Sidmouth Tickets

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Lizzie in beautiful Sidmouth
Date: 13 May 05 - 04:21 PM



Oooohhhhh! Nooooooo! If only my mind was narrow I wouldn't have written anything. In fact...if my mind was narrow and I was nasty I'd be a bit like you I guess. ;0)

Luckily....I'm usually to be found rolling around the floor with laughter at some of the things that get put on here! And I'm telling you.....with my sense of humour.....they wouldn't ever dream of letting me into the church hall in the first place! ;0)

In fact, over this last year I've laughed so much that my wrinkles now start at the corners of my eyes and go right down the side of my face!! The things I've sacrificed for Sidmouth! And I'm only 19!! ;0)

Thanks for your sweet post though. Very thoughtful of you to bother to put it on.

Lizzie :0)

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Lizzie in beautiful Sidmouth
Date: 13 May 05 - 04:13 PM

Hello Lynne! Wavey Smiley!!

Lizzie :0)

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Lizzie in beautiful Sidmouth
Date: 13 May 05 - 04:09 PM

Hmmmmmm.....'Guest Alan J'.....think you caught me out there! ;0)I was tired when I looked at your post, but now that I've woken up a bit more............Double Hmmmmmmmmm! I was wondering where Stevie Scarlett had gone.....think I just found him....the little red minx!

Mind you, I still like that 'serendipity' word. ;0) (I'll bet the McBrides and that Sidmouth Resident would use that word too!)

Lizzie :0)

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: GUEST
Date: 13 May 05 - 04:04 PM

Sidmouth must be very proud to have such a narrow minded nasty piece of work like lizzie to promote it.

People like her, not that there are many are church hall material. They feel important in places like that.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: GUEST,MBSLynne
Date: 13 May 05 - 04:00 PM

*sigh....how many times does the same thing have to be pointed out to people before they get it fixed in their heads? This year is a ONE OFF because there was not the time or money to organise the festival on anything like the same basis as usual. Next year it will be a proper festival again instead of "folk week". You cannot expect it to be a totally smooth and polished organisation in the time that was available and with no money on which to do it. Personally, I think a tremendous job has been done in getting it organised to the extent that it has been.

I agree entirely with Lizzie...we do not need people who are determined to see only the negative and obviously have no desire or intention to enjoy the week and have fun. There will be enough of us who ARE going to enjoy it and are really looking forward to it.

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Lizzie in beautiful Sidmouth
Date: 13 May 05 - 03:56 PM

Dear Fellow Sidmouth Resident,

I've managed to get Mr. and Mrs. McBride to put you in the back of their car and take you down to Hampshire or Kent with them! Isn't that just the most wonderful news!!! It cost me quite a bit, but trust me, I think it's worth every penny! ;0) I've even packed a picnic for you to eat on your journey. I do hope you like spam sandwiches. ;0)

I think, just to be on the safe side, that it is probably best to leave town as quickly as possible, as Mr. and Mrs. McBride's car is a bit of an old banger (apparently!) and you may have to push it for part of the way, but at least you'll have some miserable company to keep you happy. ;0) Mr. and Mrs. McBride are so pleased that you are leaving town that they volunteered to come all the way down from their home town to pick you up and take you to whichever festival they eventually decide upon! What good people!

This will now mean that yet another groaning 'Folk Week Basher' has left Sidmouth and it will leave one more space for a vibrant, optimistic and loving person to come to my town who will make certain that they enjoy Folk Week to the full. ;0)

Oh! If, when you finally reach Hampshire or Kent, you are blessed with an overwhelming desire to stay there, do please let me know and I will ask Potburys to forward all your furniture on for you.

Always like to help wherever possible.

Bon Voyage!

Lizzie :0)

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: GUEST,Sidmouth Resident
Date: 13 May 05 - 03:28 PM

What a well-argued post from alan J and what a silly post from loony Lizzie cheering at the news that people are NOT coming to Sidmouth.

