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Help: Sidmouth Sessions
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Subject: Sidmouth Sessions From: Larkin Date: 30 Jul 02 - 12:53 PM I'm going to Sidmouth this weekend and would like to know if there is a good Irish/Scottish/whatever traditional music session in one of the pubs and if so which pub. If you are there and see a nine foot bloke Ballroom Dancing that 'll be me so let on or even better buy us a pint!! Cheers Martin ( Larkin'about) |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 30 Jul 02 - 01:26 PM Different sessions for different tastes. Try the Anchor, the Radway, The Volunteer, the Bedford. And the Theatre Bar and Rugby Club for singarounds. That doen't exahaust possibilities.
Have a great time. |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: John J Date: 30 Jul 02 - 02:32 PM Can't get there this year, going to Wadebridge / Cornwall festival over the bank holiday weekend. I would echo McGrath's comments, there's loads of singing / music sessions. Enjoy yourself! John the jealous. |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: Murray MacLeod Date: 30 Jul 02 - 03:43 PM I enjoyed Sidmouth immensely both times I was there, but I was well taken aback to see a sign on one pub door saying "No Instruments Allowed". (i.e. unaccompanied singing only, I assume.) Anal, or what ... Murray |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: Ned Ludd Date: 30 Jul 02 - 03:57 PM Anchor definitely... Good pig roast too! |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: treewind Date: 30 Jul 02 - 04:03 PM The Radway for English tunes. I'll be there some of the time. The Bedford for different sessions depemding on who's there (as far as I can tell) The Volunteer for lunchtime singarounds, very traditional and mostly unaccompanied, packed out and you need to be known by whoever's hosting it if you want to sing. The Anchor for the famous Middle Bar Singers' Club (that'll be the one with the 'no instruments' rule, and there are other arcane observances of this cult-like event.) Good for rowdy chorus singing. The front of the Anchor for Irish sessions sometimes. Much busking of all sorts all along the sea front.. Also... Anahata |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: vectis Date: 30 Jul 02 - 06:45 PM I was going to Sidmouth but, sadly, the Cricket Club have been told that they can't put any tents on their outfield this year. Cars can still park but only 10 motorhomes are allowed to stay overnight. I will miss the Middle Bar sessions and the fantastic playarounds of last year. I will also miss going to Terry Silver's jam session. It is a pity, but there, the town will not get my gelt this August. See some of you at Broadstairs, Whitby and Letchlade instead. "Fol de riddle rye raddy rye raddy rye" Mary |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: Herga Kitty Date: 30 Jul 02 - 07:19 PM Larkin Since Vectis has mentioned Terry Silver's session, it's in the New Tavern (aka the Newt), within easy staggering distance of the Anchor and the Bedford. If you're into general session playing you'll probably like it. I (alternating with Tim Edwards and Hugh Diamond) am running singarounds in the bar of the Manor Pavilion (aka the Theatre Bar), which, unlike the Volunteer, operates as a genuinely inclusive singaround. The Middle Bar does too, except that this is sometimes difficult to spot in a bar where people keep moving around all the time. Murray might suspect it's anal not to allow instruments, but you should try it before you knock it (see comments about the Wareham Wail for comparison). Arc(h)anal is more like it. But it's a lot of fun. Kitty |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 30 Jul 02 - 07:29 PM And the Swan is a good place to try as well. It's had some good sessions in the past.
The bigger problem might be finding a place to have a quiet pint and hear yourself thinking. |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: Liz the Squeak Date: 31 Jul 02 - 01:59 AM Hope to see some of you there for at least one day.... will have child in tow so may not be able to hang around for long in anyone place (that isn't pink, doesn't have a TV and she can't dig a hole), but having said that, she does actually like to sing and has done so in several forums (Paltalk and the World Record Singaround at Leigh for two), so she might get to be one of the Anchors' youngest... who knows?! LTS |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: Larkin Date: 31 Jul 02 - 03:13 AM Cheers Everyone - I'm really excited and it'll be my first time in Sidmouth for 30 years. Martin |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: treewind Date: 31 Jul 02 - 04:14 AM Kevin, the traditional place for a quiet pint in Sidmouth is the Dove. It turned into a horrid "Irish theme" pub 2 years ago but I believe has been re-instated as the Dove now and is more or less civilised. Anahata (not that I'm anti-Irish or anything, just that the treatment the Dove got was really fake and tacky)
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: Declan Date: 31 Jul 02 - 04:52 AM If you're looking for tunes sessions, the Swan and the sailing club were good at times last year. The front bar of the anchor was very good in previous years, but last year they didn't allow sessions during the day as they'd turned that part into a sort of restaurant - still sessions in the evenings from about 8:30 onwards. There's almost always something happening at the Bedford. Maybe I'll see you all there. |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: nickp Date: 31 Jul 02 - 05:26 AM The Dove used to be 'no music' and was used for people to escape for a while. We used to have silent ceilidhs - all done without music..... those were the days! Then came new landlords, the Irish conversion and muzak (Irish of course). Now more landlords and back to a more conventional pub but I believe music now happens. Good beer last year, lets hope so still. Don't know where the 'quiet' pub is now. As for the Bedford, in the 'other' room (adjacent to the concert room) there will almost certainly be American oldtime most of the week - with perhaps a little (but not too much) bluegrass. Watch your feet when the flatfooters get going, them bu***rs will trample anything - particularly if it has bellows........ Favourite Key is A or will be if I've got anything to do with it. |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: alanww Date: 31 Jul 02 - 11:31 AM Martin: There certainly is greatunaccompanied (mostly chorus) singing in the Anchor Middle Bar. I shall be wearing my yellow Tshirt this year. But watch out for potential throat problems caused by trying to sing too high and too loudly in a sometimes smokey atmosphere! Last year I also liked the laid back garden sessions in the Swan in the afternoons. I was well impressed by one guy who proceeded to play (brilliantly!) four different instruments - violin, whistle, Northumbrian pipes and melodean - for the four times it came round to his turn to perform. I was eagerly awaiting his fifth turn but unfortunately it never came. [Well at least he couldn't sing! Or I suppose he might have chosen not to do so, given he was such a good musician!]
