what happened at Holmfirth?

Subject: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: stallion
Date: 16 May 06 - 02:43 PM

I have been talking to a mate who was at holmfirth last weekend, he says the session got ruined by a brawl! Anyone know what it was about, was it singers versus musos!

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: Cath
Date: 16 May 06 - 06:27 PM

That's news to me and I was there.
There was a slight altercation in the Nook on Friday between a couple locals but everybody I know just carried on as if nothing had happened once it had been dealt with by the very efficient Sheila.
You ask what happened - a lot of people came not quite knowing what to expect and they had a brilliant time with lots going on in nearly all the pubs.
Everybody said it was just like it used to be and just like it should be.
The locals were definitely up for it and joined in with the sessions, the singarounds and the concerts and, yes, a few idiots were around but only the same idiots who are around most weekends and nothing whatever to do with the folk festival.

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: panurus biarmicus
Date: 16 May 06 - 07:19 PM

re skirmish... twas summat and nowt as explained in previous thread under ongoing debate under holmfirth festival of folk two.

From what i saw it was just a couple of locals bringing thier dispute to the local hostelries.

Think all the 'witnesses' who were drinking in the nook will agree it was a non issue.

More importantaly - if you missed the festival ( and the fight) - you missed some cracking sessions, sing arounds, free bands, more dance sides that you could shake a proverbial at and a good line up of bands to pay for if you wished.

I am possibly biased being on t'ct'tee and all !

We have just had a 3 hour debrief and all agreed twas a great sucess- -few teething problems but no big disasters and we have pretty much covered costs- not bad for a 3 month salavge job. Now just need to agree with old committee about who is doing what, where and when for next year - But come what may there will be a festival of folk (or folk festival) in Holmfirth in 2007.

All offers of help greatfully accepted.

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: Soldier boy
Date: 16 May 06 - 08:31 PM

Stallion, I don't know who you are but if you know anything about the history behind this years Holmfirth Festival of Folk the very fact that you have started this thread smacks of someone with a connection to last years Festival who wants to deliberately make mischief and try to ruin the good reputation of this years Festival!

Unless you are a numbskull with nothing better to do than indulge in idle gossip you must be up to no good by starting this thread and fully intend to attract negative comments to despoil what was a truly great Festival this year.

As Cath has said there were a few idiots about but it was typical boozy altercations between locals and absolutley nothing to do with the Festival or the happy going, never any bother, folkies that attended it. You will find such minor upsets in every village and town every weekend. So nothing new there and in no way did it do anything to detract from or spoil the Festival weekend.

Holmfirth therefore is not a danger zone for such events, in fact it is one of the safest and most comfortable places I know for generally chilling out and having a great time.

So Stallion, if your intentions were innocent I apologise to you but please now respect that this thread should now be terminated on behalf of all the people that worked their socks off to make this years Festival such a brilliant success.

If you are a sad agent of mischief and bad news connected to,or part of, the previous organisers of the Festival I can only feel sorry for you. Talk of a green field site in Shepley for next years Festival was greeted collectively by uproarious laughter and ridicule over the weekend. Wake up and smell the coffee. It's a joke and it won't work.

End of this thread.

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: GUEST,Guest: Big Bob
Date: 28 Jun 06 - 11:18 AM

Are we living in a fascist police state here. Appears that stallion made a comment about something, Cath gave a perfectly good answer, confirming that it happened but it was nowt, then another member of the committee posts to re-iterate Cath's point. No problem there so far. Then the rottweiller stomps onto the scene and spoils everything.

You are out of order Soldier Boy. If you have a problem with the Mysterons from last year, don't make it a problem for everyone else that make's a comment you don't like.

I've never posted before, just enjoyed reading the trials and tribulations of the Endlish folk scene. But I am now tempted to come back and post something polite and meaningful on this thread everyday for the next year. I tell you what too. I've only been north of Watford Gap three times in my life up to now, But I fancy i'll get all my friends and family to go to this green field festival just because YOU are being so mischievous. That includes my old Great Gran, who has the most terrible trouble - but she'll be camping there too in her 'I'm soldier boy's bird' T shirt.

