George Clarke: An Apology

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Tyke
Date: 30 Apr 11 - 05:35 AM

Why and Open Mike Session I hear you cry? Well the choice is yours but it was decided as we would once more have the use of the large room. Using a PA would be a good way of us being able to leave the door open to the Bar so that we could involver the whole Pub in the festival. It also gives the many fine and softer singers a chance of a hearing.

Not all the sessions will be using PA John Honiwell will be running a more traditionally formatted singaround on Saturday Afternoon from 3pm to around 7pm.
Elephant and Castle

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Tyke
Date: 30 Apr 11 - 10:34 AM

It's good to know that Ray Padgett's is on the mend after his heart Op. But don't know if he is well enough to lead the Wibberly Wobberly Walking Workshop back to the Campsite yet. So I have asked Luck Stocks to take the lead supported by Steve Lacy.

Then it's the Traditional re-erect Soldier boy's tent session with Soldier boy doing a see how far he can make a second hand tea bag go workshop.

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Tyke
Date: 30 Apr 11 - 12:43 PM

This new spell checker on Mudcat need watching!
So I have asked Luck Stocks to take the lead supported by Steve Lacy.
Should read Lucy Stocks and possibly Lucky Lacy!

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Soldier boy
Date: 02 May 11 - 09:46 AM

You're right Myke the Open Tyke!

....sorry...Tyke The Open Mike.

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Soldier boy
Date: 02 May 11 - 06:48 PM

Or even better...Tyke The Mike!!

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Tyke
Date: 02 May 11 - 09:01 PM

Me thinks Chris is taking the Mike.

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Tyke
Date: 04 May 11 - 04:27 AM

This year it has been proposed to hold a Minuets Silence to show respect for this year Bristol Festival Tragedy. Apparently there was no drinkable beer available at the Festaval.

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Soldier boy
Date: 04 May 11 - 08:41 AM

I'll drink to that.

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Tyke
Date: 04 May 11 - 07:13 PM

Great News from Kevin Young he is bringing Keith Gay over on Friday to the Elephant and Castle. For those who don't know Keith is a fine singer songwiter from Hull. He wrote Settling Day and other trawling songs.

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Soldier boy
Date: 04 May 11 - 09:46 PM

Sounds good to me Tyke. I will be there.

Chris

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Tyke
Date: 05 May 11 - 08:19 AM

Have you bought any tea bags yet Chris or are you still using that second hand one from last year?

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Soldier boy
Date: 05 May 11 - 10:22 AM

Year before's. Just scraped off dried-up white mould for medicinal purposes if needed in case I get a bad kebab attack again.

Chris

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: muppett
Date: 05 May 11 - 10:28 AM

EEE nearly time for it, Hey Chris or Tyke is there the Spoken word sesh in Sid's Cafe again this year, had a good do there last year.

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Soldier boy
Date: 05 May 11 - 08:45 PM

Yer right Muppett lad it were a really good do but I've not heard it mentioned this year and aven't see programme so not sure yet.

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Tyke
Date: 06 May 11 - 07:24 AM

More reports of the goings on at Holmfirth Festival of Folk once I am set up. Late mobile late night reports will take place once me expected Double Vision corrects its self.
Have a great Weekend everyone!
George Clarke

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Tyke
Date: 09 May 11 - 12:48 PM

Well I did warn you and I did apologise in advance. However I can't remmember that much after Jeniffer started Dancing round on a Bar Stool being sung too by Kevin Young. Just why she said she was never speaking to me again she did not explain.

Still we had the Pub packed out and I recived lot's of compliments regarding my act (ACT! ACT!LOL) Had some great people take up the Mike and deliver some main stream folk to the regulars at the Elephant and Castle and Festival Visitors alike.

Harry Wilson was there and I made several appeals for people to become his Friend on Facebook cos he hasn't got any mates! Hope it worked for you Harry your not a bad Bloke when all said.
Cheers George Clarke

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: r.padgett
Date: 10 May 11 - 02:27 AM

O aye Harry Wilson me old mate, I will have a look at fb for him

the little Monkey!

