Auckland NZ Folk Festival

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Gurney
Date: 02 Feb 08 - 10:26 PM

He isn't? You are destroying all my illusions!

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Little Robyn
Date: 02 Feb 08 - 03:36 PM

Oh yes, Bob Fox was lovely.
His was the first concert in the big marquee on Saturday morning, then he was in the barn on Sunday afternoon giving a workshop titled 'The Land of Three Rivers' and of course he sang in the final concert.
He was the highlight of the weekend for me (plus Jacko's family too) and we sang along wherever we could.
By Sunday afternoon our baby was worn out and during the workshop she was asleep in her pushchair beside us. Towards the end Bob sang the 'Miner's lifeguard' with us all joining in on the chorus. At the end there was a half a second of silence, then loud clapping and our sleeping baby started clapping too! In her sleep! She really enjoyed her weekend - the music, the camping and all the people.
And she thinks Roger Giles is Santa!
Robyn

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: r.padgett
Date: 02 Feb 08 - 10:27 AM

Looks like Bob Fox was there too!!

Ray

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Charley Noble
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 08:57 PM

Robyn-

You done good with the pics!

I don't suppose you or anyone else has any of the shanty session, or of The Maritime Crew and Bob Watson. Some of us from away are really curious about who's doing nautical music in your fair country.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: My guru always said
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 05:25 AM

Thanks Robyn, can see Bill & Kath but I believed 'em anyway!! Lovely photos, thanks! Looks just like a Fest in UK only warmer *grin* And Homebrew sessions, now this has got to go down on my list as a 'MustDo'
Cheers,
Hil

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Little Robyn
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 05:18 AM

Mgas Lady Policeman is in the first 2 home brew pictures - right in the middle of it all!!!
Charley we met Bob Watson and he's going to send us his CD to play on our radio show.
During the final concert, the winner of the Tui awards was announced. That's sort of like the NZ folk version of the Emmys but on a much smaller scale. And the winner is.........
Phil Garland!
I'm sure Phil has been mentioned here on Mudcat before. He was one of our first folklore/song collectors back in the late 60s and he has made several records, cassettes and CDs over the years.
Phil appears on the second page of photos, near the end. He's also with the other finalists two rows above.
The last act in the final concert was Habbadan and half the audience was up dancing. They had a couple of encores and the joint was jumping. We had a sleeping baby beside us so we left to put her to bed. But the music went on late into the night - or rather, into the early hours of the morning.
Roger Giles, one of the organisers for many years, was the compere for the final concert as usual. Roger also runs the Devonport Folk Club at the Bunker and I reckon that's the best club in NZ. Roger has a long white beard and our grandaughter thinks he's Santa. I think he's lovely too. His picture appears on the second page.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Gurney
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 01:00 AM

And in the photos, 3 and 4 of the homebrew session feature me. I'm the short guy in the blue shirt and white flat cap, I'm supposed to be the compere, but I only step in if needed. I've done that three times in five years, in a session where they give homebrew away to lubricate voices! Lew Black, master of the session and home brewer, is at the mike in photo four.
So well does the thing work that there were no hiatus between 11p.m. and 4 a.m., as usual.

The musical high-spot of my year.

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Little Robyn
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 12:22 AM

And on the second page, the 4 kids near the top are Jack's grandchildren, known as the Baby Penguins.
Our grandaughter was standing in front of them, just out of shot, and she was entranced. I thought she was going to climb on the stage with them.
They sang 'Country Life' - not as well as their parents but pretty good for kids.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Little Robyn
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 12:02 AM

Gerard Hudson has posted some photos of the weekend here.
The group of 4 near the centre is the Penman family - Jacko and his son and daughters.
Cheers,
Robyn

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Jan 08 - 05:49 PM

Robyn-

Thanks for the sample.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Barry Finn
Date: 31 Jan 08 - 05:00 PM

I'm tempted to swim to the next one.

Barry

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: My guru always said
Date: 31 Jan 08 - 03:20 PM

Sounds lovely, thanks for posting Robyn!! Maybe one day I'll get across the world...