Lizzie dear gal, why do get such a perverse delight from seeing people leave Sidmouth? Surely you should be trying to bring them to Sidmouth?

I too think the cost of a season ticket for the Ham marquee is ridiculously expensive at £135.

As others have pointed out, last year's week-long season ticket at £160 got you into everything, not just one venue.

I fear this is just another example of the lack of co-ordinated planning for this year's Folk Week.

Each individual promoter is only concerned with his or her own interests and to hell with the rest of the festival (whoops, Folk Week).

As I've said so many times before, some of us Sidmouth residents want to see a proper festival back in our town.

We're not all like Lizzie only wanting a handful of pub sessions and small-scale dance displays on the prom or in obscure church halls on the outskirts of town.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Lizzie in beautiful Sidmouth
Date: 13 May 05 - 01:26 PM

And here is Hobgoblin's site Jillie. I hope this works, I'm an absolute techno dingbat! Fingers crossed!

http://www.hobgoblin.com/hobnob/news.htm

Barry, if you're out there, can you activate it for me as you did last time? Totally hopeless at this! ;0)

Or, if Barry's not there and anyone else is......HELP! ;0)

Thanks.

Lizzie :0)

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: GUEST,Eye lander - not logged in!
Date: 13 May 05 - 12:26 PM

I read an email or something the other day saying that Hobgoblin will be sponsoring the Ham Marquee and there would be a season ticket for that venue @ £125 or £135 can't remember which now. But I am sure if you go to their web site there will be info there.

Jillie

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Lizzie in beautiful Sidmouth
Date: 13 May 05 - 08:45 AM

Woops! And Alan too...sorry Alan! Glad you're coming along as well!

Any man that uses the word 'serendipity' is very welcome in my town! ;0)

Lizzie :0)

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Lizzie in beautiful Sidmouth
Date: 13 May 05 - 08:43 AM

Oh Boy....am I glad that Phil and Maggie McBride aren't coming! ;0)

Ain't no room in my town this year Phil and Maggie for Moaning Minnies! I live here, have done for 5 years now, but we have a family and have NEVER been able to afford a season ticket. This year, as always, we will pick and choose what we want to go to most.

AND this year, more than any other we will enjoy ourselves and look forward to a great Folk Week that people like you are just SO miffed about!

Sorry to disillusion all you McBrides, but I'm afraid that Sidmouth is now full of people who love the festival and the folk week and are prepared to support it in whatever way we can. We SO don't have time for Moaning, Stirring Minnies any more!!

Look out Hampshire and Kent....they're on their way down to you!! ;0)

Right....move along...thank you.

SO pleased that Robbie and Annie are coming! :0) Great, positive people! Whoooop!

Lizzie :0)

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: GUEST,alan J.
Date: 13 May 05 - 07:13 AM

The £160 season last year covered absolutely everything. People could easily switch between different types of event and different venues.

If someone buys the Ham series ticket (I don't consider it a season) they still have to pay for morning workshops and the LNE, and at a price of £138 they will want to get full use from their ticket, therefore the Bedford concerts, Manor Pavillion and Blackmore Gardens events will loose potential customers.
In addition to the Ham series you could also pay for a £90 social dance ticket from Roy Godswen.

The unfortunate consequence of operating different events as separate profit centres is that the organisers will be competing for ticket sales to avoid their own losses. I suspect the use of venue-specific series tickets is an attempt to lock in a group of customers rather than provide a better service to the audience.
This is understandable from a financial standpoint, there is no cross-subsidy between events, and advance sales with provide upfront working capital for the organiser, but it does mean that the audience splits into separate distinct tribes instead of crossing between categories and experiencing something new.
I have always enjoyed the freedom to float between different types of concert, dance and session, and have the serendipity of stumbling across an unexpected delight.
I'd suggest ignoring the limitations of series tickets, and go to different events as the mood takes you.

alan J.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Mrs_Annie
Date: 13 May 05 - 07:10 AM

Well the preview didn't look like that - and it's left out my quote. ??

