Deal Maritime (folk) festival

Subject: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 18 Aug 12 - 05:46 AM

What news of Deal?

I DO hope the back garden of the Bohemian is "on" and hosted by the inestimable Barden of England. It's what I go there for!

It would be better still if not occasionally interrupted by people with amplifiers playing shit-kicking music on the pier. "Doing the shit-kicker's waltz - ye-har".

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 Aug 12 - 04:20 PM

I gather that the Bohemian had a fire some months ago and is boarded up. What a shame, it was the heart of the festival.

The program is not on the website yet,


If anyone knows what song/mixed sessions there will be I should be glad to know - I have already booked my caravan pitch otherwise the loss of the Bohemian would call the whole thing into question for me.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: GUEST,Blowzabella sans cookie
Date: 21 Aug 12 - 08:30 PM

If you go to the website, then click on the 'Booking & Tickets' tab, there's quite a bit of info available about ticketed events. Also, if you click on the 'Line Up' tab, there's a pdf of a poster which seems to download automatically. It's too far for me, but, of the performers named, I'd travel to see Paul Sirman, Kerry & Mandy Hearne and Ron trueman-Border. Don't know the others.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 Aug 12 - 08:38 PM

I am told the following sessions are on: -


Friday 14/9 - Deal folk club 20:00 RMA
Saturday 15/9 - Ade / Bottles probably Port Arms midday.
Saturday 15/9 - Old Loan Gin Band 14:00 Warmer Castle Pub
Sunday 16/9 - Singaround midday RMA and 14:00 John Barden, Warmer Castle and 20:00 Warmer Castle final pint down.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: stormalong
Date: 30 Aug 12 - 04:12 AM

The Deal programme is now up at http://www.dealmaritimefolkfestival.org.uk/ Printable Map & Programme

It's a great programme including plenty of sessions so all praise to Ray Fielder for putting it together!

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: The Barden of England
Date: 30 Aug 12 - 05:12 AM

Try this:-

http://www.dealmaritimefolkfestival.org.uk/

John Barden

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Aug 12 - 06:46 AM

For singers then - no session Friday night, and no session Saturday afternoon.    Also - am I missing something? - no session at all in the Ship. Shome mishtake shurely.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 09 Sep 12 - 01:18 PM

Well, the wevva forecast is tolerable and the websites vary as to exact details, so touch wood.

Any song sessions finding their way onto the agenda for the Friday Night or Sat afternoon then?

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Girl Friday
Date: 09 Sep 12 - 06:48 PM

Concerts... more concerts... even more concerts.... oh, and play along sessions.... but nothing for singers? Bah !!

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Girl Friday
Date: 09 Sep 12 - 07:18 PM

I have put a message (from TDL) on their FB site requesting a singaround on Saturday. Seems daft that it's only on Sunday.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Sep 12 - 03:14 AM

There is a short lunchtime sing on Saturday and an evening mixed session, but nothing to do from about 3 to about 8.

List of pubs in and formerly in Deal here (blickifier seems frozen)

http://www.dover-kent.com/Villages/Deal.html

Anyone got a theory who we might invade on the Sat afternoon?

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Girl Friday
Date: 10 Sep 12 - 06:55 AM

Nothing from 3 to 8 ?? What a waste of five hours !!!
Awaiting further info from the Barden on this topic.
The Berry at Walmer was good last year, but a good way out of the main drag. I don't know any of the other pubs in Deal. Anyone got any suggestions ?

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: The Barden of England
Date: 10 Sep 12 - 07:52 AM

I believe 'The Astor' will be the place to invade. If I remember rightly there were things going on there last year all day. Let's do it!!

John Barden

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Sep 12 - 08:29 AM

Well, there is stuff to do but it is either concerts or playalong-session (American I believe)

I love it when a plan comes together!

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Sep 12 - 08:37 AM

Minor snag. The Astor has an Americana concert with Banjo Feet from 1.30 to 3.30 and a Brendan Power gig from 6 pm with Loose Change Theory and the Gospel Choir as support, on the Saturday.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: The Barden of England
Date: 10 Sep 12 - 09:10 AM

There are plenty of other rooms in The Astor - and beer!!
John Barden

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Sep 12 - 09:44 AM

Ah, well researched that man!

