Sidmouth Folk Week 2006

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 12 Jan 06 - 08:35 AM

Dave,
I am in the same position as Anahata - listed on the website, had some emails in November/December, but no contracts yet. It doesn't worry me; the commitment is there (on the website), and I trust them - as they trust me, not to book something else that week. It is only January after all.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 12 Jan 06 - 05:20 AM

(i) many of the people who attended the International Festival and arena events are now not attending at all, meaning that the Festival overall has far less income to play with

That's hardly surprising as it's only January!

The new festival hasn't started yet so no-body can judge how good it's going to be or how many people will turn up.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Folkiedave
Date: 12 Jan 06 - 05:17 AM

Anahata
(relieved to see we're listed under guests, we haven't actually heard from them yet)

Does that not worry you? If not why not?

Dave

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: steve_harris
Date: 11 Jan 06 - 09:36 PM

"I happpen to think that arts and cultural activities (and sport) should be subsidised - first of all by the taxpayer, and secondly by those who benefit from people's attendance, i.e. traders"

Ok, so you DO want someone else to stump up. It doesn't matter what they do in other countries - it isn't going to happen here. Ask Steve Heap.

"If it is the Council will close it down as you wouldn't fit half the people who used to attend in the much smaller number of venues now available"

Yes, you would fit in half the 2004 numbers quite well. There was lots of room in 2005. On what grounds would the Council close it down anyway? PLEASE don't say "licensing", that's SO tired and as 2005 demonstrated, WRONG

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: GUEST,Boatman
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 11:16 PM

At last some serious posts!

How I agree with Folkiedave and The Barden of England.

The trouble with Sidmouth now is:

(i) many of the people who attended the International Festival and arena events are now not attending at all, meaning that the Festival overall has far less income to play with

(ii) many of the people who are still attending are mainly interested in the sessions in pubs and on the prom, meaning there's less people buying tickets for the main concerts and dances, and

(iii) the council have cut their grant from £60,000 to zero and, let's be honest, many of the locals would rather we weren't there... they take our money but don't really welcome our presence in their quiet and backward town.

There's still enough happening to persuade me back one more year. Like The Barden of England I try to support those who work so hard to make festivals happen. I want the Folk Week to continue but when anything enters a spiral of decline it can be awfully hard to reverse the trend... and Sidmouth has an awful lot of competition from other festivals now.

John (Boatman) - The Singer

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Adrianl
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 03:05 PM

Yes let us get the taxpayers of Sidmouth (who mostly would rather we were not there) pay for our good time.

And lets get those traders to stump up and then we can complain about the high cost of food from the traders.

Whatever happens elsewhere we live in a world where events have to pay for themselves. Last year the list of sponsors was impressive. Already this year the list of sponsors is building up on the website Sidmouth Folk Week. But at the end of the day we the festival goer have to pay.

Adrian

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Leadfingers
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 12:51 PM

Never waved any free tickets at The Newt Manitas !

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 09:52 AM

Didn't Steve Heap recognise this work a few years ago by giving some of the Fringe organisers free tickets and billing the sessions in the program?

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Leadfingers
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 08:01 AM

Just a point of interest regarding the 'Unpaid'/'Free' fringe at The Sidmouth folk Week . A lot of the performers fronting the sessions are actually giving up Paid Work to be there , partly to support the festival and partly because they enjoy the atmosphere and consider the
festival as a Holiday from Boring Paid Gigs . I know this is so in my case ! I pay for accomodation and food and just get a discount on my weeks boozing for helping run the New Tavern with Gerry Milne , who
is also not getting paid for his week !
I hope to meet some of you in The Newt again this year .

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: GUEST,The Barden of England at work
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 05:54 AM

How right you are Folkiedave. However, it is the 'Rainy day' that so caught out the Arena. In effect it cross-subsidised itself, the good weather years paying for the bad weather years.

I thoroughly agree that in this day and age the Arts should be subsidised, and it's blatantly obvious that so called 'high end art', the Opera, Ballet etc. get far more subsidy per capita than this sort of Festival does. It now has to run without the £60,000 that the EDDC once gave it, but hopefully its now charitable status should help in the coming years. I will continue to support it and many other festivals, as the organizers and volunteers deserve our support - rather than the somewhat negative attitude that seems to proliferate at times.
John Barden

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Folkiedave
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 05:25 AM

"I loved the "big" concerts in the Arena - Steeleye and the Watersons in 2005 for example, Altan a year or two ago"

Do you love them enough to put your hand in your pocket to pay for a "rainy day" fund? Perhaps you do. The trouble is, a lot of people only loved them enough to demand that someone else such as taxpayers, traders stumped up.

