Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST,Noreen
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 12:22 PM

Gerry, what time did you shower in the morning? My guess is 6.30am (or earlier) as by 7 queues were building and by 8.15 there must have been 40 or more people at a time waiting.

18 showers for 5,000 people on a hot August weekend is not sufficient.

That is the only gripe I have about the festival this year though. Thoroughly enjoyed it, particularly the impromptu sing after hours in the members' bar until 2am- or was it later? We only left because they stopped selling beer :0)

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST,funkipickle
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 01:59 PM

Great festival again this year, and some fantastic bands. Highlights for me were the Wailin Jennys and Crooked Still, as I had not heard them before and they got some real atmosphere in the tent! I took some photos if anyone wants to have a nose. Mostly of all us folk who attended, rather than artists. I will keep adding as I work my way through as I have some of the last night when the kegs ran dry and the music played into the night, For some reason the photos get a bit blurry by then!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/funkipickle/sets/72157601728397167/

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 05:31 PM

"Gerry, what time did you shower in the morning?"

Saturday was the day I queued...it was around 8.30 I think and there were maybe 7 or 8 people before me. On Sunday and Monday it was probably a bit later and I used the disabled shower next to the Big Shed (open to all but with priority to disabled)...but as I walked back there was no queue at the main shower block either.

Disappointed to hear I missed out on the free beer....

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Kampervan
Date: 29 Aug 07 - 03:30 AM

Yes, the free beer did come as a bit of a surprise.

I thought that the overall standard of beer on offer was very good and I think that it had sold down pretty well, so it was a shock when they made the announcement.
But I have to say that everyone like gentlepersons! No mad rush for the bar, just casuall re-filling of glasses as they emptied. It was wonderful to behold, and very much appreciated.

Thank you to all the hard-working bar staff.

K/van

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST,MC Fat
Date: 29 Aug 07 - 04:07 AM

Really enjoyed Shrewsbury. It was so well run. Had a belting time singing, finding some ace pubs, meeting old mates like Kampervan and Big Bird and I enjoyed compering my little concert on Sunday night. Hopefully I'll be asked back. Well done Alan and Sandra and team

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Fliss
Date: 29 Aug 07 - 06:10 AM

Well done ALan and Sandra. Choice of West Mid SHowground excellent and free bussess great.

I stewarded the Morris sides in town and had great fun. Being my home town (i live 15 miles away now) I saw a lot of people I knew.

What performances... I slept thru them Saturday and Sunday evenings.. My own fault but I was so tired after stewarding in the heat and being on my feet for 5 hours. (Something to do with a health problem). I could hear all the music going on in the background and it sounded great. Ah well.

However I did manage to keep my eyes open for the Monday evening session in the Members Bar.

Am impressed with the lack of litter on the site. What showers, I didnt even bother, had a strip wash each day in my little caravan.

It was great camping with 3 friends, they didnt know each other only me, but they all got on fine and are keen to come again next year.

Many many thanks to all the organisers, it was a superb weekend.
cheers fliss

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Trevor
Date: 29 Aug 07 - 06:18 AM

Noreen! Wish I'd known you were there. Would have been nice to see you again.

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Trevor
Date: 29 Aug 07 - 06:23 AM

There's a few piccies here

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Mr Red
Date: 29 Aug 07 - 08:06 AM

Free beer? they ran out of cider and perry before that and I don't drink beer. The only bright part of that is I was almost out the door home when they announced.

You can't win on all counts, the size of the site allows the venues to have plenty of geography between them and sound leakage was better but the sessions did experience it. And distance = time or tiredness.

Having said that I was in the stewards' office and I can tell you it was better all round but some venue managers had to work hard to achieve that. Credit to Martin and Margaret - many unscheduled problems got dealt with very quickly.

and of course the sheer size of the undertaking meant literally people were saying on Monday "I haven't seen you all w/e". I shall have to get a more high viz hi-viz red jacket.
I saw musos on Monday night who I hadn't seen all w/e. That is BIG and I am not so sure it is good.
We will see next year. Expect the same quality organisation.

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST,Alex
Date: 29 Aug 07 - 09:12 AM

I've popped a few photo's here on Flickr:

http://flickr.com/photos/alexbirtwisle/sets/72157601747569677/

I really enjoyed the weekend - lots of good things and very few bad things.

