Whitby 2015 - best places.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Tatterfoal
Date: 03 Sep 15 - 05:33 AM

Whitby pavilion exhibition hall for Geoff Cubitts workshops all week were brilliant, he even filled the exhibition hall on the friday night.   Great stuff.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Alec
Date: 03 Sep 15 - 04:51 AM

A fantastic week of singing and dance with lots of highlights, The Demon's, the trad nights at the football club, Archie Fisher and hearing Ken Wilson and Jim Macfarlands quality voices. Ken's renditions of the 'Joy of Living' and Jim Woodlands 'Ghost Story' in the Metropole concert, were something special. But the Wilson's annual late night extra at the Metropole was by far the best yet! it was like a giant singaround Brilliant.... See you all again next year for more of the same!

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 02 Sep 15 - 05:16 PM

It was a wonderful week wherever you went. The sun shone brightly and the heather on the moors was in full bloom too.

A highlight for me was James Fagan singing Anderson's Coast at his Australian song workshop - but there were many more!

Thank you, Whitby.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Dennis the Elder
Date: 02 Sep 15 - 06:31 AM

Well done to all especially you Nick for organising the Glaisdale trip for such a good cause.
Sorry I did not make it or indeed Whitby this year, work keeps searching me out.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Raggytash
Date: 01 Sep 15 - 01:30 PM

Just a quick note to say a HUGE thank you to all who came on the Glaisdale trip. This morning I paid £146.00 into the Runswick Bay Rescue Boat account.

Cheers

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Carol
Date: 01 Sep 15 - 12:47 PM

I was wondering what was going on in the Ship and where it was in the town. The Star is getting better and i really enjoyed it this year - of course knocking the bar down and moving it to the bottom of the stairs, making a larger space to sing would be great John and Di.
Really some good singing going on all week.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey
Date: 01 Sep 15 - 08:28 AM

We never use the A64 and associated roads when travelling between Selby and Whitby at Festival time.

Instead we go through the centre of York diverting off towards the Hospital (well signposted) and joining the B1363 as far as the ring road.

We turn right and then proceed via Strensall and northward on minor roads until we reach the A170 west of Pickering before turning north once more until reaching the A171 west of Whitby. After that it's take your choice - straight in or on to Sandsend depending where abouts we are staying.

This run takes about thirty minutes longer than a good run (not available Festival time) via the main roads and is a few miles further.

A huge bonus for us this year was the incredible colours over the moors - so vibrant. We have done the journey to Whitby hundreds of times and cannot remember seeing the heather looking so magnificent.

We returned by more or less the same route (one or two detours by choice)and arrived home relaxed; which was just as well as we had been burning the candle both ends and in the middle meeting up with old and not so old friends and imbibing the odd hoppy infusion.

We enjoyed all the events we attended and how lucky we all were with the weather!

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Selby
Date: 01 Sep 15 - 07:06 AM

I find it interesting that there is little praise for the festival. In my opinion no festival no fringe

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 01 Sep 15 - 03:34 AM

Didn't make W. this year - but I expect you all had a great time. The season ticket is modestly priced so you can pick and mix events while contributing to the running costs.
Memories
walking among the heather - really special at this time of the year
eating fish and chips
hearing the Wilsons
meeting the same 5 people whichever event you went to ( how does that happen)
never winning a prize in the raffle at the shanty sessions
a double rainbow seen from the café at the pavilion
FloraG.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Aug 15 - 07:15 PM


I wish I had followed my instincts and gone drekly to the Humber Bridge and then cross country south.
My preferred route after too many jams on the alternatives although the closure of the A15 for an accident made for a senic diversion. Lincoln can be a little slow but A1 was fine from Newark down to Black Cat.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 31 Aug 15 - 06:24 PM

Ah, yes, I remember the spoken bit and the abc.

Lyrics to the original Waterson Hilda's cabinet band (we didn't change much) here - http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/folk-song-lyrics/Hildas_Cabinet_Band.htm

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 31 Aug 15 - 05:09 AM

I was seated with my back to the window and was the first person to sing after SU. The song I sang, after moaning interminably about my mate Alun Parry being refused a vote in the Labour leadership election, was The Socialist ABC.