I am not sure of the point you are making here. The attenders at the "Arena" concerts paid to get in - by buying a ticket, a season ticket, sometimes in the form of stewarding or as performers. But in whatever way - they paid. Knowing what artists charge and seeing the attendances at the Knowle I would imagine those concerts paid for themselves easily.

The fact is that if tickets for events were charged at cost there would be no opera, no ballet,, no Premiership football, very little theatre, few films, etc. etc. There would be little sport at any level for the vast bulk of it is subsidised. Sidmouth Festival to 2004 was "cross-subsidized" in that events that made lots of money subsidized those that didn't.

I happpen to think that arts and cultural activities (and sport) should be subsidised - first of all by the taxpayer, and secondly by those who benefit from people's attendance, i.e. traders. We are the fourth or fifth richest nation in the world - we can afford it.

It is not an unusual model. It happens every where else in Europe. I have been across most countries in Europe and every town above a minimum size has the equivalent of a councillor of culture who looks after these things. Even a small village in Hungary had someone responsible for culture.

The fact is this things are possible but we do have to have a different attitude towards it.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: GUEST,Roger Hayes
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 11:00 PM

"It seems more likely to me that 2006 will be much bigger even if not as big as 2004"

If it is the Council will close it down as you wouldn't fit half the people who used to attend in the much smaller number of venues now available.

Sidmouth is much better as a small community Folk Week based in local pubs and the occasional little tent.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 07:50 PM

Tattie Bogle,
you are right, and out of deference towards Dominicos Theotokopoulos (El Greco), I spell my handle with a "k". I can't paint for toffee... Even in drawing I am rubbish (except for pints, of course).

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: steve_harris
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 07:28 PM

"if Steve Harris is right that attendances in 2005 were only around 25% of those in 2004 then we could be on a downward spiral that is difficult to reverse."

I would remind you that Sidmouth 2005 had some minor marketing problems such as very real doubts about its existence.

It seems more likely to me that 2006 will be much bigger even if not as big as 2004.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: steve_harris
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 07:15 PM

"I loved the "big" concerts in the Arena - Steeleye and the Watersons in 2005 for example, Altan a year or two ago"

Do you love them enough to put your hand in your pocket to pay for a "rainy day" fund? Perhaps you do. The trouble is, a lot of people only loved them enough to demand that someone else such as taxpayers, traders stumped up

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 06:14 PM

+ BC Has just blown my cover! Dave and Elizabeth, Hellooooooooo! No I'm not hiding behind the name, but I thought El Greco was a famous painter???
TB

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: HipflaskAndy
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 10:19 AM

I C U R 1 2 EG!

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 09:34 AM

I B OK 4 1 2 U REPROB8!

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Leadfingers
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 08:30 AM

OK 100 will do !! And dont forget The New Tavern Sessionsi

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 08:25 AM

99 is the new 100. Over to you now Leadfingers.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: HipflaskAndy
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 08:20 AM

I, EG, I!

I B OK 4 1.
U B OK 4 1 2?

HFA

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 06:22 AM

Another session together might be good, HFA... Good for me in any case.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: HipflaskAndy
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 05:25 AM

I'll be returning again this year - to meet up with as many of the new friends made in 05 as piossible - and hopefully make a good few more.
Good luck Sidmouth 06 - may all that attend have a great time!
HFA

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: treewind
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 04:18 AM

I'll take Lizzie's unbridled enthusiasm over your snide sarcasm any day, GUEST.


Anahata

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 12:21 AM

"I may just have to spend the entire Folk Week in Sidmouth General Hospital" - Lizzie

Now what have the sick and dying done to deserve that?

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Dave Earl
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 04:16 PM

Tattie bogle

Trish, I know who you, El Greko and Herga Kitty are so if Kitty misses out on the intros I'll do the honours.

Dave

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Lizzie Cornish
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 04:12 PM

I forgot to say that we'd all LOVE to see The Demon Barbers coming back again this year Tattie. They were one of the major highlights of Folk Week last year for us.

Bring 'Em Back guys....but this time as a headline act down on The Ham...they were FANTASTIC!

AND...they'll bring in the younger people too, everyone went totally wild over them last year!!


Lizzie :0)

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Lizzie Cornish
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 02:06 PM

Hi 'Guests'...Oh there are so many of you! What a HUGE family you are..and how lovely that you all apparently love folk music...although only in very tiny sessions...I think you should have your very own festival you know. You could call it 'Guestonbury'
and it could be held in Sidford, where Stevie Scarlett could take the money on the door for you all. ;0)

Hey Stevie...I've just heard some LOVELY rumours about some other 'real' guests who might be coming to Siddy this year. As if we didn't have enough people to swoon over already!!