Beer on monday night was a _very_ good thing!

Alex

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Fliss
Date: 29 Aug 07 - 11:22 AM

Great pics on both sites. Virtual Shropshire were filming too so keep an eye out for more pics and video. fxx

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 29 Aug 07 - 11:41 AM

http://flickr.com/photos/alexbirtwisle/sets/72157601747569677/

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Fliss
Date: 29 Aug 07 - 11:48 AM

http://www.virtual-shropshire.co.uk/gallery/shrewsbury-folk-festival-07-sat?page=1

More virtual shropshire photos.

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Mr Red
Date: 29 Aug 07 - 05:57 PM

FWIW
There was a session every night exept Mon in the Woodman. Thurs night is regulasr session night and there was a session on the Thurs. Keep that in mind for next year, if you arrive early. And given the traffic before 5 pm Fri - I would recommend stewards to arrive Thurs if they can. Not sure of the rules for punters. The ticket office was a committee meeting so I doubt they were dealing with punters' tickets.

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST,Sandra
Date: 30 Aug 07 - 05:32 AM

Mr Red - The meeting in the ticket office Thursday night was a stewards briefing!

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Mr Red
Date: 03 Sep 07 - 07:54 AM

Just as well I made a brief appearance.

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: danensis
Date: 03 Sep 07 - 04:41 PM

Having been to all but the first Bridgnorth Festival we're seriously considering not going to Shrewsbury next year, as we had to leave three concerts because the sound level was stupidly loud. Indeed the Swarbs Acoustic Session was embarassing as the tent was almost empty, not because they were no good but because few could stand the sound level in the tent. However we all sat on the grassy knoll and enjoyed it from there.

John

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Kampervan
Date: 04 Sep 07 - 02:43 AM

We towards the front of the audience for the Sat night concert in the main marquee and the sound levels seemed O.K., given that it had to carry a long way to the back of the marquee.

I can understand that a lot of the performers now do so many gigs during the festival season that they need the amplification to stop them straining their voices. But I'm sure that if the organisers got enough comments about volume then they would do something.

It would be a shame to stop going to such a great festival cos of that.

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Mr Red
Date: 04 Sep 07 - 08:26 AM

Don't bank on it. They have all sorts of answers that sound hollow (if loud) to an electronic engineer.
Volume complaints fall on deaf ears. Particularly those on the sound desk.

Now does anyone know the story about boilermakers and hearing? Trust me - it is the latterday equivalent of soundmen and bands.

I haven't given up on complaining but I do wear earplugs when I get near the tent, I have 50 because they are cheaper that way and I never want to be more than 5 minutes from a plentiful supply. Now if only they did red instead of Orange and Yellow. DITTO at ceilidhs. But it isn't the right answer - what happened to Folk?

Mr Red MIEE.

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 04 Sep 07 - 08:40 AM

Not nit picking but does danensis mean Strawbs Acoustic Session rather than Swarbs Acoustic Session?

I thought the Strawbs a bit loud but also unclear, perhaps the engineer was trying to get over Dave Cousins unclear voice. I didn't care much for Paul Brady for the same reason.

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Sep 07 - 09:11 AM

I totally agree, I was looking forward to seeing Mr Brady but like a number of others, ended up in Marquee No2, listening to a very entertaining set from the Wilsons. Overall though a great festival.

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Moses
Date: 05 Sep 07 - 07:25 AM

I thought this year's festival a great improvement on last year (no 20 minute walk from the campsite to the venues, showers working all the time, nice on-site shop, great selection of food on campsite etc etc) and had a great time.

The only real complaint was the noise level in the main marquee. I left the final concert way before the end of Paul Brady's set because the levels were such that that's all it was:- NOISE. So loud you could not hear the words. If I want that sort of noise I'll go to a pop concert.

Also, the levels from the main marquee did intrude on marquee 2. I'm thinking of Les Barker's set earlier in the weekend but I'm sure it wasn't just then.

In conversation with others just after I left the main marquee I fould that it is a shared belief that the levels had been determined not by our own sound-men but by the artist's own sound-guys.

It's my belief that if this is the case then the bands who bring along their own sound-guys should be made to keep to the levels that seem to be perfectly adequate when our own guys (who do a great job) are in charge. We are, after all, the paying public and our views should be taken into account.

