White On

Getting up about 10am felt a bit strange - an evening of Folk Festival frivolity the night before and then not to go again until the evening? What ws afoot here? Never ones to pass by an opportunity to shop we went out and did distinctly un folky things for the rest of the day, but it did seem strange having had an evening, then a day off before it all got going again. But never mind. This was to be a truly great evening. His Royal Highness Lord Billy of Bragg was playing a set to round off the evening and there is nothing that gets us more excited. We managed to get to the site just before Ezio ended, naturally. I began to wonder about the wisdom of having bought tickets for a gig that I was undoubtedly going to arrive at 4 minutes before the end. This time we went straight for the viewing area at Main Stage 1, and got comfortably ensconced with large gins, marvellous tankards and all our viewing area cronies from previous years.

Solas, a group of musicians who played traditional Irish music, followed Ezio. Now it was good, very pretty and beautifully performed but overall I don't really 'get' very very traditional music. Having said that, thought, part of the joy of this particular festival is seeing bands and artists who are new and that perhaps you haven't seen before. In addition, the calibre of musicians at this festival is such that even if the music isn't entirely your thing it's possible to enjoy something different for a change. Ani DiFranco was another potential highlight of the evening. I had a CD of her's which I'd acquired from a magazine and rather enjoyed a few years ago. She came on with a huge band and did play a superb set, the only problem being that in the viewing area the sound quality isn't great. Still, I thought it a good set, and I'd certainly like to see her again. I'm never quite sure what the problem with the sound is. I'm not sure if it's always like this, but certainly, I couldn't make out her lyrics very well and with Ani DiFranco, the lyrics are really the point.

I suspect though that it isn't any different for the people watching the stage from within the marquee, if you want to be able to see well then you won't be able to hear quite so well, and certainly sometimes that's a sacrifice worth making. Not, however for the next act, His Royal Highness Lord Billy of Bragg. I was glad he was playing this year for two reasons, firstly I'd only seen him once already this year and secondly I wanted a word. When leaving last years Folk Festival on the Sunday evening I'd been pulled from the path of a Shogun 4x4 driven by Billy Bragg trying patiently to make his way through a big pile of people enjoying the afterglow and a big pile of chips. So having been nearly run over by Billy Bragg what I'm feel compelled to ask him is about his choice of car.

So this was the second time I'd seen him perform with his Blokes and I have to say I'm a fan. I'm not exactly sure why I prefer him with Blokes but I do feel that I do. I think its something to do with the rounding out of the music, if that makes anything remotely like sense. Of course, he could sing a capella and I'd pay good money for the privilege of being in the same time zone. There's something amazing about Lord Billy, mainly because he has the courage of his convictions and that's something you don't often see these days. He played a good mix of songs from old and new, from Billy Bragg albums to Mermaid Ave., all of which introduced with his customary humour and gusto. It was simply a superb set, from start to finish and I can't wait for the new Billy Bragg album. Socks and various other items of clothing were danced off all over the site. Finding on the way home that the chip van had started doing a veggie burger reminded us that basically, all was well with our worlds.