Mary: Very sorry you won't be able to make it! Hope to see you around somewhere else soon. Enjoy ...!
Kitty: Hope to drop in to one or two of your sessions in the Theatre Bar. Sometimes I do like to sing in a more restrained way, honestly!
Come all ye bold heroes give an ear to my song ... |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: GUEST Date: 31 Jul 02 - 12:01 PM Nothing 'anal' about the Middle Bar policy - just different courses for different horses - not unlike the Radway "Anything but Irish" rule (also that's a 'no songs' session). It really is a time where there's something for everyone. As for the comments about the Volunteer sessions - it's not really that it sets out to be 'exclusive' at all - just that it has a particular role to play (it's central to the 'official' In the tradition' thread of the Festival) - and in our experience its music sessions are pretty open to allcomers (although I guess you might have someone whisper in your ear if you decided to go too far against the 'house rules' . . .) Hope to see some of you there! George (Hawes) |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 31 Jul 02 - 01:00 PM Upstairs in the Sailing Club there've been informal singarounds sometimes.
I tend to rely on the Theatre Bar as my reality checkpoint at Sidmouth. |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: Mary Humphreys Date: 31 Jul 02 - 01:07 PM Hello George. I have heard a lot about you from Anahata but never met you! Hope to remedy that this Sidmouth. To enhance your comments about the Radway: - there have been 2 occasions in the recent past when singers contributed to the proceedings - Simon Hindley sang a blues ( in G for musicians to join in ) a couple of years ago. I sang reluctantly, but at the invitation of Nick Barber - 'Miner's life ' a roaring chorus song (in C )last year. I didn't hear of any adverse comments. It is very much the exception - and I guess you have to have attended more than the odd Radway session as a musician ( & be known as a singer ) in order to get the invitation to sing. See you at the Radway! |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: Larkin Date: 31 Jul 02 - 03:39 PM My Excitement Mounts |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: Murray MacLeod Date: 31 Jul 02 - 07:23 PM Do any of you Sidmouth regulars know Allan and Carol Prior, expatriate Scots living in the South of England? I know they go to Sidmouth each year.Fine singers, both of them. Please say hello to them from me if you see them . Murray |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: Herga Kitty Date: 01 Aug 02 - 01:57 AM Murray I'm hoping to hear Carol sing "The star of the bar" ... Kitty |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: GUEST,Mary Humphreys Date: 01 Aug 02 - 06:49 AM Carol & Allan are stalwarts of the Volunteer. I think they are also booked as guests at Sidmouth - look at the website. Wonderful singers, both of them who can hold an audience enthralled by their singing. Looking forward to seeing and hearing them myself. |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: GUEST,banjoman Date: 01 Aug 02 - 06:59 AM Why go to Sidmouth at all - I always found it overpowering and very selective so far as the sessions were concerened. I also witnessed some pretty nasty suggetsions to people who even walked through the middle bar carrying instrument cases. Suggest if you really want to join in some really good music and song sessions to suit all tastes and without prejudice then try Broadstairs Folk Week from 9th to 16th August. Sidmouth is after all really only the warm up for the best festival in Southern England bar none. |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 01 Aug 02 - 07:19 AM Horses for courses. The pity is that Broadstairs is sandwiched in between Sidmouth and Whitby - if you are going to either of those it rather clashes with going there. Two solid folk weeks up against each other with a long journey in between is a bit much. Pity - I hear it is pretty good. |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: alanww Date: 01 Aug 02 - 08:12 AM Just one day to go now ...! And I know that some friends are already there. I'll be there myself in about 23 hours time ...
On Monday morning as we set sail, |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: vectis Date: 01 Aug 02 - 03:32 PM I'll see the discerning ones at Broadstairs. Singers and players are welcome to join us for any Travelling Folk sessions. Hello Murray!!!!! Are you back with us yet? I'll pass on your "Hi" to Alan and Carol next time I see them. "Martin said to his man" Mary |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: GUEST,McGrath of Harlow Date: 01 Aug 02 - 03:45 PM Of course you do realise that if anyone wanted to sing on the train down, they'd need a Public Entertainment Licence to make it legal? |
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Subject: RE: Help: Sidmouth Sessions From: GUEST,John Barden Date: 02 Aug 02 - 06:32 AM Try 'The Bedford', you never know what's going to happen next - could be Irish, could be English, could be a dance - you just never know. The Swan is well worth the effort too if the weather's kind. Hope to see you there - I'll be in the Bedford. |
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