Just a thought - is there anyone who thought the sound levels should be louder?

Christine

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST,Fogie
Date: 05 Sep 07 - 07:35 AM

I was looking forward to seeing Paul Brady, and his Arthur McBride was even longer than I remember from the lost tapes CD. but he then made a few remarks on the English and the Irish (related to what we think of the French) and it sounded a bit as if he still has an axe to grind - maybe I misunderstood his sense of humour. He then started singing all his own material, and people started leaving. I lasted about half an hour then I'd had enough. I expected more trad stuff, and of course he was entitled to sing what he wanted, I'm sure if he could have mixed in a few more trad songs he would have kept more people in their seats. I contrast this with Chris Wood's performance , which although was mostly not trad left me wanting more. Chris says he was coming down with flu at the time but I didnt notice anything amiss and his guitar work was great

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Folkie
Date: 05 Sep 07 - 08:22 AM

I agree Chris Wood was great. I'd like to do something nasty to whoever owned the mobile phone that went off in Lord Bateman!

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST,Alan Surtees
Date: 05 Sep 07 - 09:37 AM

An organiser's life is never an easy one, it is impossible to keep all the people happy all of the time. Amplified Sound is a contentious issue at most festivals and most of us feel we could do better than the man on the sound desk.

Contentious and subjective, the vast majority of comments we receive are entirely happy and congratulatory with and about our sound levels, a few are not. This is the way I plan the Shrewsbury folk Festival:-

1.        I attempt to provide alternative concerts when our high energy bands are playing, so that those people are unhappy with high sound levels have equally entertaining and high quality concerts in other venues.
2.        I employ the highest quality sound engineer that can be found in the folk world, namely Graham Bradshaw. He, in my opinion, has the best ear in the UK for folk music and provides clean, well separated, high quality sound using top quality, state of the art, equipment.
3.        I programme concerts where I know high levels of amplification will be used for the final band with artists who require less amplification.

The observations about artists providing their own sound engineers are correct. But these engineers provide the sound their bands require and the bands feel that their success is partly in the hands of their own engineers. As a festival organiser I have little control over the sound provided by visiting engineers. I am, in fact, contractually obliged to provide the size of rig and sound levels the bands ask for. I can, therefore, be blamed for booking the bands, but that is my prerogative. The festival works in conjunction with the SABC environmental health officers and upper levels of sound are agreed and measured throughout the event.

I do not think a qualification in electronic engineering necessarily makes you an expert in sound engineering Mr Red and I do not appreciate the implication made by your comment "What happened to Folk". Folk is alive and well and prospering at the Shrewsbury Folk Festival … did see that improver's workshop. My aim is to excite, inspire, encourage and stimulate all of those people who want to b part of the folk movement. I have never believed that folk should be "our little club" or that we should celebrate amateurism and the mediocre.

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 05 Sep 07 - 10:17 AM

In general one of the best festivals of its kind I have ever been to and I have been to Whitby, Sidmouth, Cambridge and Lorient amongst many others. Nearly everybody was exceptional, will go again

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST,Graham Bradshaw
Date: 05 Sep 07 - 11:11 AM

Nice one Alan!
And thanks for your kind remarks.

I am amazed at how this discussion has developed. Of course everybody has a right to an opinion, and to 'vote with their feet' if they don't like the music or the volume levels. And I for one totally respect that. I have walked out of a good few concerts in my time because I found the sound unbearable. And I'm supposed to be a deaf sound engineer (they're ALL deaf you know).We can't all like the same things, or the world would be a pretty boring place. However, why is it that certain people think that it is their right to dictate how a certain artist should portray themselves? If you don't like the songs, or the tunes, or the political stance, or the personality, or the volume levels, then don't go and see that artist. If you are trying them for the first time, and find they are not to your taste (for any of the above reasons), then make a note not to go and see them again. The notion that somehow you can dictate how an artist portrays themselves goes against all ideas of artistic integrity. At the end of the day, an artist decides what they want to do, and the consumer decides whether to buy into it or not. And on that depends success or failure.

I am not going to get into the whys and wherefores of various sound engineers. Some artists (mainly the headliners that can afford it!) will bring their own engineer. This is because they want consistency at all the venues they play, and their own engineer will be more familiar with what they are trying to achieve, and should in theory be able to achieve it quicker in the high-pressure festival environment when there is never enough time.

