Towersey Folk Festival!!!

Subject: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 08:54 AM

Well we are back from an absolutely wonderful extended weekend...even with the mud and the rain on friday and saturday!

The singing in the Barn was once again wonderful...the best in the country IMO. A HUGE thank you to The Admiral and Mrs Admiral for running the singaround and entertaining us all.....I even managed to murder a few songs over the weekend.

It was lovely to see so many mudcatters there...even those who drove down from Whitby and Bridgenorth to join us all in song.

We really did party hard and we will do it all again at Wareham on Friday...if not see you all next year!!

Khatt x

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: fiddler
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 09:05 AM

Seconded

Do we have a debate or shall we take a vote!

Andy

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: GUEST,Crystal
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 10:02 AM

Towersy was great, even if I didn't get to the barn!
My mother had a bit of a gripe that only the friends/known singers of the people who run the singarounds were asked to sing.

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 10:20 AM

Linda and I had a great time. I didn't spend so much time in the barn as I was trying to get a mixed session working in the end of the pub nearest the ladies loo - after all that facility seemed to have quite a queue for most of the time.

Incidently Crystal, LtS is definitely a "friend/known singer of the people who run the singarounds" and she somehow got left out on Sunday night. I think the answer is to make it clear to "The Admiral" that you wish to sing and perhaps to remind him, if you haven't sung by the time he starts asking singers to do a second song.

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: Micca
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 10:22 AM

Crystal, the reply to your second sentence is plural and they bounce, The organisers of the Barn singaround do, and have ALWAYS encouraged the participation of anyone who comes into the Barn, regardless of ability or whether they are "known" or not. It may APPEAR to the casual observer that it is exclusive and elitist but it is not in any way, everyone is treated equally,and with courtesy and respect, and as the Moderator makes his way round the room ALL are given the opportunity to sing or recite a poem or a story, that it can take a long time for your turn to come round is due to the strength of the singing support that is always found in the Barn.
I KNOW this to be true as I have just spent most of the weekend in the Barn singing and witnessing the way it works first hand.
And I had a wonderful time, First Class singing, Great Company, MANY Mudcatters, and Now I am in need of a shower and some rest, Many Thanks To The Admiral and Mrs Admiral, and all the others that made this memorable weekend,

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: freda underhill
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 10:29 AM

singing in the barn was a great experience - and the admiral, who didn't know me from a bar of soap, came around and asked various people he didnt know, including me, if we wanted to sing. its bad luck youre mother missed out, crystal, but i think he was juggling a lot of people in there. the acoustics are great in there, the singing was lovely, like the swelling of an ocean at the end. i hope to get back another time and to last out the whole festival.

i did hear liz sing a couple of very funny parodies the saturday lunchtime, so i think if she missed out, so did everyone else!

freda (now also showered and scrubbed!)

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: GUEST,Mingulay
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 10:49 AM

Micca is spot on in observing the apparently unobservable (by most).
The Admiral tends to disappear wraith like into the crowd disguised by a cloud of pipe smoke and a thin mist of marine diesel (who needs after shave) only to appear almost magically back at his seat with another head full of names of singers he may not have met before. Personally I think he pays Pearl to provide some sort of distraction whilst he does this. In my view the best organiser of a singaround I have ever come across. So there!

Pete

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: Seaking
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 12:27 PM

I spent a lot more time in the barn over the weekend than I'd originally anticipated (it was good - and the only place I know where the acoustics are better is Miskin Mill ) and it was certainly very well managed. Not having sung in this session in previous years I was unknown to The Admiral but was asked if I'd like to sing fairly early into my first visit so can echo the sentiments above that the session was run as fairly as it is possible to do so - including asking unknown as well as familiar faces to sing. . I also enjoyed putting a lot of new faces to Mudcat names - some had badges but even more had hipflasks !

Also managed to get to some concerts, this year's discovery was Kate and Ruth, two lovely Australian girls who sang in the Saturday night concert. Roy Bailey was - Roy Bailey, always the same set (more or less) and the place was predictably packed.   Kangaroos like to hop......

Surprised at the relatively low attendance at the Andy Irvine / Malinky concert, we went early to avoid having to fight our way in but it was quiet. Jury is still out on Andy Irvine - some of his material a bit 'samey' perhaps ? Malinky as tight as ever - even if the fiddle player forgot to put new batteries into his pick-up before coming on.

Festival ended with my two children dressed in black binliners rolling round in the mud in the main arena - courtesy of the Shooting Roots movement and all in the interest of theatre art. The three hour drive home was a long one........

