Towersey 2008

Subject: Towersey 2008
From: Dave Earl
Date: 13 Aug 08 - 05:15 AM

Well there were/are threads for Sidmouth,Whitby,Broadstairs and gawd knows how many other festival so why not Towersey too?

So have we Catters attending? Apart from me that is

Dave

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: GUEST,LTS pretending to work
Date: 13 Aug 08 - 06:55 AM

I'll be there too!

I may even have learnt a new song.... (gasp, shock, horror!)

Lady P is also going.

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: lady penelope
Date: 13 Aug 08 - 07:11 AM

Be afraid, be very afraid, they're letting me be a steward as well!!!

I too may have learnt a new song... two infact. I'm determined to have a song in my repetoire that a) has a chorus and b) has a chorus that other people would know!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Hamish
Date: 13 Aug 08 - 07:49 AM

Yup! Got my full season ticket - although I'll be commuting, not camping. Yesterday I set up a spreadhseet with the twenty acts I really want to see and the various times they're on so's I could figure out an itinerary which means the effect of the various conflicts are minimised. I'm afraid I'll be spending most of my time at one or other of the three main stages; but will also pop in to see Eddie and Amanda at the folk club at some point; and probably the barn, too, with any luck.

Hope the weather picks up! I'm off to Broadstairs for the last two days and it's very stormy on the south coast today.

Yay!

~8^)

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Leadfingers
Date: 13 Aug 08 - 08:01 AM

Hopefully I will be over for The Barn on Sunday !

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Joseph P
Date: 13 Aug 08 - 10:05 AM

Ill be there from thursday lunchtime until sometime on Tuesday! Might have to go for the spreadsheet idea!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: lady penelope
Date: 14 Aug 08 - 08:52 AM

That sounds awfully organised... possibly too organised... *G*

I just colour me programme in with a highlighter....

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Aug 08 - 09:06 AM

I just take pot luck with everything!

I will be there form Friday Until very early Tuesday.

I'll see any catters I know and won't see those I don't.

Andy

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Dave Earl
Date: 14 Aug 08 - 09:12 AM

Which Andy is that?

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Dave Earl
Date: 15 Aug 08 - 03:28 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Dave Earl
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 06:59 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Leraud
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 07:36 AM

I'll be there Thursday night to Tuesday. Is anyone going to the pub on Thursday night?

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Dave Earl
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 07:46 AM

Maybe Lynn for meeting/greeting and that sort of thing

Dave

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: GUEST,LTS pretending to work
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 08:01 AM

If I'm not stewading, I'll be in the pub at some point on Thursday.

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Hamish
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 08:03 AM

Well, now, things have changed from my perspective. Having experienced my first ever ceilidh south of the border at Broadstairs Folk Week last Friday night, I find myself thinking how to squeeze in a concert or two around the ceilidhs! Wear your steel toe-capped work boots: I'm on my way!!!

~8^)

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: GUEST,LTS pretending to work
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 08:16 AM

Oh bloody hell...

The Scottish are coming, the Scottish are coming!

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: lady penelope
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 11:57 AM

Dinnae fash yersel, we're already here hen... *G*

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 01:39 PM

*Consults pharse book...

Gonnae no dae tha?!

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: lady penelope
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 04:35 PM

*BEG*

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: danensis
Date: 19 Aug 08 - 02:54 PM

Stewading - if it carries on raining we might all be doing that!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Severn
Date: 19 Aug 08 - 03:32 PM

I'll miss the friends, the music and especially the Barn Sings, but I won't miss the people who run (and overbook) the Camping, wherever they've booked off and run to.

Too big of a place to keep Jack out of trouble in, though......

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: lady penelope
Date: 19 Aug 08 - 04:19 PM

Jack's not coming is he??? I thought he was safely ensconced ooop north!??!?

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Severn
Date: 19 Aug 08 - 08:22 PM

I brought him last year. God knows where he is this year.

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: The Admiral
Date: 20 Aug 08 - 06:51 AM

Safe Journey's everyone, Pealr and I have to work so we won't be there 'till Friday but we hope to see you all in the Barn over the Weekend.