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Mrs_Annie
Date: 13 May 05 - 07:09 AM


(sorry I can't work out how to do italics)

Robbie, hear, hear, I could have written that myself. We are hoping to have a holiday in a nice place, with a few concerts thrown in of people we really want to see. And hopefully some dancing round the town.
If you buy a season ticket you're committing yourself to see everything - when one night you might just fancy an evening in the pub.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: rhyzla
Date: 13 May 05 - 07:00 AM

£135 is only part of the information!

Afternoon events: £7 -£12.50

Eveving events: £12 - £15

Seems fairly reasonable - you can pick and choose if you want

Or as Robbie says above, buy into the bits you fancy!!

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: RobbieWilson
Date: 13 May 05 - 06:03 AM

Really?


I just checked last years site and found the season ticket last year was £160. A Sidmouth season ticket for me and my kids has always been beyond my pocket. It is not any less affordable this year. What is on offer may be different this year but it needn't be more expensive.

I also find it puzzling that anyone would have booked to go to Sidmouth on the understanding that it would be a different kind of festival, with no season ticket, as has been said up until now and then change their mind and have to undo their commitments when one does become available but is expensive.

I willl be coming to Sidmouth for the first time this year because as a festival it has become affordable to me. There may be bits I decide not to buy into but I am really looking forward to meeting loads of friendly people and enjoying some wonderful music.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: GUEST,Phil & Maggie McBride
Date: 13 May 05 - 05:14 AM

Dear Mudcatters,

First the good news:

The new 'fRoots' magazine carries an advert from Hobgoblin saying there will be a season ticket after all covering every afternoon and evening concert in the Ham Arena Marquee.

Well done Hobgoblin for sponsoring the Marquee concerts.

Well done Hobgoblin for listening to audience demands for a week-long season ticket.

Now the bad news:

The season ticket will cost £135. It only covers the Ham Marquee concerts. It does not cover any concerts, dances or other events elsewhere.

This must make it the most expensive festival season ticket anywhere in the U.K.

We always enjoy a range of concerts and dances at Sidmouth and have been attending for many years. We had hoped to support the Folk Week in 2005 but now feel it is being priced right out of our pocket when added to transport, accommodation, food and drink costs etc.

We have reluctantly cancelled our B&B booking today and reluctantly decided to take our custom elsewhere, probably to the Eastleigh Festival in Hampshire and / or Broadstairs in Kent.

We wish all involved with the Folk Week well and we hope to return in future years if its survives past 2005 but ticket prices have to be affordable and £135 per person for just one venue is not affordable to us.

Phil and Maggie

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: fiddler
Date: 21 Mar 05 - 08:30 AM

Mike E Please re read I did not say a bit of a botch up!

for a number of reasons isolated decisions have had to be taken, the organisors are doing their level best under difficult circumstances a botch up is not waht I said - a bodge yes - It has - against a lot of obstacles and expectations been made to work! - A ROUGH AND READY DEFINITION OF A BODGE!!

Please everyone read what is said not what you want it to say!

I support what is being done and I know the folk behind it are trying hard, have a wealth of expertise and are seeking to obtain that which they may not have when needed. Contrary to what many put out on this thread and others, they have the future of the festival, the promotion of Folk music and the protection of their clientel in mind at all times - the order here - before any one makes any assumtions that clientel is last has no relevance to the importance given to it or any other topic mentioned.

I also accept no aobligation legal or otherwise to justify this or any other email not concerning tickets on this thread!

OK - in a nutshell - THEY ARE WORKING HARD TO PROVIDE A GOOD WEEK - STOPPING TRYING TO KNOCK THEM DOWN LIKE SKITTLES!!!!!!

THIS THREAD WAS ABOUT TICKETS - I THINK IT HAS SERVED THAT PURPOSE!

