Folk Festival Formats

Subject: Folk Festival Formats
From: Marcus Campus Bellorum
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 11:11 PM

A thought, a question:

A hypothetical Folk Festival has to satisfy some basic requirements to survive. Do these requirements influence the nature and the type of music performed at that festival.

ie: Large festivals may more capacity to put on "unknown acts" and give those acts more time (in the three important areas of: 1)on stage band setup time. 2)performance time. 3)time to get of the stage.

I contend that the two elements mentioned above (money and time) are proportional to music diversity at folk festivals. Such imperitives (make money to survive and keep stage downtime to a minimum) are "mainstreaming" folk music.

I am interested in music that is out the mainstream. Anyone else out there? Anyone else experience time and money problems (from a performers point of view)at folk festivals??

Anyone out there who play in "large" ensemble? What are your experiences in the following:

1).Gaining acceptance of your applications to perform 2)Getting mainstage timeslots 3)Getting sufficientsetup time, performance time, and pull-down time?

Or do you have to do a "scaled down version" of your act at Festivals.

Is such "scaling down" a good thing?

Subject: RE: Folk Festival Formats
From: Marcus Campus Bellorum
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 11:30 PM

Not to mention the possibility of being seen as a trouble maker for questioning the status quo.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival Formats
From: Marcus Campus Bellorum
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 11:41 PM

Then there is the question of defining folk music.

It is such a broad term that festival organisers must have a hell of a time determining who fits the bill and who does not.

Smaller festivals too, must have a hard time attempting to increase performer setups, performances and pulldown times. When you only have 2 or 3 venues it is a real crowd killer to have one "out of action" for 30 mins while the next group sets-up.

Very difficult situation.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival Formats
From:
Date: 06 Sep 00 - 12:25 AM

My first inclination is to say that any group that requires a huge setup operation has lost it's way and finished up at a folk festival
If this is bitten a second inclination may follow:-)

Subject: RE: Folk Festival Formats
From: Marcus Campus Bellorum
Date: 06 Sep 00 - 12:28 AM

Bite.

Explain yourself Jacko.

How big is huge. And where should the lost group be performing.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival Formats
From:
Date: 06 Sep 00 - 05:09 AM

Fair cop

But this is a reluctant inclination.:-)
But then you yourself, Marcus, raised the question of definition..... The definition of folk,...and of what is a folk festival. Is it a gathering of like-minded souls or just an audience of people needing to be entertained?
The like-minded souls may well fully appreciate the output of big groups (four, more than four? your indication was "large" ensemble) but they probably appreciate more, being at a smaller event and closer to an individual or duo.
I guess what I'm saying is that I don't get awfully excited at the prospect of a big group on stage at a festival. The promoters may feel the need to put bums on seats, but my own reckoning is that when an event gets to that stage it is already too big
I acknowledge that I say all this from NZ where small generally, is beautiful
I shall try not to have any further inclinations:-)