F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK

Subject: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 23 Aug 08 - 03:38 AM

Anyone going to be at Chaversham hop fest (Faversham, north Kent, UK, 29th August), and in particular does anyone know of any planned song or mixed sessions other than in the two pubs nearest to the old A2?

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Abdul The Bul Bul
Date: 23 Aug 08 - 04:26 AM

During the weekend there is usually something going on at the Bear in the market place Richard.

Which two pubs near the old A2 do you mean?

Al

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Kampervan
Date: 23 Aug 08 - 05:05 AM

Hi there

I guess that Richard's referring to the Crown (Sheps pub) and the Elephant (free house), both on the Mall and both the setting for some singarounds in the past but mainly later on in the evening rather than during the day.

The Bear, in the marketplace, tends to more instumental sessions.

Rumour has it that there may be some singing in the Railway, especially if the Dead Horse are dancing there, and the Swan and Harlequin might be worth checking out, but this has only been sporadic in the past.

Be glad to hear of any others that anyone knows about.

K/van

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: wrotham-arms-jen
Date: 23 Aug 08 - 08:53 AM

I know that synbyn is running some sessions at The Phoenix...I will shout at him to get the details.
jen

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Kampervan
Date: 24 Aug 08 - 11:53 AM

There have been some good sessions at the Phoenix in the past, some of the best of the festival, but its been a bit quiet for the last year or two.

If its going to be different this year then it would be good to know about it.

K/van

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Dead Horse
Date: 24 Aug 08 - 12:40 PM

The Harlequin has seen a few of us warbling away in past years.

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: synbyn
Date: 24 Aug 08 - 02:23 PM

thanks for the plug, jen! yes, with the aid of old acoustics skynflynt & the wonderful Chris Taylor, I'll be running lunchtime sessions 12- 3pm in the Phoenix, which is in Abbey Street, just after the point where the road turns down to the creek... all welcome of course, and these, being in the Phoenix, are going to be the...
FYREBOX sessions...
we've run many sessions over the years, as has Bob Gates with his wonderful outdoor sessions, mostly as open mikes , so it is worth stressing that this will be an acoustic session- there will be no PA (too little room) and the emphasis will be upon participation and involvement- so long ballads with no chorus are not ideal- please select your material to give everyone a chance to contribute!
See you there
Bob

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Kampervan
Date: 24 Aug 08 - 05:09 PM

Synbyn

Since you mention Bob Gates, I can tell you that his daughter Liz got married yesterday and I'm still recovering from a fantastic days celebrations.

We even got one or two of his poems.

Looking forward to joining in at the Phoenix next weekend..

Regards

K/van

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Kampervan
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 04:31 AM

Well, the weekend is fast approaching and the weather forecast is promising.

Apart from synbyn at the Phoenix does anyone know of any confirmed singaround sessions?

It could save a lot of (pointless?) wandering from pub to pub!


cheers
K/van

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Dead Horse
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 06:51 AM

If you are a real ale drinker, none of the wandering can be described as "pointless" :-)

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: GUEST,MC Fat
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 07:03 AM

I'd love to get down to this one day Paul. Can't this year recharging batteries after Whitby and Shresbury.

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 08:01 AM

There is bound to be stuff (I nearly used a less polite word) in the Crown, there always is. Sometimes it has driven me out to seek other places...

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Kev The Clogs
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 08:42 AM

Bishop Gundulfs will be on the scene for both the Saturday and Sunday. We are expected to dance, fully, for each day, so will not be able to join in any singing/instrument sessions during the day, which is a shame (good luck Synbyn et al.).

If we manage to get time for a luch break, then we usually start a small session wherever we are at the time.

Our prefered venues for singing are The Crown or The Railway - often at the end of dancing and certainly Friday and Saturday evening.

Hopefully, most of our singers and musicians are attending this weekend. Hoff, The Crown is not that bad - if you find an alternative though, drag us along! See you Friday.

Kev the clogs

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: melodeonboy
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 08:50 AM

I'm busy at the festival with Jumbo Gumbo all weekend, so I doubt if I'll get to any singarounds either, but if you want a break from singing, come and see us!