Those artists that don't bring an engineer effectively put themselves in my hands. Pretty high risk if you ask me - but I then decide what I think is the appropriate mix and sound level for that artist. As long as there are more people that like what I do than don't, then I guess I'm still in a job.

Do I have control over what visiting engineers do? Only in as much as we have to stay within the limits set by Environmental Health for the site licence. Otherwise, they will do what they do, whether I personally approve or not. I certainly wouldn't be so presumptuous as to tell them how to do their job.

And I can tell you that at no time did we even come close to the limits that had been set. And, for what it's worth, the sound levels for Peatbogs, Salsa Celtica, Bellowhead and Show of Hands (all of whom had their own engineers) were virtually identical as measured by sound level meter, but we didn't get any complaints from the 3000 people who were going mad for SOH.

I guess it all comes down to what the individual likes, and why this whole discussion is totally subjective and ultimately pretty pointless.

Enjoy the music.
Graham

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Mr Red
Date: 05 Sep 07 - 01:19 PM

Noise invokes adrenaline.
Fight or flight.
You've seen the evidence of the fight. It creates aggression in those that don't like it. We are telling you now because we can't compete with your volume at the time.
the flight bit applies to the funfair afficianados. They revel in adrenaline, it is exciting.
Fortunately the government have realised that there are a lot of young people with hearing impairment. Sufficient to bring in legislation this year.
Voting with our feet should be telling sound engineers something. It does fall on deaf ears. Literally in some cases I have met.

Medical guidlines are - if you hear a buzzing 5 minutes after leaving a loud environment - damage is being done - you may well recover from that. If you hear a buzzing next day - damage has been done. It is cumulative. A cold or infection can exacerbate the effect. Ask Paul Burgess - and he only had the sound of one violin to cause a problem.

And people were voting with their feet in the Paul Brady concert. That is a clue. Read the signs.

You can't enjoy the music if it is annoying you. If it is drowning-out the music you could be enjoying, or trying to make.

Whatever happened to Folk?

WOULD YOU VALUE THIS MESSAGE MORE IF I SHOUTED?             well?

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST,Alan Surtees - Shrewsbury Folk Festival
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 05:20 AM

There are over three hundred folk and roots music festivals in the UK during the year, they all vary in size, shape and content, which is a wonderful thing. They reflect the likes and dislikes and aspirations of their organisers. I have visited many and thoroughly enjoyed most, there are a few I will never go to again. Everyone has this freedom of choice.

Shrewsbury Folk Festival will be the same size next year; it will have the same venues, the same quality of choice, the same sound engineers. I will invite some of the bigger names from the folk world to perform and they will undoubtedly bring their own sound engineers. I will always deliver high quality alternative concerts with lower sound levels. But you know what to expect from the main marquee, if that isn't to your liking and you can see no worth in the rest of the event the Shrewsbury Folk Festival is not for you.

Mr Red you are a man of many talents one minute expert sound engineer next minute public health expert. Does your vanity know no end?
Stop worrying about the buzzing in your ears and consider the voices in your head.
The Shrewsbury Folk Festival is definitely not for you … now you read the signs.

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST,MC Fat
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 06:04 AM

I would echo Alan's comments on Graham and team with their standing in the folk world. Graham and Laurence are a great team to work with and I thinks thats the rub 'to work with'. The nature of a large marquee means that the volume may be high but I think Graham (and the majority of the band's engineers) worked well and if it's to loud then use your opt-out clause. Shrewsbury has been one of my high lights this year I loved every minute it was extremely well run and organised and I can't wait for next year!!!

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: skipy
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 06:44 AM

I'm with MC fat on this one, we where a party of 6 & we all had one hell of weekend!
Skipy

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Santa
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 07:02 AM

Not at Shrewsbury, but I and others walked out of the final Fylde concert because it was too loud. Excessive loudness does reduce the quality of the music - if you notice the decibel level then you aren't paying attention to the music itself.

This does seem to be a final concert conceit: the same band (Eliza and the Ratcatchers) were excellent in their afternoon set. I honestly do not see the reason for it, and don't think the answers given above sensible.