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Little Robyn
Date: 31 Jan 08 - 02:15 PM

Yes, I met Lady Policeman and Bilbo, just before the last concert but I lost them again after.
Auckland turned on beautiful weather the whole weekend. If anything, it was too hot to sit outside without any shade.
The music started on Friday evening and didn't finish until Monday lunchtime (or Monday night if you were lucky enough to get to the Devonport Folk Club).
There was a huge marquee where the main guests performed, a smaller marquee for concerts from the Auckland Bluegrass Club, the Blind Date concert, Next Generation concert and several others, then the small tent, called the 'Club' tent where you could join singarounds or learn to play bodhran. That's also where the late night home brew and drinking songs happen.
Then there are permanent buildings - the hall where all the dance workshops were held; Contra, Morris, Playford, Bulgarian, French, Irish, Scottish, Welsh and Cornish. I must admit that I don't dance so I usually avoid the hall but we did call in and see the Cornish dance for a short time and I saw the Bulgarian people in their costumes. The hall is also where the Ceilidh is held on Saturday night.
There's also a small hall which used to be the venue for meals but this year it was used for workshops and kid's sessions.
But our favourite venue is the 'barn' where the main guests take workshops, the Come-all-ye is held there and the Shanty session. It's a place where you can get close to people like Bob Fox and Habadam and there are plastic chairs to sit on as well. (Otherwise, it's camp chairs or a blanket on the grass.)
There are usually five or six things happening at once, and that's not counting the singing/playing that's happening around the tents. We held the AGM of the NZ Northumbrian Piper's Soc. on Saturday, covered the formal stuff, planned the next piper's tour which will be next January (a 3 week bustrip giving concerts all around the top half of the North Island if anyone is interested in joining us), then had time to play several tunes before Bob Fox's concert.
At 6pm each evening the Morris dancers gathered for a few dances up in front of the tower and I joined them, playing my squeezebox.
Jacko and his family were lovely and we bought their new CD.
There were lots of highlights but it's time I left for work now.
Later.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Jan 08 - 01:08 PM

Evidently no one has recovered enough to report on the Festival.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: My guru always said
Date: 31 Jan 08 - 12:49 PM

Hey, did any of you manage to meet UK Catter Lady Policeman at the festival?

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: stallion
Date: 31 Jan 08 - 12:46 PM

I think OK Brandy are supposed to be there, they are good, if you see them say Hi to Pip, Tom and Clare from Pete Ron and Martin

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: vectis
Date: 31 Jan 08 - 12:35 PM

Looks like a good festival. I will keep it in mind when planning our next trip down under.

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Little Robyn
Date: 30 Jan 08 - 02:09 PM

Hi Charley. Sorry, no report yet. I'm back at work and tired out after the weekend, which we really enjoyed.
We took the grandaughter with us (22months old) and she had a ball too.
Time for work,
Bye,
Robyn

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Charley Noble
Date: 20 Jan 08 - 10:37 PM

Robyn-

Great! Be sure to send out a full report for those of us too lazy to travel halfway around the world and back again.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Barb'ry
Date: 20 Jan 08 - 06:43 PM

Wish we could be back with you - might make it next year.
Have a great festival and love to all
Barbara and Andy

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Little Robyn
Date: 20 Jan 08 - 01:47 PM

Hi Charley, the Maritime Crew are always involved, both with shanty sessions and with Lew Black's home brew session, which lasts into the early hours of the morning. The singing lasts long after the home brew has run out!
Rudy has been involved in the Auckland Folk Festival since it began, in 1974.
The festival also includes many dance workshops, kid's workshops and a variety of concerts ranging from Bluegrass to 'Blind date', Come all ye's and the Young Performers Awards.
Check out the site above for history and photos.
Cheers,
Robyn

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Charley Noble
Date: 19 Jan 08 - 11:07 PM

Looks like a great festival. However, I don't think the guest list on the website is anywhere complete. I believe that The Maritime Crew is also featured, and that Bob Watson (UK) has been invited by them to be their special guest; Watson composed "Mollymauk," "Neptune's Daughter," "Tasmin Buster" and several dozen other interesting songs. Rudy Sunde of The Maritime Crew is also a very talented songwriter; his best known song outside of New Zealand might be "Auckland to the Bluff."

Cheerily,
Charley Noble, monitoring events from the coast of Maine

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Ref
Date: 19 Jan 08 - 05:39 PM

Robyn:

That looks like a wonderful line-up. Wish I could come, but I'm stuck in snowy New Hampshire. Kia ora to all!

Ref

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Little Robyn
Date: 19 Jan 08 - 03:09 AM

And a list of guests here.

Robyn

Subject: RE: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Little Robyn
Date: 19 Jan 08 - 03:05 AM

There's a thread on one of the guests here.
Robyn

Subject: Auckland NZ Folk Festival
From: Gurney
Date: 18 Jan 08 - 10:59 PM

It is on next weekend, 26th-27th, at Kumeu Showgrounds, just north of Auckland. Just in case there's anyone visiting.