Andy

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Lizzie in beautiful Sidmouth
Date: 21 Mar 05 - 07:38 AM

Puzzled Pig....this is specially for you.

"It is worth a thousand pounds a year to have the habit of looking on the bright side of things.".........Dr.Samuel Johnson 1709-1784

Read. Digest. Smile! :0)

Lizzie ;0)

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: MBSLynne
Date: 21 Mar 05 - 04:41 AM

Puzz;ed Pig..perhaps you haven't been bothering to read the rest of the thread? The festival may have no 'overall festival director' but is being organised by a group of people which includes a number of organisers of festivals and other events who know perfectly well what they are doing and have a long history of running events....it also includes professionals who are adequately able to advise on all matters of health, safety and legality. And they are doing it, not to make money, but because they care about Sidmouth festival and it's future, so they are going to do it right.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: GUEST,Puzzled Pig
Date: 20 Mar 05 - 07:21 PM

"What is so different about 2005 compared to previous years that puts the Ham Marquee in doubt?"

Ummm... how about the absence of Steve Heap, Mrs. Casey Music, their Safety Officer and an overall festival organiser who knows what he's doing.

"Talk about obvious" as Cllr. would say.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: el_punkoid_nouveau
Date: 20 Mar 05 - 05:13 PM

If theyr'e from Salcombe, must be some perverse kind of Mountain Goat, just to get over the hill!

Or is that why they're decaying??

epn

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Cllr
Date: 20 Mar 05 - 05:11 PM

talk about obvious!
Same poster who said Im a local govt officer is now pretending to be another festival organiser Ha ha ha ha
About these goats, African or european? Cllr

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: steve_harris
Date: 20 Mar 05 - 04:59 PM

{QUOTE]It is precisely because we do know what is involved that we question the arrangements for Sidmouth this year and, specifically, whether the tented venues will ever get licensed.[END QUOTE]

I'm glad you have this precise knowledge. Do tell us PRECISELY what is so different about 2005 compared to previous years that puts the Ham Harquee in doubt?

Or are you just Questioning things for the hell of it? A dose of the SeeRed disease perhaps? Oh dear! I think I've caught a it myself! I QUESTION if anyone has considered the risk that the Salcome Regis Liberation Front will sabotage the festival by hurling decaying goats onto the Ham Marquee from Beatlands Road!

Nurse! The screens!

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: RobbieWilson
Date: 19 Mar 05 - 08:15 PM

X
see you ther

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Bonecruncher
Date: 19 Mar 05 - 07:52 PM

Good comment, Big Mal.
Folk is about doing things , like singing, playing and dancing.
Concerts can be seen at any time, after all, that is why we have Guest Artistes at folk clubs.
It seems that the British public seem to have lost the will to do things for themselves, preferring to do the "easy" thing and sit on their chumps while others do the work (i.e. entertain them).
Probably we have been pushed into this attitudde under the aegis of "Health and Safety".
Colyn.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Malc R
Date: 19 Mar 05 - 01:26 PM

No Marquee, No Concert.........Yipee!!!

Means there will be more real folk, singing real folk songs, to real music and having real fun, and all at a sensible price..we live in hope.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: RobbieWilson
Date: 19 Mar 05 - 01:03 PM

Two of my least favourite words in one sentence; professional and organisation. Two of my favourites in return; folk and music. If I can't find a space to play and sing and meet folk in a seaside town in the summer I shall be very surprised.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: GUEST,Sorry but I'm yet another Anon. Guest
Date: 19 Mar 05 - 08:50 AM

I just wanted to reassure Bonecruncher that many of the people posting here do have considerable experience of organising folk festivals and folk venues. Blowzabella for one if you read his comments above.

It is precisely because we do know what is involved that we question the arrangements for Sidmouth this year and, specifically, whether the tented venues will ever get licensed.

Others can deride the postings on licensing issues as much as they like but no licence means no venue means no concerts.