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: GUEST,Jack
Date: 20 Aug 08 - 07:33 AM

I is in Scotland at der moment, but I is going to be heading home soon as I ain't seen Joline or der pups for a while. I don't fink I is getting to der barn as Chris an Fiona is busy.

But der good news is I is goin to be at der Wareham Wail!! I jus ope I don't get stuck up dat pole again!

WOOF!! Jack

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Skylark
Date: 20 Aug 08 - 07:46 AM

A reasonably unhelpful thread so far then... Could we stop all this inconsequential gibberish and rubbish please and do Towersy's thread justice?

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Dave Earl
Date: 20 Aug 08 - 11:01 AM

Hi Skylark,

I started this thread just to ask who was going to Towersey - no other reason.

If you want to sing the praises of the Festival don't let me stop you but that's not what I was intending.

As it happens a lot of the people who responded are friends of mine and they have made a few silly remarks along the way and as I "do" silly I don't see it as inconsequential.

So you start a Thread in praise of Towersey and I'll smile and chuckle at the tomfoolery in here.

Thanks for stopping by.
Dave

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: lady penelope
Date: 20 Aug 08 - 11:26 AM

Phew... safe... *G*

Right, I've got all the stuff I'm taking sorted out. I just have to actually pack it....

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Severn
Date: 20 Aug 08 - 01:23 PM

I kept telling you, Jack, "You're a DOG!" You just smell like a pole cat! Stay on the ground this year or they'll ground you anyway....


Although you, in your own sow-z'd and boarish way, DID do a creditable imitation of the Porker Of Honor last year......

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Richard Atkins
Date: 20 Aug 08 - 06:23 PM

All power to Jack then ! We wont make it this year but The Admirals sings in the Barn should not be missed by others.

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Aug 08 - 06:53 PM

As I'm leaving in about 8 hours, I guess I better either pack or wash...

Dave - I have a contender for the 'almost' gin... be prepared to be very silly indeed.

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: The Admiral
Date: 21 Aug 08 - 08:39 AM

Mrs Admiral and I dropped the caravan off on site 2 last night at about 19.00 last night (Weds) and it was already filling up! I only hope when we get back on Friday that we don't find ourselves blocked in by tents as we were once before... You'd think people would think 'Ah, there's a caravan and even though there is no one in it at the moment they will need to get their car somewhere near it and that they will need access to the door of the caravan'?
Apparently not it seems!

Kep spreading the word about the Barn!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: The Admiral
Date: 21 Aug 08 - 09:27 AM

Or even 'keep'!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: jacqui.c
Date: 21 Aug 08 - 04:09 PM

I be coming on the Sunday for the barn - can anyone give me info on where to go, parking, time, etc? Do I need to pay for a day ticket for the barn?

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Leadfingers
Date: 21 Aug 08 - 04:29 PM

Jacqui - IF you can get there late morning , you CAN park on the side of the road near the Pub Entrance ! NO pub car park as they have Morris Dancing in front of the pub . NO Admission charge fr the barn , but they WILL take money off you if you want to look 'On Site' at the Music and craft stuff .
I hope Towersey has good weather , and a smooth sea and sunshine between Roscoff and Cork over the weekend !

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: skipy
Date: 21 Aug 08 - 04:32 PM

I will be there, read futher up that Terry will be there on Sunday, so will probably go on Saturday!
Skipy

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 12:05 PM

Well wasn't that fun!

It wasn't too wet, it wasn't too windy and there was lots of gin and beer and singing like a bloke.

Have I really won the 'slowest singer' title in the Barn? John will be sad to give it up!

If you had asked, I would have said it's the arrangement of 'All for me grog' as done by Martyn Windham Reid on his 'Sunlit Plains' album. I liked it so (almost) learned it. I'll try it even lower next time.

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: lady penelope
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 03:12 PM

Vo Slav
Vo Slav
Vo Slav
Vo Slav!!

What jolly fun! What more could a visigoth want? Even standing in the freezing wind on Monday morning, doing gate duty, was enjoyable.

It was a shame to miss the Sunday afternoon session (duty called) but the Barn was as excellent as usual.

What's that phrase? Again! Again!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Houston_Diamond
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 09:30 PM

:( am missin everyone already

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Hamish
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 03:41 AM

Still bleary eyed but happy. And I didn't even make it to the barn (although did manage an impromptu singaround in the pub on Friday evening.)

