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Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Howard Jones Date: 17 Dec 09 - 07:35 PM It's also fair to say that the programme received an enthusiastic preview in The Times. It was certainly a lot different to most of the "seasonal" programmes on the box, and will have pleasantly surprised a lot of people who have a stereotyped idea of folk music. The reason for my disappointment is that I know it could have been so much better. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,Joe G Date: 17 Dec 09 - 07:37 PM Good comment - exactly how I feel. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,Tim Date: 17 Dec 09 - 09:02 PM You really are a bunch of ridiculous buffoons. But I guess you've figured that out by now. You are aware that people come to this forum just to laugh at you, right? I mean, they don't want to. Like myself, they all come here thinking how brilliant it is to have an international forum dedicate to the sharing of folk knowledge. But the reality is all too evident. The bit about folk so few of you seem to grasp is that it's for everybody. And it's for everybody to do with what they will. It's clearly galling that the BBC4 show happened without your permission. But you put yourself in this ghetto. You only have yourselves to blame that it's not to your liking. Since, while you were all still arguing about whether something could be called an autoharp technique or not (or whatever trivial detail you're concerning yourself with today), a whole new generation went out and made vital, thrilling folk music that ended up on TV. They grasped the baton while you twats were still arguing about the best way to hold it. And now you're all trying to sound ever so above it all, like the only kid shivering in the changing rooms while everyone else is splashing about in the pool. You should come on in sometime, the water's lovely. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Effsee Date: 17 Dec 09 - 10:14 PM Tim..."a whole new generation went out and made vital, thrilling folk music "... If you think that was vital & thrilling, you've led a very sheltered life! |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Abdul The Bul Bul Date: 17 Dec 09 - 10:30 PM He he, nice one Tim. How can anyone on here not ever heard or even heard of the artists?!! Perhaps as you say, they are trapped in their own traditional folk capsule. I listen to folk music trad and everything in between. I listen to folk music from anywhere in the world on mostly UK online radio progs but as many festivals and concerts that I can get to. Ever since the Beatles were issuing singles, I learned that you don't judge on first hearings. It was new and different and took a while to get used to and we know what happened with them! I'm at risk here as I havn't heard the prog yet but will when I get back to UK next week. But yes, this generation of kids has injected excitement and innovation and vitality. The Unthanks, Lakemans, etc are steeped in the tradition they've developed their own style of presentation and have made it to the telly. They have class and they worked bloody hard to get there. They should be cheered, applauded and loudly. I do and I will as soon as I can get there. Al but |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: VirginiaTam Date: 18 Dec 09 - 01:42 AM You can't lay all the blame with the artists - its the producer and director that should be shot and all the rest of the people whose names appeared in the credits. Think Nutty may have something there. This show didn't feel like a real folk concert/session. At least not like the ones I attend in Kent, UK, which are (for want of a better term) organic... natural. I have seen Bellowhead on youtube and what I have seen was unrelentingly fun. Concerts of theirs I would seek to attend at festivals. I have also heard the UnThanks do better. I think possibly the wrong people were making decisions and it may have put some of the performers in not best performing state. Also let's not forget that everyone has unique taste. I am clutching now to my hard earned old fogeyness. I loved the Sloe Gin set too. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Jack Blandiver Date: 18 Dec 09 - 01:50 AM Here's some Christmas music that everyone can enjoy: http://www.jinglebrass.co.uk/ And it's all for free! |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,Ralphie Date: 18 Dec 09 - 02:13 AM Right then.....A Challenge... I will give you (theoretically of course!) 1. A Venue of your own choosing. 2. Several TV Scanners (Complete with camera crews, Video editors..etc..about 100 people) 3. BBC Sound 1 (Huge SSL Mixing desk, with some of the top sound balancers in the business!) 4. Prime Time BBC1 on Christmas day..(Just after Her Madges speech, perhaps?) 5. Your choice of artists. 6. Your concept. And you think you could do better?? I watched it, I enjoyed it. And, I'll watch it again. Do any of you really understand how difficult it is to organise such a gig? Have any of you ever attempted such an event?....No?? Well, until you do, just shut up. My congratulations to all involved. What would you rather have? A repeat of the bloody X Factor??? Of course it wasn't perfect. I'm sure that most of you would rather have the White Heather Club on New Years Eve too. Reading this thread has made me both sad and angry at the same time. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Backwoodsman Date: 18 Dec 09 - 02:36 AM "You big whingey bunch of wankers. How many of you make a living from music? Amateur critics to a man I would guess." The 'Amateur Critics' about whom the poster of the above speaks so nicely are, in fact, the very people who pay for the tickets and the CDs, the proceeds of which are the source of much of the professional musician's income. On that basis, the Amateur Critics are the very people the professional musician needs to please. Otherwise the professional musician won't be professional for very long, he'll be spending his time stacking shelves in Tescco, or practising on his front-room sofa and living off his Giros. Best not to forget that. IMHO of course. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Backwoodsman Date: 18 Dec 09 - 02:37 AM TESCO (bugger)! |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,Mike of Hessle Date: 18 Dec 09 - 02:54 AM Saw the programme last night and on the whole was disappointed. The unthanks rendition of 'In the Bleak Mid-Winter' really had me squirming. Have seen and heard a lot better at various Folk Club Christmas Parties. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Dave Sutherland Date: 18 Dec 09 - 03:08 AM Unfortunately, due to some tragic news within the family, the programme was only on in the background last night so I couldn't gain a complete impression; hopefully I'll catch a repeat. However as I watched it did occur to me that Jon Boden, Sam Lee and Sam Sweeney will all be appearing, on separate occasions, at Traditions at the Tiger, Long Eaton next year. Not bad for a club "steeped in the tradition". |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Folkiedave Date: 18 Dec 09 - 03:08 AM Well, funnily enough, Dave...I was just about to suggest that it's way overdue that Show of Hands did a Christmas Album...Seth and The Oysterband, too. But you beat me to it! Yay! That's the way, lad! Perhaps I read your mind Lizzie? |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: VirginiaTam Date: 18 Dec 09 - 03:11 AM Well why did the early transatlantic sessions feel so real and not over produced? True the camera cannot catch what one catches in personal attendance. I have videoed simple things like school concerts and nuances are lost and atmosphere so different on tape from the actual experience. So yeah it has to be a real bear to do. Maybe I missed the jollier songs as I did come in late but to me some of it was X factorish. Just because some decent musicians decided to co-opt trad songs into popped up versions doesn't mean it is for everyone. The bit about folk so few of you seem to grasp is that it's for everybody. And it's for everybody to do with what they will. It's clearly galling that the BBC4 show happened without your permission. But you put yourself in this ghetto. You only have yourselves to blame that it's not to your liking., Blame myself for my own taste? Why? Am I not permitted to have an opinion, just because they managed to get onto telly? Dear god no wonder there is much dross on TV. No one is allowed to criticise it. That explains the long run of Big Brother House and Celebrity Get a Life shows. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Will Fly Date: 18 Dec 09 - 04:02 AM I was looking forward to this programme very much and set the DVD so that I could both watch it as it was being broadcast and then go back over it later. I've seen Bellowhead and many of the other artists live and have, on the whole, enjoyed their performances very much - particularly Bellowhead. However, I am surely allowed to say, with all reasonableness that, though I'm very glad the programme was shown on BBC4, I didn't care for all of it. I think it was actually over-produced and made more complex than it need have been, and I didn't care for the "Good Olde Days" style of presentation. (And, yes, I've made a fair bit of money over the last 40+ years, from making music, GUEST,Tim). I've been to two local Sussex sessions recently where I've been lucky enough to mix with some wonderful musicians and singers - and that's at least the standard by which I judge the performers on TV. In some instances, TV doesn't always produce better goods - and this show was, as I said before, a mixed lot. As said above by another Catter, I don't lose my critical taste because it's on the telly. It's not a question of being a stick-in-the-mud or a mouldy fig or anything else - it's just having a personal taste and standard. Let there be more of this on BBC4 - and let it be even better. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,Ralphie Date: 18 Dec 09 - 04:27 AM I will just make my point again. I'm old enough to remember those dreadful 60's TV shows with The Spinners (Gawd Bless 'em) complete with Aran Sweaters and dolly birds sitting on hay bales in a mocked up barn..... Yes, of course there were parts of last nights show that I didn't like much. (And no, I won't get personal). But I ask the question. Could any of you have achieved a better show? Yes? No? If Yes. Go on then. Do it. Get the funding, Get BBC4 interested enough to back your idea. In essence... do the work! With no real knowledge about the production criteria, I'm assuming that the concept of a slightly warped version of "The Good Old Days" came from Bellowhead. Jolly good I say. Why not? What is there to criticise? Good luck and Merry Christmas to them. My only criticism would refer to too much camera time devoted to the bloke with the suspect leggings. No doubt, you will all disagree with me. But, Hell...I don't care. I know how difficult it is to even get a show like this through the buraucracy that is BBC Commissions. Well done to all involved. And lets stop carping, and congratulate BBC4 for doing it at all, and ask for more, please. (End of Rant) |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Will Fly Date: 18 Dec 09 - 04:35 AM dolly birds sitting on hay bales in a mocked up barn..... Ooohhhh... you wouldn't tease an old man would you, Ralphie? |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,Ralphie Date: 18 Dec 09 - 04:37 AM Oh Will. I've got hours on Video if you want it! |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Howard Jones Date: 18 Dec 09 - 04:41 AM Ralph, I know I couldn't have done better - but I'm not a professional TV producer with a team of, as you say, some of the best technicians in the business. Leaving aside whether I liked the concept or some of the the performers, which are matters of individual taste, it seemed to me that the sound was poor - many of the instruments (including at times John Spiers' melodeon and especially concertina) weren't very audible. I'm sure a band like Bellowhead must be a sound engineer's nightmare, and the way the show was presented probably made it more difficult, but the Beeb does have, in your words, some of the top sound balancers in the business, and a lot of the time this didn't seem very balanced. It seemed to me that the music came a long way behind the presentation. Perhaps that's inevitable with TV, but it does put on good concerts in all genres so it's not impossible. The show may have appealed to a more general audience, but are they likely to find it on BBC 3? I felt this did a disservice to the type of audience who were most likely to tune into this programme, and to the musicians themselves. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Will Fly Date: 18 Dec 09 - 04:41 AM But seriously, yes, I do remember those programmes from the 60s. And I understand the BBC bureaucracy very well from my days there in the late 60s and early 70s. I also remember a fairly recent BBC4 presentation of June Tabor from St. Luke's, with the likes of Martin Simpson in the band. The stunning simplicity and wonderful atmosphere of June singing Richard Thompson's "Strange Affair", with just the guitar of Martin as backing is a piece of folk on TV that was everything it should have been. Just an example of not making a programme over-complex and concentrating on the music. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Jack Blandiver Date: 18 Dec 09 - 04:43 AM The bit I saw last night had dolly birds laying around the floor looking on dewy eyed whilst some bloke sang O Come Emmanuel in an R&B style X-Factor American accent. Plus ça change? |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Rasener Date: 18 Dec 09 - 04:44 AM I just wonder how many people who aren't folkies, bothered to watch it anyway. It was a program for Folkies and we were all aware of the program. It was an OK program, but I would rather have seen it in the flesh. Nothing like being there. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,Lizzie Befuddled Cornish Date: 18 Dec 09 - 04:55 AM And....where were The Demon Barbers? |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,Lizzie, thinking about it again... Date: 18 Dec 09 - 04:59 AM To be honest, Ralph....the vast majority of the peoplel who've written in here love traditional folk music, but seem to be bitterly disappointed at what was presented last night. I still haven't seen it, therefore I can't yet comment, but surely the message, whether you like it or not, is coming through loud and clear. You know, as well as we all do, that the folk scene is thriving with hundreds, if not thousands, of deeply talented musicians, singers and dancers, many of whom hold audiences spellbound. That didn't seem to happen in this show, and I think that's very sad indeed, because to have such a wonderful opportunity...and blow it...is a really bad move. When I've watched it, I'll comment on it.. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,Ralphie Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:01 AM Howard . (and others) The balancer on last nights show comes from a TV background. I won't name him. If they had let Group 2 (Radio....The guys that do Maida Vale sessions, All festivals, and all my old colleagues!) loose on that show, the sound would have been a hundred times better! Will mentioned the St Lukes gigs...Sounded great...why? Group 2 Studio Managers. In the TV world, Sound balancing comes a poor 4th in the pecking order. At any major gig....