You are a very naughty boy.

Otherwise, good luck with next year Cath, I hope you make a good go of it. Sadly, you may need a lot of luck if Soldier Boys going to put everyone off.

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: Greg B
Date: 28 Jun 06 - 07:15 PM

I didn't expect a sort of Spanish Inquisition...

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: Chris Cole
Date: 28 Jun 06 - 07:26 PM

Sorry... has to be said... No-one expects the Spannish Inquisition..

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 28 Jun 06 - 07:28 PM

Nobody expects.............Naah, can't be bothered.

Way to go Holmfirth! All good wishes for the future.

Don T.

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: Soldier boy
Date: 28 Jun 06 - 08:49 PM

Good grief Guest:BigBob !
Was your contribution polite and meaningful, no I don't think so.
Hostile - yes, polite - no!
So if I am a rottweiller and naughty, what are you?
If you knew just one ounce of knowledge behind the history of this years festival you would not have posted such a misguided and lame thread. Unless of course you are part of the " Mysterons from last year" (who are known to me) and are still trying to create mischief! If you do get all your friends and family,including your Great Gran, to go to the green field festival please take your wellies and send me your Grans T shirt as a treasured souvenier.
I don't trust people who sign themselves as "Guest(and guest)!" and will not commit their real name or Mudcat handle, so who are you?
I can only imagine that a mischief maker is at play here.

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: dozy rozy
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 04:41 AM

Soldier boy, you are like a terrier with a bone, my dear.Come to cleckheaton with me and I'll buy you a pint to calm you down.Carry on like that and you'll burst a blood vessel.The worlds big enough for all of us.(Apart from people I don't like!)

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 05:13 AM

If someone spreads a false story, and someone else having heard it comes to the Mudcat for the true story it is credit to them for wanting to get to the root of the story.
Soldier Boy's hostile and aggressive response sheds only heat on the subject and no light whatsoever, and it certainly does nothing for the reputation of Holmfirth.
Giok

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: stallion
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 06:19 AM

Ok, firstly it was an innocent enquiry and as far as i am concerned was answered accurately, I was thinking more of the organisers and their trials and tribulations, it could put people off organising the event.    In so far as any axes to grind, certainly not mine or Damiens. Damien Fynnes and Frank Pallister (York) went to their FIRST Holmfirth festival and were part of the "collateral damage" and left. Maybe Damien did dramatise it but it was not with malicious intent. personally this all smacks of "Little Big Men" syndrome, I cannot see why everyone can't stop bickering and work together. Take the plusses and drop the negatives and be thankful to anyone prepared to put time into organising a festival, generally a thankless task, I think most people are quick to complain and less ready to praise. ( I got a lot of flak at York this year because I wouldn't run the singaround all day and all night, but no one else volunteered and the previous year I knackered my voice doing all day and all night) Oh, idfentify myself, I am Peter, Two Black Sheep & a Stallion. Visit Black Swan Folk club web site and look at the residents photo's, there you should be able to copy the picture, I am the big fat blonde, happy dart throwing! ;o)

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: stallion
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 06:24 AM

Oh I would be quite happy to kill this thread if I knew how to do it!

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: Trevor
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 08:33 AM

Bet you're glad you asked!

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: GUEST,Guest Big Bob
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 04:14 PM

I'm so glad you are interested.

My name? Exactly what it says on the packet!

First name Guest, second name Big-Bob, though I missed out the hyphen in the name bar.

So, just like you, I use my real name to post (only something tells me your real first name isn't Soldier - I bet it's just short for something), and indeed, I don't trust people who don't use their real name.

My mother is one of the Berkshire Bigs - a dreadful bunch of hooray henry's, constantly quaffing champers and pimms and the like, and stuffing their faces with quayles eggs. They're all coming up for the greenfield festival though, and say that if they like it, they may buy it. It would have to be reeeaaaally green though.