Highlights? Bellowhead, Chris Wood, Mick Ryan & Pete Harris, Last Orders, Breabach, Askew Sisters, Doug Eunson & Sarah Matthews, Steph West...

~8^)

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Joseph P
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 05:14 AM

What a fun weekend - is the Barn the pub Barn? I played my melodeon in there for all of a minute to see what the sound was like (when it was empty), what an echo (echo echo echo)!!!

Highlights- Bellowhead, Faustus, Mawkin:Causley, dancing outside the pub (or is that a lowlight?!!) Lantern making (never have had the chance to use willow like that, great fun for all ages!)

Lowlights - Cost of food seemed to be a lot higher than last year, shower queues, the scheduling is awful, with large parts of the weekend being absent of anything particularly interesting. (otehr festivals have stages going all afternoon, why not do that?) Also not a huge variety of beers around.

Also the session at the social club was a bit crap on the thursday, I know there was a previous debate about the whole issue before, but the music was too fast and the guys playing seemed quite cliquey.

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 05:54 AM

Yes, Joseph P, and that's precisely why the singers congregate there - it's almost impossible to sound bad in that space.

The variety of beers (no Tanglefoot - the bastards!) was noticed, I wasn't impressed with what there was either.

Shower queues are always a bugbear and I have a feeling that the toilets blocked or ran dry more frequently than in previous years (the advantages of stewarding - you get to hear all the radio requests and chat that goes on...). However, it's not so many years ago that the showers available were on one site only and communal, so times were alloted for male and female showering.

Food costs are high all over, not just at the festival. I thought that the rises reflected those in the supermarkets and fuel outlets, but as I rarely, if ever, buy food on site, then I can't really complain. As I said elsewhere, I can save myself up to £60 by cooking and freezing meals beforehand and bringing them with me.

Sessions - there are always going to be differences of opinions there and as a poor to middling player, I'm keeping out. I would have been lost in it but there were a lot of easier sessions happening across the weekend, especially in the Three Horseshoes pub.

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: nickp
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 06:05 AM

The main problem with the loos this year was vandalism. Pity the poor bog squad and the technical crew who were kept busy!

Food... hmm, yes some was much more than before but the majority were about the same. Don't know about the bar (although I heard rumours it was pricey) as I never got there!

Damn good weekend though!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Joseph P
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 06:15 AM

Mind you, you just have to go to a big commercial rock festival to see completely over the top food prices! Good to see the rip off burger van wasnt outside the dance house this year.

As a rugby player communal showers wouldnt be a problem for me, but I can understand why it is for others. maybe Chinnor RFC could open its doors (its only round the corner) and that might ease things a bit!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 06:26 AM

Today's useless information: In the 4 main days of the festival, as much water is used as the 400 residents use in the whole rest of the year.

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Joseph P
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 06:30 AM

Could be the 20 mins that most people seemed to take to have a shower .....

I still fail to understand the point of pointless vandalism.

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Dave Earl
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 06:35 AM

Vandalised loos?

Which site were you on - I didnt see any sign of vanalism at thev site 2/3 entrance.

Dave

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 06:51 AM

I believe the ones by the Ceilidh tent were targeted at one point, as were the ones at the back of site 2 campsite. Mostly it was people not flushing or trying to flush an entire loo roll down at once. One Ladies on site 2 had a seat 'removed', but was later repaired.

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: nickp
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 07:25 AM

There were a number of seats replaced but I believe most were just 'wear and tear' - doesn't bear thinking about too deeply!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 07:29 AM

I believe there was a problem with water pressure that was nothing to do with the festival - it was apparently on the Thames Water end. This was the main problem, from what I could gather, with the showers - I don't think they were ever able to run all 3 blocks at any one time, which is why the queues were so long. It also had ramifications for the flushing toilets and the water taps in the loos.

I didn't really notice the food prices being higher. Supper at Chez Nous was about £6 - 7, which is what I remember from last year. We were able to eat lunch for about a fiver between us by sharing some nachos or a plate of potato wedges. Breakfast butties were around £3. All of this seems pretty average for greenfield festival prices, at least for the ones I've visited in recent years.

Beer was about £2.90 a pint - probably average for Oxfordshire.