Blowzabella is half-right in saying those planning to attend Sidmouth come-what-may won't worry about when tickets are going on sale but many others look at all the festival line-ups around this time of year and then decide which to attend.

I fear Sidmouth will lose a lot of these casual visitors this year due to the lack of confirmed detail on tickets, camp sites, venues and so on, also due to the lack of a season ticket.

However the real danger is that huge crowds still turn-up expecting the usual professional organisation only to then find the well-meaning but amateur set-up this year can't cope.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Blowzabella
Date: 19 Mar 05 - 05:09 AM

Oh and I forgot to say, for all the planning and admin, there are only two of us - we do have assistance for the actual running of the event, but it can get a bit anxious beforehand!

Blowx - anxious!

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Blowzabella
Date: 19 Mar 05 - 04:28 AM

On the subject of how long and how many people it takes to organise a Festival...

The one that I'm involved with is organised and staged by a local authority. It provides a budget, but then sponsorship is raised to supplement that budget. Because of this, we don't know how much we can spend until we know what sponsors we have - and they don't tell you very far in advance at all! (This year, we didn't know the final budget until about seven weeks before the event!) On top of that, we don't have 'control' over any of the venues, so are subject to changes of tenancies etc, and not being sure if the new tenants will be people we can work with.

There are so many little bits of logistical things to do with staging a Festival - that take so long - and, often, you can't just do them once and be done - you've got to check and re-check that everything is in place.

We had a councillor once who said in a meeting - I don't understand why organising a Festival takes so long - all you do is make a few phone calls. Sometimes, it sounds to me as if some people posting here, who should know better, have the same attitude.

What does it matter if tickets aren't on sale for events at Sidmouth yet? If you've decided yu are going, get yourself onto the newsletter mailing list and you will, I imagine, be told when they are available. And why not, as suggested above, lend the organisers a hand in some way and stop whining!

(Another organiser, of another festival, stressed out)

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Bonecruncher
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 10:33 PM

Maybe things are "a bit of a botch-up" for this year, but have any of the doom and gloom merchants ever tried organising a folk festival?

Have they been on the organisation Committee and been involved with bookings of guests, site organisation, camping, dealing with local authorities, marquees, seating, venues other than on the festival site (hotels, pubs etc.) more dealings with local authorities, changes in legislation, yet more meetings with local authorities, and the miriad things needed for a successful festival?

The fact that a few people, working from their own homes and without the benefit of a professional full-time organisation have already offered us so much is something to be applauded, rather that described as a "botch-up".

As has been said before, it takes two years to organise a large festival and only slightly less for a smaller one. The current organisers are trying to give us a good festival within a timespan of mere months! For a number of them it could be a first time they have attempted to organise something on so large a scale.

Perhaps some of those with comments about poor organisation might like to offer their services NOW to the organisers, rather than expecting a free ticket for a few hours stewarding, then we might have a festival of which we can be justifiably proud.

Otherwise, perhaps it might be better to refrain from adverse comment and, for what we might receive, BE GRATEFUL!

Colyn.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: GUEST,Mike E
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 08:59 PM

There's always a first time Steve Harris. As so many people tragically discovered just a few weeks ago, you never can tell what the weather might bring.

And for Dave 'Breton Cap' it happened in the mid-90s when the Heineken 'Big Top' used to be sited at Falmer (O.K., not a seafront site like we used to have at Castle Field, Portsmouth but it's the fact that the entire thing blew down and we lost a whole day's show that matters).

I don't want to join in all the slagging-off of Sidmouth 2005, honest I don't, there's plenty of other people doing that it seems, all I want to do is warn of the problems that can occur with large tented structures when the wind gets up.

As for tickets which this thread was originally about, how refreshing to see Andy 'Fiddler' admit the whole thing is "a bit of a botch-up" this year.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: steve_harris
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 06:11 PM

"At Brighton the entire 'Big Top' blew down overnight" (etc)

Brighton is not Sidnouth although we've been told "the Ham can be pretty wild on a windy day"

Remind us when a Sidmouth Festival marquee suffered wind damage?

