Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)

Subject: Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 29 Apr 04 - 02:33 PM

A rural celebration of music, song and dance with KRISTINA OLSEN & PETER GRAYLING, JOHN SPIERS & JON BODEN, BILL CADDICK, THE DEMON BARBERS, CLOUDSTREET, PASSION DANCE, SONAME, MAURICE DICKSON, THE MIGHTY ROOSTER, 3DAFT MONKEYS, THE JOHN RICHARDS BAND, FIDADDLE, GEORGE PAPAVGERIS, VICKI SWAN & JONNY DYER (of Serious Kitchen), THE MACHINE BREAKERS, TORETH, LEFT HAND DRIVE, EMMA & THE PROFESSOR, RUNDOGRUN, MARSDEN, BLANT & SQUIRE, DAVE TAYLOR, ANTONIO FEDERICO, JAMES ARGYLE, EPIC45, THE GUNS, ALHAMBRA, BOB LINES, THE FIONA SIMPSON BAND, MIKE RUST, GRASS ROOTS, JAN'S BLACKBOARD VAN, NO STRINGS PUPPET THEATRE,....

Details on Wheaton Aston Festival website

So clearly Kitchen Piper, Happyguitar and yours truly will be there. Anybody else coming?

Subject: RE: Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 30 Apr 04 - 05:50 AM

What, nobody? This is the "up and coming" festival after all!

Subject: RE: Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)
From: kitchen piper
Date: 06 May 04 - 06:55 AM

Hurrah!
I will indeedy be there!
Looking foward to it already.

My double bass is packed and raring to go.
Catch Jonny and myself with Cloudstreet performing stuff together on the Saturday evening.

:-))
Vicki

Subject: RE: Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 06 May 04 - 08:21 AM

Looks like I am to be the meat in the Serious Cloud (or Street Kitchen) sandwich, kitchen piper. I follow you and John-Nicole follow me. Can I bang a dustbin lid or something? Though if CS do the "Mill", I'll be there in spirit...In any case, looking forward to post-concert session somewhere/somehow.

Anybody else coming?

Subject: RE: Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)
From: Schantieman
Date: 06 May 04 - 10:38 AM

I hope to be there from Saturday lunchtime, weather etc permitting but Ms Lemon will be there with her trailer all w/e.

Steve

Subject: RE: Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)
From: harpmaker
Date: 08 May 04 - 08:35 PM

I have been known to flick the harpstrings with a rag to create FX.
But playing a string bass with kitchen paper, ????????

(well I thought it was funny.)

just doin' me bit for the madhouse!!

Subject: RE: Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 10 May 04 - 10:38 AM

Been a while since I was at WA folk club; happy memories! Don't know if I can make it up there for the festival ... any details of sessions, singarounds, whatever? The website doesn't give a lot away, apart from the line-up.

Steve (formerly from up the road in Stonnall)

Subject: RE: Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 10 May 04 - 10:55 AM

Steve,
the Saturday Village Hall Concert starts at 19:45 and has Dave Taylor, Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer, George Papavgeris, Cloudstreet, Kristina Olsen & Peter Grayling.

You can also catch Cloudstreet at the Friday Coach & Horses Concert (starts at 18:45, Emma & the Professor, Marsden, Blant & Squire, Cloudstreet, The Mighty Rooster).

Vicki & Jonny also appear at the Saturday afternoon Coach & Horses Concert (starts 13:00, Marsden, Blant & Squire, Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer, Maurice Dickson, 3 Daft Momkeys, Kristina Olsen & Peter Grayling).

George also appears at the Sunday afternoon Village Hall Concert (starts 13:15, George Papavgeris, Fidaddle, No Strings Puppet Theatre, Antonio Federico, Soname, Passion Dance).

I don't have any singarounds details at the moment.

Subject: RE: Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)
From: GUEST, Hamish
Date: 11 May 04 - 03:39 AM

Last year, certainly, there was little in the way of fringe events. Saturday afternoon in the pub down near the canal is all I was aware of. And a good bash it were except for it being most incredibly smokey.

Subject: RE: Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 13 May 04 - 12:19 PM

It's THIS WEEKEND

Sessions in the khaki tent next to the dark blue VW Passat Estate - bring your own booze. Not after midnight though, the neighbours might object.

