along the coast where the community would welcome and support such an event.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 28 Aug 12 - 11:56 AM

What had you in mind, Hazel?

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: nutty
Date: 28 Aug 12 - 05:00 AM

I'm sure all those people who helped to support the Ellesmere Port Event would be more than willing to assist - although I would like to see an East Coast Maritime event which could encompass a larger area,

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: stallion
Date: 28 Aug 12 - 04:02 AM

With Ron working out of the country for most of the year and his family requiring to see something of him it is notoriously difficult for us to get anywhere but given enough notice and it's not around academic holiday time then we would love to contribute.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey
Date: 27 Aug 12 - 08:39 PM

Whilst agreeing with Paul Davenport's posting of 25th to a certain extent and also noting Steve Gardham's idea of bending the ear of a selectively deaf politician the following thought struck me.

Would it not be better if there are sufficient people willing to have a go to ignore the commercial and political interests and get together to put on a real shanty and maritime event at a more suitable date(s)?

I'm willing to put in my twopennorth in my native city. It might have to start relatively small but I am sure, given the right mix, it could quickly grow.

So what about the Hull Shanty & Maritime Festival 2013?

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Les from Hull
Date: 27 Aug 12 - 09:37 AM

There were no singarounds in Minerva or Ruscadors, only poorly attended open mikes when I looked in. Having selected the worst possible days to hold this event, there wouldn't have been many singers anyway. Having rejected, or not sought, the advice of anyone with any local knowledge of maritime or folk events, this event was always doomed.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: mally
Date: 26 Aug 12 - 06:08 PM

Beggar's Bridge are also appearing at The Grafton pub grafton St. Newland Ave this Tues Steve.

       Mally

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Willa
Date: 26 Aug 12 - 05:05 PM

See the thread titled Folk & Roots event at Hessle Town Hall-8 Sept
The event includes Beggars Bridge and Hase Waits, both very good.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 26 Aug 12 - 11:46 AM

Thanks for that Steve - Beggar's Bridge features the wonderful singer Sam Martyn and she does have a great voice- If you want to hear her again she sings regularly at Beverley's Not the White Horse Folk Club when the club is in session. She is also doing a gig on September 24th.
http://www.whfolk.co.uk/diary


Did anyone else go to the festival? What about the singaround sessions at the Minerva or other venues if there were any? If the only shanty group did not feature on the main stage it sounds like the maritime song element did not get much of a hearing.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 26 Aug 12 - 10:43 AM

I saw a bit of nice music played by a local band called 'Beggar's Bridge' who I don't know. They were playing in a tent on the marina side. There were the 3 core boats there, Amy, Comrade and Syntan but no others. With a lot of cajolling they managed to get the council to let visitors go aboard late on Saturday afternoon. I had a quick chat with one of the shanty group from Leeds and they were off home at tea time having not even performed on the main concert. I was there most of Saturday afternoon and the crowds were only a fraction of previous years. You could easily walk down the marina with arms outstretched and not touch anybody: Impossible in previous years. It was only Friday and Saturday. Sunday there were many crowds but that was for the cycling event which passed down Humber Street. I sat in Thieving Harry's on the Sunday with the Amy crew and they were not impressed to say the least.

Needless to say I will be bending Terry Gerraghty's ear at the earliest opportunity.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 25 Aug 12 - 08:35 PM

The Maverick said -I was there, but didn't hear any folk music!

I have just got back from Whitby Folk Week and was hoping to get a bit of insight in to what happened. My main concern with the replacement festival was whether participation,a distinguishing feature of the old festival and of our musical genre, would feature at all. When I looked at the festival website it appeared that most of the booked performers were amplified bands and this suggested that the organisers envisaged a passive, spectator role for those attending. What happened at the former pub singaround venues? They had previously thrived on the former festival's successful formula of audience performers supplemented with booked guests who dropped in for short performance spots. Did Ralph McTell get down to the Minerva at all? If there were any singarounds - how successful were they? Up at Whitby, I saw a lot of the people who had attended the old festival's singarounds so who was left behind to participate? The weather was good therefore the crowds should have been out- did that happen? What did other attendees think about what happened?

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: The Maverick
Date: 25 Aug 12 - 04:26 PM

Leila??

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Paul Davenport
Date: 25 Aug 12 - 12:15 PM

Perhaps last years organisers could set up 'Hull and East Riding Traditions Festival Inc.' and tender for running a proper event next year? Looks like that's how its done, but the difference being that they have proven track record and expertise.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Jane of 'ull
Date: 25 Aug 12 - 12:03 PM

Hmmm..I didn't go to the festival in the end, so can't comment.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: The Maverick
Date: 25 Aug 12 - 04:25 AM

I was there, but didn't hear any folk music!