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: GUEST,Breton Cap (without his cookie)
Date: 16 Mar 05 - 10:25 AM

"At Brighton the entire 'Big Top' blew down overnight"

Hang on a sec! thats where I live and I don't recall that happening.

More details please in case I am suffering from brain fade!

Dave

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: GUEST,Mr Red
Date: 16 Mar 05 - 10:06 AM

I am (AFAIK) on the mailing list and have had two pdf's. No season tickets per se, stewarding on a genre basis and maybe there will be block tickets for (say) LNE (in Salcombe Regis) or eg "tea dances". No ticket details have arrived at Castle Goch yet.

I am planning to go which is a first for me (despite various accusative sightings in previous years)

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Lizzie in beautiful Sidmouth
Date: 16 Mar 05 - 08:59 AM

Oh Ralphie! I an soooo upset! :0(

There are crsytal tears starting to run down my cheeks! Sob! If it wasn't for the fact that you're coming to support Sidmouth AND play I'd just collapse into a heaving heap of misery!

HOWEVER.....I've had a thought....Now I know where you're all going to be on the Sunday night.....I'll run down to The Bedford and give you a huge big ((((XXXXX SLURPY KISSY XXXX))))instead!

You'll be fine Ralphie, honestly!....I have that new denture cream that's advertised on the tele all the time! The Super Strong One! ;0)

Chuckle! Giggle! Splutter!

Oh dear me......this thread does make me laugh!

Lynne.....would you please STOP stealing all my Boysies!!!! Grrrrrrr.......! ;0)

Lizzie :0)

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: MBSLynne
Date: 15 Mar 05 - 05:29 PM

Come to the Volunteer on the first Friday night! Or I'll see you in the Anchor.......form an orderly queue please...

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Ralphie
Date: 15 Mar 05 - 03:50 PM

OK Lynne.
I acquiesce.
R

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: MBSLynne
Date: 15 Mar 05 - 03:27 PM

Hug me instead!!

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Ralphie
Date: 15 Mar 05 - 03:07 PM

Hello All.

Politicking aside.

Patterson,Jordan,Dipper will be playing at the Bedford Sunday Night.
Two decades of playing at Sidmouth, in various guises, has so many fond memories for me that, If we can contribute just a little, then, we've done the decent thing.

Regards Ralphie...

PS. How do I avoid Lizzies hugs??!!

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Lizzie in beautiful Sidmouth
Date: 15 Mar 05 - 08:36 AM


At Portsmouth when the wind got up we had to stop the show half-way through a headline band's act and evacuate the tent.

And health & safety regulations are much tighter now than they were then!

You have to remember that there are power cables and lighting rigged to the sides and roof of the tent. Believe me, it really is dangerous if the wind gets up.>


Dear'Mikeeeeee'

Now listen....I've put out a poster with 'Do not let this man into Sidmouth under ANY circumstances!" written on it, because I've realised there is a common thread going on here. WHEREVER you seem to turn up...tents, big tops and marquees get blown away!! EEK!

I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but I think this MAY be happening because you're so FULL OF WIND that YOU are creating the VERY problem that is causing you, and the rest of us ;0)......SO much anxiety!!

Therefore...I'm sending you several packets of Gaviscon Tablets which are guaranteed to 'break down wind' and will leave you feeling calm, relaxed, faaaaar more attractive to everyone (!) and thus enable you to sit in tents, marquees and big tops quite safely from now on!

I've also spoken to the Health and Safety Ispectorate Directorate and suggested that EVERYONE coming to The Ham Marquee should partake of 2 tablets per concert.....just to be on the safe side! ;0)

Anyway, don't panic...the only things that will get 'Blown Away' at Sidmouth will be the minds of the jolly people who come to see all the brilliant acts happening down on The Ham.