If you walk out, you miss something you've probably been looking forward to all weekend, and that is why audiences don't, as a rule. But as long as those so responding are in a minority then organisers and arrogant sound engineers don't care when they do.

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST,Noreen
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 07:36 AM

We were amongst the droves that left the Acoustic Strawbs set, but not because of the sound level.

Rather we were hoping to hear some of their early folk/rock stuff (which I presume is why they were booked) but they played an extended series of their new stuff- which of course is their right, but it may mean they are not booked again if the increasing numbers leaving after every new song is anything to go by.

The same is likely to be true of Paul Brady from what I have heard. I would have loved to see him do his early traditional stuff, particularly Arthur McBride, but I'm not so keen on his more recent stuff.

That's ageing folkies for you, Alan!

I didn't notice the sound in any of the venues being over-loud, by the way, and I do notice such things. (Show of Hands were wonderful!)

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Mr Red
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 08:07 AM

Alan
Shrewbury won't be a Folk Festival ultimately. We can read the sings.
It has been entertainment long since. The two are not mutually exclusive but they are in conflict.
When the distance between venues grows and there is still significant leakage - it is telling us something. We are reading the signs.
When people leave politely between songs complaining of the noise they are folkies telling someone something. The only people listening are those who agree. In the case of Paul Brady it was not insignificant.
You can blame the dynamic of the previous act, the serious nature of the songs. Or be honest - it was too loud. All I have to go on is the fact that polite conversation 150 yards away outside was more than difficult because of the intrusion. I can't wear earplugs to have a conversation.
The message is clear. Of the two obvious possibilities, a) reduce volume to match the act or b) discount the voice of the festival goer, we see which is the priority.
And yes - if you had worked in the weighing industry replete with it's banging of metal parts at high speed you would research the subject of hearing loss, or go deaf. Aural acuity diminishes with volume. No one is questioning the skill of the sound man - the preferrences of the audience are the arbiter. Of course it rather depends on who you ask, and the questions. We can all ignore the results we don't want to hear.
The new H&S noise laws are on the statute. They come into effect this year. The only uncertainty I see is whether they apply to volunteers who may or may not be termed "staff". Pick your lawyer for the answer you want.....................

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: skipy
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 08:10 AM

Reading the sings?
not enough sings!
Skipy

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST, ashley
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 08:39 AM

Far be it for me to intrude in on a private discussion between Mr Red and GUEST, Alan Surtees, but there appears to be a point that is being missed by Mr Red.

Looking at the general consensus of opinion on Mudcat and on other groups (BBC , festival blog , facebook ) it appears that everybody is heaping high praise on the festival, both for the quality of the sound and the quality of the line-up,his arguments seem to be against the general opinion (and personally, as an attendee of the festival I found it a superb experience).

As for the 'what happened to folk' comment, it also seems off the mark; fortunately this one is easier to deal with as a quick look at lineup on the festival website shows it was a festival that celebrated all kinds of folk music; yes, it was a progressive lineup but certainly with it's heart in the tradition.
If he meant 'what happened to MY kind of folk music' then perhaps he has a point, but even then the pub sessions off site should have catered for him, as well as the acts in the main buildings and many on in the smaller marquee.

While not an apologist for the Shrewsbury Folk Festival, I thought it was well organised and ambitiously programmed (Crooked Still anyone?) and it looks like Alan & Sandra will continue to develop the festival in this direction…long may it continue as it will obviously bring a new audience to folk music.

As for the gripes from individuals, it's obviously horses for courses and they're a matter of taste, I'm sure there are festivals that run on a smaller, less ambitious scale than Shrewsbury and who book local folk club acts for the weekend; may I be so bold as to suggest that Mr Red would perhaps be happier at one of those?

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST,Sandra
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 08:40 AM

Mr Red 'Shrewbury won't be a Folk Festival ultimately. We can read the sings. It has been entertainment long since'

I think the line up listed below will show you that most of our artists were definitely 'FOLK' though I suppose you, in your ultimate wisdom, will tell me they were not!

