Friday

Friday’s music kicked off on Stage 1 where it had left off the night before at the Folk Tent with OLD BLIND DOGS. The Radio Two Stage started with members of SALSA CELTICA giving a percussion workshop before being joined by the rest of the band for a set of Scottish music with a distinctly Latin Edge.

The sultry, almost Mediterranean atmosphere, being enhanced by a heat that seemed to compliment the band’s sound perfectly. A few brave souls risked heat stroke by getting up and dancing, but most of the audience were more than happy to show their appreciation with a warm round of applause at the end of each number. Me, I was off to the Folk Tent to catch perennial festival favourite, PETER BUCKLEY HILL.

In today’s over produced and manufactured blandness, PETER BUCKLEY HILL, is the genuine article. Whilst folk music may retain more characters than most Peter is one set apart. Almost as well known on the comedy circuit as the folk one, Buckley Hill’s act is a mixture of songs and banter. A heckler is given a bit of coaching, "heckle in the quiet bits people’ll hear you then" before being put in his place.

Slightly madcap with one or two whacky props, PETER BUCKLEY HILL’s slightly eccentric persona doesn’t disguise the fact that there is some really biting social comment in his songs. The set was excellent fun, though Peter still retains the ability to stop the laughter cold when required. In an age when a comedian with a guitar still fills people with dread, Buckley Hill is the exception to the rule, more a singer with a good stand up routine.

Watching PETER BUCKLEY HILL meant that I missed the scorching electric blues of BERNARD ALISON. Fortunately most artists play more than one set at the festival and I would catch up with Bernard on the Radio Two Stage later.

It was time to move back to the Stage One to catch the godparents of folk NORMA WATERSON & MARTIN CARTHY. If there’s one weakness in the layout of the site it’s getting to and from the Folk Tent. You have to walk past the food mall and then the beer tent if you’re going to Stage Two or across people splayed out on the grass catching the sounds from Stage One.

WATERSON CARTHY are excellent. Norma’s crystal clear vocals contrast well with Martin’s earthier tones. It can be argued that Martin Carthy is one of the reasons why the folk scene remains today. Whilst he and his family continue to perform songs from folk’s rich traditions they have all continued to push at it’s edges.

Like the Oysterband, WATERSON CARTHY have as much appeal to the noserings as they have to the beards. The style may be different, but their music still manages to strike a chord with both old and young. I think one of the reasons for this is that so many of their songs are about life rather than just about their life, their loves and their tribulations.

Part way through the WATERSON CARTHY set, I make my way back through the crowd to the Folk Tent to catch an acoustic set by the FRAMES.

The stage is running slightly late and this is being compounded by what seems like a long soundcheck by the FRAMES. The crowd are already getting a little agitated. One of the things that makes the Folk Tent work is the rapid turnover of artists. If you don’t like what’s on there’ll be something new in fifteen minutes.
The only exceptions to this are each folk clubs’ special guest who get half an hour and showcases that get fortyish minutes. Bands interrupting the flow by being precious about their sound tend to get short shrift.

In their defence it has to be said that the FRAMES are a larger band than most that grace this stage and rarely play acoustic. They seemed more on edge than most bands playing this year and for me they just didn’t quite click. That said I might have been in a minority as they seemed to be well received, particularly when playing acoustic versions of songs from their "Dance The Devil" album.