Yours smilingly,


Lizzie :0)


PS 'Andy'...above. You've turned into Andy Andy! Are you related to Handy Andy at all? ;0) Sorry...couldn't resist that one! And now..back to THE STORY OF THE TICKETS!!

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: fiddler
Date: 15 Mar 05 - 03:30 AM

I believe this line started as a query about tickets, as usual we seem to have moved a long way form that subject!

I have discussed many apsects of this festival with many folk (including some of the promoters / organisers) let them get on with their job and please let's keep threads like this to teh topic they started on.

We are all doing a good job of talking down Sidmouth whay not start a thread on 'things that I know more about in organising a festival in Sidmouth than anyone else.

so it'll be dominated by Steve from sidmouth adn Lizzie at least it gives them a relevant forum rather than hijack another thread!

That is not an accusation you pair and you are not the only guilty ones.

Yes the ticket thing needs looking at and it does look like a bit of a bodge this year - I know there are reasons perhaps Folk South West can take that on board for 2006 in the maentime if anone can offer help and advice on this topic please do so.

Please don't get involved in defending my castigations in this post -after all that is my complaint!

Andy
Andy

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: MBSLynne
Date: 15 Mar 05 - 02:34 AM

Mike E, the people who are running Sidmouth this year are all people with an enormous combined experience of running events and festivals...they know all about that as well as you do and are organising appropriately.

Lizzie isn't 'making light' of the isuues, just trying to point out these facts to the doom and gloom merchants in her own, inimitable way.

And let's face it...it doesn't matter how much insurance you have...insurance doesn't save people's lives, it only pays 'compensation' afterwards. There seems to be this strange attitude these days that if you are well insured nothing will happen to you. Think about it.

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: GUEST,Mike E
Date: 14 Mar 05 - 08:59 PM

In answer to Steve Harris who doubted whether concert tents have ever blown-down at festivals it happened several times to the Heineken 'Big Top' Festival in the mid-90s, held in a huge marquee on windy seafront sites just like The Ham.

At Brighton the entire 'Big Top' blew down overnight and we lost the whole of the following day's show.

At Portsmouth when the wind got up we had to stop the show half-way through a headline band's act and evacuate the tent.

And health & safety regulations are much tighter now than they were then!

You have to remember that there are power cables and lighting rigged to the sides and roof of the tent. Believe me, it really is dangerous if the wind gets up.

The council will insist on £15 million public liability insurance and a whole raft of safety measures before they licence the tent. That will cost a substantial sum of money... probably more than for the Knowle arena where the audience were out in the open.

Gordon Newton is well-respected as a music promoter and as a (retired) promoter myself I wish him lots of luck and very good weather.

Organising major outdoor events is, however, a very different ball-game to promoting concerts and dances inside halls.

I think some of the people voicing concern about licensing and safety issues have every right to be concerned until the licence is actually issued by the council.

Why do you think Steve Heap withdrew? If he couldn't make it all add up financially and if he'd had enough of the local council's licensing and environmental health officers do you really think others can make it all happen 'just like that' especially when they don't even have the £60,000 council funding that Steve enjoyed.

Unlike some on this board I have no axe to grind but I do feel an obligation as someone with a lifetime's experience in the events industry to warn the likes of Lizzie not to take licensing and safety issues so lightly.

At the end of the day you are talking about people's lives here. It may sound melodramatic but lives have been lost at major events in the UK and abroad when infrastructure failed.

None of us want to see that happen in Sidmouth.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Steve in Sidmouth
Date: 14 Mar 05 - 07:34 PM

Lizzie, my sweetie pie,

I have faith in my ability to produce a rational analysis - even when I am under your (considerable) influence.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Lizzie in beautiful Sidmouth
Date: 14 Mar 05 - 04:25 PM

You certainly do El Punkoid? That's rather a dashing name? Do you have Spanish Ancestors? Any relation to El Cid? ;0)

Lizzie

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Lizzie in beautiful Sidmouth
Date: 14 Mar 05 - 04:23 PM

No......Steve...you're COMPLETELY missing the point here!

