Folk Festival at Butlins Fri-3-Mon-6 Dec 2010 (UK)

Subject: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Sooz
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 05:16 AM

Theres going to be a folk festival at Butins (Skegness) in December

Interesting?

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: JHW
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 05:38 AM

Bracing

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 05:39 AM

uummm... Wow!   too bad it is over 3 hour drive and TSO has to work both Friday and Monday.   le sigh.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: My guru always said
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 05:49 AM

Haven't been to Butlins since I was knee high, how tempting! And on my birthday weekend too.....

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Tug the Cox
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 07:22 AM

The beer is always awful at these places.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Leadfingers
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 07:31 AM

And a remarkable lack of Programme info !

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: matt milton
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 07:44 AM

interesting that it's happening.

not a very interesting line-up though

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: mayomick
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 10:01 AM

Great that it should be taking place at Butlins all the same . People here shouldn't turn their noses up now that the folkies are finally getting a chance to meet the folk .Skegness makes it sound even better doesn't it - more authentic . I'll have to try to dig out a fifty verse ballad that gives Skeggers a mention.(I'm sure locals must call it Skeggers ) . Mudcatters could go along as redcoats to keep everyone happy and clapping along.
I just come across a ballad that might fit the bill :it's called The Ballad o' Nobbly-on-the-Naise . Isn't Nobbly-on-the-Naise supposed to be somewhere around Skegness ?

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 10:34 AM

The last time I stayed at Butlins about 4/5 years ago, it was about the same time December.

We left early, because of the drunken louts and the voilence, which Butlins seemed unable to control. In our block, 2 apartments were trashed including windows smashed and drunken yobbos bawling their head off about 3 in the morning till they collapsed.

Now I know that folkies are not normally like that, but I swore that Butlins would never get another penny out of me and they won't.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: GUEST,qtwf
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 10:48 AM

There used to be a folk festival at Butlins, Bognor Regis - ran for about four years in the early nineties?

Surreal, but huge fun :)

Cheers,

Q

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: GUEST,Guest Betsy
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 11:50 AM

I'll give that a miss - Jeez who picked THAT lot ?????

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: mayomick
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 03:15 PM

Seriously ,I really can't see anything wrong in having a folk festival at Butlins with good performers , if you could get the venue cheaply enough . I'd rather stay in a chalet than a tent nowadays .

For Americans who may not know about the Butlins phenomenom :the Butlins company had a chain of about twenty holiday camps around British coastal resorts where a lot of working class families used to take their summer vacations . The advent of cheap package flights to sunnier climates put many of the sites out of business in the seventies, but before that ,they were very popular. They had the reputation of being cheap and cheerful ,but also a bit over-regimented.
Two English comedians ,Eric Sykes and Hattie Jacques, did a very funny send-up of the camps in their TV show .

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: GUEST,Ebor_Fiddler
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 07:21 PM

Ruth Madoc did it better! All together now - "Good Morning Campers"!

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Will Fly
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 04:27 AM

Locals, as I recall, call Skegness "Skeggy". Reading this thread I'm transported back to 1965 when, for a student summer job, I worked as a seaside photographer in Skegness - for a now defunct firm called Wraites. I had to don the red and yellow striped blazer on a Friday and Saturday night and do the rounds at Butlins. I thought it was a fairly crappy place but it was packed to the gills, as were the "happy campers" themselves.

No sign of folk though. The records of note being played over and over again were the Byrds' version of "Mr. Tambourine Man" and - quite appropriately, I thought - the Animals' "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place".

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Mavis Enderby
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 04:52 AM

I'm local(ish) and call it Skeggy. Will's description above is about right I think!

We went to the Rock and Blues event at Skeggy Butlins a few years back. Found Butlins itself to be fairly reasonable, but the bands got a bit repetitive, to say the least. About the only difference between the bands was the colour of the stratocasters...

If you like the look of the line-up for the folk weekend though you will probably have a good time.

Pete.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Fran
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 04:56 AM

More info and additions to the line up here

http://www.ukpressreleases.co.uk/THE-GREAT-BRITISH-FOLK-FESTIVAL-Folk-music--with-a-twist~123.htm.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: GUEST,Johnjo
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 01:05 PM

Twas always 'Skeggy' when I went there as a kid. Never stayed at the Butlins, but went once as a day visitor.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Sooz
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 02:07 PM

Over the years Skeggy has become Skeg!

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: glueman
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 02:44 PM

Stackridge are playing. My Butlitz cynicism just turned to enthusiasm.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: nutty
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 02:57 PM

Seems a bit too concert based for me .... where are the dance teams, the workshops, the singarounds. Unfortunately many festival organisers forget that folk music appeals to different people in different ways.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: nickp
Date: 26 Jul 10 - 04:24 AM

I used to go to the Butlins Folk Festival when it was in Bognor at Easter. Interesting...

It was paired with a Country & Western Festival. For some reason they got all the good venues and we had what was left...