Ray

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: muppett
Date: 10 May 11 - 04:59 AM

Main Stream folk!!!!!!!!! Never thought I performed main stream folk

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Tyke
Date: 10 May 11 - 05:02 AM

Joking aside Ray he is one of my Facebook Buddies so you can find him thier. Unless he has got the hump at me pulling his leg about him having no Frends which is a toatal lie on my part. Harry has got lot's and lot's more not on Facebook.

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Tyke
Date: 10 May 11 - 09:24 AM

No Muppett you must have heard wrong what I heard was thow him in the river!

Muppett you played a blinder as did everyone except for the Pratt in a Hat. I think we all had a great night and hopfully helped to put some money into the Festival Coffers. I know I will see you soon Liam Haywoods 21st is coming up and Deric's 60th Sam and Mel are getting Married on the 2nd of July in Whitby so thier is bound to be some crack in Whitby that weekend.

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Soldier boy
Date: 10 May 11 - 08:28 PM

Like Muppett, I'm not sure what you mean by 'main stream folk' either George. Is this a new definition?

Also when you say that "..and hopefully helped to put some money into the Festival Coffers" just what do you mean by that?

Apart from the revenue over the bar, which not one penny would go towards the festival, how exactly do you justify saying that?

Did you pass the festival collection bucket around during the sessions to swell the coffers?

I don't think so, for I never saw that. So how can you say that?

Bemused.

Chris

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Tyke
Date: 10 May 11 - 09:19 PM

Hi Chris how's your Mum doing hope she is OK. No Chris I did not pass the Festival Bucket Round I think I had enough to do. Who contributed what will all come out at the festival committee meeeting. So if you want to know who gave or pledged what to help run the Festival that is the place to find out.

To be honest it's a bit like asking people how much they get in their wage packet Chris. I am prepaired to tell you how much I was paid as I have not increased my fee to the festival since the Holmfirth Festival of Folk Started. I charged a very special fee to help support Holmfirths Traditional Festval my fee was Zero.

What is Mainstream Folk? Well never mind that what is Folk? Is it contemporary like Bob Dylan, Cyrill Tawney, The Clancey's, Artisan, Richard Tompson, to name but a few. Or is it and oral tradition or is it as Collected by Cecil Sharp and then writen down an sanatized. Well the reason I refered to what we were doing in the Elephant as Main Stream was because it was the kind of Music that the majority of the Public recognise and associate with and the Younger End who have never lived through the Folk Revival of the 50s and 60s have never heard before.

So Chris it's up to you now to find sometime and get off your Backside as a Local and get yourself on the committee and help to Organize next years Festival. But don't suddenly come to life two weeks before and think that's all it takes. I takes a lot of hard work and time months before the festival. Personal I am so impressed with Cath she is such a bundle of energy and a great asset to Holmfirth and not just to its Festival.

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: muppett
Date: 11 May 11 - 04:29 AM

Ar so you mean Karafolkie then

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Tyke
Date: 11 May 11 - 07:18 AM

Hi Muppett is Karaoke were they sing along to a pre-recorded backing track whilst reading the words from a book or a TV screen? Or is it if they have not got their book of words with them they just make up new ones and sing unaccompanied in a strange key.

You did a great Job on Saturday Night Muppett well done Grandad.
Cheers George

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: muppett
Date: 11 May 11 - 09:30 AM

Aye you got it right second time, so we doing it again

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: muppett
Date: 11 May 11 - 09:33 AM

ooops that should have read,
Aye you got it right second time, so when are we doing it again, it were grand.

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Soldier boy
Date: 11 May 11 - 10:55 AM

With respect Tyke, there is such a thing as freedom of speech and I don't have to be on the committee to make a simple observation on this forum.

I am glad that you enjoyed it and that you did a very good job entertaining the locals because it is very important that the whole community thoroughly enjoys the festival as well and looks forward to the next one.

My main concern was that the Open Mike session was held in the pub itself and not in the large back room where it was originally intended to be. This meant that true folkies couldn't also get an opportunity to get an informal non-plugged singaround/playaround session going in the pub like they had in The Elephant and Castle in previous years.

