Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent

Subject: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 26 Apr 15 - 02:02 PM

Morrigan will be at The Sweeps Festival in Rochester, Kent at the Man of Kent Alehouse on Sunday 3rd May from 6-7pm. We will be doing a similar May based set to the one we did at Charlton House with John Kirkpatrick but will add in a few more and some tunes. Sweeps is a great way to celebrate May so come along for some fun over the bank holiday

Subject: RE: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Apr 15 - 03:54 AM

The Man of Kent has a good selection of real ales too.

We are booked elsewhere on the Saturday evening but the tribe will probably play for the morris and at some point have a sing song in the Good Intent. ( the pub a bit further along form the Man of kent)

Not so sure about the 5.32 am start at Bluebell Hill - though the bluebells are magnificent at the moment.

FloraG.

Subject: RE: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 27 Apr 15 - 09:07 AM

Come and see us on Sunday Flora if you can

Subject: RE: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 27 Apr 15 - 03:43 PM

Can't promise anything as we tend to do things as a group. That's good insofar as its me that has the Saturday night booking but I shall surprise the group that has booked me with a live 5 piece scratch band of really good musicians; its their charity fund raising event. Its not so good in that we have to compromise on what we do with the rest of the weekend - 2 not so mobile members; but one with a disabled car sticker; + we all like eating and drinking. Thank goodness for the dishwasher.
I expect Morrigan will be brilliant although by Sunday most people are feeling a bit jaded.
FloraG

Subject: RE: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: growler
Date: 27 Apr 15 - 05:25 PM

Flora, if you are jaded, come to the Good Intent and be jaded with the rest of us

Subject: RE: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 28 Apr 15 - 03:58 AM

Thanks Growler. We have spent many a happy hour in the Good Intent over Sweeps.
I remember one especially when Gastove was running a booked band session and and the pub had some ale and cider specials. Unbeknown to me the cider was 8%.
We ended up doing all the tunes/songs that had only 2 chords - even if they didn't.
Sarah - do you know Rochester? If not the Good Intent is just a bit further on from the Man of Kent - and has developed a reputation for live music - folk and jazz - and a welcoming landlord/lady. Mostly mixed sing/play sessions over all of the weekend. Parking can be a pain - but a flute is not so hard to carry.
Say hi if we come across each other.
FloraG.

Subject: RE: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 28 Apr 15 - 10:37 AM

Yes we are planning on going to The Good Intent too - we know it but haven't visited much since our friend Fran moved from Rochester. One of our group can't get down during the day so we may take instruments to the lunchtime session but intend to do some more singing there after our set at the man of kent in the evening....at least that seems to be the plan of action at the moment....I'll be the one with the flute, whistle, cornamuse and other blowy things

Subject: RE: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 29 Apr 15 - 05:23 AM

Bump

Subject: RE: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 30 Apr 15 - 10:07 AM

Bump - counting down the days!

Subject: RE: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Apr 15 - 04:19 PM

Anyone else at Sweeps? I cannot believe that there has not been a Sweeps thread - and it starts tomorrow at the top of Bluebell Hill at 0532. But I can't find one.


Royston and I will be in the GI most of the weekend. To disappoint the fans of my daughter and her percussionist they are bidden to a MARRIAGE (not theirs) - spit, spit in the wild frozen north. Ade will be with me most of the time.   

I believe the Barden of England will be present some of the time.

Possibly Leadfingers.

When dancing permits, Angelle.

Subject: RE: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: growler
Date: 30 Apr 15 - 04:42 PM

I was in this afternoon at the Good Intent. Marquee up 42 Beers racked up, ciders sitting there saying 'drink me' and all is right with the world. See you at the weekend.

Subject: RE: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 01 May 15 - 01:25 PM

Bump

Subject: RE: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 02 May 15 - 08:31 AM

It's tomorrow for us ...yaaay!

Subject: RE: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 04 May 15 - 05:10 AM

Great time at Sweeps yesterday. Good to meet you Flora. We had a good crowd for our set in the Man of Kent and enjoyed the afternoon and evening sessions in the Good Intent.

Subject: RE: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 04 May 15 - 12:36 PM

I enjoyed your playing in the GI.
There was a worrying lack of morris sides in the procession. I think the organisers will have to think about what they offer the morris sides to entice them.
Our barn dance went well - and we got paid more than we asked. Happy days.
FloraG.

Subject: RE: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 05 May 15 - 01:13 AM

It seemed to me that the whole event was less well attended than in the past - when for example Dal was having sometimes to send out for emergency additional beer. When I did pop into the High Street it was less rammed. The Bengal Brasserie had empty tables!

The GI sinarounds while (despite my chairing some) very very pleasant were not generally squeezing-in room only as in the past, although it was (as traditionally) a bit of a battle to turn Saturday evening from a milling throng into a considerate song session. Sunday evening suffered from a dearth of singers in the back bar at the GI, at first (although it picked up nicely later) and we had some nice contributions. Invidious to single out performers but Morrigan were very polished, the young performer who came in with a banjo, then borrowed Angelle's guitar and gave a throbbing rendition of the Cuckoo's Nest was most striking, and Bob Kenward was up to his usual high standard. Nice it was also to hear the great John Barden, and Helen gave us good reason to remember that she is doing a concert night at the GI in the near future which I think will be a "must see".

The music instrument market seemed forlornly quiet when I was there. I wonder how much business PJ and Pip actually did.

Did anyone else get the impression that there were fewer vendors of burnt pig?

Certainly the list of sides attending seemed short. In the past there have been MANY sides - I think the record was 109 one year. There I think hangs the tale - probably one of council cuts.

On the plus side the sound in the back of the Gordon seemed better, although when I asked Jay he said that he had not put new drivers in his woofers and ascribed the improvement to the different location of the stage there.

Subject: RE: Morrigan Sweeps Festival Rochester Kent
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 05 May 15 - 08:04 AM

Thanks Richard. Glad you enjoyed Morrigan and you did a good job running the Sunday evening session we went to in the GI ensuring fair play. You missed a treat in Bob K's final contribution before we left - tears of laughter and political riskiness to the extreme!