I remember the group in front of the fireplace, but for the life of me I can't remember David's Cabinet Bend. (Well it was one hell of a long week.)

Can you post the words here? Maybe that will jog me.

I agree that the singaround should have been longer, or maybe there should have been a second political singaround on another day.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Mo the caller
Date: 30 Aug 15 - 04:38 PM

The spoken word session in the Star was my discovery for this year. Dare I mention the excellent and inexpensive mugs of tea both there and in the Fisherman's (where you could get a buttered scone with it for the price of tea in the Spa).
As ever the grouse was the impossibility of being in 2 or 3 places at once, and getting between them + changing shoes etc in no time.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Aug 15 - 12:41 PM

Hello Fred. Which were you? We were the four in front of the fireplace who re-jigged Lal Waterson's "Hilda's cabinet band" as "David's cabinet bend".

The political session could have done with twice as much space and twice as much time.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 30 Aug 15 - 07:09 AM

I must put in a good word for the Rifle Club, where we had lunch most days. We settled for soup and their interesting selection of rolls. And I enjoyed my pint of Whitby-brewed beer - as did the others there.

However, it was strange to look out over the sea sparkling in the bright sunlight and hear the Christmas carols booming out from the concert room. I kept thinking of roast turkey.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 30 Aug 15 - 06:13 AM

Richard Bridge. "Aiming for political song in the Dolphin at 1 pm today. I wonder if the Blairites will be there."

There were no Blairites there that I could see, but it was a bloody good session. Encouraging to see how much it's come on in the last couple of years.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Andiliqueur
Date: 29 Aug 15 - 02:28 PM

Also thanks John(landlord of the Star)for holding an impromptu Friday Singaround even though everything had officially ended. At times We almost won the battle with the bar!

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,cujimmy
Date: 29 Aug 15 - 02:09 PM

Yes The Star gets my vote this year to, I met lots of new people from all over UK, even a couple from Isle of Man and wonderful songs and singing all week.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 29 Aug 15 - 01:46 PM

It was so good in the Star that sometimes it was hard to get in - in the end on Thursday in the 2-4 session I gave up, and hunted for anywhere else, but found nothing pleasing to my mind. The Folk Club on Thursday night was not bad at all either. Jim Mageean was in there but Graeme Knights was giving it large in the Black Horse down the road... I like their attitude!

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Acorn4
Date: 29 Aug 15 - 11:17 AM

ten out of ten for The Star - beer prices best in Whitby and a good singaround/session every night. Workshops at £4 a time with the concession put Sidmouth to shame!

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 29 Aug 15 - 04:22 AM

100

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,John star inn
Date: 28 Aug 15 - 08:58 PM

Thanks for the positive comments guys. The star in was the "Yorkshire" pub at the festivals inception, and as a folkie myself, and the new landlord, it is heartening to see that we are heading in the right direction

Thanks for the correction Richard Bridge. I knew the Swan didn't have Young Richard Grainger running a session.

It was briliant to see The Keelers, The Wilsons, Barry & Ingrid Temple, Ian Russell, Jonny Handle and a whole gang of my North East folkie pals in my pub. Although, i must admit, there were just as surprised to find a familiar face from the northern folk scene as the landlord :-)

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 28 Aug 15 - 04:21 PM

Neither my tenor nor I saw any handpumps downstairs in the Middle Earth.

Anyway, I am now back in Sarf Lunnon. I recommend avoiding the A64 A14, A1M (or A1 as the case may be - PARTICULARLY near Newark) and M11. And if you ask your satnav to dodge the jams on the A14/A1/A1M DO NOT GO INTO DONCASTER. Road closures.

I wish I had followed my instincts and gone drekly to the Humber Bridge and then cross country south.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Aug 15 - 01:48 PM

Richard Bridge
Nothing but lager and top pressure in the Middle Earth.

You must have gone straight upstairs then, some decent ales available in the downstairs bar.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 27 Aug 15 - 04:55 AM

I should correct myself, it is not the Swan we have found pleasant, it is the Star. Good session chaired by the Landlord Weds night, although a huge fat beery chap and his shrieking family made life shit for the first hour. But that discouraged the weaker singers, who left, and then he left too. After that 'twas grand until fairly well after midnight. Nice to have a short chat with cujimmy, and a also a chat with a man named after electrical components who took me to the source of the lines that Dylan stole to insert in the Dylan/Baez version of Queen Jane.