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Nick
Date: 26 Jul 10 - 09:47 AM

Cheggers Plays Pop
Skeggers Plays Folk

It's got a ring to it. Perhaps a TV program there.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Kampervan
Date: 26 Jul 10 - 04:20 PM

I love the fact that the organisers are trying to link Skegness with a "local" song from Horkstow.

Horkstow is 65 miles away, and much closer to Grimsby/Lincoln/doncaster/Leeds/Scunthorpe/'you name it', than to Skegness.

Maybe I'm wrong, but this looks like a folk weekend organised by someone who doesn't know a lot about folk.

K/van

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: GUEST,I Don't Know
Date: 27 Jul 10 - 03:44 AM

I will be there, booked at the weekend, very few rooms left. The main reason I am going is Oysterband & a cheap weekend break in the lead up to the winter.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Carol
Date: 27 Jul 10 - 09:13 AM

Sounds interesting, they used to have singarounds at the
Bognor Regis one I wonder if they still take tourers in
December, they don't have chalets now it's apartments but some of them aren't much cop.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: GUEST,I Don't Know
Date: 27 Jul 10 - 09:57 AM

Just had an update on the festival & the line up is Oysterband, Kate Rusby,Donovan, The Gathering, Acoustic Strawbs, Sandi Thom, Richard Digance & The Dylan Project also John Renborn & Jackie Mcshee,Away with the Faeries,Jiggerypipery & more. It should be really good.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Fran
Date: 27 Jul 10 - 11:40 AM

So all names I have seen so far

DONOVAN
KATE RUSBY
ACOUSTIC STRAWBS
SANDI THOM
JOHN RENBOURN & JACQUI McSHEE
OYSTER BAND
HUNTER MUSKETT
DEBORAH BONHAM ACOUSTIC
RICHARD DIGANCE
GARY FLETCHER BAND
PHIL COOL
THE DYLAN PROJECT
GORDON GILTRAP
JIGGERYPIPERY
SHINJIG
AWAY WITH THE FAERIES
LEGENDS OF FOLK ROCK – The Gathering
(inc current of former members of – Lindisfarne. Steeleye Span, Jethro Tull, Fairport, Magna Carta)
ROD CLEMENTS
STACKRIDGE
NINE BELOW ZERO UNPLUGGED….

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Leadfingers
Date: 27 Jul 10 - 01:41 PM

But NO mention of Any Sessions or other 'Normal' festival events ??

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: GUEST,DICKY BOY
Date: 27 Jul 10 - 02:57 PM

All paid up and looking forward to it.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 27 Jul 10 - 07:08 PM

The Bognor version had sessions and dances.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: GUEST,Cats
Date: 28 Jul 10 - 12:18 PM

Just had a look at the website. As I am on my own and all the 'room only' is now booked the cheapest I can get is £231 which is alot different from the £69 in the advert. Add the travel up from cornwall and it makes it over £500 before I add in food or drink. Sorry, shan't be going

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 28 Jul 10 - 12:37 PM

Thats not true Cats

Select Skegness, then Big weekend 18+, then make sure you have the right dates etc.

Where it says How many people are coming? change it to 1

Then click on Choose your accomodation

Then select Dinner Bed and Breakfast and click on Check Availability

Then check options 1, 2, 6, or 7

You may get a surprise. Remember the price includes all your food.

Need to hurry though as they are running short.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: GUEST,bigdrummergirl
Date: 29 Jul 10 - 11:30 AM

Two of us booked apartment and all food for £180. Don't think that's bad at all.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Cats
Date: 29 Jul 10 - 12:34 PM

Have tried again and am still getting a price of over 250. could be something to do with having a single supplement added on. don't want dinner bead and breakfast much prefer self catering

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 29 Jul 10 - 01:35 PM

Self catering is more expensive Cats for one person

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 12:03 PM

…….. I swore that Butlins would never get another penny out of me and they won't.

I'm with Arthur on this one.

I went to Butlins at Skegness not too many years ago, staying in a reasonably new apartment block. We arrived just after a heavy rainfall to find water dripping through the apartment roof. We were moved to different apartment but this was worse with mould growing on the walls in the shower due to a leak of wastewater from the apartment above. They had no other accommodation to offer, so I asked to take the first one. They refused and said that they would fix the problem in the second one. "Fixing" consisted of one coat of white paint straight over the mould. When I complained, they were extremely unsympathetic and gave me two choices – accept it or take a refund and clear off. As my kids had been looking forward to the weekend and I didn't want to disappoint them, I reluctantly accepted but we didn't dare use the shower for fear of the biological hazard.

If you go to the folk weekend, I hope you enjoy yourself but be wary of any problems that may arise because, from my experience, Butlins customer relations stink.