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Girl Friday
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 12:33 PM

Looks like that's where we are going then chaps.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Girl Friday
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 08:10 AM

Just ne3ed to know a time please

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 02:42 PM

Guessing here, probably after the lunchtime session so probably around 2 pm-ish.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Girl Friday
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 08:39 AM

That's fine for us Richard. Thanks

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 16 Sep 12 - 12:11 PM

Well, that did not work. The Astor would not permit us. Quite a few of us spent most of Saturday fruitlessly tramping the town looking for a session with song.

The tune people at the Walmer Castle let us do a few songs - but what a dive the pub is and the nearest thing to proper beer was John Smith's Smooth (which is not very near at all) and a large gin and tonic was £7 - and there was no Tanqueray nor Bombay Sapphire so I had to make do with Hendrick's.

Then a man with an amplifier arrived and by the time he had got as far as "Ernie" (drove the fastest milk-cart in the West) we were gone.


Several pubs later we finished up drinking Shepherd Neame (ah well, at least it was beer) in the Royal Hotel who would only let us sing if we went to the garden terrace but alas that was the other side of the hotel from the sun so it was chilly.

You can't do Deal without locally caught fish, chips, and mushy peas, so we did that and it was OK.


A blank in the proceedings allowed us to get as far as teh RMA (via the microbrewery where a mixed unamplified collection of French and Dutch folkies were competing with a barrage of noise from drinkers. The most offensive song I could think of in my repertoire was "O'er the Hills and Far Away" with the British brag about beating the French and Spaniards, so I did that).

Since nothing was happening we started and Roger Resch (who is a nice man) arrived to lead his advertised session at 8 pm but various things then spoiled the mood (including one thing that put me off so much I screwed up "A living Wage" which normally I don't) and I taxi'd back to the campsite at about 2130.


Apparently the Ship was empty, and the Deal Hoy much the same - but perhaps they had had neighbour problems.


Oh to have the back garden of the Bohemian back!


All in all rather a disappointment.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: GUEST,Blowzabella sans cookie
Date: 17 Sep 12 - 04:33 AM

Maybe the thing to do is to contact the organisers, at an early stage in the planning for next year, point out that there is a gap in provision and offer to organise someting to fill it - they'll probably snap your hand off

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 17 Sep 12 - 05:14 AM

What an excellent festival Deal was - with lots to do. Changed days from the first time I organised for the Gundulf to go down there, when there realy was very little.

I had forgotten how good Avril's singing was - a pleasure to listen to her on the Friday night at the folk club.

Ade Dawkins and band made everybody who turned up to their sing around really welcome at the Port Arms. What an excellent backing band they made too, if asked to play along. That was followed by Boarder Crossing doing lots of join in songs. They just get better and better.

The evening session at the RMA had lots of stars of the festival, and some people we did not know, so a really nice variety of performances. The RMA members mostly listened or talked quietly.

We enjoyed the Deal Hoodeners in the Lifeboat house. Much better accoustics inside than out. The lunchtime session was a bit more noisy at the RMA. We had fish and chips from the fish shop next door, and ate some of the best chips I've had for a long while listening to the band at the bandstand.

We have not made the Deal festival for the last few years as we were booked elsewhere, but we thouroughly enjoyed our bussmans holiday.
FloraG

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Girl Friday
Date: 17 Sep 12 - 07:40 AM

We have to agree with Richard. After the unsuccessful attempt at starting a session in The Astor, we went to the cafe next door (Baguettes), for coffeee. The proprieter, a very nice man, was very into folk, and the Festival. After a conversation about folk music, in general, and what we did, he said we could play outside. It was nice and warm, and sunny, and we sat and played until the cafe closed.We then met up with our compadres, and went to The Royal Hotel. I don't think anyone's heart was in it, as, it was getting chilly, and there were only a handful of us. That back garden in The Bohemian used to get packed solid, and the beer, and food was good. Last year's session at The Berry in Walmer was excellent, though away from the main Festival.
Enjoyed the fish and chips, but that micro pub... not really our scene, and nowhere to sit, so we ( T D L ),decided to leave town.
It seems that the organizers concentrated on getting the concerts just right, but neglected us grass root folkies, who just want to sing. All we ask for is a decent pub with decent real ale, a bit of grub, and plenty of seating... and a session that runs through the day.