I'm going to be in the front row for George! And for the Duncan McFarlane Band...and for Blue Murder..(Mmmm...Coope Boyes & Simpson...live!!) ;0) And Roy Bailey! Have you heard his version of 'The Burning Times' with John Kirkpatrick!! WOW!! AND John is coming as well!! It just gets better and better! Plus the new rumours I've heard on top of all those wonderful people!......Triple Swoons!!!

I had Roy's 'What You Do With What You've Got' for Christmas..and Coope Boyes & Simspon's 'Triple Echo' and 'What We Sing Is What We Are'...and I've Dulaman's 'Four Year's in November' and *loads* of DMcF Band ones and George's 'Ordinary Heroes'....and now...they're ALL going to be singing down the end of my road...so I am A VERY HAPPY SIDMOUTH BUNNY Stevie.

Sidmouth Folk Week 2006 just gets better and better...and if all those gorgeous Shanty Men are singing down on the seafront again and The Shropshire Bedlams come back....well...I may just have to spend the entire Folk Week in Sidmouth Cottage Hospital.....with a bad dose of over-folk-excitement!!!!

I have to go now, as Roy and John are singing 'The Burning Times' in my ears and it's building up the finale...This is a totally wonderful song you know. Utterly hypnotic...whilst sending shivers down your spine for all those poor women! Roy sings SUCH intelligent songs..can't wait to see him!

Not long now Stevie!! Hang on in there!! ;0)



Lizzie :0)

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 01:55 PM

If we've not already met at CC, Kitty. Your name should, of course, have been on the list of "weel-kent" faces I want to see again!
TB

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 12:20 PM

El Greko and Tattie Bogle - I'm looking forward to seeing you both in August (if not in February,) and might even be able to help you spot each other.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 09:02 AM

Shhh ... don't wake her up

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 08:25 PM

Lizzie's very quiet.

Have we all offended her?

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 08:01 PM

Looking forward to seeing you both again.

Don T.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 07:16 PM

See ya there Tattie - make sure you come up and say "hi". I'll be the fat one with glasses hiding behind the Cort 12-string.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 03:31 PM

Well I'm in with the positive brigade: Sidmouth 2005 was fabulous - as ever; and as ever, I divided my time between "fringe" events (tho' even that term is now questionable when they have become so much a part of the establishment - I refer of course to the Middle Bar Singers and the Bedford sessions).......and I even paid to go to a few concerts and workshops!!! (shock...horror...oh ye of little faith!!!!)
Far from there being nothing to write home about, there was Bellowhead (see youse again in Glesga, pals), the Demon Barbers (all in one show with BH), Kathryn Tickell (tho' she seriously underestimated travel time from Tyneside), Battlefield band and other big enough names to draw the crowds. I honestly don't believe the "25% of usual numbers". I would say it looked more like 25% DOWN (ie 75% still there). Where did they get these figures from??
I SHALL be there this August, and I WILL buy a season ticket, which I shall probably under-use and I WILL still pay extra to go to some of the Ham evening concerts if they are artistes I want to see.
There's no way you can compare the "fringe" of Sidmouth to the Edinburgh Fringe: the latter is now a huge event of its own, which is far better avoided (on the whole) than is Sidmouth (and I live in the "Athens of the North!")
And finally, this leads me to final point from previous postings in this thread: the Middle bar would be even more smoke-free if England had followed Ireland's and Scotland's (as of coming March) example! (cough/cough!)
Looking forward to seeing JB, Don< Breton cap and other contributors above.
TB

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: breezy
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 08:23 AM

and then we start all over again do we not?

Or do we, is it not time then to bow out and see what happens as appears to be occuring at Sids?

A fringe is no more than an embryo.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 07:30 AM

Just like folk, eh, Top Cat :-)

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: GUEST,Top Cat
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 09:04 PM

You're right El Greko that the Edinburgh Fringe is now a huge commercial affair albeit one where even the best-selling artists still lose money. The costs of performing at Edinburgh are huge. The only people who make money seem to be those who hire out rooms as venues at extortionate rates.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 01:11 PM

I won't eat them just yet, Top Cat, because the Edinburgh Fringe is now a festival, organised like a festival itself, with venues charging money, and nothing like a proper "fringe" any longer.

That is probably a good example of what a "fringe" can become, in exceptional circumstances - i.e. grow to be a festival itself; but not simply with volunteer effort.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: GUEST,Top Cat
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 11:00 AM

Eat your words EG.

