Where do i begin?

lets get the weather out of the way

40 secs of rain Sunday night but Valdy saw it off, he's a legend in Canada and a very talented singer and guitar player 'let me find the key' capo was never used, dont think he knows waht one is, very fluent player , great voice , manner, shit he was good, and just around the 60 mark. red socks, sneakers, khahi shorts and the shirt !

and highly thought of and loved

back to the weather

Cloudy , misty, sunny , windy and that was every hour.


the scene

football pitch with grass-banked terracing on far side from stage

mainstage opposite

3 evening main stage shows Fri - till Sun from 7.00 till late, artiste cahnge evry half hour or hour if later

Sat and Sun hour long 'Workshop' cum mini sinaround concert with booked artistes from 11.00 till 6.00 at 6 venues on the fielsd around the mainstage

very tightly organised

On the Thursday evening there was a pre fest show featuring Dave Gunning, Steve Wright, and little Matt Andersen a quiet blusey guy from New Brunswick - hee hee hee
the show ended at 1.00 A M

Bit noisy with lots of locals etc but it was overcome, $5 entry, bloody rip-off £2.50, well I mean to say

Now I like a good singer and good songs
Friday &.00 p.m. the show starts

Did I miss chuck brodsky at 7.30 or was he not there, cant remember HELP, cos I was sober all week end

I wasnt drawn in by kelly Joe Phelps as all his songs sound the same and are too long, luke doucet, sorry cant remember, nor Rylee madiswith a bang, more a 'sliding approach'
Karen savoca was not for me either,

good start eh?

then james kellaghan, with a guitar borrowed cos Air Canada had lost his.

he was doing O k till he bust a string, and as he only had 30 minutes and no-one offered him a decent replacement he was forced to change strings, bit of a night mare baptism.

cant remember the D rangers
then george canyon and dave gunning

well yes they were c/w but nevertheless a great performance, touching songs and George's new song 'Sacrifice' is worth looking out for. he sang it as asound check and was rewarded by generous applause by the very few of us hanging around at 3.00 pm
This was better

i went to bed and slept through the Stampeders, well I had been up since 6.am after 4 hours kip

up at 7 breakfast in the Arena $5

first show 11.00 6 gigs
I took in Nathan Rogers, Paul Mills Ron Hynes, Steve Wright
i was well satisfied

12.00 dave gunning, who I like, agood mix of contemp, trad arranged and voice and guitar with the
The Chucky danger band this precocious bunch of young lads from P E I dressed in balck suits, white shirts and ties, srtrutting like bantams, reminded me of the early Kinks, even the Beatles !!!
great showmanship, dynamic songs with great 'hooks' , I was rocking and rolling all over agian, good luck to em,
how to use you band while you replace a string!

1.00 onto the 10 year club
Paul mills, James keelaghan, Ron Hynes, and Valdy
they were at the 1st Stanfest 10 years back

great show, and Ron Hynes sings from the deep inside, he wrote Sonny's Dream for those who didnt know, and has confronted his demons. A Newfee Legend !!

valdy appeared , what asight, great charm

it was noticeable how older and more experienced performers sing shorter and more interesting songs than younger ones and thus have greater impact and hold an audience's attention

2.30 gave Nathan Rogers the once over.
I'ld heard his rendition of Dark-Eyed Moll and Three Fishers earlier and had been impressed.
It took him a wile to get strarted and I was beginning to wonder but when he did it was his Mary's child then the sequel, Both compelling narratives which give an indication of his abilities, .then 'North-West Passge' in a key rather high for some of us, to which he later confessed was 3 notches higher than originally intended !! I admire honesty and the fact that 'once started i will finish'The tent was filling all the time so when he came to finish with his Himalayan chant, of which i was not keen but prepared to give a second chance to, he came out on top, and even I liked it, he was very enthusiastically received, I was pleased too.

3-00 off to History in Song with Garnet Rogers Steve Wright and James keelaghan.

Steve Wright comes from Guysborough and chronicles local tales, I like him, garnet was very laid back and a I cant remeber J K very well, at all at all at all

I must have had a breather while I ate and sheltered from thewind, before meeting Nathan and his lovely fiance Amber before his 5.00 pm workshop 'I wish I'ld written that'
with Irish Mythen !!!!! thoght it was jimmy Clitheroe !!!!!

and Doyle from Modabo, what a singer, his Over the rainbow was marvellous

irish did Clare to here, agood old English song by Ralph May that the irish think is Ioirirish then the gig finished with Kilgarry Moutain, Mush er ring um er doo rum er da clap clap clap clap

tea time

I was enjoying myself


and so to be continued if any onyone asks





Chuck who?