Let's hope that next year

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Girl Friday
Date: 17 Sep 12 - 07:59 AM

I just read the positive thoughts from last year's Deal thread. Organizers please take note for 2013.
Deal 2011 thread

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 17 Sep 12 - 10:24 AM

Yes - the sing around at the Port arms could have been longer. There were plenty of participants and audience there at the end. It was on the programme, as was a music session, so I'm not sure why anyone would need to ask other venues about a session.
I'm not convinced about the morris in the high street. Unlike at sweeps, where the audience almost block the street, there seemed to be little interest. The dancing at the front had a better reception.
FloraG

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 17 Sep 12 - 11:13 AM

Most of the time there was no song session on. It's as simple as that.

There was no song session on Friday night. There was a short song session early Sunday for those who got there in time. There was no song session on the Saturday afternoon at all. The tune session on the Saturday afternoon was not in a good place for a song session (nor, indeed, was it a song session). The song session on Saturday evening officially started (I think) at 8 pm. Therefore those who wanted a song session between about 1330 and 2000 Saturday could either not have one or try to start one.

Sunday (ie John Barden's short session) is less than ideal as I need to drive home and if I am doing that I don't drink alcohol that day which largely takes the gilt off the gingerbread.


I also heard complaints (which I have not sought to verify) that the map put a number of places some distance from where they actually were, so causing people to wander aimlessly about looking for them.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 17 Sep 12 - 01:13 PM

The Deal folk club ran a good session on the Friday. No paid guests and lots of participation. Worth it just to hear Avril and one of the best Martin guitars Ive heard. The Port arms was a good venue for the lunch time singing - if a bit short on time, had some real quality, followed by Border crossing, who did lots of join in songs. No shortage of good singing there then. Saturday night was a joy.
The Deal Hoodeners did lots of join in shanties and sea songs while collecting for the lifeboats on the Sunday, folowed by another song session in the club. Sore throats all round.
The map was a problem, but Deal is hardly large, so not a lot of wandering needed.
For a small festival I thought it was a really nice mix of dance, song and concert. The brass band on the Sunday was not on the programme, but what a lovely bonus. There was even more session singing on the Sunday evening for those still around.
FloraG

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 17 Sep 12 - 05:25 PM

Deal Folk club was listed as "Deal Folk Club. Avril Cameron". That is a guest night listing whether the guest was paid or not. Even if it was not in fact a guest night the club does not normally operate singaround or session style but "two or three up front".

Concerts with joining is are not sessions.

There was no song session from 1330 to 2000 on the Saturday. Fact.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Girl Friday
Date: 18 Sep 12 - 06:39 AM

I note that, on their Facebook Page... they have said that they will endeavour to arrange an all day session for us next year.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: GUEST,synbyn
Date: 18 Sep 12 - 12:51 PM

I dare say there will be a song session next year if the Bohemian garden reopens- that was unfortunate. It's a small festival, and I plead guilty to having a concert at the aforementioned time- to which you'd have been welcome- with plenty of participatory singing albeit to the songs of the concert. But I can understand all who go to play, being one of the number myself. Personally I like to listen half and play half in an ideal day. As you say, Roger's sinaround was well attended and, for a Saturday night in a normal bar, well received. Here's to Tenterden!

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 18 Sep 12 - 03:55 PM

Tenters!

Yes, I was tempted by the Captain. But preferred to hunt for a song session.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: GUEST,Blowzabella sans cookie
Date: 19 Sep 12 - 02:05 PM

Seeing as there were some song sessions over the course of the weekend, it might well be the case that organisers simply struggled to find a venue willing to host such a session on the Saturday afternoon / early evening, perhaps.

Some landlords - even those who support folk festivals when they are on - want to keep some part of the day music free, so that their regulars, who may not want to listen to the music / singing, are not totally put off for the full day / weekend. Or maybe they didn't want to have to engage extra staff at periods when they're not usually busy, because they weren't convinced that there'd be any return.

Often festival organisers have tried to do many things that haven't come off, at the end of the day. Have to say, some of the comments about the lack of a singaround between x and y hours of the day seem a bit curmudeonly - in my humble opinion.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 20 Sep 12 - 03:21 AM

curmudeonly - how can anyone using such a word be in the uria heap category.
FloraG

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: RamblinStu
Date: 20 Sep 12 - 04:31 AM

I enjoyed The Deal Festival again this year, a good selection of music and venues, and good wheather. All those I've spoken to enjoyed as well.

