FF: Recovering from Bedworth 2002?

Subject: FF: Recovering from Bedworth 2002?
From: JudeL
Date: 02 Dec 02 - 08:55 AM

For those who are wondering what the FF is - it stands for folk festival, I would have headed this as BS but festivals are music related so it doesn't seem apt.

Having not been to Bedworth before I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but what I found was a very enjoyable mix. It's a lot less formal than many other festivals which have booked artists. Although the quality of playing and singing on stage was very high, when they weren't onstage many of them could be found in one or other of the sessions and singarounds.

On the whole the venues were good too, although there was a bit of a problem in the Civic Center mostly on the Friday night because it had apparently not been realised that if you have a packed venue you don't need the heating on as well, so it was more than a little uncomfortable.
(Minor rant warning in next paragraph)
I know some people were complaining that they had to go out to smoke, but personally I can't thank the organisers enough for that, as smoke on top of the heat would probably have landed me in hospital. And as has been said before people should have a choice to smoke or not and if people smoke in a venue they remove that choice from those of us who don't want to breath in smoke. (ok rant over, back to the music)

One thing that I found very useful was that each artist in the program had an individual assigned time rather than a list of 8 or 9 artists due to appear in a concert with no indication as to running order. This means that you can plan much more effectively and not miss seeing an artist you wanted to see because you are sitting elsewhere waiting for another one who the program lists among several others as being due to play some time within the next 3 hours.

Informal stuff was good with some cracking song sessions in the Arts Cafe Bar and in the White Swan Pub, both of whom served a good selection of decent real ales

Met lots of Catters (too many to name all but you know who you are) and now have my mudcat badge. At one point in the Arts bar we had an amazing sounding chorus going composed mainly of catters. Thanks to many but especially to ColK for finding me an inhaler when I needed one and to Tig for her help (she knows what she did). Now all I need is about a week of sleep and I'll be ready to do it all over again!

Oh one last thing I have to mention... Mr Duck's solo performance of duelling banjos played on banjo and kazoo... has to be seen and heard to be believed!

Subject: RE: FF: Recovering from Bedworth 2002?
From: songs2play
Date: 02 Dec 02 - 10:47 AM

Any piccies Jude.

Subject: RE: FF: Recovering from Bedworth 2002?
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 02 Dec 02 - 11:43 AM

Many are VERY grateful that we left our camera at home - you know who you are!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: FF: Recovering from Bedworth 2002?
From: Snuffy
Date: 02 Dec 02 - 07:12 PM

Great to meet up with a lot of Catters again. Mrs Duck and I were totally gobsmacked to find that 48 years ago I visisted the school she now teaches at on a schools twinning trip!

Sunday seemed a lot better organised at the pub, compared to the free-for-all downstairs of previous years, and the civilised breakfast/singaround was excellent.

And the overcrowding in the scout hut was only severe this year, after cramming in 30 Shellbacks as well as the usual crowd last year .

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: FF: Recovering from Bedworth 2002?
From: Tig
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 12:01 PM

Yes, but the 5.15am on Sunday morning is still catching up with me!

Fun though wasn't it. It was my first time at Bedworth but I want to go again.

Subject: RE: FF: Recovering from Bedworth 2002?
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 12:17 PM

So do I - how about tomorrow!!

Subject: RE: FF: Recovering from Bedworth 2002?
From: Noreen
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 03:15 PM

Scouts are using it tomorrow, Mrs Duck...

(Yes, great fun!)