BS: So, how was Chippenham FF

Subject: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Cllr
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 03:53 AM

There seemed to be a few mudcatters going. How was it?Cllr

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From:
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 08:38 AM

Well, I had a good time!
All-day session in the Old Road Inn, started in the Barn till the Stick & Bucket & brigade ousted us, then just carried on wherever the wind blew us.
Met my first mudcatter, too - Mr Red.

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Menita
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 10:35 AM

I thought Chippers was an excellent fest for ceilidhs but wow was it hot in that sports hall. Thank you Mr. Red for the dance; did you guess it was me? I went to the stall that sells lemonade but I didn't see the notice board. I didn't buy a drink because the queue was too long.

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: JudeL
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 11:39 AM

Bit of a mixed bag this year. The guest/concert line-up in the program this year seemed a bit thin of headline talent even before Norma Waterson & Martin Carthy cried off & did not perform (as did a few others). There's a new venue called "the Cause" in use. It's a converted methodist chapel who's accoustics are amazing. There were a trio called the Tabbush Sisters singing in there, accapella style, if you get the chance go listen to them - they have an amazing clear liquid gold tone. Imagine Karen Carpenter x3 with a northern accent harmonising with herself. There were some good afterhours mixed sessions in the shower block on campsite 3, with some very talented youngsters. They make it look so easy I'm torn between feeling totally outclassed and reassured that folkmusic definitly has a future. We introduced the landlord of the Three Crowns to the idea that if you play host to folkies you need lots of real ale. As there wasn't any official evening singarounds (the closest was "folk club with guest artists") we invaded his pub for unofficial sessions. By the time we'd finished all he had left was "John Smiths" or larger.
The Aquaili (ceilie in a swimming pool) was as usual suitably fun and exhausting - rather like the festival itself. There were a number of other catters about such as "Gomez" and "Alanww", so no doubt when they get round to it they'll have their own view/comments on the festival. Cheers Jude

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Morticia
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 12:49 PM

Well I'll be damned....Gomez was there??? I could have sworn he was here all weekend....wonder where I was?

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Watson
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 12:54 PM

Good grief - I wonder if I was there - I didn't think I was, but who knows?

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: English Jon
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 12:55 PM

Just to agree, Tabbush family all astonishingly talented. One of the scene's best kept secrets. Keep eyes peeled.

EJ

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 01:51 PM

Gomez wasn't there and got a mention, Manitas WAS there (unless there's something he should be telling me) and doesn't get spotted!

Hmmm.... the thot plickens.....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 02:59 PM

The mother of the Tabbush sisters is Carolyn Robson (guess what her husband's called). They are excellent though you can tell that their mother runs a choir...

I spent most of the weekend in the (smoke-free) Cause centre - it wasn't too bad when the paint dried - and I probably broke my record for going to official events. I heard some really good music - especially Hoover the Dog, Simon Care, and Mark Baizeley, Jason Rice and Rob Murch (from the Dartmoor Pixies) and singing. And songs I hadn't heard before, in the singarounds. Plus the dance displays at the Arena and in the High Street were good too.

I also got to hear Billy Teare, who is a wonderful story teller.

I heard from Alanww that MBS and co had found a pub for fringe sings, so hopefully there was something for everyone.

LTS - Manitas was in the Irish sessions (at least that's where Helen Akitt found him) and I do now possess the CD of Bert's that I won in the Stony Stratford raffle.

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 05:59 PM

I did manage to leave the Old Road Tavern occasionally - it was worth hearing the Tabbush sisters. As Jude says there were some really talented yongsters there although one did himself no favours with his peer group at the ABS sessions. It was nice to hear the young 'uns calling for songs and singing them as well as in recent years it seems that the upcoming talent was all on the instrumental side. I thought I was getting old when I left one of the late night sessions at only 4am to be greeted by the dawn chorus but then one lad (a member of Crunchy Pig?) also expressed some surprise at being up so late/early so I didn't feel too bad.

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: GUEST,skippy
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 06:04 PM

well organised, and very well stewarded as ever.

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Mr Red
Date: 05 Jun 02 - 06:13 PM

Cyder Drinker
was it the t-shirt or was it the colour?
Oh my feet ached - dancing every evening and two afternoons.
even tried a morning dance but my feet never left the ground! Not for me!
Mon arena MCing was the usual wing and a prayer jobby - I can blame the data I wus given - such as it was early-on. Rain wasn't in the script!

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 06 Jun 02 - 03:16 AM

Oh bother and bum/.

I forgot all about it.

Damn, blast and piddle (plus lots of other words to that general effect).

grrrrrrrrrrrrr

ella

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: JudeL
Date: 06 Jun 02 - 04:52 AM

Ok OK, I admit it, wrong pseudonym, it was manitas not gomez - a rose by any other name etc etc etc.

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: eloise
Date: 06 Jun 02 - 07:37 AM

Ella - how I agree. I keep on remembering dates just after they've passed and Chippenham is only down the road. I keep on saying "next year". I ought to write dates in the diary and then remember to look at them. Why didn't Waterson Carthy go? Was someone ill?

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Gervase
Date: 06 Jun 02 - 02:18 PM

All roundly excellent, I thought - and I'd second (or third) the comments on the Tabbush sisters - they were terrific, with wonderful harmonies and an etherial yet powerful presence.
If you seem them booked at any club or festival, go see, as the septics would say.

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 06 Jun 02 - 02:43 PM

Getting your husbands muddled JudeL??

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Mr Red
Date: 06 Jun 02 - 06:12 PM

Young,
never seen so many young musicians, even given the NYFTE crowd are always there.
BUT why so much talent (musically)? Now there is a law the snotty politicians should be concentrating on.