I understand that the lack of song sessions miffed a few, some of them miffed enough to go on about it fourteen times in this thread, but hey...can't please all the people all the time.


Here's to next year

Stuart Pendrill

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 20 Sep 12 - 06:25 AM

All those to whom I have spoken are disappointed.   You were probably adequately served if you like Americana and tunes. My posts here started with enquiry - indeed I specifically asked if there were any song sessions on the Friday night and received no indication that some might put Avril's club in that category - so frankly, Stu, your post above is a mischaracterisation.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 21 Sep 12 - 06:52 AM

I ws at Deal, concerts were great, plenty of singing in he pubs I was in. Can't understand what all these people ar talking about

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 21 Sep 12 - 07:51 AM

I think anything is a bit of a disappointment if you expect a sinaround. What a glorious spelling mistake.
Florag

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 Sep 12 - 08:57 AM

Sinaround or (for Bob) Synaround or even Sinaground are conventions.

So, nameless guest, where and when were all these other song sessions that we could not find and were not in the programme? It might be useful to those attending next year to know where to go.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Sep 12 - 09:05 AM

It sounds to me as if all Richard is interested in are song sessions - but he wants there to be one on all the time - except he doesn't mind about there not being one on a Sunday, because he doesn't want to go to one on a Sunday, because he wouldn't be able to have a drink at it - and that's important to him too.

He's not looking for well-balanced or well rounded festivals particularly. Just song sessions.

To me, song sessions, alone, do not make a gathering a festival.

If that's all someone wants, I don't understand why they don't just organise their own.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: GUEST,Blowzabella sans cookie
Date: 21 Sep 12 - 09:07 AM

Sorry - that post was me :)

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 Sep 12 - 01:13 PM

There was plenty of everything else. Just a shortage of song sessions. On the main days of the festival. I don't mind about Sunday because I'm not there. Don't bother organising one in the Walmer Castle because I won't be there either.

We tried to organise our own - indeed thought we had, at an apparently unused room at the Astor - but were prevented. We checked out several other places to organise our own - to no great avail. I do organise song (and tune) sessions most winters in my village, and, I'm glad to say, plenty come along. I assist in organising one mainly song weekend in the summer, and, I'm glad to say, plenty come along. Dues paid.

As I said, all those to whom I have spoken were disappointed. Remember the rip-roaring Saturday night last year in the Ship when Kimber's Men turned up and ripped the roof off? There's no substitute for stuff like that.   

See you in the song sessions in Tenterden.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Dave Earl
Date: 21 Sep 12 - 02:24 PM

"See you in the song sessions in Tenterden."

Yes Richard you will but I have to say that on the occasions when, I have been to Deal there wasn't a great deal of the Maritime stuff, bar sessions or otherwise.

Dave

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Sep 12 - 11:27 AM

bazuoki bob sorry my comments are a bit late rosie has just had an op.like the recent chavfest the maritime fest organisers have taken there eye off the ball.but i wont have ago at them i know how difficult the job is.lets hope they realise that concerts and buskers dont fill pubs and thats why pubs get involved.the gaps in the days and the pubs that were used were not worth the trip.on the bright side tenterden looks like it could be the best yet.apart from absent friend bo .hope to see you there b bob.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: stormalong
Date: 23 Sep 12 - 07:05 AM

As my main personal interest is in singarounds I'd certainly like to see more of them, provided they are held in sympathetic venues. As it turned out there were more singing opportunities than was perhaps obvious from the programme, including Avril's folk club (which was run very fairly) and the sea song/shanty session led by Kerry and Mandy where anyone who wanted to lead a song or shanty was invited to do so. I got in three and could have done four, which is more than I usually get elsewhere.

My thanks to Ray and the other organisers for keeping the festival going. As a folk club organiser I am well aware how difficult it can be to secure pub venues, especially ones conducive to unamplified sound. Roger's singaround in the RMA went well, partly due to the fact that the folkies outnumbered the regulars. Bill Howarth's singaround in the RMA, Sunday lunchtime, was more challenging because of the background noise. Adrian O's spot there a bit later was even tougher, though he dealt with it masterfully as the professional entertainer that he is.

