Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: bubblyrat
Date: 11 Dec 14 - 07:34 AM

I once went ,with some folk-inclined fellow sailors from Lee-on-Solent to Bognor Regis .We met a couple of girls (in a pub ,naturally ) who were hostesses or whatever you call them,at Butlins Holiday Camp in Bognor.They invited us back to Camp with them, and told us to say that we were new staff who had just arrived . So we did this,got past the security men on the gate, went to the restaurant for a staff meal, got allocated to a chalet,played lots of "folk" music to a huge , enthusiastic audience of "happy clappy" Christians who were having some sort of convention there , and "got away" with it for three days before being found out and forcibly ejected !! One of my favourite "escapades" ( and yes !; the food was good !).Never been to Skegness though, however bracing it may be.

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: GUEST,Ian
Date: 11 Dec 14 - 07:17 AM

Agree with PhilH about the sound but it was better than last year. He's also spot on with his comments about the YoungUns - during their set was the only time I saw the sound engineer at the side of the stage appearing to be enjoying himself.

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: GUEST,PhilH
Date: 11 Dec 14 - 04:36 AM

My first visit to the Butlins Folk Event so I can't compare to previous years, but I thought that the sound mixing was quite poor with an over emphasis on bass notes which wasn't always appropriate. Also, it was a bit too loud for this die-hard old folkie. During the Melrose Quartets performance, Fagen's Bouzar became indistinguishable from a bass drum, which for me spoiled an otherwise brilliant performance. The Bellowhead concert was uncomfortable as it was oversubscribed with only the few who decided to stand at the front having a view. Caberet seating at a Bellowhead concert doesn't work and is possibly hazardous.
Having queued an hour in the cold on Saturday to ensure a seat with a view we were treated to a an hour and a quarter of overloud drivel from the DJ whilst the first act did their sound check. However it was worth the wait as Eddie Reader was superb
The highlight for me was the YoungUns who grabbed the audience early on and didn't once lose them. At one point during a longish tuning up period between songs you could have heard a pin drop as the audience sat, waiting quietly in expectation.
We paid a little extra for a meal upgrade and used the Yacht Club restaurant and weren't disappointed.

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: GUEST,Enfield/Swindon Pete
Date: 10 Dec 14 - 11:50 AM

Just to add - I thought the Butlin's staff were very good and I'm not blaming Butlins for my negative experience. The Spa was great too. Probably a great place to take kids too in the summer which is its main function. Don't want to appear a complete whinger!

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: GUEST,Enfield/Swindon Pete
Date: 10 Dec 14 - 04:38 AM

Hi All - some interesting points made about last weekend. I have to say I really did not enjoy the experience of being at Butlins.   The acts I saw were very good, but watched in an overcrowded and uncomfortable environment. Not a folk festival set up in my eyes and not an ideal venue. But each to their own I guess.

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 10 Dec 14 - 03:23 AM

There was good potential for this annual festival right from the start, which seems to building well on teething mistakes.

I just wish they'd rotate the venue and bring it down to Minehead for a change...

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: GUEST,Ian
Date: 09 Dec 14 - 08:37 AM

Oops, indeed I did mean the Melrose Quartet. Obviously I'm still affected by the many excellent pints of Hobgoblin. And I missed out Home Service on my favourites list.

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: GUEST,Selby
Date: 08 Dec 14 - 12:15 PM

Good weekend and they had listened to all the input about sound last year, so a good result. Agree about venue over capacity I think a large screen in that marquee thingy where the craft fair was and the bar open would solve a few problems. It does seem to improve year on year
Keith

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: GUEST,Racing Jim
Date: 08 Dec 14 - 11:18 AM

I think you mean the 'Melrose Quartet'! They were my favourite although they'd sold out of CD's by the time I'd got to them. Home service and Bellowhead were other highlights for me.

Jim

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: GUEST,Ian
Date: 08 Dec 14 - 11:12 AM

Generally the sound setup was much improved on last year. Only one act (that I saw) disappointed. The lack of clapping for them was very noticeable. Their setup took forever, you couldn't hear vocals at all and they were no better than an average pub band (and not folk!). Shouldn't have been booked.

Highlights for me were Bellowhead, Montrose Quartet, Eddi Reader, WeBanjo3 and The Young 'Uns. Downside was the queuing and the 'folk radio' between acts in the Reds venue where the high volume made conversation impossible.

Seemed to be plenty of 'sessions' and there was the addition of a 'newcomers' stage this year.

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: G-Force
Date: 08 Dec 14 - 10:40 AM

A whole bunch of us went up there to give it a try.

Be warned: the two main venues are far too small for the number of tickets they sell, so unless you queue for ages you're not guaranteed to get a seat or even to get in at all. The sound was variable.

'Reception' was a nightmare of Heathrow-like proportions - it took us about two hours to get in.

There were singarounds and tune sessions both days. And the concert line ups weren't bad.

Accommodation was pretty good for the money (but then we all got free upgrades from 'silver' to 'gold'). And the weather was pretty good for December.

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 11 Oct 14 - 08:16 AM

The wonderful Full English are on I think!

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: GUEST,Enfield/Swindon Pete
Date: 11 Oct 14 - 08:00 AM

Thanks for all your comments. Looks mostly positive. I'll take my melodeon just in case of a session.

Best Wishes - Pete

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Oct 14 - 11:37 AM

Brilliant weekend, has to be said though, last year the sound, in one of the rooms was dire to say the very least

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: GUEST,mauvepink
Date: 10 Oct 14 - 11:26 AM

Line up

Just hope this helps :)

mp

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: GUEST,Woodsie
Date: 10 Oct 14 - 10:45 AM

I went a couple of years ago - Show Of Hands, Oysterband, Fureys etc. The sound was fantastic a real professional crew. The food was great and we thoroughly enjoyed it. AS far as value for money goes it can't be beat. I wouldn't pay much heed to the whiners. We didn't bother queueing for anything. There was a perfect view of the stage and you could still get up close if you wanted to stand at the sides or sit on the carpeted area in front of the stage.

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Oct 14 - 07:48 AM

I seem to recall it got dire reviews last year, on here.

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: Raggytash
Date: 10 Oct 14 - 07:17 AM

There were a couple of Lunchtime sessions that we found last year in one of the pubs (who's name escapes me) We also went to an "official" sing-a-round which was turgid to say the least. Far too many singers for the time allowed and an MC who nattered a bit to much, given the number of singers waiting to have a turn.

Subject: RE: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: Ian Hendrie
Date: 10 Oct 14 - 07:07 AM

I didn't come across any sessions or singarounds last year, though there may well have been some somewhere.

Comments : Excellent choice of food, worth queuing (in the cold) to get good seats in the venues of choice, sound people took ages between acts to get it set up and didn't always do a good job.

Really enjoyed it and booked for this year before I knew the line-up.

Subject: Butlins Great British Folk Weekend 2014
From: GUEST,Enfield/Swindon Pete
Date: 10 Oct 14 - 06:54 AM

I've booked for this years Great British Folk Weekend 2014 in Skeggy. The line up looks good so no problems there.   Does anybody know if there are sessions and singarounds during the weekend. What are people's experiences of the weekend?

Cheers - Pete