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: stallion
Date: 25 Aug 12 - 03:48 AM

Oh and I know this isn't music and thread creep and all, but when a party loses an election they blame it on their political advisers and strategy not their policies, you know what, they are right, the mass of the voting public are nieve and are pulled around by the rings in their noses

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: stallion
Date: 25 Aug 12 - 03:42 AM

so what happened then, are the council officers and local politicians slapping themselves on the back and saying "we done it" or are they claiming, like scarborough have done with Apollo leisure, that the events company sub contracted to run the event have made a mess of things? It is becoming more apparent that these sort of arrangements are to ensure the shit doesn't stick and jeopardise the local councillors electability and reap the electoral rewards of success. God, politics don't you just hate it..............................I can see it now......the conversation twixt politician and political statistician/adviser...."er if I say something that appeals to rapists and homophobics will it lose me more votes that it gets me"..."hell no sir you have already pissed the women off with with your stance on abortion, you pissed the homos of when you voted against gay marriage, it has to be a vote winner"....."er, what about the decent upstanding people?"..."maybe we come from the angle that rape in marriage is ok because that's what the wives sign up for, right?.......and if you have spent a pile of money on a date, then you've paid for it so technically it isn't rape'...."can I really run with that.....better work on a redaction speech just in case it goes tits up"..."better still, endorse a group that promotes the values we think will get us votes and if the shit hits the fan we can deny any knowledge of these policies and sack an intern for signing you up to it........a teflon strategy!"

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: nboldock
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 03:33 PM

I know what you mean, Paul, to be honest.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Paul Davenport
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 03:18 PM

Politicians don't do 'independent of it' they claim everything that happens around their event as being proof that they were right! I can't credit the naivety.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: nboldock
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 01:40 PM

Sort of... people are asking if there are any sessions going on at the same time as the Festival, but independent of it. Just about relevant.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Paul Davenport
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 01:18 PM

In typical Mudcat fashion, as we get to the bottom of the thread we seem to have lost the point about why the thread started in the first place.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: nboldock
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 10:19 AM

I'd also be interested to know if there are any seshes going on this weekend, though strictly as a spectator for me!

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 09:33 AM

Or indeed on Saturday? (tomorrow). I'll be around the area so thought I'd have a look..(I'm not going to Whitby).

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Paul Davenport
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 09:32 AM

Having given support last year and then seen the appalling way in which the team (Mick, Pete, Les etc,) from last year have been treated, I for one intend to be as far away from Hull this weekend as possible. The last thing I would contemplate is being in any singaround or similar that could be claimed by the organisers to be 'all their own work'.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: GUEST,Jane of 'ull
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 07:52 AM

Will there be any sessions happening in the Old Town on Sunday? Such as the Black Boy, or will everyone be at Whitby?

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: GUEST,Jane of 'ull
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 04:36 AM

Last year, because the council pulled most of the funding, people got together and did their own thing, resulting in a smaller version of the usual shanty festival. But this year someone has organised this gig on the same weekend as Whitby folk festival, which is a bit stupid to say tha least. Not only are most of the potential acts at Whitby, but a lot of the audience will be too!

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: JayneyOffTheRoad
Date: 16 Aug 12 - 07:02 PM

Is there anything that can be done to turn this around? Its really sad that its been taken out of the hands of the original organisers....From what I can see this years fest looks like it been cobbled together with not much thought to what the festival actually is. Your threads says it all there is hardly any shanty in this fest - there is a lot of local acts that are possibly doing it for free and a few beers but thats it... i am a music promoter but it looks like this city is utilising all the same local acts it usually books. Great talent but It ain't shanty??

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: mally
Date: 16 Aug 12 - 10:58 AM

I have just been on www.hullfolkfestival.com which appears to be somewhat updated. Sorry don't do the blue clicky thing.

    Mally

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Les from Hull
Date: 16 Aug 12 - 07:03 AM

We're not going to Whitby 'til Sunday so we might see something.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: mally
Date: 16 Aug 12 - 06:46 AM

I'm going down meself friday and sat to have a shufty. If theres enough of us of the same mind we could do our own thing.

    Mally

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Jane of 'ull
Date: 15 Aug 12 - 03:14 PM

'just because someone plays an acoustic guitar does not mean they are FOLK.' Good point.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 15 Aug 12 - 02:56 PM

I'm not going to W till midweek so I'm off to have a quick shufty at the 'Maritime' bits, if any. From what I've seen in the press they've managed to get Syntan, Amy and Comrade to come down. I don't know which other boats will be there. I'd also be interested to find out if they've given the boats any money for fuel, as we were planning to.

What I can't understand is they seem to be running these arty/acoustic festivals every other week now in the old town with all the usual local artists. Nothing wrong with that but why destroy a very successful international festival to fund yet another arty festival?