There were far more 'true folkies' who had paid to camp and had travelled very long distances hoping to find a good session who put their heads in the door, saw what was going off and turned around and walked away, than stayed.

I thought that that was a great shame because it is important to try to include 'everyone' and not drive ardent folk followers away at a "Folk" festival.
This problem was further compounded this year by other Open Mike(Mic) sessions and bands put on elsewhere. More than I have ever seen at this festival before!

So that meant that many of the large number of folkies (and there were loads of them) wandering the streets looking for an informal inpropmtu singaround etc couldn't find anywhere to have one and left the festival feeling disappointed and also uncertain whether they would return to the festival next year. I have spoken to many of them and I am not exaggerating how they felt.

I'm not saying that you are personally to blame Tyke, definately not. I am saying that because of such sessions as yours an important 'fringe' element of the festival felt excluded and unconsidered this year.

I am certain that I can rely on you to convey these observations to the whole committee in the hope that the considerable number of informal 'fringe' folk followers can be considered and accomodated and won't feel left out next year.

This element of a folk festival makes an important contribution to any festival by paying for camping, attending various concerts and workshops and eating and drinking in the local eateries and pubs etc - as well as adding their own unique characters and music and song to the environment - if given the chance!

If they feel that they have been pushed out they will not return and that will have considerable impact on the festival's coffers and the overall spirit and atmosphere of this brilliant folk festival.

So please do pass this message on.

Many thanks

Chris

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: GUEST,Banjiman
Date: 11 May 11 - 11:16 AM

I thought the festival was excellent.

I was lucky enough to be present at some of the real local community involvement events through the Mrs who had worked with one of the local schools on "Traditional Song" in the run up to the festival (not that ALL the songs the kids learned were trad, but they didn't half enjoy Rattling Bog!). This meant that we attended the school's concert in the civic hall. It was fantastic and the audience ("normal" Mum's & Dad's from the local community) got to hear traditional style music and see traditional dance..... with their kids performing it. Not many folkies there though.......

The other half was also the "featured" Festival artist at the service in the Parish Church on Sunday morning. Again this was the "normal" local community embracing the Festival, some members of the congregation either bought her CD or came back to the Church for her gig their (and the wonderful Young'uns) in the afternoon.

It seems to me that this reaching out to the local community (including holding informal events in public bars rather than locked away out of sight in a back room) is a real and quite unusual strength of Holmfirth Festival of Folk.

We also attended the open mic at The Cricket Club, which was fun and anyone was welcome to get up and have a go (and those in the CC were largely respectful of the singers/ players). When we wanted an even more informal session, we sat outside The Cricket club and played and also outside the van on the campsite......... can't really get any more informal than that!

Paul

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Cath
Date: 11 May 11 - 12:07 PM

I wasn't going to get involved in this but Chris you are wrong - there were no more Open Mics than there have been in the past, the pubs have always had bands in and the only thing we were short of was a dedicated Singaround venue due to a spat with the Postcard after last year.
The move of the Elephant session into the bar was done by the landlady and I'm led to believe was not under the control of George or anyone else. Yes he had taken his PA along but that was in an attempt to involve the 'locals' who inhabit the bar as it was thought a closed door policy in the pool room wouldn't work.
I did manage to get round most of the pubs this year and I found a fair number of sessions/singings going on in the Nook, outside the Bridge and I'm sure they were in other places.
I don't know who these unhappy 'folkies' were who were wandering the streets (did you try the Shoulder?) but I certainly didn't meet them and at £5 per night for the campsite I don't think they have much to complain about.
You have been invited before to join the committee and do your share of the work and if you feel that strongly then come along and do it.
Cath

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Tyke
Date: 11 May 11 - 02:30 PM

A Festval Fringeis not organized by any Festival it is a happening that just happens. All people involved in Fringe events do it for the crack. To be honest it gets up my nose a bit when some one trys to organize a session and then asks the landlord for money. If it's organized then it's not fringe it's an official venue.