Political session was very interesting, and most singing very good, but the chairing was weak and some people went on too long so it took the full two hours to (just) get round the room.

People in the streets with amplifiers, who should be shot on sight on principle.

Still no sign of Mither. I think he must be avoiding me.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Sapper sans cookie
Date: 27 Aug 15 - 03:56 AM

GUEST,DTM
1) Not like Authorities to stamp out anything that punters find enjoyable (T-I-C smiley)
2) On the bright side, at least any non-folkies will have somewhere to drink in peace.
3) Love the Irish but alas don't like "Loads of fast Irish" music.

1: I chatted to the Landlady of The Middle Earth on Saturday evening and apparently the curbs are the result of a single complaint to Scarborough Borough Council. Ironically, the lady who made that complaint is on holiday in Spain this week.
She also added that Scarborough want to see the Goth Festival move there

3: Back room of the Black Horse had a group of diddly dees hogging the session on Monday(?) afternon until, during a short pause, I jumped in with Byker Hill a full volume!

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Jack Campin
Date: 26 Aug 15 - 01:45 PM

I hadn't seen Geoff the Duck dancing until I found Whitby Scratch Morris today.

Geoff is bloody good.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 26 Aug 15 - 05:25 AM

Swan very good Tuesday, with an off-programme sinaground ably led by Richard Grainger in the evening, which ended about midnight when the Wilsons and the Keelers and at least one Unthank gave an unscheduled pub concert at the other end of the bar.   

Aiming for political song in the Dolphin at 1 pm today. I wonder if the Blairites will be there.

Bad salads 2moz (maybe).

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 23 Aug 15 - 10:42 PM

Beer good in the Endeavour, and some good beer in the Dolphin which was rammed beyond endurance Sunday despite arriving 20 minutes before the session start), undrinkable in the Rifle Club. I actually abandoned an unfinished pint. Nothing but lager and top pressure in the Middle Earth. Some nice singing in Joe and Mo's session in the Rifle Club Saturday night. Enjoyed Knights and MaGeean's session in the Endeavour Sunday. Lots of tune sessions, some unaccompanied song but very little accompanied song found so far. Fleece very patchy, suffering a lot of pop and ARSS. Also some sensitive singing in the Star Sunday but I arrived with only an hour of the session left so did not get a song. Hoping to try the ballad sessions in the (spit) conservative club soon. Our rented house is only about 100 yards from the First and Last (or is it the In and Out) so hoping to try that soon . It seems that the programmed song sessions tend to end bang on time rather than just carrying on until everyone drops from exhaustion (as they do at Sweeps)

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Aug 15 - 04:19 PM

Can't be very good at Whitby if you are writing on here

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Jack's Rake
Date: 23 Aug 15 - 03:17 PM

Hiya Musket.

In that case, I would like to apologise for anything I ever say, do or sing, any night after about 11 pm during any Whitby Folk Week. I'll start with my comments, in French, to the French lad playing the pipes beautifully in the station last night. It's true, though. My cat IS a grandfather and M. Marsaud's children WERE called Jean-Paul and Marie-France.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Jack's Rake
Date: 23 Aug 15 - 03:10 PM

Hiya Jack.

Strange that. It was rammed, but no more than on any given night in the past so I haven't a clue what their beef was. I noticed the Middle Earth staff were being rather officious regarding a couple of issues this afternoon, also, so I wonder if there's been some external pressure regarding numbers and other stuff.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Jack's Rake
Date: 23 Aug 15 - 03:05 PM

Hiya Banjo Flower.

Really enjoyed your playing at carol's! I'm sure our paths will cross some time this week but we're in the Station pretty much every night after 9 or 10. In fact we're just off there to meet Carol as soon as we've finished this curry!

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Musket
Date: 23 Aug 15 - 03:59 AM

I would like to take this opportunity to apologise for last night and the joke about the nun on the flying trapeze.