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Kev The Clogs
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 09:30 AM

we'll do our best to see you at some point Kev - looking forward to a fix of loud shirts, Dairylea and Spotted Dick!

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Dead Horse
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 11:47 AM

Kev the Clogs wrote = "Bishop Gundulfs....preferred venues for singing are The Crown..."
While Richard Bridge wrote = "There is bound to be stuff (I nearly used a less polite word) in the Crown, there always is. Sometimes it has driven me out to seek other places..."
Interesting, huh? I wonder if there is any correlation??? :-)

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Kev The Clogs
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 01:06 PM

Hoff is just set in his ways.

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: GUEST,larkin
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 01:46 PM

I'll be there for the week end performing our Tritons ( look out for green mermen ) and I'm hoping to have a few tunes - I was there last year and there was an irish sesh in the evening . In london ,they say you are never more than 4 metres from a Chav - methinks it's less in Faversham

Martin

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: synbyn
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 03:32 PM

oi a bit less about chavs- the taxpayers of Faversham pay for this and future festivals! It's a great town and always a good atmosphere- and the weather forecast for sat is good , too... so the Phoenix is definitely the place to be for a feetup between dances!

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Kampervan
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 03:58 PM

Never mind MC, you let your liver recover for a day or two. I'll sink a few pints for you and maybe sing a song or two.

We'll probably be back at Shrewsbury next year; and Whitby, well... who knows?

Talk to you soon

Regards

K/van and Big Bird

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: GUEST,MC Fat
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 04:30 AM

You were both missed at Shrewsbury especially by ken cos he had to buy a round !!!!

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Kampervan
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 03:55 PM

This is maybe on the wrong thread, but hey, Ken buyng a round?

Had he won the lottery or was he the only person in the pub.

Please tell me that he had to buy more than one drink (not that I'll believe you!).

Hope to see you soon Jim

K/van

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 29 Aug 08 - 02:15 AM

There is a severe risk of my only late-showing (or no-showing) at Chaversham owing to pressure of work.

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: GUEST,MC Fat
Date: 29 Aug 08 - 03:24 AM

Actually Paul he did win £100 on thunderball this month !!!

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 09:26 AM

Well semi-hooray (or is my glass half empty again?)

Finally got rolling after some major work panics by 7 pm Sat.

By 7.15, seeing signs on the M2 saying it was closed J5 to J6 (a part that I needed).

After a mile of standing traffic by the time I got to J5 it was re-opened - arrive about 8 pm. Nice people had saved me some food off the barbie. Ate same and drank half a bottle of wine - went to set up van and some pillock had left a tent with dark green guys (really easy to see on grass as the evening starts to darkle) across teh obvious path, so I went arse over tip, hurt left wrist and fell on car keys in pocket too ouch!

Got van set, went to sing at Crown and Onanist. Got there maybe 930 or 945pm. Left every single flatpick and capo at home. But it hardly mattered since a certain person who believed in running the evening in a particular was was evidently determined that I should not sing.

Went to back room and did some songs with a few other friends.

Return to site and gossip and drink with some other friends till about 2 am.

Came home today. It wasn't worth going.

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Girl Friday
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 07:10 PM

We've been disillusioned with it for a few years now, so didn't bother. Never mind,Knockholt soon !

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 07:35 PM

Just to correct a couple of contributors here.
The Faversham Hop Fest has never been a folk festival. It's a town festival. Sidmouth Lite it's not!
True there are people on the organising committee, who are involved with British music, but, essentially it's a celebration of the Hop harvest.
One of the few town bashes that gets the whole community involved.
Young rock bands, Jazzers, Street theatre, and lots lots more.
A lot of the artists are local to the area, and perform for free.
I don't live there anymore, but, always the highlight for me was meeting old friends from Belgium (Trommelflute), and getting the chance to learn some new tunes.
Not sure how the weather affected the Sunday this year, but, in years past, the town square was invariably crowded.

Ralph Jordan
(Ex Fav Festival Band)

PS. And if it's Chavs you're after, there are far more up in the Medway towns methinks!

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Kampervan
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 03:16 AM

Have to agree with Ralphie that it's not an out and out folk festival, but there was plenty of singing around.