From what I can see of live music in Holmfirth through the year it is all open Mike. Acoustic sessions are great however shutting the door to a room and asking people not to wander in and out or talk whilst people are singing and or playing go hand in hand. Finding a quiet room with no noise seeping in from elsewhere is problem. Today a quiet pub is a closed pub!

Oh and as ever it is the licence who calls the shots what he or she say's goes. Jannet of the Elephant and Castle said no to the use of the Pool Room and she definatly did not want a closed door session. If you can't beet em join em end of story.

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: muppett
Date: 12 May 11 - 04:59 AM

Well here's my opinion for what it's worth. Apart from Dent, I go to the festivals for the fringe events, i.e. informal and sometimes formal sing arounds, but without fail I always hear that there are some folkies moaning that there's nowhere for them to turn up for a session, yet I've not found this the case and I include Holmefirth in this, what I do find is that yep, the pubs may sometimes be packed out with noisy locals and why not, we're coming into their space, so rather moan that you can't sing a song that's a millionty verses about someone that lost their true love, do a shorter song with a chorus that those who aren't up with folk scene can join in or go to the organised ssssssssh sessions, where you can or failing that what's to stop you from finding a corner somewhere and get a session going yer sen. I've noticed time and again folk wandering around for a session to start and as soon as it does whether it be on a street corner or in a snug of a pub, singers and musicians will appear from nowhere and join if they're not too fussy.

A folk festival is what it says on the jar, a celebration of music and song, why hide behind the excuse oh there's no where to play, if you love music, get on and play it.

As for The Elephant and Castle on Sat. night, well at first I thought oh eck how's this going to work, but as the night went on it were grand and folk were doing something very strange, they were HAVING FUN (SHOCK HORROR!!!!!!!)

So well done t' George and Co. and t' rest of you come on be thankful that we can sing and play music in public whether it be wi a PA or not, there's thousands across the world are not allowed to.

Right that's me done and no doubt there'll be several of you out there that'll now shoot me down.

Cheers

Muppett

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Cath
Date: 12 May 11 - 05:38 AM

I won't Muppett! Thanks for a bit of sanity in this.
I've never knowingly met you but I'm glad you've enjoyed Holmfirth.
Cath

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Tyke
Date: 12 May 11 - 05:40 AM

What you say makes good sence Muppett well said Here Here and Beer Beer. Free Sandwhiches Rule OK with a PA.

Subject: RE: George Clarke: An Apology
From: Soldier boy
Date: 12 May 11 - 11:12 AM

I'm not going to shoot you down Muppett owld lad. I agree with pretty much everything you said and you make a lot of sense, you wise old guru you!

You joined in with the open mike session and full credit to you and in the best sense possible you have the performing skills, gusto,instant appeal and frankly, the balls, to be able to do that and also to get a session started in a corner of a crowded pub which inevitably will attract other wandering singers and musicians.

Trouble is Muppett a lot of folkies are just a bit more shy and retiring than you and would find it very hard to do what you can do. It's not that they are sad or miserable people it's just that some very busy environments can seem intimidating and they might feel that they are invading their space and could be unwelcome. I wish they could do what you do, the world would be a happier and more colourful place and everyone would have more fun.

It's a shame you've not met Muppett Cath because once you've seen and heard him you'd never forget him. He is a brilliant performer and very unique in what he does and I am proud to call him my friend.
It's difficult to describe what Muppett does and what makes him so special in a few words so you must see for yourself and look out for him at Tyke's open mike session in the Elephant next year.
Bye the way, there WAS one more open Mic session this year than in the past - it were in't Elephant and Castle!

Anyway, thanks for the sanity Muppett. I'm not having a big moan I am just expressing some concerns that others have expressed to me.
The informal 'fringe' element of a festival has always been a moveable feast that has to fit in wherever it can. It just seems that it is getting harder and harder each year for this to 'happen' at Holmfirth.

This is an observation that I hope can be given some consideration but in no way detracts from what is a really brilliant festival and which, as Banjiman said, reaches out to the local community in a way that is a real and quite unusual strength of this festival.

Long may it run and prosper.

Chris