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: stallion
Date: 15 Aug 12 - 10:28 AM

For what it is worth I was in Scarborough for the "Seafest" and had my ears bent in one former venue, where is the singing, where are the Shanties? It was hard to tell who was where for what but it was evident that a lot of people had gone into the pubs expecting the same show as previous years and were miffed that their holiday had been spoilt.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: stallion
Date: 15 Aug 12 - 10:19 AM

Just read the list of performers, the two sea music names i see are Monkeys Fist and Possibly Dan Spooner, that is if dan spooner is Danny Spooner, quite a catch. Dunno if Monkeys Fist were aware of the situation but I know I would have found it impossible to take up any invitation to play but that is the trade unionist coming out in me! I am away in sunny cumbria but I wouldn't mind meeting up with Danny Spooner again if it is one and the same person.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: GUEST,Nick
Date: 15 Aug 12 - 05:34 AM

I'm astonished that something called "Hull Folk & Maritime Festival" could have so little actual folk and virtually nothing maritime.

I know who the organiser/"third party" is and only in Hull would we have a folk festival organised by someone who knows bugger all about folk. I'm actually a little angry about the whole thing - it's okay saying the council have to fund wisely but the Shanty festival was always a roaring success and well attended - to paraphrase Les's comments from up above, it's change for change's sake. The chap in person does a lot for the local music and arts scene (depending on your viewpoint perhaps), and this is to be applauded, but this does not mean he should be given carte blanche to organise something so far outside of his area of expertise.

Nothing against any of the performers, many of whom I've seen and liked, and some of whom I know, but just because someone plays an acoustic guitar does not mean they are FOLK.

I'd suggest that the Council have demonstrated gigantic incompetence with this shambles but that would be far too kind.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Girl Friday
Date: 18 Jul 12 - 06:08 AM

Not in this weather stallion {: it might rot.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: stallion
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 11:58 AM

Yup Girl friday, keep t'ear tut ground

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 11:04 AM

Don't be too downhearted or put off, Friday. Us Ullites 'ave a knack of digging ourselves out of the s--t. Watch this space for next year.

It helps to know a year in advance that you can't rely on the politicians, but not a few months before.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Girl Friday
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 07:50 AM

Only yesterday, (and before I'd seen this thread), I said I'd quite like to go to Hull Maritime Festival. Not any more !

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 09:49 PM

How many different ways are there to spell Regatta?

Incidentally the mighty Kenyon (canyon) AKA Miss X featured in a recent Private Eye exposé - will be interesting to see how things develop from now on. There's certainly something rotten in North Yorkshire police authority and Whitby politics at large to mention but the Railway Shed fraud as an example.

BTW Whitby Folk Week only has ONE weekend.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Tyke
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 07:37 PM

Well yes Les not the first time Hull has clashed with Whitby Folk Weeks first Weekend though. Must be to do with the tides because it also clashes with Whitby Regater. Let's not get started on Jane Kenyon AKA Whitby Regatter Limited.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Les from Hull
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 06:17 PM

Perhaps this link is more helpful - Hull Folk Festival Limited directors Sorry if I messed up Stallion, old horse!

That's not Latin, Mally, it's temporary body text put there by the web designer to show what the page will look like when the real text is supplied.

Yes there is a relationship between Jody McKenna and the organisers. I don't have a problem with that. Jody is a talented local singer/songwriter with an excellent band who also feature with Nahro Zagros and in the Hillbilly Troupe.

I've not been asked to be involved. The people who were involved decided against further involvement (see the statement that started this thread). And as the organisers have selected the dates when Hull will be mostly devoid of folkies it will be difficult for much local folkie involvement.

Perhaps the organisers will make an appearance on this forum. But I doubt it, as they don't seem to know much about folk music.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: nutty
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 04:16 PM

Unfortunately, folkies are in the minority and predominately elderly. I'm sure councils feel that rate payers money should be spent on catering for the greater majority.

We may also have a different interpretation on what makes a "Maritime " festival.
Both Hull and Scarborough (as seaside towns) have every right to call their events just that.

Perhaps the answer has to be "If you can't beat them - join them". No one can influence events, or bring about change, if they are not involved.

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: stallion
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 03:31 PM

Hull, Scarborough WTF is happening, Scarborough Seafest has a heavy metal band headlining with garage punk band supporting! I suppose they have been hijacked, a la Somali Pirates, is that the tenuous link? Anyway Whitby next week, Hull when?

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: mally
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 03:23 PM

Hull Folk Festival Limited !!!! Does this mean they have sole rights to run a Folk festival in Hull funded by the rate payer?
I also noticed the general information is in latin , does this mean the pope may pay us visit and what songs might he singing?

    Mally

Subject: RE: Hull Shanty Festival 2012
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 02:43 PM

Thanks for the warning, Stallion. Shit all round then! Let's face it, at the moment Hull is shit, but the big question is, what do we do to dig ourselves out.

A couple of lines in tonight's HDM add the Jody McKenna Band to the line-up. I think they're related to one of the pub owners. Hmmm!

BTW headline runs 'Celebrating folk tradition at city maritime festival'. Now let's see what 'folk tradition' are they actually celebrating? Would that be the old fish-dock tradition of back-handers? And what would be the maritime connection? Oh, yes they're using part of 'Humber' Street, and the lightship which is always there, well the punters will have to walk past that. The article actually informs us there will be 'live music as well as theatre, art and film'. Arts festival, yes, maritime festival, no, Steve Brady!