DC

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins
From: GUEST,eliza c
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 10:16 PM

A very odd lineup I thought. Very one-dimensional. Still, if they asked me to play there I'd give it a go for the curiosity factor-never been to a holiday camp before! I would be looking out for Ruth Madoc round every corner...
x e

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins Fri-3-Mon-6 Dec 2010
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 05:18 AM

I took my son to Butlins and its gone right down hill since I was a kid and went with me parents? That was when Billy owned it mind back in the late 60s?
I swear the bumper cars I took my son on were the same ones when I was there back in the 60s.
They really ought to splash out on some new bumper cars the one we eventually got in after a endless wait only went backwards when you put your foot on the pedal? caused chaos got thrown off too boot and none of it was my fault.
I wouldn't go to Butlins again if they had the biggest line up in folk history. The staff are kids the red coats are kids the beer is crap and I got skin irritation from the bed sheets?
Regards Pierre.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins Fri-3-Mon-6 Dec 2010 (UK)
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 09:50 AM

I take that back I have seen the folk line up and its brillient
Regards Pierre.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins Fri-3-Mon-6 Dec 2010 (UK)
From: theleveller
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 12:14 PM

I was getting quite interested until I saw the little disclaimer "All guests must be 18+". If we can't bring Holz, they can get stuffed.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins Fri-3-Mon-6 Dec 2010 (UK)
From: GUEST,Armanaya
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 04:28 AM

I was quite interested in reasonably priced all in weekend in dull December but having seen some of the above comments not so sure.
As anyone else had experience of Butlins Food and accomadation particularly in winter!

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins Fri-3-Mon-6 Dec 2010 (UK)
From: Desi C
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 08:54 AM

Actually not a bad line up includes Donovan, The dylan project and Kate Rusby and cheaper than most Folk Festivals

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins Fri-3-Mon-6 Dec 2010 (UK)
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 09:38 AM

if it was nearer, or train travel across country were more affordable,
me and the mrs would risk a weekend at butlins for such a reasonably priced
line up of 'established' popular 'folk' artists....


maybe Minehead next time if the festival is a success ???

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins Fri-3-Mon-6 Dec 2010 (UK)
From: GUEST,Pguest
Date: 05 Nov 10 - 07:44 PM

Hi

Has anyone got any idea what time it starts and finishes? I'd love to go but need to book a specific train time on Friday and Monday.

Also - should my friends and I go self-catering or take their meals?

Advice welcome, Ta.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins Fri-3-Mon-6 Dec 2010 (UK)
From: GUEST,bigdrummergirl
Date: 05 Nov 10 - 08:28 PM

Not sure about this particular weekend but normally book in from 4 pm friday and leave at 10 am monday hope this helps . We are taking the half board option but as there are only 2 of up this is the cheapest. My advice would be to check out all the pricing and then decide on which is the best for your group.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins Fri-3-Mon-6 Dec 2010 (UK)
From: Joules
Date: 06 Nov 10 - 04:32 PM

I have not been to Butlins since I was 16 ( thats at least 10 years ago ) when I used to work at Derbyshire Miners Holiday Camp and the lads used to sneak us in through a hole in the fence on a Friday night cause the entertainment was better. I remember it as being very dire but I have booked and we are hoping to have a good weekend. Surely it is what you make it and I, for one, am hoping there will be enough folks bringing instruments and voices to make our own sessions. Here's hoping the insect spray won't be neccesary.

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins Fri-3-Mon-6 Dec 2010 (UK)
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 20 Nov 10 - 08:54 PM

Latest advertised price: £59.
Latest lineup:
Sandi Thom Kate Rusby Acoustic Strawbs The Legends of Folk Rock: The Gathering Donovan Gordon Giltrap Hunter Muskett Phil Cool The Dylan Project The Gary Fletcher Band John Renbourn & Jacqui McShee Richard Digance Nine Below Zero Rod Clements Shinjig Stackridge Away With The Faeries Oyster Band Jiggerypipery Deborah Bonham Acoustic Ay Ducane The Unthanks

Cat, I asked for a quote for 2 people, 3 nights, with food = £180, of which some £70+ is for the food. Very reasonable, I think. It works out at £30 a head per day, including breakfast and dinner!

Shan't be going myself, as it's purely concert based, no dance, sessions etc. But money is no reason, it's cheap! So cheap, that I wonder what they are paying the multitude of performers booked...

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins Fri-3-Mon-6 Dec 2010 (UK)
From: Fidjit
Date: 21 Nov 10 - 04:03 AM

I did a season as a "Stallion" at Minehead in'68.

Chas

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins Fri-3-Mon-6 Dec 2010 (UK)
From: Fidjit
Date: 21 Nov 10 - 04:06 AM

And got to see Derek Brimstone when he did Minehead Folk Club. Outside the camp.

Chas

Subject: RE: Folk Festival at Butlins Fri-3-Mon-6 Dec 2010 (UK)
From: Pulseroom
Date: 23 Nov 10 - 01:24 PM

I've booked. 4 days at £238.70 total for 2 people full board, 2 bedrooms and a line-up that interests me. I think that's Brilliant! Good on ya Butlins! I'll support any organisation that provides for the folk enthusiast. Shame on you that knock it before it happens.