Didmarton Bluegrass Festival UK Sept

Subject: Didmarton Bluegrass Festival UK Sept
From: Mr Red
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 05:49 AM

sorry, you just missed it, unless you were there. website

Given that there was a bias towards Bluegrass the festival - it was the kind of festival we used to know. Based around a "Biker" clubhouse and the obligatory marquuees it had a down-home feel. Includes some C&W, Appalation, and an electic mix of muso's. No-one turned a hair at red bodhrans, indeed the sessions migrated all over the music scene and the sound system was perfect. It took me an hour to realise I hadn't needed earplugs, but then the organisers are musicians and sound engineers (Hipposound). Free chatty programme cf 4GBP at Towersey! Campfire. And an acrobatic plane stunting round the Kemble airfield (doubtful advantage but hey! This is Folk).

Of course the draw of Chris Newman & Maire ni Chathasaigh was the icing on the cake, I wanted to hear them play Bluegrass on the harp (they can play anything, and did).

But did they play it like Bill Munroe?
I'll get my coat..............

Subject: RE: Didmarton Bluegrass Festival UK Sept
From: Mavis Enderby
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 06:10 AM

The bikers are the OGRI MCC and are about as nice a bunch of folks as you will ever meet.

Glad it was a good festival - not been for a couple of years but it might well go on the list for next year.

Cheers,

Pete.

Subject: RE: Didmarton Bluegrass Festival UK Sept
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 09:07 AM

Bill MONROE ffs.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Didmarton Bluegrass Festival UK Sept
From: GUEST,Mr Red
Date: 08 Sep 09 - 06:20 AM

didn't play it like him neither.

Subject: RE: Didmarton Bluegrass Festival UK Sept
From: GUEST,BanjoRay
Date: 08 Sep 09 - 07:42 AM

I had a great weekend there. I'm not a bluegrass player, but there was plenty of really good Old Time jamming, and some superb stuff on the bill. If anybody gets a chance to see Carl Jones and Beverly Smith on their tour over the next month, don't miss them! Wonderful instrumentalists and harmony singers, and Carl's extremely funny off the wall humour creases me up every time.
Chris and Maire were great, and I suspect she's a much better harp player than Bill Monroe.....
High spot for me was seeing the bluegrass band Mountain Heart. Their amazing banjo player and singer Barry Abernathy has nearly no fingers on his left (fingering) hand and plays astonishing banjo. He used to play for the top bands IIIrd Tyme Out and Doy'e Lawson's Quicksilver. His technique seemsto involve reaching the strings over the top of the fingerboard with his thumb and the half index finger which remain to him, and moving his capos (main and fifth string) a lot during a tune.
Ray