Saturday
Wildwood Kin are due to close The Den later on Saturday and take the chance to let people know, they also complete the West Country takeover of the Session, hailing from Devon. The West Country thing wasn't planned, but it's funny how these things work out some times. Having made the trip up from Dorset myself, can't say I was disappointed by the turn of events.
Consisting of two sisters and a cousin, Beth, Emillie and Meghann, the trio play an unusual combination of percussion, guitar and bouzouki, the sound a folk, Americana blend with a touch of indie. They have rapidly become festival favourites with appearances on a number of well know stages. Here they went down a storm, particularly with their self penned track and new single, "Warrior Daughter".
It's another one of the bigger changes next, so cue Brian McNeill to engage the crowd in a singalong of his signature "Join The Union". There is always something amusing to try and pick out the member of the audience that really wants to join in, to be a part of the event, sometimes singing enthusiastically, but whom you know has never intent of going anywhere near a membership card.
Huge kudos to the sound crew for yet another speedy turnaround and time for Quebecois combo Le Vent du Nord, who were opening Stage One earlier, just as the Brian McNeill Session started here on Stage Two.
They have a sound that is pretty much unique to them, very much based in the traditions of te region from which they hail, but given unique Le Vent du Nord brush strokes, almost like a Clannad of the Quebecois sound.
There's lots of foot tapping and audience haranguing, it has to be said that the atmosphere in Stage Two has sustained an incredible level for nearly two and a half hours. There's still time for Brian to join them on the bouzouki for a number and the appearance of the electric hurdy gurdy. There's a two members on the same keyboard moment, this is a band definitely high on the atmosphere.
I leave the pit for the first time in over two hours to get up to the side of stage to capture band and audience and prepare for the finale as shortly after the stage is swamped with musicians for a final Celtic thrash.
Nearly two and a half hours have flown by, it's been an absolutely gold medal winning session. There's one last wave to the crowd and now Brian, front of house and Jackie, backstage have got time to breathe, relax and take it all in again, until next year.
The stage crew prepare for the next act, there's plenty of banter back stage, I join in briefly before heading off to the bar for a well deserved pint.
I'm hoping that there's going to be another delivery of festival tankards, but there's not going to be. Somewhat disappointingly there's not. I've got a tankard from every year I've been, I'm not going to miss out and set myself a new mission. In the mean time I enjoy another pint of the rather excellent Otter Ale and listen to the multi-performer and entire female project, "Songs Of Separation" from afar.
Suitably refreshed it's time to head back to Stage Two for the current holders of Fatea Debut Album The Year, Stick In The Wheel. For me the band's blend of traditional and well penned songs strikes a real chord. I like the way they update traditional folk themes, the swindler of old becomes a car boot bandit, riot locations change and theft continues. Add to that the observational wit of lead singer Nicola Kearey and you have the addition of some acerbic between song banter and a reference to the strange view of the Cambridge Badger.
The band have placed a box high on a table in the middle of the stage, which sort of restricts views, but doesn't detract from the music, which is the important aspect of it all. The sound is definitely urban and Stick In The Wheel's real trick has been to take it out of London and make it accessible to a wider folk audience, it's definitely doing them a lot of favours and also seems to be encouraging other artists to absorb more of those local tinges into their sound.
The other thing I really like about them is that they are quite sparing when it comes to what goes in the songs, the songs get what they need and nothing more, sometimes that's one or two of the band, sometimes it's the whole band and sometimes it's a toy accordion.