Chris Ormston and Cathy O'Dea - later Cathie Ormston, (but no longer, I feel) were the equal of artists with far higher profiles. Chris is a leading light in the piping world as his website attests and has lived in the North-East for many years now. I'd love to see him again. They were instrumental (ta,dah) in Folk On Merseyside which was a loose grouping of musicians and activists which staged a few Festivals in the city in the early '80s. The Adelphi, and the Poly were venues and I've still got some files relating to those events, as being a banker (hiss, boo!) I was Treasurer.
Abiding memories are seeing Pyewacket on an Adelphi ballroom Saturday morning, launch into 'Spirits In The Material World' - superb reading of The Police song. Plus Swarb and Nicol asking me where they could erm, 'skin up' in peace before their set!
We lost a packet on the final Festival which is why it was the final one and spent the next 12 months doing gigs with a roadshow to pay off the shortfall. Actually, those were fun too and we did clear the debt in the end!
Don't suppose the 'Helen' could be Hebden? Maybe not.