422
Acoustic Strawbs
All Blacked Up
Back in Business
Bellowhead
Chris Wood
Cockersdale
Crooked Still
Crucible
Cyser
Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
Emma & the Professor
English Rebellion
Idiot and Friend
Jez Lowe & the Bad Pennies
Jim Molyneux 4Square
John & Ailsa Booth
Kate Rusby
Kathryn Tickell
Keith Donnelly
Kerfuffle
Kimber's Men
Les Barker
Lisa Knapp
Loctup Together
Mary Humphreys & Anahata
Megson                                                   
Muldoon's Picnic
Paul Brady
Peatbog Faeries
Pete Coe
Quartz
Rapsquillion
Richard Shindell
Rod Picott
Roland Chadwick
Salsa Celtica
Show Of Hands
Spikedrivers
Steamchicken
Steve Tilston
This Way Up
Token Women
Vicky Swan & Jonny Dyer
Wailin' Jennys
Wilsons

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Kampervan
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 01:03 PM

On the basis of the standards of the festival generally (including the sound) and the performances of the artists in particular I don't think that the committee need to worry about selling tickets for the next festival.

Personal likes and dislikes with respect to artists and their material will always generate comment, but Shrewsbury has shown that it fully deserves its place as one of the top festivals in the U.K.

(and I have to say that organising a festival is not a job that I would take on, for money and certainly not for love).

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: evansakes
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 02:36 PM

Something doesn't read quite right here and to be honest I smell a rat.

I wonder whether "Mr Red" has some other agenda here and possibly has an 'interest' in the fortunes of other events that might be now nervously looking over there shoulders with all the accolades being accorded to Shrewsbury. To suggest that normal conversation was not possible 150 yards away from the marquees is frankly nothing short of laughable.

In my opinion the volume was never a problem (not even when I wa standing right in front of the bass bins during the Peatbo Faeries set). I walked out of two sets at the festival but neither was because it was too loud. I left the later Acoustic Strawbs concert in the smaller marquee simply because they weren't doing it for me....

Ditto Paul Brady's Band...at the point at which we left (four or five songs in) there was a considerable exodus. I suppose some may have been keen to make a quick getaway before the rush but for some his set was a touch too MOR, jazzy and bland. I've never been a big fan of his anyway...but he was hardly too loud.

More of the same sort of thing next year please!

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 03:06 PM

If Mr Red says his ears hurt I believe him, what else could I? But most people did not seem to be in pain.

We were similarly bored by the Strawbs and Paul Brady, but it was a big festival and their was space for them. It shouldn't surprise us that folk rock with trad. songs is generally better than stuff that many bands write. Try Duncan McFarlane Band - they do both very well.

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: John J
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 05:55 PM

With Les on this.

I had a hugely enjoyable festival, so did my Mum and my wife. I simply left the 'too loud' concerts for something more to my taste. There was plenty to choose from.

Having said that, Bellowhead at volume - fantastic! (although we were at the back of the tent).

John

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST,bigdrummergirl
Date: 08 Sep 07 - 12:42 PM

"All I have to go on is the fact that polite conversation 150 yards away outside was more than difficult because of the intrusion."

In response to this comment all I can say is that I was sat directly outside the main marquee, a lot less than 150 yards away, when several of the acts that were supposedly too loud were playing and could easily have held a polite coversation- I didn't do this as I was too busy listening to the music apart from when Paul Brady was playing as he wasn't really to my taste!

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: danensis
Date: 08 Sep 07 - 02:11 PM

I should point out to the "sound engineer" that in order to take accurate sound level readings the detector should be one metre from the source. I didn't see anyone taking such readings during any of the concerts.

John

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Fliss
Date: 09 Sep 07 - 04:42 AM

Ive read the conversations on loudness with interest. As I said I managed to sleep thru the concerts... in my caravan that is. Shame as I wanted to see a number of the acts. So I cant really comment on sound levels. However the proof of loudness is how many complaints there were from local residents.... were there any Alan?

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: John J
Date: 09 Sep 07 - 06:03 AM

Not entirely sure there were many local residents - it was quite a way from the residential centre I think.

At the end of the day it's going to be very difficult to keep everyone happy all the time. There are those who like some stuff LOUD, and those who prefer the same stuff to be quiet. I'm just glad I don't have to take the decision!

It must be great fun being a festival organiser!

John

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST,Alan Surtees
Date: 09 Sep 07 - 01:44 PM

At the end of the day, I am attempting to organise an event which provides something for everyone who enjoys folk music. I can't please all of the people all of the time, even though I try. I have already given my reasons and explanations for the way I organise the festival and, rest assured, I will continue to do it in the same way in future. Our audience growth in eleven years is over one thousand percent.

