Will Pound's "Through the Seasons", Sidmouth

Subject: Will Pounds Through the Seasons, Sidmout
From: GUEST,Fylde Player
Date: 13 Aug 18 - 02:37 AM

We attended this performance with great expectation, I have danced and played for Morris, I even performed in a Through the Seasons show many years ago full of song, poetry and great dancing. What we got was a confused mashup, tunes played too hard and too long by brilliant musicians who just seemed to be up for an extended thrash. There was hardly any 'space' in the Morris tunes, an aspect as important as the notes. Started well with Kirkpatrick snr playing The Liberty Bell ( I suspect his name pulled in so many ), but then for me lost direction - many empty seats after the break. Debs Newbold delivered with passion, but the themes were unclear. People around me were of the the same view. Only one song!! There were other concerts where young mucisians played too hard on every song. Lucky we got to see SaltfishForty, great playing, superb dynamics, that fiddler knows when to hang back.

Subject: RE: Will Pounds Through the Seasons, Sidmout
From: Mr Red
Date: 13 Aug 18 - 03:04 AM

Saw it at Chippenham. What Debs does is a ramble. A very entertaining ramble, a hoot. She is a storyteller par excellance. For me she was the attraction. JK was not there at Chippers, (sad face). And not being a Morris dancers I found the tunes well played, even if the whole lacked a certain focus. OK well played but show pieces. Maybe I saw a different show.

But it was Debs that kept the interest going.

And FWIW, Will does get the best musicians around him, they join willingly. His ceilidh bands demonstrate that. They lift the dancing and entertain the ears. I have danced to a lot of excellent bands and Will is up there near the top. And when he is playing for sitting, well he moves my emotion, not my feet.

I may wear rose coloured spectacles (10 pairs at the last count) but no Morris goggles. Which may explain a lot.

Will was, and still is, a Morris musician, he cut his teeth in Earlsdon (& Steamchicken).
his instrument? Clue is in the name, Will Pound.

Subject: RE: Will Pounds Through the Seasons, Sidmout
From: Trevor
Date: 13 Aug 18 - 08:00 AM

I've seen it twice and I loved it.

I like the whole idea and I found Debs's narration interesting and moving and were, when I saw it, based on themes that I had no difficulty in picking up and following.

I liked the energy, the skill of the musicians and the love of Morris came through loud and clear to me - all three of the musicians are actively involved in dancing and playing and, as far as I know, have been since childhood, and it shows.

Subject: RE: Will Pound's "Through the Seasons", Sidmouth
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Aug 18 - 04:43 PM

The OP's comments are very much the ones that I would have about the CD. Only one track of which made it to the play list on my phone.

I am in two minds about the live show.

Subject: RE: Will Pound's "Through the Seasons", Sidmouth
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 14 Aug 18 - 06:33 PM

I was one of a vast number of very disgruntled season ticket-holders who could not get into this show, despite getting there well before the start to queue up. It seems that an even vaster number of people had bought one-off tickets for the show, and were therefore ushered in first. It really does not encourage one to continue buying season tickets, especially as this was not the only show where this happened. I know about the "ten-minute rule" but the house full situation arrived well before that.