(The Proms, Glasto, etc...) The sound is provided by Radio Studio Managers. Not being bothered with pictures, we do the mix, and just provide the tele boys with a stereo feed. Sadly, The budget on last nights show obviously didn't run to it. I would have loved to have seen/heard what Mike Walters would have made of it! Hope that helps! |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,Ralphie Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:07 AM And Howard... Yes...B/Head are an Engineers nightmare... Have done worse though... The Uke Ork of GB on 5 mics, Live on a Johnnie Walker show. No Sound/Line check.....NOW! Fairport....the same...Walk through the door...10 seconds later...Playing! That's mixing with brown trousers I can tell you! |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: julian morbihan Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:07 AM As with almost everyone else it seems, we were disappointed with the programme - with the presentation, the sound quality, the choice and delivery of the material. How about them bringing back "A Christmas Present from the Albion Band"? Now that was when Christmas shows were really good! |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: The Borchester Echo Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:12 AM Hmmm, first off, I haven't seen it. Can't find it on the iPlayer yet and I'm not rushing to find it. Of course it wasn't a programme for "f*lkies" (yeuk) however you define that species. It was conceived "Xmas entertainment for the masses" with all the dumbing down that entails. But if it prompts one or two Joe Publics to investigate further what some of these artists really can do, good. You only have to look at the expression on Pete Flood's face during the trail on Breakfast yesterday morning to get some idea of how cringingly embarrassing it was for serious musicians to be exposed to such unbriefed and pseudo-ho-ho interviewing. Had a sousaphone player from a brass band or symphony orchestra been on the couch, would they have been subjected to such ridicule? I don't think so. However, television production of trad music doesn't have to be like that, even in England. Transmissions from St Luke's prove that it is not so. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,Lizzie Cornish Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:18 AM "You only have to look at the expression on Pete Flood's face during the trail on Breakfast yesterday morning to get some idea of how cringingly embarrassing it was for serious musicians to be exposed to such unbriefed and pseudo-ho-ho interviewing. Had a sousaphone player from a brass band or symphony orchestra been on the couch, would they have been subjected to such ridicule? I don't think so." No. That is totally condescending, Diane. And it's why English folk music is so often sneered at for being the music of the Luvvies. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,SC Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:25 AM To say that better sound and production would have improved the performances implies that the performers can't sing. I've always thought that regarding two young ladies from Gateshead anyway. A bad workman/woman blames his/her tools would seem to apply here if Ralphie is to be believed. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Ruth Archer Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:27 AM "And it's why English folk music is so often sneered at for being the music of the Luvvies." By whom - except for you? |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: George Papavgeris Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:30 AM Blame it on my poor taste, or perhaps on the wonderful snowy scene outside my window this Friday morning, as I watched the show on iPlayer, but.... I loved it! The show overall, I mean. Sure, there were bits I was not over the moon about, and bits where my toes curled somewhat, but I won't mention them, it would be unfair. Instead I will mention my personal highlights, in no particular order: Paul Sartin's MCing was deliciously tongue-in-cheek throughout, and if he wasn't quite up to George Unthank's song about the Tar Barrels in the snow was gorgeous, evocative and excellently sung by the Unthanks and rest of the crew. Thea Gilmore's song "That'll be Christmas" is in the "I wish I'd written that" category, and she sang it very well, I thought. I actually loved the "Mistletoe Bough" song. Great ghostly story, and I am a fan of Jon Boden's voice, so couldn't go wrong. I thought Sam Lee did great to step in at the last minute for the voiceless John Spiers - and his is another voice I like anyway. And Belshazzar's Feast were great, and Bellowhead themselves the most fun I've seen them on the screen. And overall, a great selection of appropriate material. I don't often say this, but I wish I'd been there. So quit bellyaching and tune into iPlayer and watch it - again. ................. As for the kind comments above - thanks. And I know I'd be great on TV, not that I'll ever get the chance, but I have the figure to do a wide angle lens justice, and the kind of face HDTV was invented for (I could also do surface-of-Mars close-ups). But seriously, thanks. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: The Borchester Echo Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:30 AM Stick, wrong end of. Yet again. Though I'm not surprised that you fail to recognise the condescending and ignorant view reserved purely for English trad displayed by the public at large and their representatives on Breakfast. This is an exclusively English disease and accounts for what is wrong with a lot of media presentation of said genre. Horses and incest. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: George Papavgeris Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:32 AM Bloody HTML... the second para above should read: Paul Sartin's MCing was deliciously tongue-in-cheek throughout, and if he wasn't quite up to InsertNameHere's standard, I don't give a toss. After all InsertNameHere isn't such a versatile and great player of so many instruments and characterful singer. So there. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,JM Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:36 AM Suibhne O'Piobaireachd wrote : "The bit I saw last night had dolly birds laying around the floor looking on dewy eyed whilst some bloke sang O Come Emmanuel in an R&B style X-Factor American accent." I know I shouldn't rise to this but... Sorry I don't have a particularly strong regional accent. I was born in Cheshire and brought up in Stafford. I've always spoken like this - a fairly middle-class, middle-england accent - and I don't sing any differently to how I speak. But calling it an 'X-Factor American accent' is fairly wide of the mark. I grew up on 90s British indie bands and Bowie/Beatles etc. - I thought from the things you write on here you of all people would understand that... (unless you and WAV have actually been the same person all along and this has all been some incredible hoax) As for the 'R&B style X-factor' bit - It was put together at very short notice and in actual fact I stole some of the chord progressions from something else - Vaughan Williams' 'Variations on Dives and Lazarus'. Maybe I have a hairdo like Joe McElderry and that threw you off. I don't know. I'm just puzzled. Thats all. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: The Borchester Echo Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:42 AM So where is it on the iPlayer? Can someone post a link? I looked under Fire and Ice and Christmas Sessions then gave up. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: George Papavgeris Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:50 AM Here you are http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00pcnsp/b00pcnsf/BBC_Four_Sessions_The_Christmas_Session/ |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Rasener Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:52 AM See if this works http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00pcnsp/BBC_Four_Sessions_The_Christmas_Session/ |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Rasener Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:55 AM LOL goed gedaan George |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Mavis Enderby Date: 18 Dec 09 - 06:13 AM Just checked, since comparisons have been made between this session and the St Luke's gigs - same producer, Serena Cross. JM wrote "...unless you (Suibhne) and WAV have actually been the same person all along and this has all been some incredible hoax" Now there's a thought! |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: The Borchester Echo Date: 18 Dec 09 - 06:30 AM As was pointed out further up, the difference between the sound recording of this Hackney session and the ones further up the road at St Luke's lies in the teams involved. Serena Cross had nowt to do with it (unless you can pin the blame on her for booking the wrong engineers). Thanks to those who posted me links to the online iPlayer. I've now seen the first 10 minutes of last night's broadcast but sound and vision was so out of sync that I've abandoned it till Virgin Media get round (if ever) to updating their iPlayer listings and I can see it on a proper telly. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: doc.tom Date: 18 Dec 09 - 06:31 AM Given the little I know of the workings of TV, it looked to me like a curate's egg falling between Bellowhead's ideas and producers ideas. OK, the Dickens/Music Hall setting was naff - but it fits public image. Line-up: lets not go there - but the show was under-rehearsed. Sound: so right Ralphie - and as you say, good luck to them. Agree with George - Sartin does a great piss-take! I've seen worse (and I've seen better). Credit for the attempt. Tom Brown |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: mattkeen Date: 18 Dec 09 - 06:38 AM Ok the battle lines are drawn I can't be arsed to argue this stuff with logic anymore - its beyond that I THINK IT WAS GREAT AND I HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET Its great because of the committment bravery, skill and adventurousness of those involved especially Bellowhead and JM First we take Maidenhead; then we take Berlin |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: mattkeen Date: 18 Dec 09 - 06:39 AM Folk will eat itself |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: Ruth Archer Date: 18 Dec 09 - 06:41 AM I agree with pretty much all that Tom said, except that I think it fell between wanting to be a good live show and wanting to be a good TV broadcast. Maybe not enough rehearsal or re-takes for the latter, but it looks like it definitely delivered on the former. I had misgivings about the whole Victorian thing - I couldn't really see how it would work in my head, and a pathological fear of fancy dress (combined with far too much work that week) meant that I ended up not going along. But I have to say, I thought the venue looked magical. I don't think it confirmed a stereotypical folk image - more a tongue-in-cheek nod to stereotypical Christmas images. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: evansakes Date: 18 Dec 09 - 06:50 AM I agree the production didn't seem up to the usual standard of the BBC Sessions series Wonder why they didn't use St Luke's then? Clerkenwell is only down the road from Shoreditch after all. At least the production folks would've been in a familiar environment and known what they were doing. I suppose St Lukes is a bit smaller....though they could've solved that by removing the tables like they did for Springsteen's Seeger Sessions Band (where the sound was faultless). Personally, I didn't enjoy last night's show much (though I've got a lot of respect and time for many of the artists on show). With all the 'Good Old Days/Jack The Ripper era fancy dress it all seemed a bit contrived to me and the 'merriment' a bit forced. The audience seemed particularly well oiled. Nothing wrong with that of course but why do drunken people find it so difficult to clap in time? Maybe you had to be there? I only watched on the iPlayer today.....last night I had a long drive home listening to St Agnes' Fountain's 'Comfort and Joy' album as the snow fell (snow on snow). Comparing St Agnes Fountain to the 'session' in Shoreditch is chalk and cheese of course but listening to Julie, Chris W, David and Chris L jingled my bells last night....and got closer to the true spirit of Christmas. I think Bellowhead and co are more of a New Years Eve thing... |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,non-folk fan Date: 18 Dec 09 - 07:37 AM Found this site while googling for more info on Bellowhead/Unthanks. What to say? Ah yes. What a bunch of whingeing, carping and sniping arseholes you lot are! Clearly this site was named *after* you had all been posting for a while, else how could it have been labelled so accurately (imho). I watched the Christmas Sessions show by accident (couldn't be arsed looking for the remote to change channels) and enjoyed much of what I saw/heard. The Unthanks were dodgy on their first song - crap harmonies through nerves I would have, charitably, thought - but 'Tar Barrel in Dale' was quite beautiful, as was their harmonising on Lisa Knapp's song. Bellowhead's 'Mistletoe Bough' was excellent, and is the song that made me sit up and start paying attention to what was on TV. It made sense to me that everyone was in period costume, since many of the songs (I assumed) were rooted in the past (a bit like some of your attitudes to be perfectly frank). 'Jingle Bells' was crap, but then presumably that's what you had all been hoping for .... aye? So this non-f*lkie (what's with the stars? Are you ashamed of the genre?) thought he'd have a look round for more info on some of the acts this morning and finds this forum; and a bunch of twallies seemingly intent on shooting themselves in the foot (feet? paws?) by sneering at a show which managed to get at least ONE person interested in your type of music. Tragic. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,Isawit Date: 18 Dec 09 - 07:43 AM IT WAS POOR AND I HAVE SEEN IT The usual suspects have predictibly closed ranks here and over on frootcakes. Their joint afflictions of tone deafness and arrogance have made them oblivious to the debacle that it was. Folk has shot itself in the foot. |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,Ralphie Date: 18 Dec 09 - 08:01 AM Somebody above mentioned lack of rehearsal...Almost certainly correct...Presumably all the acts are out gigging the rest of the time...Like, maybe earning a living perhaps? How on earth would they find the time and the money for a rehearsal day? The BBC certainly wouldn't pay for it. Jim M (at the last moment apparently) had to dep for John Spiers (who'd lost his voice) and valiantly stepped into the breach. (A decision probably made on the day). Bloody good too. I say again to all you knockers. You bloody well come up with something better. submit your idea to the BBC. Get rebuffed 100 times. and then you can critisise the people who have done this programme. So, instead of bitching on here.. Go and hassle the Beeb, tell them how much you enjoyed it, and ask for more. How difficult is that? |
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Subject: RE: Heads up - BBC4 tonight Christmas Folk From: GUEST,Ralphie Date: 18 Dec 09 - 08:04 AM GUEST Non Folk Fan. Well said......say it again....LOUDER. Cheers Ralphie |
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