Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July

Subject: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: Ann N
Date: 15 Jul 12 - 07:59 AM

Coming very soon ...... with Martin Carthy headlining the Friday night concert    Whitby Sea Festival    :D

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: stallion
Date: 15 Jul 12 - 10:20 AM

would love to be there but we are all spread to the four winds Saturday and sunday, Friday night have a prior engagement giving some visiting indian academics a shot of english culture

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: nutty
Date: 15 Jul 12 - 11:32 AM

As usual, the publicity for these events is put out so ridiculously late that most people have made other arrangements -

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: Ann N
Date: 15 Jul 12 - 12:46 PM

Agree completely about the lack of publicity :)
I live in Whitby and didn't know a thing about it until a week ago!

   Looked on a couple of music websites and found no mention of it so started posting the festival web site address, given in last week's Gazette, on the message boards I visit most.

    ..... someone might have the weekend free and be able to go :)

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 15 Jul 12 - 02:03 PM

Another Whitby resident who only heard about this week, but then again not too surprised at that!

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: stallion
Date: 15 Jul 12 - 04:44 PM

my brother in law works for Scarborough Coucil and is/was remotely involved with the set up of the Scarborough Seafest and only found out last Thursday that it had moved from scarborough to whitby when he asked if i would coming to the festival, he had been given the order for the logistics for it!

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: Ann N
Date: 15 Jul 12 - 05:14 PM

..... it's not being organised by G4S by any chance? ..... leave everything until the last minute and hope for the best ...... :D

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 15 Jul 12 - 06:10 PM

Please note this is a virus called 'Sea Fever' that is spreading rapidly through any festivals that are connected with the sea. The only known cure is to exterminate all councillors in all places within 30 miles of the coast.

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: gnomad
Date: 15 Jul 12 - 06:39 PM

The section 'Song for the Sea' appears to solicit entries for a song contest, while simultaneously announcing this year's winner. Prescient or what?

Are you an established or budding songwriter? Whitby Sea Festival invite entries for this years 'song for the sea' competition. In the last few years it has produced fine winners among which are Jim Radfords' Merchant Seaman' and 'Shores of Normandy', Wendy Arrowsmiths 'Sleep Well Till Morning' ,Penni MacLaren Walkers 'Song of The Fisherman' and in 2012 Carmen Mills was the winner.

Many local folkies are familiar with the name apparently organising. I haven't made his acquaintance, but have been to some of the earlier versions of this event.

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: GUEST,Blowzabella sans cookie
Date: 15 Jul 12 - 07:32 PM

There's a FB group - http://www.facebook.com/groups/127976850607287/

- it was changed to Whitby Sea Festival from (I think) Scarborough SF on 4th June, so presume that was when the decision was made to move locations. Suspect that it's having to be run on a shoe string and there's little budget for marketing. No inside info though, so this is just an opinion

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: Ann N
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 02:41 AM

:) publicity gripes aside .... the Guest List looks good and it would be a shame if it didn't get as much support as possible :D

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: stallion
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 03:57 AM

No sour gripes, Richard Grainger is a lovely man, great songwriter and tireless performer and promoter of music events local to whitby, as I understand it Scarborough withdrew their funding of the event and rather than lose it Richard hastily rearranged the venues to whitby where he has a tad more influence, if personal circumstances were different 2BS&S would be there but we all have family stuff (it is always on my daughters birthday weekend) Ron is hosting a conference and Martin is away for the weekend. So, I would urge all that can make it to go, as previously stated the line up is pretty good, Scarborough Seafest has always been a good crack for the performers and I can only see the move to whitby as an improvement.

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: doc.tom
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 05:09 AM

Yes. It IS Scarborough Seafest moved to Whitby - and very late. You can't get publicity out if you don't know it's happening (Yes, I know Scarborough Seafest promotion tended to be late as well!). When the guest list is dependent on Local Authority funding (because they want a largely 'free'event)and then they withdraw late on there's not much you can do. (I seem to recall Hull got messed up when funding went elsewhere).

The Resolution Hotel is sponsoring this year. How do I know? - we're booked - and doing the Short Sharp Shanties talk!

I'll endorse AnneN and stallion's comments about supporting the event.

See you there?

TomB

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: nutty
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 05:53 AM

Communication is a wonderful thing Tom - yet the organisers don't seem to appreciate the importance of keeping people informed - of original arrangements not just when they change.

Mudcat costs nothing and gives world wide publicity - note how the Staithes, Roxby and Durham festivals have worked hard at keeping people up to date.

I would love to be there but unfortunately have made other arrangements for this weekend and I know many other local people who would have been prepared to help in a number of different ways at no cost to the organisers if only they had been asked.

No doubt we shall in the future hear, complaints about "the locals not supporting the event" , if that is the case please let people know that the organisers must share a large proportion of the blame.

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: stallion
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 06:49 AM

Well, just received a text from brother-in-law saying it is in Scarborough this weekend, he has been asked to set up marquees and stuff, has there been a monumental cock up somewhere? I am going to google Klondike Arts who sponsored the Scarborough Seafest to see if they have any info.

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: stallion
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 07:02 AM

http://www.yorkshire.com/view/events/scarborough/scarborough-seafest-15th-17th-july-904996 but the brother-in-law who's job, amongst other things, is Scarborough Council's pyro technician assures me that the firework display and the tents will be going up as usual, he has the fireworks to prove it, which, incidentally, the cost of the fireworks would probablyfifty times what the performers bill would have been.

