chorley wakes

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: GUEST,eldergirl
Date: 13 Aug 13 - 09:23 PM

Oh, the stuff I've missed.
Chorley Wakes?
Bet he was spitting nails, he'd only just got to sleep......
Still have the G Giltrap album, Lucifer's Cage a brilliant track. Happy days.(sigh)

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: GUEST,Barnacle at work
Date: 13 Aug 13 - 09:24 AM

The first year was great and the second year had the potential to be, but it rained non-stop. Although the stage was covered, the arena seats were not and, with the best will in the world, you can only sit in a black bin liner in the cold for so long.

Shame

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 18 Jul 13 - 07:16 AM

I mean it was a couple of weeks earlier.

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: Mr Happy
Date: 18 Jul 13 - 06:16 AM

'it was very close to Cambridge'??

Surely not, its miles away!

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 18 Jul 13 - 05:57 AM

I remember these festivals very well. The first one in '76 included Alba, with the late, great Tony Cuffe. They played a set in the 'Banqueting Hall' of the Hotel (a converted barn) after the main programme one of the nights. Best thing of the festival - packed (literally) to the rafters. I ended up getting married in the same place over 20 years later.

The second and last one was in 1977. I got back to London on the train on the Monday and went for a pint in the Winning Post in Whitton that evening. Who should walk in but Brian Adams, the Promoter (his Rubber Records label had an office in Hanworth), Noel Murphy and Drew McCullouch, who'd also played that weekend. Drew had previously played in Ronnie Lane's band, Slim Chance. I ended up chatting to them and basically, they lost quite a bit of money and I think, essentially, the 1978 festival was always a bit touch and go from that point on.

Part of the problem was that it was very close to Cambridge and being on the edge of the Pennines was always very much at the mercy of the weather (the Sunday of the second festival was freezing). Was a great festival, though, and the venue (weather apart) was well-nigh perfect, being a showjumping arena with terraced seating and great eyelines. Pity it folded but those of us who went have, I'm sure, many precious shared memories.

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: Paul Burke
Date: 10 Oct 11 - 01:22 PM

Biggles Wartime Band are still going... Jolly Jock is on (solo) at the Barley Mow in Bonsall next saturday

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Oct 11 - 02:57 PM

I was there both years!
Breakers, skinny dipping at midnight, alan stivell, hedgehog pies,late night bars. Sweet 16/17 God it was good!!

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: Bainbo
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 04:23 AM

That's graet, Thanks, Maggi. I was at the 1977 one, though I was young and green - well, 18 - and didn't know who most of that stellar line-up were. Nope, not even June Tabor or Fairport Convention. I'd forgotten Barbara Dickson was on. Butu I knew who Gallagher and Lyle were because they'd had a couple of hit records. Oh, the shallowness of youth.

However, I do remember being introduced to, and enjoying, the music of Five Hand Reel, Leo Kottke, Gordon Giltrap, and Spriguns, and going out abd buying their records afterwards - including Kottke's 6 And !2-String Guitar, which I no longer have having, unforgiveably, ditched it when I got rid of my vinyl a few years ago.

I particularly remember Gordon Giltrap playing Lucifer's Cage from his Blake-inspired album Visioanry. He played it once at the start of his set, because the weather was freezing and he needed something to warm his fingers up; played it again at the point in the set it had been planned; and then we made him do it as an encore.

I remember some disgruntled punters in the folk-club session in the bar pulling the plug on Spriguns' electric set, because "we came to listen to folk music, not pop music."

I remember Country Joe teasing us with his "Give me an F" chant. We yelled "F", he said "Thanks very much" and used it to tune up. Then we did it for real.

I remember a schoolmate who got a job behind the bar, so that when I boought a pint, I got my drink plus more money back in change than I'd handed him (I do hope that didn't lead to the money problems that saw the next year's festival cancelled).

And I remember a field full of people and a stage full of performers singing Goodnight Irene when the whole thing was over.

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: maggi
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 04:11 PM

Here's the running order for the 1976 July Wakes festival - http://www.strawbsweb.co.uk/progs/wakes76/page10.jpg.


The Second July Wakes Festival - July 15/16/17 1977

Park Hall
Charnock Richard
Chorley
Lancs

Running Order - from the Official Programme (20p)

Friday 15th - MC Wally Whyton
2:30 - 3pm       DJ, Jerry Floyd
3 - 3:30pm       Tom Yates
3:40 - 4:10      Wally Whyton
4:20 - 5:10      Spriguns
5:15 - 5:50      Ross Macfarlane
6 - 6:45          The Bushwhackers
7 - 7:45          Gryphon
8 - 8:45          Gay and Terry Woods
8:55 - 9:50    Gordon Giltrap
10 - 11          Five Hand Reel

