Saltburn Folk Festival. 2005 & 2006

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: Betsy
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 04:49 AM

Worth every penny Tig., nice to hear from you , a couple of weeks and we've cracked it .

Cheers,
Betsy

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: sapper82
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 02:09 PM

From: Tig - PM
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 04:57 PM

And what has happened to yours Sapper?

I've never had a badge Tig!!

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: r.padgett
Date: 27 Jul 06 - 03:17 PM

Fred's Competition is open anybody coming?

Ray

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 05:13 AM

I propose a mudcat gathering at the Conservative club at 11am on the Saturday (during the Usual Wilsonian choir session!) and just before the Big Sing/ Fred

Anybody up for it (bring yer badges) and hopefully Chris and John will be there ~ you might have to order it first

Ray

Competition for Fred last chance 12noon on the Saturday, please! check out the rules!! Personally bought a weekend ticket

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: Betsy
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 05:19 AM

Bit early for me Padge are you sure you don't mean 11 at NIGHT.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 06:56 AM

No Peter, if t'Wilsons can make for their sessions!! nuff said

Short walk from t'Spa

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: Tim theTwangler
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 08:40 AM

SO thats were you are Sooz!
How is it hanging?
I see you are persuading WLD Or "Big" as I like to call him to come over there hope you have great time we are really jealous not to be going is crap not having teachers holidays LOL
Tim

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: sapper82
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 09:19 AM

Don't forget that, as well as having Moor & Coast on the campsite, Saltburn has more than a few decent eateries and for real food fans, the delicatessen near the station has a delightful variety of eatable to tempt eve n the most jaded of palates!

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: Tig
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 09:48 AM

Looks like we are not going to make it after all. Mudcat badges which have been ordered are being sent to Col K for delivery (extraction of dosh etc).

We will however be at Whitby so if anyone else wants/needs a replacement if you PM me with your mudcat name we can take them there.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: sapper82
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 09:58 AM

Tig, whyever not? We will miss you!

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 04:21 PM

We will be there but not sure if I can make gather as it may be rehearsal time but Geoff should get there and I will send Angelica so anyone who wishes to buy tickets can do so.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: John Routledge
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 05:29 PM

Thanks for consideration Ray. Our rehearsal finishes at 11am I think so see you all there.Questions on FoM welcomed.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: Betsy
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 02:05 AM

Shame to miss you Tig - I expect there must be a good reason.
Will look out for Col K.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: MoorleyMan
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 04:43 AM

A Mudcat Gather's a great idea, Ray, but let's be honest, we can't really "gather" meaningfully and/or natter while th' Wilsons are in court/choir!!! The other problem is that the venue (the Con Club) is not smoke-free, and many Catters suffer from the allergy. -
Any other suggestions?

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 05:03 AM

Shouldnt be too bad at 11am!

Meet and then decide where is smoke free?

I will request all in the Conservative club between Noon and 4pm to refrain from smoking (when the Wilsons have left of course!)in the back main room
For duration of Fred's Competition

It is not clear whether there is a universal ban in all venues at all times from the programme
As you remark the Con club front room will be a smoker!

Ray

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: John Routledge
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 05:10 AM

The prospect of singing through smoke in a competition is somewhat bizzare :0)

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: ossonflags
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 05:29 AM

It will be my first time at Saltburn, but I can sing a bit.Were is the best place for singing/fringing?

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: GUEST,Sooz on hols
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 05:53 AM

Hope to make the competition on Saturday Ray (must be smoke-free though) Interested in any other Mud-gather on the same terms!

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 06:26 AM

Ok John and hi Sooz and ey up Mick McGarry!!

The Con club as I said for the competition and from all sorts of comments now received will be a no smoker as far I can make it!!! also front room Con club is a smoker normally but I ask people not to sing in there as we can hear em through t'other side.

I am sorry Mick but the weight of opinion is such

The Victoria bar is a smoker! there is a little room down stairs front which I think would go ok for you Mick, which may be alright for smokers/non smokers! Bar in there too!!

I think upstairs a non smoker, but a singing room

The Back Alex is a pub and a smoker but usually frequented by musicians

Probably the best thing to do is have Catters meeting in the Festival Office and ajourn to a pub like The Marine? I think it is on the Cliff top

Ray

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 06:57 AM

We're going to Saltburn and planning to camp..

WHat is the camping setup? We've heard that you have to pay or that it's free with a weekend ticket. Can anyone confirm?
Not being a skinflint, just that we'll be more into the singarounds.
It'll be our first English Festival , never having crossed the border for one till now. But looking forward to it...
Where would be a good singaround/singing session to start with?