To be fair, some people wanted to laugh.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Jack Campin
Date: 23 Aug 15 - 02:01 AM

Thought I'd drop in to the Station to say hello to Jack's Rake and Richard - went there at midnight as things were winding down at the Elsinore, to be told by the bouncer (or more likely, barman deputed to do the job) that they were full up. Considering how stowed out that place can get and still keep on with business as usual, the crowd must have been like "how many people can we get in a Mini?".

But the streets seemed quieter than usual and the programme has a lot more empty event slots than previous years.

God I detest The Little Angel. You can hear their bloody PA right at the other end of the Flowergate.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 22 Aug 15 - 05:03 AM

Guest. There's no love in it. I just hate the Conservative Party.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Banjo-Flower
Date: 21 Aug 15 - 07:09 PM

Hi Jakes Rake it would be great to meet up with you at Whitby after meeting you at Carol's last Friday

Gerry

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 21 Aug 15 - 03:59 PM

Hi Fred

So you would rather pay inflated prices elsewhere at establishments that are almost invariably run by people who support the party you love to hate? How much of the profit from your heavily subsidised pint would you think goes to party funds? I would hazard very little.

PS Always vote Labour myself but then it's a class thing.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,cujimmy
Date: 21 Aug 15 - 12:09 PM

The Friendship Rowing club has always been very welcoming reasonably priced and spacious, you can always find a seat even when it is busy.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Joe Nicholson
Date: 21 Aug 15 - 11:39 AM

The food and the snacks in the Rifle Club are very good and the beer is at club prices. It is also a very good Festival venue. Plus Mo and I will be running our usual Singarounds every night.

Joe N.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Raggytash
Date: 21 Aug 15 - 06:20 AM

Harry I would try the Station, the Black Horse and the Endeavour at first.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 21 Aug 15 - 06:09 AM

Guest. Spending money in the Conservative club helps to line the coffers of the Conservative Party.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 20 Aug 15 - 08:49 PM

Richard

You don't say where you are coming from and when but unless you are travelling overnight I would suggest you add at least one hour to your journey - and hope there are no accidents and incidents (Paul Simon?).

Fred

What's wrong with buying subsidised grub and ale from the Con Club???

The cheapest pint in Whitby apart from the Plough Mortuary, and the sandwiches are usually pretty decent for those taking fuel on the hoof.

And yes I voted Labour in the election so am now part of an oppressed minority rather than a disenfranchised majority.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Jack's Rake
Date: 20 Aug 15 - 12:39 PM

Richard.

Say hello of you see any of us in the back room of the Station (or anywhere else for that matter).

We look like this! : www.jacksrake.co.uk

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Harry Harriss
Date: 20 Aug 15 - 10:09 AM

Is there likely to be any sessions on the eve of folk week (i.e. Friday)? I know there's RHB folk club, but anything in town?

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 19 Aug 15 - 10:56 AM

There are at least two official Old Timey sessions listed in the festival programme. IE.,

Tuesday, 1-3 Rattle on The Stovepipe will be playing with Joe Locker in the (oh God!) Conservative club bar.
Friday. 1-3. The New Deal String Band, Pete Cooper and Dan Stewart are in the Fisherman's Rowing Club.

Both events are free, and of course you don't HAVE to buy any refreshments in The Con Club. Last year we ended up singing the Internationale and The Freedom Come All Ye in there.

Plus of course both bands will be playing at various other paying venues around the town.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Jack Campin
Date: 19 Aug 15 - 10:33 AM

I've encountered some old-time at the Board. You could also ask the Rattle on the Stovepipe guys or the Paleys if you can find them.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: Mo the caller
Date: 19 Aug 15 - 07:56 AM

I don't know the subtleties of American music, but maybe that's what happens outside the Middle Earth - did someone say they weren't allowed to play outside this year. Maybe look for someone carrying a guitar case and ask them???

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Git Parker
Date: 19 Aug 15 - 06:19 AM

Heresy - I know. Is there any Bluegrass, Americana , Western Swing etc in the pubs. I am based in Whitby over Festival Week ( without instruments ) and some of the above will help the beer go down.

Subject: RE: Whitby 2015 - best places.
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 19 Aug 15 - 03:46 AM

Richard why on earth are you bringing a submarine, even a little one, you'll be too busy playing and listening to bugger about under the sea.