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 06 Jun 02 - 07:07 PM

Eloise

Martin Carthy had the lurgy (bad throat) so John Kirkpatrick and Pete Watkinson replaced him,

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 07 Jun 02 - 02:16 AM

He was a bit rough at Hastings, beginning of May, is there something seriously wrong or is he just plain knackered??

LTS

(Mind you, Norma was a bit spluttery too....)

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: JudeL
Date: 07 Jun 02 - 07:43 AM

LtS - well except that they're your husbands not mine (ok so only one of them's your's) and it was the names not the who's with who (unless something's happened that you're not telling us) the answer is yes. Jude

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: eloise
Date: 10 Jun 02 - 12:47 PM

Thanks Kitty. Poor Martin. I notice it takes two people to replace one Martin Carthy! Have LTS and JudeL sorted out their husbands? I sorted mine out years ago!

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 10 Jun 02 - 03:58 PM

I've got a spare one going free if anyone would like him!!

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Noreen
Date: 10 Jun 02 - 05:38 PM

Shall we put them in the auction, Linda? *g*

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 10 Jun 02 - 05:56 PM

Free or spare?

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 10 Jun 02 - 06:03 PM

Or, more likely, free, spare, and north of Watford.

Eloise - to be fair, Martin and Norma should both have been at Chippenham, and Pete Watkinson was booked for loads of events already and couldn't have been in 2 places at the same time.

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 10 Jun 02 - 06:04 PM

free and spare - ex marks the spot so to speak -yes we should auction them Noreen my sweet- do you think they should have a reserve price?

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 10 Jun 02 - 06:17 PM

Carolyn Robson sang "No more auction lot for me" as her encore at Herga 2 weeks ago, before heading off to Chippenham

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 11 Jun 02 - 01:37 AM

I'd just like a husband who can give me my hearts' desire - to be a rich widow!

(Sorry Manitas!)

I once went home to mother and said I'd found a nice little husband. She was very happy til I told her he was someone else's nice little husband! (He was seperated and she was divorcing him before anyone gets on moral high ground here...).

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: alanww
Date: 11 Jun 02 - 09:38 AM

On the whole I think I enjoyed Chippenham. It is always great seeing old singing friends, many of whom are also Mudcatters. We also set up a great singing venue at the Three Crowns, so lets hope he gets some better beer in next year (and more of it!) and it becomes more well known.

I thought that the late-late sessions at the Pavilion (ie the cricket club changing room on the main camp site) were brill this year. Beer was available thanks to Alan White, who also runs a great singing weekend at Wareham on 30 Aug to 1 Sept! The sessions had a real ceilidh feel. There were session tunes, solo music, both unaccompanied and accompanied solo songs, chorus songs (from both the older group and the youngsters), and some dancing. And it went on from 1 am to at least 4 am ish when I left to the sound of the dawn chorus! Thanks for making it all happen Alan!

(Sorry for not posting earlier as I was in Devon all week and then went to Wimborne FF last weekend. I presume that I may see one or two of you at the Mersey Maritime Festival next weekend?)

We are three jolly fishermen ...
Alan

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 11 Jun 02 - 02:54 PM

Alanww

As you'd said this was Chippenham's last chance for you, I'm very glad to hear it passed muster!

Are you going to be at Alcester (your local festival)? And which venues do you recommend? (You might want to start a new thread on that.....)

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: vectis
Date: 11 Jun 02 - 07:33 PM

Which Devon festival were you at Alan? It sure wasn't the one I was at.

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Snuffy
Date: 11 Jun 02 - 08:45 PM

I'm sure Alan can answer for himself, Kitty, but I'll let you know that he'll be Morris Dancing in Lithuania (don't ask!) that weekend. The Shellback Chorus will be there.

As for the pubs, you should find something in most of them, but the place for unaccompanied singing is the Holly Bush (behind the Church), which just happens to be my local - I play for their quiz team. It has also been our local CAMRA pub of the year for the last three years, and just happens to have a beer festival which coincides with the FF.

On Saturday evening last year there was a music session in the front bar, shanties in the middle bar, an organised singaround hosted by booked artists in the function room, and 60s Beatles/Simon & Garfunkel type stuff (with guitars) in the garden. All at the same time!!

From a beer point of view, the Three Tuns and Turks Head are also highly recommended.

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 11 Jun 02 - 10:30 PM

Thanks, Snuffy (well, someone probably has to dance in Lithuania, sometime)

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: alanww
Date: 13 Jun 02 - 04:56 AM

vectis It wasn't a festival; I was staying in Appledore on the confluence of the Taw and Torridge Rivers and I sang at the Bideford and Bampton (near Tiverton) Folk Clubs and at Bampton I was happy to say hello to Colin and Rene, who are regular Sidmouth Anchor Middle Bar singers.

Kitty Yes, I was pleased that Chippenham was able to cater for my tastes too. I guess there may be quite a bit of singing in Lithuania as well as dancing. They certainly like shanty singing in Eastern Europe (ask Chris Gorniak about his trip to Poland!) We shall be performing at the Parbeg Laivelis Festival at Klaipeda on the coast.

Sail away, sail away, sail away ... !
Alan

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: vectis
Date: 13 Jun 02 - 06:19 AM

Enjoy Lithuania Alan. See you later in the year no doubt.

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 14 Jun 02 - 04:40 AM

I think Lithuania should be compulsory.

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Snuffy
Date: 14 Jun 02 - 08:41 AM

I thought that it was youth in Asia that should be compulsory, Linda!

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: BS: So, how was Chippenham FF
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 14 Jun 02 - 03:01 PM

How many youths in Asia have you had then snuffy -or don't you like to talk about it???!!!!!