Saturday 16th - MC Noel Murphy
11:30am - 12    DJ, Jerry Floyd
12 - 12:30       Winner of Manchester Evening News cup
12:35 - 1:10    Mary Asquith
1:15 - 1:55       Noel Murphy
2 - 2:50          Hedgehog Pie
3 - 3:45          John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett
4 - 4:45          Drew McCulloch's Almanac
5 - 6               The Bothy Band
6:15 - 7          Tim Rose
7:15 - 8:15       Fairport Convention
8:30 - 9:30       Barbara Dickson
9:45 - 11:15    Gallagher and Lyle

Sunday 17th - MC Tony Capstick
12 - 12:15pm    DJ, Jerry Floyd
12:15 - 12:45    Pete Farrow
12:45 - 1:15    Tony Capstick
1:25 - 2:05       Tannahill Weavers
2:15 - 3:15       Surprise Guest
3:25 - 4:10       Paul King
4:20 - 5:10       Michael Chapman
5:25 - 6:15       June Tabor and her musicians
6:30 - 7:15       Rab Noakes
7:30 - 8:30       Special Guest
8:45 - 9:45       Leo Kottke
10 - 11             Country Joe McDonald

Admission £5.50 for the whole weekend including VAT, camping and carparking.

Day tickets
Friday £2.25
Saturday £3.25
Sunday £3.25
Carparking 25p for holders of day tickets


The Bushwhackers & Gryphon did not show & were replaced by bands called Biggles Wartime Band (?!!?) & Plexus. The special guest on the Sunday was Alan Hull & his band, who were calling themselves Radiator at that time.

More info @ http://www.talkawhile.co.uk/yabbse/index.php?topic=23826.15.

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 12:17 PM

If it's 10" across isn't that a Rossendale Sad Cake?

I once saw Bear Grylls eat an Eccles cake (it was a last resort cos he'd run out of cockroaches). The look of disgust on his face was a picture.

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: GUEST,sid
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 12:03 PM

2 10" discs o' shortcrust pastry, chuck a slack handful o' currants inbetween 'em, squash th'edges together, chuck 'em in th'oven until you can't wait any longer. Then eat 'em. If they don't work out, keep 'em to mend t'roof wi'.

SID (expert o' this stuff)

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 11:51 AM

Eccles cakes are good for skimming across a pond - though they do tend to break up in mid-flight (or when, heaven forbid, you try to eat one).

A Chorley cake (or Fly Pie), on the other hand, is the crowning glory of vernacular confectionery.

Given the similarity of ingredients, it is a constant wonder to me how one can be so much better than the other.

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: Simon G
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 11:20 AM

There are several people still in the Chorley area who must have lost their pals at the festival and have yet to find their way home. They do add hugely to the character of the place.

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 11:14 AM

I know a song about Eccles Wakes as well! :-) It was a rummer do than the Chorley one apparantly and had to be banned for being too bawdy - But oddly enough they sold some other sort of cake. Banbury I think.

Mine of useless information, me...

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: doncatterall
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 10:55 AM

but not as nice as Eccles cakes!!

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 10:50 AM

Chorley cakes are quite nice...

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: GUEST,sid
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 10:41 AM

Yep, that's the one. It was,I think, the July Wakes Festival, only lasted for a couple of years.

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: doncatterall
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 09:36 AM

I remember a weekend at Charnock Richard with Five Hand Reel on the bill - was this one of of these festivals? Skinny dipping in the pool at midnight on the Saturday!!

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 12:34 AM

I don't remember it being Chorley Wakes - just Chorley Folk Festival. Took place at what was then known as Arena North, a show-jumping venue that took advantage of a natural amphitheatre in the landscape at Park Hall, Charnock Richard, now the site of "Camelot" theme park - about to re-open this year. I think Bass (possibly the then owners of the complex?) sponsored the festival for three years. Despite excellent line-ups in the first two years, ticket sales were not sufficient for them to continue. With two main stages and subsidiary events in the Park Hall leisure complex, it was designed to rival Cambridge, but didn't get anything like the numbers (perhaps 2-3000 each year). Great music though, I remember the Chieftains, Jack the Lad, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, June Tabor, Dave Cousins and many more - I probably have posters somewhere.

Ross

Subject: RE: chorley wakes
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 10 Jan 10 - 03:25 PM

Your name seems particularly appropriate, Charlie - or is that Chaaarley?

Subject: chorley wakes festivals
From: GUEST,Charlie
Date: 10 Jan 10 - 03:09 PM

Just listening to John Martyn recorded at the 1976 Chorley wakes festival, Lancashire. It sounds a riot! Martyn is introduced by the distinctive tones of compere, Tony Capstick as,'featuring the worlds most famous lunatic...Danny Thompson' . Apparently , Chorley shops ran out of beer and rizla papers over this weekend. Burland, Jack the Lad, Hedgehog Pie and The Dransfields also played.Apparently there were 2 festivals in '76 and '77 and a 3rd one planned ,but when headliners Lindisfarne pulled out, the money disapeared. Did anyone go ? what was it like? Was anything else recorded?