Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA USA

Subject: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA U
From: Barry Finn
Date: 02 Sep 07 - 05:41 PM

I just wanted to toss the Workinging Waterfront Festival on Sept 22 & 23 out there for anyone that might be interested. I've never been to this so my comments aren't from first hand experience, mostly just wwword of mouth (which has been highly praised) but I've always wanted to make this & couldn't because in the past it was in conflict with illness or the Portsmouth Maritime Festival
on Sept 29 & 30, another must see Maritime Festival. The performers many mudcatters will recognize: Deb C, Johnson Girls, fisher poet/singers Moe Bowstern & our Jon Campbell, Ken Sweeney as well as my personnal favorite & friend a great a sean nos singer from Spiddal a Gaeltacht area in Connemara Bridget Fitzgerald, Newfoundlander, Anita Best, Fado singers Ana and Jose Vinagre & a bunch of others & one of my all time favorite Maritime Authors Linda Greenlaw who I've had the pleasuer of perfoming for at her book signings for "The Hungry Ocean" & "All Fishermen Are Liars" she's there with other great authors. Also there's dance & theather & demos, exhibits & contests on & about the fishing & seafaring trades & occupations, seafood cooking, rowing & musters, Maritime Artists. This year 'come hell or high water' I'm there for the both days.

Barry

Subject: RE: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA U
From: Barry Finn
Date: 02 Sep 07 - 07:45 PM

The title should've included USA, sorry, maybe a clone could fix that thanks.

It should also be mention that New Bedford, Mass. is the #1 commerical fish producing port in the US, Gloucester, Mass. is the 4th & both the local populations really support the sea music foumd in their areas.

Barry

Subject: RE: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA U
From: Barry Finn
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 12:24 AM

Refresh for this coming weekend

Subject: RE: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA U
From: Celtaddict
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 12:38 AM

I have been there, several times. This is a most interesting festival, focused on the commercial fisheries, and besides music, storytelling, and poetry, includes survival techniques demonstrations, clam shucking contests, blessing of the fleet, a children's program, and lots more.
This year the focus is on 'Women and the Sea' and several workshops look at the topic in different ways.
Captains from 'Deadliest Catch' will be there as well.
This festival is free and fascinating.

Subject: RE: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA U
From: mg
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 12:55 AM

wow..my favorites all at once. Make sure Moe meets Anita Best who I used to see in Newfoundland..What a great voice..and Moe is just a character...mg

Subject: RE: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA U
From: RangerSteve
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 06:48 PM

A band I was in back in 1976 played in NB for a bicentennial celebration. It's a great town, and the historic district is a must-see if you're into the history of sailing. The church mentioned in "Moby Dick" and recreated in the movie (the Gregory Peck version), is still there and open to the public. The walls are filled with stone plaques dedicated to men lost at sea, and there's also the famous ship pulpit. And you can get linguisa, a Portuguese sausage in the restaurants.

Subject: RE: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA U
From: Barry Finn
Date: 22 Sep 07 - 01:32 AM

I'll be there for Saturday, anyone else?

mg, if I get to meet Moe & Anita I'll try to introduce them together on you behalf, I'll be looking forward to hearing them. Jon Campbell can introduce me to Moe. I missed her (& Jon) not being able to make Mystic this year.
Which brings me to asking you MG when are you coming out this way? Someone at the Gloucester shany sing was asking that this past Tuesday eve, they sing your "Cannery Shed" there often, among some others.

Barry

Subject: RE: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA U
From: adventure
Date: 22 Sep 07 - 07:43 AM

Barry,
We're heading down for the Sunday events. Got a crew finishing up a bunch of work today on Adventure. When you come to Gloucester Tuesday night stop down and check her out. Big progress this past month. Looking forward to seeing Moe again. Hope we can sing a few of Mary's tunes...especially Astoria's Bar. Kind of blew her mind in Mystic this year as Joanne and I knew several of the other coast's MG songs. And they are the best. Looking forward to another great festival seeing the Johnson Girls, Deb, Ken Sweeney, Jon Campbell and Anita Best. I had a Best who was one of my great uncles who married my Newfie aunt Lucy after her first husband was drowned fishing. He also had the same fate. Wish we could make it today, but paint, rigging and wood work all require assistance. Kind of hoping to see Jon or Moe drop by some Tuesday evening at our sing in Gloucester. We will be starting to ready our Christmas songs soon so we can do more carols this year up and down Main Street. Hopefully Peter Marston will make it home from China so he can participate. Kind of nice to be half Newfie and half Portagee...saltwater runs in the veins with hard work and just a tad of strange humor thrown in....right!!!!Life is good. This is a great festival and New Bedford should be really proud to have such wonderful performers play and attend. Readying for Portsmouth next weekend.
Sunday...best to all. Ken...bringing the box fo ya'.
Doryman and his mate.

Subject: RE: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA USA
From: Celtaddict
Date: 24 Sep 07 - 12:19 AM

I know Moe and Debra and Anita all got together because I was there.
Moe has a new CD of songs and poems and her introductions to them, and she did two Mary Garvey songs including 'Cannery Shed' and so now I know who mg is. Both are on the CD. Her singing is interesting to me because she maintains this very tough (excuse me, 'extra tuf')(name of CD) image but was wearing blue ruffles, and sings in this soft sweet 15-year-old voice. It was really a thrill to see both Debra and Anita, first back to back then together onstage; two of the finest female voices ever. Anyone who knows me knows I listen to about 98% male singers, and 1% instrumentals or spoken word, so the very few women singers are quite select. And the Johnson Girls were in great form too (and the only female singing group to whom I listen much; Cherish the Ladies is so often instrumental). I have long thought that if I could have anyone's voice I would want Alison's. I think it would fit what I would want to do with it. But I would certainly swap mine for Debra's or Anita's! I also got Barry's new CD from him; good listening on the drive home. (But does Ken get it yet?)