What about the Edinburgh Fringe?

Yes I know there's also an International Festival, Book Festival etc. but those are really a 'fringe' to The Fringe which is itself by far the biggest Festival these days.

Also if you look at other posts on this board the new Glasgow Fringe Festival, while being staged at the same time as the 'Celtic Connections' Festival, is, in truth, a Festival in its own right.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 05:37 AM

Spot on Dave. I've said it before that a fringe at a festival is like the one in a hair style: It adds value and it can be beautiful, as long as it is backed by some substance. On its own, it looks - well, you can imagine it yourself - and it constitutes no "coiffure" and no festival either. It's just a fringe.

Show me a festival in the UK (NOT the "Song and Ale" events, they are specialist and often strictly by invitation) consisting of a fringe alone, and I will eat my words.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Folkiedave
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 04:03 AM

And I danced at the first Edinburgh Folk Festival with no problems.

(Except the police cleared us from the top of Leith Walk where it joins Princess St. at 5.00 pm when Hibs v. Celtic turned out and Celtic had lost).

Wise move.

Dave

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 01:51 AM

Dunno about that. A couple of years ago we filled a few Glasgow pubs with rapper dancers. No one batted an eye at us walking down the road in kit and the pub customers were very welcoming.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: GUEST,Scottie
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 11:04 PM

Agree with you Dave that a "fringe" is not enough.

Sadly that's the way Sidmouth is heading though.

If you like Susanna Seivane, Kepa Junkera, La Bottine Souriante and similar artists such as Carlos Nunez then you should head to Glasgow from next week as all of those and many more have appeared at 'Celtic Connections' in recent years and most are back there this year.

'Celtic Connections' - a truly international festival.

With no Morris Dancing.

Morris Dancers wouldn't last long on Glasgow's streets!

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Folkiedave
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 12:04 PM

I can only echo Don T. I was an attender at Sidmouth since the late sixties and especially for the last few years. I loved all the aspects, I am a great fan of some of the fabulous foreign artists over the past few years, Boutinne Souriante, Susanna Seivane and Kepa Junkera especially. I loved the "big" concerts in the Arena - Steeleye and the Watersons in 2005 for example, Altan a year or two ago.

But I loved the sessions in the Radway, Volunteer, Anchor. Anchor Garden Ceilidhs. I could go on.

My point is not about commercialism, but that if there is to be a festival it needs a wide spectrum of appeal. And if there is a festival Someone needs to buy tickets, just a "fringe" of amateurs is not enough.

Dave

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 10:05 AM

John S,

This is precisely the kind of post I was hoping not to see.

The supporters of Sidmouth past were a very broad spectrum. Some liked the concerts, and some liked the sessions. The last thing we should be doing, IMHO, is writing off either, and advising them to go elsewhere.

To write off the possibility of the big concerts ever returning is to deprive Sidmouth of support that it will need in the next couple of years. That won't be good for the sessions fans either.

We need to be saying "Anything is possible, given the right support".

Don T.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: GUEST,John S. from Exeter
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 07:20 AM

I think Trisha has got it just about right.

There will always be a Sidmouth so long as enough singers, musicians and dancers come along and support it but it will never be the great International Festival that it was in the 1990s.

In future it will be a smaller, more intimate affair based on pubs, function rooms and small performance venues rather than large marquees and huge outdoor arenas.

Thos who want the big-name stars can go elsewhere.

Those of who enjoy meeting friends for a session in a rather quaint little Victorian seaside town will still head to Sidmouth.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: GUEST,Trisha
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 08:57 AM

A lot of people who used to attend the Mrs Casey festivals gave Sidmouth another chance last year.

I wonder how many of them will give Sidmouth another 'another chance' this year?

I will but others I speak to say they won't.

Towersey, Trowbridge, Eastleigh and Broadstairs all seem to be attracting people away from Sidmouth.

I still like Sidmouth for what it is, not what others think it should be, but I think it will continue to 'downsize' and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 06:08 AM

Hear, hear Folkiedave and Don T

Subject: RE: Sidmouth Folk Week 2006
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 05:15 AM

Let's NOT return to the 60s, 70s, or 2004. Those are what Sidmouth was in the past.

Let's support the evolution of Sidmouth into what it CAN BE in the future, and that is basically whatever we want it to be.

No narrow definitions please. We need to think in very broad terms, so that there is something for everyone. It just isn't good enough to say "My part of it is O.K., so I don't care about anybody else's opinion". That isn't the spirit on which Sidmouth Festival was built.

Don T.