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: GUEST,skipy
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 01:13 PM

I have been to literally scores of sigarounds run by The Admiral(over 20 years), you will not find a man more hell bent on trying to get everone "on" than The Admiral. It does not matter if he knows the individual or not.
We only managed to make one session in the barn this year & as usual as we rached the 1/2 way point The Admiral asked "is there anyone in the room that has not sung & wishes to do so, before we go around again"!
Give me an admiral led sing around any day & give me 100s of them.
Ask him about the day at Bracknell when he finished a lunch time sing around and did not put Martin Carthy on!

Regards skipy

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: Morticia
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 01:20 PM

Made some new friends, sang some songs, drank some beer.....if there's a better way of spending a weekend, I don't know what it is. The mud and rain made an interesting motif but we didn't let a little thing like that get in our way.

Thank you from me too, Admiral and Mrs Admiral, we all had a wonderful time and a lot of that was down to the fun and professionalism with which you run the barn....although Pearl's rendition of that song about being 50 did cause me to spurt beer from my nose........never attractive, that.

Crystal, it really makes me tired when I hear this sort of comment (which I suspect may be levelled at every organised sing around everywhere)........there is NO favouritism but you do need to be a bit patient, waiting for your turn in a room stuffed with great singers and if, once in a while, you don't get a song in, so what? You've still had hours of chorus singing and listening to some of the best voices in the folk world, professional or amateur......seems like a bloody good deal to me!

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: Phot
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 01:59 PM

My first Towersey, and may I say what a well run and hugely enjoyable session the barn was! I didn't want to leave! It was great to put more faces to names and enjoy the great singing. One thing that really struck me was just how friendly and welcoming everyone was.

I finally got back to Devon at half Midnight, still singing my head off! Shame I had to get up at half five for work though!

See you all again at Wareham!!

Wassail!!

Chris (ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz)

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: GUEST,Crystal
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 02:08 PM

Hey guys don't shoot the messenger!
I believe that my mother DID make it clear that she wanted to sing but got left out, it happens!
I seldom go to the barn for long because of the smoky atmosphere which makes it hard for me to breath so I can't say either yay or nay about apparent favouritism bacause I can't really stay there for more than about two songs without having to go outside and wheeze.

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 02:24 PM

I was in the barn for the Sunday lunchtime session, so I witnessed the wonderful performance of Mrs Admiral as John Sommerville's ventriloquist's dummy in their joint rendition of Sonny Boy!

George Unthank of the Keelers, who was sitting next to the Admiral, didn't get a song either - but he arrived late and ate his lunch....

Kitty

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 02:59 PM

Drank some beer Morti?......We practically drank the pub dry!!!!

Crystal...this year almost all of the smokers went outside to smoke....we found it makes it a nicer atmosphere and our voices hold out longer for all the chorus's! If you are at Towersey next year come down to the barn for a sing and introduce yourself.

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: *Laura*
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 03:51 PM

I had a great time! I've never been before (or only when I was a lil' baby) and I was only working part time so got to see lots of stuff.
Did anyone see Kerfuffle? When she (Hannah?) started to sing I was just amazed!!!
And Spiers and Boden of course, and The Demon Barbers... all good.
Also discovered that lemonade, orange juice and vodka don't go well together. :-s

xLx

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: Scooby Doo
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 03:58 PM

Glad you enjoyed yourself Laura after the thread about your mates.Did they come along afterwards?.Your only young like my son,he learnt at Sidmouth what to drink and what not too,we might be oldies with beards but we have been where you are now trying to work out the world and what to drink.I suggest stick to beer!!!!!!.

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: MBSLynne
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 04:01 PM

My first Towersey for 20 years. The Admiral didn't know me but I got a sing fairly soon after going in as well....and I noticed he doesn't take no for an answer either! He asked me to sing towards the end on Saturday evening. I was tired and couldn't think quickly of a chorus song, which was what he asked for, so I said "No". He said "Yes please" which wasn't a question. So I sang!

I also met several Mudcatters which was nice. Now I'll know who I'm talking to in the chat

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: *Laura*
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 04:40 PM

no - they both had "family commitments"
ha - i bet they did.

