I can’t quite believe how quick the summer folk festival season has come and gone.
29.04.17 – 01.05.17 We started out as usual at the Rochester Sweeps Festival back in April/May. I’ve been playing this since 2009, when I was first joined by Lesley Conquest on fiddle, and we’ve been adding band members ever since. This year we had 4 gigs in 3 days – joined by Steve Matthews, Simon Stanley and Lesley Conquest (thanks to Tracy Patterson for photos).
We very much missed the Village Pump Festival this year, our stalwart July Festival and my favourite part of the summer since being a teenager… We hope they come back in full strength in the future..!
05.08.17 Next up was Sidmouth Folk Week. We first played this in 2016 and were chuffed to be asked back to play the Anchor Garden Stage. This was also the first festival gig with special guest Randy Abel of Abel and Eade. Here we all are, just after watching some pre-gig morris dancing…
And here we are on stage after watching the very lovely folk trio Solasta :
16.08.17 – 18.08.17 A new festival for us this year was Broadstairs Folk Week. Similar to Rochester Sweeps, but by the seaside, we performed “Take the Seagull Eye View” each day for the many seagulls that flocked to watch us, but might have to add an extra verse about their wanton causing of mischief and mayhem. We had 4 gigs in 3 days, joined by Steve, Lesley and Simon, plus a special mid-gig set led by Randy Abel.
Here is a seagull eye view action shot of our final gig of the week at The 39 Steps (thanks to Randy Abel for the photo)
And here is a superb sketch by Wynford Vaughan Thomas capturing our musical spirit.
We have one more festival gig of the year coming up – letting out our more rocky element at Feral Fest 1st-3rd September. This is our chance to let loose Niall on full drumkit, and allow Steve to air his full wah-wah-fuzz-mando experience. Check out the t-shirt! 😀
Much love to all festival-goers everywhere! xx