You haven't got any photographs of what will be happening INSIDE the halls. It's what is going to take place INSIDE the halls that counts so much!

Most people are perfectly happy to have a different venue just for one year....that's why everyone is pulling together....to make Sidmouth happen!

Now listen....all this reminds me of when I used to be in The Sealed Knot, an English Civil War Re-enactment Society, many moons ago! We'd all camp out in the fields....sometimes quite a long way away from the battlefield, but we didn't mind.....we were all together and having the time of our lives. In the afternoons we'd all march down to wherever the battle was going to be...and home again afterwards.

Often there would be dancing....sometimes in beautiful, ancient pubs but more often than not in village halls, just like the ones in your photos. I can remember being all dressed up in my 'dancing gear', having been a plain old 'Camp Follower' all day in my hessian skirt and filthy blouse...authenticity!....and sometimes we'd turn up at a
1960's-70's style hall and I'd think..."Oh No!...not here! I'm all dressed up in silk, lace and pearls with feathers in my hair!....Where are the ancient beams?...Where is the history?"

But then...we'd all go INSIDE the hall and suddenly...all I saw were the other dancers....the walls, the harsh lighting...all melted away and the only thing that I was aware of was the excitement and the joy of the dancing....and a few Roundheads and Cavaliers of course!! ;0) ;0)

THAT is what counts Stevie Scarlett! And THAT is what Sidmouth Folk Week is ALL about this year too! Masses of people, coming together in a way they haven't done for YEARS! All taking part in something that is going to be very special.

And don't forget....Gordon has offered to do as much as he can to help with the dancing in The Ham Marquee....right by the ocean and no doubt he'll help wherever else he can too.

Read your new Newsletter as well, as that tells you that Ceilidhs are taking place in Blackmore Gardens, Ham Marquee and The Anchor Gardens amongst others.

Life is what you make it Steve....That goes for dancing too! Put even more effort and happiness into it this year than you EVER have before and you'll get SO much more back!

Give up being the Scientist and always searching desperately for the answers...the proof....let go of it all....and HAVE FAITH! Faith in yourself and faith in the people who KNOW what they are doing with the Sidmouth Folk Week, and faith in all the people who are coming to Sidmouth too.


Lizzie :0)

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: el_punkoid_nouveau
Date: 14 Mar 05 - 03:59 PM

Personally, I wouldn't trust a Government Scientist as far as I could throw him. After all, these are the cretins who would have had us believe that BSE couldn't be transmitted from cows to humans... or that genetic modification is safe... how many Government Expert Witnesses have now been discredited in court?

BTW Lizzie - do I have still have that spot on your dance card?

epn

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Tickets
From: Steve in Sidmouth
Date: 14 Mar 05 - 01:56 PM

Lizzie

It wasn't me, I promise.

Mudcat went into one of its unresponsive modes this afternoon - it does that every so often, but I had nothing to do with it, despite that I had just tweaked your digital tail.

Honestly.

I was a government scientist for most of my life - you can trust me.

Anyhow, the sun was shining (on Lizzie it was at any rate) and I went into town. Sunny, glorious, sullen, inward-looking Sidmouth. Then I took out my camera. How did the sun know this?

So the only photos you get are on a cold dismal cloudy day. I'll take some brighter ones when next we have a blue sky. I might even get Lizzie to pose for you all. Anyone taking bets?

How about a bit of habeas corpus on the side Lizzie? (HC = "Produce the body"). Prove to us that you really exist. You can have a webpage to yourself and a full frontal 800 by 600 in fine mode. You could be talent spotted.

In the meantime, while we grow old waiting, see the proposed dance venues here dance venues out of town .

If anyone has more up-to-date information please let me know.