Subject: RE: Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)
From: breezy
Date: 13 May 04 - 03:43 PM

If George sings the same songs at each gig then some of you might have picked yp on the choruses by then

Underpants,


What of of em?

Just beware.

Is les barker reading this?

Subject: RE: Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)
From: kitchen piper
Date: 16 May 04 - 06:34 PM

Hi!
We've just got back and I've uploaded some pictures I took up to our website. I'm afraid there really aren't many, we were playing a lot and didn't get to see any morris (sorry!).
Anyway, enjoy what I did take!

click here

:-))
Vicki

Subject: RE: Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 16 May 04 - 08:30 PM

Trying to be objective:
It was a great little festival. Aiming at variety, they had it in spades. Not only in music, but in art and crafts too. The Art Trail was well worth following (I was impressed that so many of the villagers had opened their houses to the event - Sidmouth burghers, watch and learn). And the fringe was a lot more active - there were several sessions in the Coach and Horses alone.

As for the music, my personal highlights were (in no order):
a) Seeing Spiers & Boden in action on stage. I had been fortunate recently to attend a session where they were taking part, but to see the way they interact on stage is magical.
b) Christine Olsen & Peter Grayling. She is an electrifying lady, great lyrics and punchy delivery. He makes the cello TALK, if I had any more goosepimples I'd be a plucked chicken.
c) Cloudstreet (of course). I'd seen them several times before, yet I enjoyed their sets as if it was the first time. These two make every appearance seem to be their first, so much energy and professionalism goes into it. Their arrangements superb and just tantalisingly "different", and every bloody note in pitch throughout (believe me, I was LOOKING for mistakes).
d) Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer. Who needs lyrics if you can have those sounds. Jonny's guitar is amazing, exceptional er...I am running out of words, let's just say he's a candidate for broken fingers in MY book! And Vicki's playing convinces me that she was born with Scottish smallpipes attached to her midriff. Their sense of rhythm and tonal qualities leave me spellbound.
e) Fidaddle. Wow. Clubs, BOOK THEM! Anybody who plays 11/8 rhythms like that should not be permitted a British passport, they should be naturalised Poles, or Serbs, or something Balkan. But that is not all they do, by a very long chalk. Real variety, real expertise, and FUN!

On a personal front: My own gigs went OK, people joined in choruses, some cried (not because I was so bad, I like to think), got some more bookings, fluffed some lines, covered up most mistakes, got the shivers hearing Cloudstreet do "The Mill" live for the first time (I owe you, guys), got knackered, ate too much Moor & Coast fare for my waistline, drank some wonderful ales, met some lovely people, the new tent is a palace, managed to get back safely. 'Nuff said - bed calling. Thanks, Hilary and Julian.

Subject: RE: Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)
From: sapper_82
Date: 17 May 04 - 03:26 PM

I'll echo all that El Greco! The best Hillary and Julian have organised!
Regards Cloudstreet, my proud boast is that I got their first airplay on BBC Radio. I was so impressed last year that I got their CDs, the following Monday took one into Mick Peat at BBC Radio Derby and he played a track! Problem is, I also sent in the other CD and they still have it!

Subject: RE: Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)
From: sapper_82
Date: 17 May 04 - 03:30 PM

Vicki, as I write this, AOL are struggling to upload some shots I took of you at the Coach & Horses. Feel free to post them on your website if you think they are suitable!

Subject: RE: Wheaton Aston Festvl 14-16 May 2004(UK)
From: RichardP
Date: 17 May 04 - 06:52 PM

I concur totally with all El Greko's pen sketch's of acts and his enthusing about the art trail. There are however some other acts that deserve a comparable mention.

I understand modesty, but George Papavgeris demonstrated what a special song writer he has developed into and perforemd some very special sets.

Although noone understood a word that she sang (in Tibetan) Soname has a very special voice. And who else would have got a whole audience making sounds like didgereedoos throughout one song.

Antonio Frederico playing all variants of flamenco managed to demonstrate that the guitar can be a superb instrument in skilled hands.

Bill Caddick was his usual excellent self although only available on the Friday night.

A special mention also for the catering in the village hall. Excellent beers and outstanding food by caterers I have not seen at any other festival.

There was one serious scheduling clash - the only Demon Barber performance coinciding with Kristina Olsen and Peter Grayling. I console myself with the knowledge that there will be other festivals at which to catch up with the Barbers.

Then to top it all there was the outstanding weather.

RichardP