My father is just some oyk with a reputation for, er, a virile set of underpants, and me mum took to him when visiting our farm, back just after the war, when telly was still off air and young'ns had to make their entertainment. So me mum took to me dad, and he took to her, for for a good three hours apparently, and I'm the result.

Their's was a very short courtship, particularly when her dad, my grandad, and son of me great nan (who is now saying she won't wear the t-shirt because she'd be too embarassed - she's going topless now), found out about me, though at the time I was little more than a semi evolved anus with a very delicate umbilical cord sticking out of it. The marriage, which took place at St Babs's, the parish church at Sixpenny Handjob, down in Dorset. It was a quiet affair, what with everone being a bit nervous on account of grandad's gun and all. But the reception went well, till dad had a couple too many ciders and blew the vicar's right leg off. It's now legend round these parts how he did it; standing their taking big breaths and then blowing out as hard as he could, whilst the vicar - more tiddly than a donkey in an autmn orchard - lay on the chaise with his wooden prosthetic standing aloft in front of great gran's ming. You can imaging what happened, and them vases are very difficult to get hold of - coming from china and all.

Any way, must go now, but if you want to know any more about me and my family, you only have to ask.

By now,

Guest BB

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: Cath
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 05:47 PM

Big Bob,could you come along and run a workshop on family trees?
I'm sure we could find you a venue somewhere - probably in the back of the Nook where I'm sure you could maintain an orderly house.
You could even bring Great Gran along, with or without the tee shirt and you could stay up for the ex Holmfirth now Shepley festival the following weekend.
Cath

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: Soldier boy
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 09:03 PM

Sorry stallion and Guest;Big Bob and Giok etc for casting aspertions; but there was quite a bit of "mischief" by previous organisers in the press before the holmfirth festival of Folk this year.
This did make me a bit guarded (and neurotic) as to why stallion started this thread. But I fully accept that stallions' enquiry was all done in innocence and he never meant any harm to the reputation of this very fine festival.
I'm not a rottweiller Big Bob and Giok. Just someone who wishes to protect something close and precious to my heart and therefore I apologise for coming across as perhaps hostile and aggressive.
I appreciate that no malicious intent was intended and Big Bob I would love to meet your Great Nan and see her in the t-shirt or topless!!
I agree stallion, every one should work together and organising a festival can be a thankless task. We are all too good at bitching and not good enough at giving praise.
I also agree that this thread has now run it's course and should now die. The only way to make it slip off all the pages is not to add to this thread again. So let it die gracefully and slip into the ether with no more contributions.
God bless.

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: dozy rozy
Date: 30 Jun 06 - 04:17 AM

I want to keep this thread going.I'm most interested in Big Bobs autobiography.I think Big Bob should meet up with us all at Whitby or Otley, or somewhere.Sounds like my kinda guy.

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 30 Jun 06 - 04:24 AM

Well said Soldier Boy, a gentlemanly apology.
Slainthe
Giok

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: Soldier boy
Date: 30 Jun 06 - 10:20 AM

Thank you Giok, much appreciated.

Now I know I requested that we let this thread die gracefully BUT I just have to comment on guest BIG BOBS' entry on 29 June.

Not only is this a fascinating amd hilarious story about him and his family but it is so well written. It summoned up images of the Giles cartoon family and all sorts of other crazy carryings'ons.

Seriously guest BB I loved it and am now looking forward to the next instalment. I agree with dozy rozy and would love to hear more about you and your family and meet up with you at some festival cause you've got to be one hell of a character!

You've got to be a writer to write so well and so humourously so is this your occupation? If not it really should be.

Why not start a new thread entitled "BIG BOBS BARMY FAMILY" - possibly on a non-music thread and provide a serialisation of your family history!

WE WANT MORE !!!

P.S Regards to your old great gran. I want to see her in her "I'm Soldier Boy's bird" T-shirt. That would be wonderful!
Chris

Subject: RE: what happened at Holmfirth?
From: stallion
Date: 30 Jun 06 - 03:01 PM

ditto, lets have the family diary!