The Phoenix had Bob running a session on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. I missed Saturday, but Sunday was a good session, very nicely handled by Bob and friends, and everone who wanted to sing got plenty of chances. (too many perhaps for those listening to me).

Likewise on Saturday night the Phoenix was going well into the early hours, although I was at the Crown and Anchor from early evening until just after midnight.

I thought it was a pretty good session. No-one was particularly running it and people did a pretty good job of taking their turn as it went round the room.

Sorry that Richard didn't feel welcome and I was a stranger to just about everyone there and I loved it.

Regards

K/van

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 04:32 AM

Glad you enjoyed it Mr Van.
Yes, there are plenty of opportunities to sing and play in the various pubs around town.
But the delight always was for me, that so many different forms of entertainment, both organised and otherwise, rub along quite happily together, uniting the whole town for 1 weekend.
I'm not knocking other town Folk Festivals, but, it has always struck me that these seem to be much more Folk Focussed (sorry, pun alert),
And I'm sure that most of the local populace of say...Warwick (First name that popped into my head, no offense meant), wouldn't even know that anything was going on!

Fav is always well supported by the locals, and the local shops, with Hop bines hanging all over the place. Not to mention the local Brewer Shepherd Neame.

Oh, and it's completely free!!!
How good is that.

Mind you, Fav doesn't do much in the way of advertising. It's usually rammed with people anyway.

Hope this year was as good as past ones. Wish I could have been there.

Toodle Pip Ralphie

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: melodeonboy
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 06:01 AM

"Mind you, Fav doesn't do much in the way of advertising. It's usually rammed with people anyway."

Indeed. I couldn't find one mention of it in Friday's Kent Messenger (strange!), yet the place was absolutely chocker on Saturday.

As I mentioned before, I was too busy to join any sessions or singarounds, but I'm glad that there were some taking place. It's difficult to imagine that a session run by Bob Kenward wouldn't be good.

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 06:25 AM

Hi melodeonboy.
My point exactly. No expense spent on supurfluous advertising.
Bet you that other events in the UK would be green with envy at this prospect!
And as for Uncle Bob K.
A Prince amongst men.
Hello Bob, if you read this.

How's the leg??
Ralphie

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: GUEST,Barbara Kelly
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 06:59 AM

As a resident of Faversham it pains me to hear this beautiful medieval town described as Chaversham. I'm fairly sure that we have no more than our fair share of young people who drink too much and hang around in the streets making a racket and intimidating the children (which what I'm assuming you mean by the chav reference) but it really isn't what defines either the town or us residents.   

The Hop festval is indeed a town festival not a folk festival but because the pubs are open late and there's plenty of music of all kinds about it's perhaps not surprising that all sorts of people are drawn to come and enjoy it.

I'll declare myself as a folkie just so's you have some sense of where these comments are coming from. I rarely contribute to these kinds of discussions because the written word is so easy to misunderstand and people's views can often seem offensive when perhaps they're not meant to be in this medium. I just wanted to advocate for the town I live in that some of you visitors perhaps only see from a jaundiced perspective because you have expections that the festival was never designed to meet.

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 08:38 AM

I have been a visitor to the lovely town of Faversham and indeed its Hop Festival on a number of occasions at the invitation of residents and have been deeply struck by its charm, its sense of community and the way I was welcomed as an outsider. As many people here know, as someone who has been involved in traditional music and dance all my life I absolutely don't describe myself as a "f*lkie", precisely because of this sort of attitude from some who do. I observe it all over (not just in North Kent): people who invade, take over pubs and contribute nothing. You think this sounds like the Chavs? Yes, but they're big ones who should know better, usually with beards, bodhráns, banjos and . . . I can't think of a synonym for whingeing that begins with 'B'. The Hopfest is a celebration of the hop harvest with as much history of the real working population of the town as any feast day anywhere, and is certainly a lotmore "authentic" than recently revived Green Persons. You wouldn't, after all, turn up at Bampton abnd start telling the villagers they'd got it all wrong . . . would you? It's their custom and celebratory practice. And the Hopfest belongs to the people of Faversham and should be respected as such.

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 09:27 AM

"Authentic"??

Allow me to quote from the Festival website: -

"Festival History
The Faversham hop festival was started 18 years ago by a small group of enthusiastic volunteers. They believed that the quaint town would lend itself to this type of tradition and celebrate its heritage.