A

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: ossonflags
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 07:10 AM

No problem - no smoking for me!!! I have now been a no smoking zone for nearly four months, having given up the demon weed after fifty years of smoking.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: nutty
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 07:52 AM

Saltburn is excellent for singarounds and sessions ..... all free and usually all day from Friday lunchtime.

Look in the Victoria - upstairs for singing - downstairs for sessions and sometimes a Wilson's gathering in the back room.

Look in the Marine .... again usually a mix of sings and sessions

Look in the Conservative club .... mainly singarounds

Look in the Back Alex ... sessions of all kinds (withPA I THINK)real mix of folk, blues, jazz usually.

Free concert at the bandstand one late afternoon (sat or Sunday, not sure which). All these events are in the programme, it's worth investing in one.

I don't think camping is free and I'm not sure of the situation if you haven't got a weekend ticket. Perhaps someone else could advise.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: Rasener
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 07:58 AM

Well done Ossonflags - you know it makes sense :-)

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: 8_Pints
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 11:09 AM

I have heard that they're charging £12 per person for the camping over the week-end: not sure if you need to have a week-end festival ticket though.

BTW: I gave smoking when I was 4 years old!

Bob vG

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: ossonflags
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 12:11 PM

Thanks Villan. No one sez it wos gonna be easy,but am giving it me best shot.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: r.padgett
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 02:26 PM

Good un Mick!

Ray

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 02:34 PM

Are any of you actually paying to go to concerts or are you all just going for the free fringe?

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: nutty
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 02:41 PM

It doesn't really matter. Concert venues are quite small at Saltburn so if you are a 'concert' person you really need a ticket to make sure of a seat. You also need a ticket to get into the late night extra's at the Spa.

But just coming along brings trade to the local shops, pubs, cafes etc. sio you are supporting the festival either way.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 06:49 PM

I don't see how supporting shops and pubs helps a festival that needs income.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: Northerner
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 06:53 PM

I'm going and I have a weekend ticket.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 03:50 AM

Many shops and pubs help festivals by advertising in the programme. This helps to pay for guests as well as the ticket/camping money.

Saltburn is a small Victorian seaside town, quite compact and a lovely place worth patronising

'Guest' give it a try! I bet you'll buy your pint tho'

Ray

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 06:21 AM

I've had this "weekend tickets support a festival and everyone else freeloads" argument often.
I tend to go to festivals for sessions and singarounds and not for concerts but in my opinion that isn't "not supporting the festival".

I support festivals by (I hope) contributing to the atmosphere of the weekend. Concerts can be staged anywhere, the rest is what makes a weeeknd. If everyone just went to concerts, regardless of size/intimacy then who would be at sessions etc? What would make it any different from a concert staged at any point in a year??

I buy pints in the local pubs, I shop locally whilst I'm there and I support the festival by singing in the singarounds and to me that's plenty.
I don't wish to criticise those who want to sit in concerts and not go to sesions/singarounds, I respect their right to want a different experience to me, all I look for is the same in return...

A

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 06:54 AM

Agreed Guest each to his own enjoy the festival!
Ray

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 07:03 AM

I respect their right to want a different experience to me, all I look for is the same in return...

Paid for courtesy of those who buy tickets. Very muddled thinking. In the end the survival of the festival will depend, and probably does depend, on sponsorship and grants. Come the economic hard times, these will vanish. However, I have never understood the folkie who complains of paying a few quid on the door and then spends twice as much on a couple of rounds.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: GUEST,A
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 09:02 AM

With the greatest of respect, my thinking is anything but muddled and I don't appreciate the implication.
The issue is not one of money, it's one of preference.

I choose not to go to concerts as I prefer to sit and listen to the "unknowns" who make the folk scene what it is; a shared enthusiasm; and one that can be participated in.

It is not "paid for courtesy of those who buy tickets". It is created by those who sit in the pubs and sessions. It is possible ( though never easy) to organise concerts and have an audience turn up and I, along with many others, know this from experience but that doesn't constitute a festival.

The ambience of a weekend depends on those who create the sessions and singarounds; it depends on the venues being prepared to accept this "invasion" ; it depends on the residents in a town/village/community accepting the invasion as they can see how i might add some colour to their weekends.
In short, it does not depend on the concerts.

And..who said it is a truth that "the survival of the festival will depend, and probably does depend, on sponsorship and grants"?

Why go down that road of booking "stars" or making grant applications?

I know of two Irish weekends, both of which were grant and sponsorship assisted, that lost their funding and decided to end things. In both cases, the people who had attended said "I don't think so" and arrangements were made to turn up as in the past. In both cases they now have thriving, albeit slightly smaller, weekends on the go again.
One of them has started re-booking guests, the other, despite being offered new funding, has chosen to stick with the "no guest" setup.

Additionally, I was at a weekend earlier this year in Scotland, organised without guests and with only 2 small venues on the go. Everyone who turned up had a great time. It will be on next year too.