I haven't got into beer yet - sorry. i love the smell, don't mind the taste but hate the aftertaste! Cider's alright but i don't like to tell people that haha.

xLx

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: GUEST,The Admiral & Mrs at home...
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 04:48 PM

Thanks hugely for your defence of my singaround running abilities and fairness, I started to run singarounds precisely because of the unfairness of some of those who were running them at that time. I have always worked on a basis that those who are in the room first get to sing first and once I have been round the room I then take the executive decisions myself (and at the Horseshoes that can usually take anything up to four hours!) going by what people have sung previously but usually going for finishing the evening (afternoon?) on a high. I'm really sorry that Crystal's mum didn't get to sing but there was also some other fellah who walked out of the room in disgust before I got to him, loudly complaining to his mate that he hadn't got on. For a singaround to be run fairly you've really got to give me a chance do so. Again apologies to your Mum and please ask her to introduce herself to me and I promise I will get her on, if she is within the above parameters.

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: el_punkoid_nouveau
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 05:17 PM

Unfortunately, I couldn't make it to Towersey this year - having heard how wonderful it is (someone had to look after the offspring).

Hope to be allowed to go next year...

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: My guru always said
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 05:27 PM

Managed to get along to the Sing in The Barn last night for the first time (knackered though as was on the way home from Bridgnorth). Really enjoyed the Sing (thanks Mr & Mrs Admiral) & heard some Fab songs & Singers! Hope to get along next year too....

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 02:21 AM

I think I've just about woken up now..... and apologies for missing Monday night Admiral - I sat down for a little rest at about 5.00pm and got woken up by the fireworks at 11.30pm! Never mind, by next year the dicky ticker will have been fixed and I'll either be back to my usual annoying self or sitting in a corner and drooling.

It was, as always, a great singaround, and the songs were all there if the authors weren't. Old friends were remembered and new ones made.

Seaking, sorry if I was a bit spaced out, medication will do that to a girl.

Lizabee - sorry we didn't get more time to talk about Dorset, maybe another time.

All the other Catters who were there and I didn't get to meet properly (Laura, Crystal, Phot et al...), oh bugger. Maybe next time!

Now does anyone know how this 4ft iron fence stake got into my tent and why did I bring it home?

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: pixieofdoom
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 06:12 AM

Another fantastic Towersey, especially the barn sessions. A big thank you to the Admiral and Mrs Admiral for everything (especially the hand holding). It was wonderful to see everyone again and to meet lots of new people, can't wait til next year, though the hot bath and my own bed had a fair amount of appeal after all that mud. Jack the puppet says he had a lovely time too, though his head hurt after drinking from all those hip flasks

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: Essex Girl
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 07:25 AM

Agree with most of the above. All the barn sessions were great and it just as good to join in the chorus as to sing yourself. I didn't find it at all smoky this year as all of the people in the corner were considerate enough to go outside to smoke. Thanks to all who made it such an enjoyable weekend, and I'm sorry I had to miss the last night.

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: Cllr
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 09:45 AM

I have heard this about the admiral before I say then and now, that he sometimes makes what can be a very tricky job look too easy. I have never seen anyone run a singaround better than him. Most people say that it is only his friends etc but... Here is the secret == what he does is sneak about and ask people who they are, or where are they from, When he annouces that it is Fred (or Freda) from P'keepsie or wherever, some people have been known to tut and say " oh its another of his friends"
Making eye contact or telling whoever is running a singaround that you would like to be included also helps as being a mind reader is not always possible. I hope having said this that Guest crystal and her Mother enjoyed the singing and that they had a great time I apologise if the tone of this post sounds as if I'm having ago 'cos Im not.(just trying to explain what might have happend) I for one am sorry that I couldn't get to the Barn this year. Cllr PS I tried to post this yesterday and lost the internet connection for a day

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: The Admiral
Date: 03 Sep 04 - 03:06 AM

Again, thanks for all the support for my running of singarounds, I do try and run them fairly and it's good to know that others think I do. To update you on the collection we had running all weekend for Graham King and the Museum of Witchcraft down in Boscastle. We've now done a recount and come up with a figure very close to that that we suggested on Monday afternoon; £435.67! This has now been banked and we will be writing a cheque after this weekend to send to Graham.
Thanks to you all and give yourselves a pat on the back!
Tony and Pearl

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 03 Sep 04 - 03:14 AM

Thank you Admiral, I have now put my shoulder out, patting myself on the back.

See you soon?

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: The Admiral
Date: 03 Sep 04 - 10:47 AM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Towersey Folk Festival!!!
From: GUEST,Crystal
Date: 03 Sep 04 - 05:50 PM

Well done on the collection front! Thats a pretty impressive sum.
Maybe I'll be in the barn next year if I can afford to Towersey.