Some of the comments here give the impression that organisers only have to plan for singarounds and they happen. This isn't the case.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 23 Sep 12 - 11:05 AM

Sometimes they do stormalong.

For a number of years I was lucky enough to be a member of one of the best singing morris sides in kent, and one of the first morris sides to be invited to the Deal festival. We would often end up with a sing around - especially when it was raining. We would ask the landlord first - and make sure that we played suitable jolly tunes and songs. I remember having a good session in a pub at the far end of the Deal shopping street ( other end from the Kings head and one street back ) - the name of which I can't remember, but we did enough skiffle and Dubliners type songs - things everyone knows - to please the regulars - and were thanked by the customers when we left. We also had some good sessions at the bar at the camp site.

Faversham was much the same - I don't like to think how many years ago it was we asked the landlord of the crown and anchor - and have been going back ever since. It was never on the programme - but we have had some of the best sing around there.

In Tenterton we often used the pub near the railway. I'm not sure how willing they are now.

I have heard some fairly dire sing arounds over the years and I can understand when some landlords are reluctant to give permission.

I thought the Deal programme was quite clear where the sing arounds were. We found one friday evening, Saturday lunch tme and evening and sunday lunchtime. I thought they were all well run and of good quality. We did not make the sunday evening one but we knew where it was. I know some people like to organise their own sing arounds but you can't blame the festival organisers if those people don't find a suitable venue.

Festivals do take a lot of organising - especially if Council funding is withdrawn. All credit to the organisers of Deal this year.
FloraG

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 23 Sep 12 - 12:51 PM

No, there was no song session on Friday Night. Deal Folk club ran, and the programme said so. There was no programmed song session from 1330 to 2000 on the Saturday. I gather that that was a conscious decision in case such a session were to draw people away from the afternoon concerts. Organiser's choice, but may well diminish the pull of the festival as a whole and will almost certainly reduce the amount spent in aggregate in the town's pubs - a major factor in being able to generate local support for the festival.

The Ship (141 Middle Street, parallel to the High Street) was apparently unavailable this year under its new management. In previous years it has had sessions, sometimes chaired by the Rodgers, but fiffle ( a la late Pete Hicks, a fine singer and player) was not generally the lingua franca.

The bar at Cottington Lakes is of course no use if one is in town, and recently it has I am told developed the habit of closing early. It also sells no decent beer. Others have I am sure run sessions in the pubs they were camped near, Thursday or Friday evenings, but that is hardly relevant to the point that there was no programmed song session Friday evening nor Saturday afternoon.


Another problem for public acceptance for Deal festival had been the conscious decision of at least one Morris side to call some of its weakest singers of the direst two or three songs (the ones that school inoculated you against) to sing rather than to dance again or to call better singers or players - but that is not to be laid at the organiser's door.


A major problem at Faversham was that the sessions at the Crown and Anchor were not to everyone's taste: there was the singer-musician contretemps in 2011 (was it 2011?), and in the year before I heard the complaint that "the people in red" were hogging the session.


In Tenterden I think the Vine is having programmed sessions this year, and certainly I have seen a jolly good song session led by Hartley Morris (who I would have thought probably had the biggest vocal reputation of any Kent morris side) in there - but I have also seen a fiddle player join in uninvited with an unaccompanied singer and force the singer to change key - and I have also seen there members of a morris side behaving very badly towards a younger male singer.   Big egos can be a problem.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: Girl Friday
Date: 23 Sep 12 - 01:01 PM

Agreed.. Ray did a great job organizing the festival, and the singarounds were listed in the programme. The problem was that they were only short sessions, and we were looking for a place to play in the afternoon. We had that last year at The Berry, and previous years at The Bohemian. I suppose it was just unfortunate that The Bohemian is shut.If there is a suitable pub to hold a lengthy singaround in... it won't take long for the word to spread around.

Subject: RE: Deal Maritime (folk) festival
From: stormalong
Date: 23 Sep 12 - 01:34 PM

This year's Tenterden programme shows more singarounds than I have ever seen at any festival (in my limited experience, of course), but let's talk about that in the Tenterden thread.