They approached Swale Borough Council for funding and were granted a small budget to book acts and publicise the event. Any other funding was achieved through goodwill donations from local companies, with assistance in kind in the distribution of flyers and leaflets.

Initially, it was a one-day event, attracting no more than 2,000 visitors to the town. Today, still funded by Swale Borough Council with a grant from Faversham Town Council and sponsorship from local, community-minded companies, the Festival runs over a whole weekend and is regularly patronised by, it is estimated, over 20,000 people. Many of the visitors return year after year to what is now a well-established event in the calendars of festival goers, Morris sides and families.

The Hop Festival has long enjoyed the presence of Morris and Mummers sides in the town. Indeed, regular visitors to the Festival look for their favourites among the sides that attend each year."



I suppose it depends how long something has to go on to make it an authentic tradition, really.

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Kampervan
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 09:41 AM

It's great to see so much support for our town and for what the Festival organisers are doing.

Long may they continue.

The one fly in the ointment is a certain resident who seems hell-bent on getting the whole thing stopped, (or restricted out of existence), cos he doesn't like the noise.
Unfortunately one person's views seem to carry a disproportionate amount of weight.

But the festival does so much for the town that we have to hope that good sense prevails and we can all enjoy it for years to come.

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Kampervan
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 09:43 AM

I missed that last posting. Perhaps I should have said ... 'so much support - RB excepted'

K/van

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 05:19 PM

Oh no, I quite like it when I can get to all of it, but the session that I got to this year (and it was much the same last year) was dire.

Next year I am less likely to be shackled to a side so will maybe be able to get to more of the sessions and so maybe enjoy it more. The snag with that is that if I am not with a side I can't camp, so have to stay sober to go home...

Noise can be a pain in the bum for a resident, but if it's only one weekend a year that is not so bad as a pub that has dogshit weekly...

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 02 Sep 08 - 02:01 AM

The Hopfest in its present form is relatively recent but brewing has been an essential feature of the town for many hundreds of years. Shepherd Neame has been established as a commercial brewer since the 17th century and the hop narvest has been celebrated for far longer. Those who flock in at the end of August ought to bear in mind its purpose and who it is actually for.

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 02 Sep 08 - 05:13 AM

Us Londoners some to pick the hops, perhaps?

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 02 Sep 08 - 05:55 AM

Since Shepherd Neame was established in 1698 and Trevithick's stem engine not built until after 1800, the hop-pickers from London are unlikely to have arrived en masse in Faversham from the earliest days.

Therefore the earliest celebrations of the hop-harvest are likely to have been accompanied by local merriment and song - viz the tradition is of folk music and dance.

Incidentally, I've been a hop-picker.

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: synbyn
Date: 02 Sep 08 - 07:30 AM

'ere, i've gone all red- thanks for the kind words! and thanks to all who came up to the phoenix for the sessions with Chris and me, invidious to mention some & not all, but we kept the music going for 3 hours midafternoon sans repetition or err... loadsafun! nice to see some woodshedders too...
see you at Deal, or Tenterden...
bobk

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Dead Horse
Date: 02 Sep 08 - 12:27 PM

Richard Bridge, sir,
With the best will in the world, you are only an add-on musician to a side that is now well muso-ed, so you aint exactly "shackled" to the side.
I am sure nobody would mind if you were to go do your own thing during the Hop Fest.
My own wife is in the same class of "extras" when she is not dancing, or when the childrens side is not in attendance and requiring her leadership.
With Happy Trails, Jumbo Gumbo and any likelyhood of anything else that takes her fancy - she is off, mate !!!
It is unfortunate that so many good singers and musos belong to morris sides that are usually dancing somewhere else just when sessions are struggling to keep going inside the pubs of the town.
When evening comes and dancing is done, these folks find those same sessions too crowded to be able to get a look in.
Such is life huh?
I like two day jobbies, when the side is dancing for one day - singing/playing/heckling the next :-)

Subject: RE: F(Ch)aversham HopFest Aug 29 UK
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 02 Sep 08 - 04:27 PM

She dances. I don't.

But I read you loud and clear. Not one to stick around where I'm not needed.

Now where can I camp?