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: stallion
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 07:05 AM

This is what Scarborough Council thinks is happening

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: stallion
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 07:09 AM

So they will have a beer tent, cooking displays, craft fair and fireworks but no music, unless some local musicians have been drafted in, whiffs of Hull City councils approach to the Sea music fraternity.

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 07:10 AM

Will it be possible to see the fireworks from Whitby?

At what they appear to be costing one would hope so.

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: stallion
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 07:19 AM

from the Abbey on a clear night maybe!

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: theleveller
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 07:19 AM

So does this mean there are now 2 Seafests on the same days? And who are the local musicians at the Scarborough one? I was thinknig of popping over but I may not bother now.

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: stallion
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 07:21 AM

I am searching google, rest assured the Whitby one will have a good line up and well worth supporting I know nothing of the Scarborough line up if indeed they have anyone to perform.

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: stallion
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 07:30 AM

This is the poster, anyone recognise the names

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: stallion
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 07:45 AM

Ok the Music for the Scarborough Seafest, taken from the performers myspace sites are as follows

Raven - Heavy metal thrash band
Ishka - Scarborough based pub/club band
Demimondaines - Garage Punk band
Seafret - Acoustic easy listening duo (Bridlington)
John Watton - Blues/Electro Acoustic/Folk (Scarborough)

Really doesn't float my boat and not what I would regard as a sea music festival!

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: Ann N
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 08:02 AM

Don't recognise the names on the Scarbro' list but the Whitby line up is well worth a second look :)

Have bought a weekend ticket for the Whitby Fest and am looking forward to a great weekend :D

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: Charley Noble
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 08:12 AM

Looks like the shifting winds between Scarborough and Whitby are making navigation difficult for sea music lovers and performers. When in doubt just tap the compass on the rail and sheet 'er home!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: GUEST,Banjiman
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 11:47 AM

Whitby Seafest line -up

Martin Carthy - Bill Adair - Wendy Arrowsmith - Steve Dawes & Helen Pitt - Direction Corsaires Karnos Circus - - Glen Coggin - Martin Curtis - Monkeys Fist Richard Grainger - Robert Hartley - The Sail Pattern - Aroha 2 Aloha Blue Sun - Tom & Barbara Brown - Chris Milner - Robert Hartley - Men of Staithes - Devils Water - Alan Whitbread - Darkley Circus - John Ward - Stormcrow - Malcolm Ward - Jim Radford - Ramshackle Shantymen Scarborough Poets

Concerts - Song Sessions - Song Competition - Family Fun - Pirate Party

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: doc.tom
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 12:01 PM

Just looked at the Scarborough website - looks like Chris Parkinson might want to have a go for misrepresentation!

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: MoorleyMan
Date: 16 Jul 12 - 06:52 PM

This constant to-ing and fro-ing with maritime music events is enough to make anyone seasick.

I've only just come across this thread, and only heard mention of it through a chance conversation with an artist performing at another festival last weekend. Thanks to Stallion et al for their detective work. I echo their comments earlier in the thread.

It seems to be yet another instance of an event where nobody hears about it happening until the last minute - that is, unless they were one of the select few booked artists "in the know", it would appear (but how did they get to know it was happening, I wonder?).

I'd love to have been able to support it and/or be involved, but as usual the abysmally short notice and poor publicity have made it impossible for me to drop other commitments to attend now. Shame; as you all say, it's a good lineup.

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: MoorleyMan
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 05:15 AM

I just found some helpful explanation to the background of this event on the separate "Warning: Scarborough Seafest" thread, which part-way answers questions.

A curse on these interfering politicians...

Good luck to all involved, and I'd hope to be able to support it if it runs again next year.

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: doc.tom
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 05:28 AM

Just so you can't say you didn't know - SeaIlfracombe is happenning from August 31st to September 4th 2012. I'll have some programmes at Whitby - or you can visit the website as www.seailfracombe.co.uk (which is mostly up to date although not intuitive - it's not my responsibility!).
TomB

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: stallion
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 07:25 PM

bump

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: Jack Campin
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 07:35 PM

As well as publicity in advance (and there isn't much advanceness left) it's important to get some reportage - since the Whitby lineup is so much better-known than the bunch of MySpace heroes Scarborough has gone for, local media will surely give them more exposure. Which means the council prats responsible for this debacle will have some explaining to do, and with any luck next year might be different.

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: Ann N
Date: 18 Jul 12 - 02:51 AM

:) for anyone thinking of getting a ticket but worrying about the lack of time for posting ...

Mine was bought online from the Whitby Seafest Ticket page   and there was an e-mail in my inbox shortly afterwards giving a ticket reference number and details of when and where to pick it up on Friday ( from 5pm at the Resolution )

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 24 Jul 12 - 03:16 AM

So, how did it go? Did enough people turn up to make it a success?

And what of the alternative at Scarborough? Were there lots of people expecting shanties and asking for their money back?


DC

Subject: RE: Whitby Sea Festival (UK ) 20-22 July
From: GUEST,alanww
Date: 24 Jul 12 - 09:38 AM

Well, Whitby SeaFest did actually happen and I enjoyed the contribution I made!
As has been said, it was all arranged at the last minute when the Scarborough SeaFest fell through.
That meant that there was not enough advanced publicity to attract big crowds. But just making it happen was quite a feat! So well done Richard Grainger!
There were enough punters to make it viable (just) and I know that Richard hopes to be able to run it again next year.
All the best.
"Sing goodbye to Sally and goodbye to Sue!"
Alan