Mudcat is a public forum and people often use it to make fully justifiable complaints. If those complaints are aimed at me I will take notice and I will always try to improve the festival. Some will add comments in agreement or disagreement, others will join in because Mudcat is where you meet up with friends. A few will make comments because they need to have attention and to demonstrate their expertise on what they consider FOLK is all about. All musical genres have these people, they are snobs and in folk music we know them as the folk police. Only they really know what we should be listening to (and at what volume).

I find it hard to understand, let alone find answers to the accusations and comments of Mr Red.

"It has been entertainment long since". What should it be; punishment?

"The two are not mutually exclusive but they are in conflict". The two what?

"All I have to go on is the fact that polite conversation 150 yards away outside was more than difficult because of the intrusion". Absolute cobblers and if you are going to …………….rearrange the truth, the rest of your arguments lose their validity.

The most popular concerts were: The Peatbog Faeries, Show of Hands, BellowHead and Salsa Celtica, and they were the loudest of the weekend. The vast majority of people walked out on the Strawbs and Paul Brady sets because they simply didn't like them.

danensis
Meter readings are taken at the FOH mix point on a regular basis. The Environmental Health officers tour the local neighbourhood throughout the festival taking readings and relaying information to Graham on the sound desk. Incidentally, we could have doubled the volume and still been within the parameters set by EH as acceptable.

fliss
No we have not received one official complaint from local residents to date.

John J
Local residents are deceptively close by, on The Mount and Berwick Road, they have a very active residents association who are very sensitive to anything happening on the West Mids Showground.

Now, can we try and put this one to bed. I promise you I'm not trying to make you deaf. Graham and I are always looking to improve the sound, and the rig he used this year is the most sophisticated I've ever seen at a folk festival.

I'll see you at Bromyard, I hope you are going, what a great line up. I'm really looking forward to meeting with Mr Red.

All the Best

Alan

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 10 Sep 07 - 06:51 AM

I echo the plaudits listed above - jolly well done Alan & Sandra!!

Me & the Fiends were all stewarding this time & the whole weakend was a really fantastic experience.

Not really being concert goers, the marquee noises? weren't a prob for us, but could hear the main marquee all over the showground.

A great choice of venue both for the main site & for camping - hot water? showers? Luxury!!

Also plenty places for sesshes & sinarounds, enjoyedsome great do's in the members bar - real ales fab too!

Can't weight for next year!! Yippee!

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: GUEST,Salty Dog
Date: 11 Sep 07 - 02:07 PM

Maybe the clue to Mr Red's dyspepsia is in his posting - "and of course the sheer size of the undertaking meant literally people were saying on Monday 'I haven't seen you all w/e'. I shall have to get a more high viz hi-viz red jacket.I saw musos on Monday night who I hadn't seen all w/e.

Poor lamb - he didn't get enough attention. Anybody who dresses the way he does obviously wants to be noticed, and it took until Monday for some 'musos' to acknowledge him.(What are 'musos', by the way? Were there some people there who weren't interested in music? NO! You don't mean there may have been some people there who only wanted to be SEEN?)

I saw him - in fact I had to go and sit somewhere else to have my lunch because of the bloody racket he was making with his bodhrain - it leaked all over my piri piri chicken.

And while I'm here, "Shrewbury won't be a Folk Festival ultimately. We can read the sings. It has been entertainment long since. The two are not mutually exclusive but they are in conflict." What on earth is he on about? Who's this "we" who are reading all these sings? Can I join please, or don't I know enough?

And Alan, fancy thinking that you can entertain us with folk music when its obvious to anyone in the know that the two terms are oxymoronic. Please feel free to torture me some more.

Ermm..... 'scuse me, I can feel a ponder coming on.

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Fliss
Date: 11 Sep 07 - 05:44 PM

Hi Alan

So glad there were no complaints. Its such a great venue. But then Im biased as Shrewsbury is my home town. Its great the county town now has a top notch festival.
thanks for all the hard work

fx

Subject: RE: Shrewsbury Festival 2007 - what's on?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 11 Sep 07 - 05:56 PM

I was at Towersy some of the weekend , but i will stick grab a 100th post !