I thought Cliff and Shirley did a fine job along with the staff at the steamer

I'm with you there! The Marine Hall might be the brains of the Fylde Festival, but the heart & soul is The Steamer - and thanks to Cliff & Shirley for keeping this going in their first year as incumbents!

My lasting impression of The Fylde Festival 2008 will be Thistle playing into the wee hours to a dozen provocatively clad young ladies (on hen night) dancing wildly to their finely honed renderings of many the old emerald chestnut. Virtuoso stuff, lads! I know was I meant to be comparing, but Rachel & I were playing at 10.30 the following morning, but you didn't seem to be complaining so we sloped off around midnight, wandering off along the Fleetwood docks to the strains of Dirty Old Town echoing through the night.

Another humbling percussion experience on the Sunday morning when Niahm Boadle got her bodhran out; with playing as accomplished, precise and spirited as that in the world we should not fear for the musical future.