As I said in my initial post, I respect the wishes of those who choose to attend concerts, I simply ask for the same resepct in return.
Accusing me of muddled thinking doesn't exactly engender mutual respect does it?
A

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 09:07 AM

I wish I'd said all that! Hear hear Guest A.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: sapper82
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 11:10 AM

That's the trailer packed and t'other½ really looking forward to getting rid of us all tomorrow for a quiet weekend!
Only got the stove, small tents, sleeping bags and personal gear to go.
Early start, pitch tent and off to Runswick Bay for the now traditional pre-festival swim!!!

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: John Routledge
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 11:48 AM

Wish that I had said what retired said.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: Betsy
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 08:16 PM

I understand "retired" , and it's an interesting view point This is not purely a Saltburn issue - what about Cambridge etc. without any booked guests.
Retired - why not start a new thread ( I won't steal your thunder by doing so ) "DO FESTIVALS NEED BOOKED GUESTS". I think you would open a great debate.
Look forward to seeing you all in a day or two.
Cheers

Betsy

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 10 Aug 06 - 04:01 AM

There are singaround festivals which cost vitually nothing if you want to do your own thing

Guests inspire others to strive to get better to be 'booked' and be seen for club and FFs

If you wish to simply spend your time boozing and singing and playing to your circle of friends,fine but it does get boring!

and I like alaugh with old and new friends who I dont see every week

Ray

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 10 Aug 06 - 04:44 AM

I have bought many a season ticket for festivals, and then spent most of the weekend playing in pubs! The line up at Saltburn looks cracking and is well worth the ticket price. It's probably me that's changed from a seated spectator to a participating session monkey!!

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: ossonflags
Date: 10 Aug 06 - 05:09 AM

Be nice to see you again Betsy after all these years.

You will probably recognise me, I will be the drunk one with a beard singing songs.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: GUEST,A
Date: 10 Aug 06 - 05:26 AM

Ok so it's "thread creep" but...
There are a couple of issues that are being repeated here and are at leastworth trying to discuss:
1. Lots of people mention money as if that is the factor behind my choice not to go to concerts/buy weekend tickets. That isn't the case, I could easily pay for a ticket and not use it: in fact like "retired" I have done exactly that in the past. What is important for me is that sense of community from being in sessions and singarounds, the idea that lots of people have lots to contribute. It's one of the (many) things that makes the folk scene so appealing to me. I don't like the artificial barrier between "artist" and "audience" that a concert setting promotes. I prefer the spontaneity and intimacy od good sessions; and I love the sheer joy of someone sitting unobtrusively all day/night then producing a moment of pure beauty that makes everyone think how privileged they've been to hear it.

2. Alcohol has been mentioned a lot too. It is present of course and sometimes prominent but the implication is that because of it, sessions tend to be a drunken rabble.
Sorry Ray, ("If you wish to simply spend your time boozing and singing and playing to your circle of friends,fine but it does get boring!") whilst I agree that a closed insular session of drunks isn't much fun for everyone else' most sessions I've been to, esecially singing ones, seem to be very welcoming and not excesively Bachanalian.


A
If I knew how to start a thread, I just might do that for this..

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: Betsy
Date: 10 Aug 06 - 05:27 AM

I hope you make yeself known Ossonflags - looking forward to it.
I hope you might be tipsy and happy rather than word you used.
I should never have used that word in a song I wrote but tipsy and happy didn't fit !!

Cheers,

Betsy .

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: r.padgett
Date: 10 Aug 06 - 03:15 PM

Guest A I do agree with virtually all you say, but not everyone sings or plays or drinks even

Festivals do put on concerts for such people and long may it be so

Some artists make a living out of such, or try to

This has to be financed somehow and brings their talents to many more people than sit in the pub

Sessions and singarounds can be had at many places as fringe events and to be honest I prefer singarounds to concerts. But if I want to see someone I will gladly pay. However I have run singarounds at festivals for many years and often returned home having seen nothing of the guests!!

Ray

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: nutty
Date: 11 Aug 06 - 05:07 AM

I'm aiming to get there early this afternoon.

See you all there.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 11 Aug 06 - 05:25 PM

I will be arriving tomorrow morning. To go back to camping costs Bob was correct it is £12 per person for ticket holders (and performers) so I am driving in each day.

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: Gillie
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 06:53 AM

That's per person, for the whole weekend. :-)

Subject: RE: Saltburn Folk Festival.
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 07:41 AM

Sadly i am now laid up in bed with a bucket. Hope you all have fun sing some for me!

Subject: Saltburn Folk Festival
From: GUEST,Steve Thompson
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 09:26 AM

Currently wecasting performances from Saltburn Folk Festival Click here for Webcast Site - also check the picture wall of images