Subject: RE: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA USA
From: Barry Finn
Date: 24 Sep 07 - 02:02 AM

It was a very good & interesting festival. Like Celtaddict, I was thrilled with the music of my fav's the Johnson Girls, Anita Best, Deb Cowen, Ken Sweeney, Frank Gotwals, Jim McGrath & fisherpoets/singers/songwriters Moe Bowstern, our own Jon Campbell & Joanna Reichhold. Something about listening to performers singing with & not against, a helio in the backround (the sweetest sound to a fisherperson in need so I'm told, I wouldn't know none ever came for me when I was in need), the hum of a desiel & the smell of it's fumes surrounded by a full harbor of hulls, masts & rigging. Rescue demo's, life suiting up races, shell shucking contests, fish cutting, gutting & splitting expos one by musician per Ken Sweeney no less. There was a lot more music & exhibts & other things to behold but I could only be in a few spots a the same time & had to spit some of the venues to make it to parts of others. It was also nice the see the Essex built schooner Ernestina afloat & hosting sings durning the festival, hopefully this will help her raise some money to help restore her. I was thrilled too that I got to meet Linda Greenlaw (yes they also presented Maritime Authors too), remember the female swordfishing captain from the movie "Perfect Storm" & author of 'The Hungry Ocean', 'All Fishermen Are Liars' & 'The Lobster Chronicles' she was the darling of the crowd, what a story teller. I was only able to attend Saturday but I was able to cram enough in for one day that I will be sure to mazke a weekend out of next years festival. To those that missed it catch it next year.

Barry

Subject: RE: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA USA
From: GUEST,Pamela in Ithaca
Date: 24 Sep 07 - 10:26 AM

Barry and all,
Wow, this sounds like a great event.
Thanks for letting us all know about it.
If they do as fine a festival next year,
send out the word early.

Have a great time at PMMF.
I'll miss you all this year.

-Pamela

Subject: RE: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA USA
From: Celtaddict
Date: 24 Sep 07 - 01:40 PM

And by the way, Barry is looking and sounding GOOD these days!

Subject: RE: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA USA
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 24 Sep 07 - 02:38 PM

I'm surprised Celeste Bernardo-Dunn was not a performer (or was she?). She's a fine singer. Maybe she had a hand in organizing around the theme of working women?

Chanteyranger

Subject: RE: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA USA
From: Celtaddict
Date: 24 Sep 07 - 02:51 PM

She was there, and on duty in uniform; I do not know if she was one of the organizers. But she was not on stage.
I am not sure who all might be involved in organization. This is a free public festival with an assortment of sponsors, local, regional, industrial, and national. It is also only four years old, and from someone who has been involved in several different festivals over the years, in various capacities, and heavily involved in starting up a similar waterfront festival closer to home, let me tell you this one, the Working Waterfront, is an excellent demonstration of how well some pretty diverse coalitions can work together with a central theme and good organization.

Subject: RE: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA USA
From: DebC
Date: 24 Sep 07 - 03:36 PM

This was done through the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts.

Laura Orleans is the festival director and did a fantastic job. I had a great time and thanks to Celtaddict for the very kind words. I had not met Anita before and it was the highpoint of the entire month of September to sing with her.

Deb
www.DebraCowan.com

Subject: RE: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA USA
From: Barry Finn
Date: 24 Sep 07 - 05:09 PM

Hi Peter
Celeste was there & in uniform & pretty busy the times I ran into her, I doubt if she had much time to enjoy the festival herself. Among other things they (National Park Service) seemed to be in care of & for the Ernestina. The Park's Department had a hand in the fest as well as a phenomenal number of sponsers, partners, donors, contruibutors, it must've been a nightmare for co-ordination but it never showed, it was smooth as silk. It seems as if the whole state, city, the habor side & it's population had a hand in supporting this.

Barry

Subject: RE: Working Waterfront Fest/New Bedford MA USA
From: adventure
Date: 25 Sep 07 - 02:33 PM

Well,
We had a great time Sunday. Started off with breakfast and then an hour with the Johnson Girls. Really fun and strong set under the big tent with a tugboat going next to them. Visited the Ernestina for a bit to see what they were up to with their boat. Nice to see everyyone again...onboard. Caught up with Moe Bowstern doing some of her poetry and had some fun discussions and a few pictures taken of me, my mate and Moe. We had a great time in Mystic with her this year. Very talented person. Jon Cambell was, as usual, super. Lots of fun with a grand selection of colorful dialogue. Ken Sweeney did a set on the Ernestina and did a fish splitting exhibiton that was just fantastic and well done. Ken...how did you play that codfish....through its nose....without no buttons or bows? Food under the tent was pretty good for festival food. Visited lots of exhibits and ended up seeing Tom Goux and the shanty singers at the end of the day. This event is always worth the trip from Gloucester. We will be sailing the Adventure to it at some point in the future.....two Essex built Gloucester ladies will be a site for your eyes to see.
Doryman and his mate