Saturday 3
I hear a rumour that Old Crow Medicine Show
are going to be playing a busking session over at the Mojo signing tent. An
announcement from the stage confirms that, but describes them as mystery
guests.
Totally raw and unadulterated,
this session is even better than their earlier one. They give thanks to the
tobacco companies for giving them the voices that are just so perfect for
authentic bluegrass. This is what music is about. A couple of hundred people
pushed up to feet of where a band is performing. No mics, no amplifiers just
pure sound. Songs are adapted to fit the audience an old southern standard about
the smuggling of cocaine is adapted as a tribute to the M62. These guys have
been in the country about a week and they’ve already got a handle on the
As the crowd draws slowly away it’s time to
meet up with some old friends and listen to the end of the Josh Ritter set from
afar.
It wouldn’t be fair to do a full review of
Josh’s performance. Where we were stood, the sound was only ok and there was a
lot of conversation. What I heard I liked and it may have been an opportunity
missed.
Next up on Stage One is the Levellers
Accoustic. They're in tight formation on the stage, seated in a cluster at the
center. They look like some bizarre folk
Mark Chadwick answers the question almost
immediately. "We're getting on a bit, we're sat down, but we still rock!" The
first strum of the guitar and the first vocal refrain shows that this is most
certainly case.
The whole accoustic thing, puts a brand new
spin on some old classic, but does seem to call into question the definition of
the word accoustic. It's a goodtime to be had by all.
There's plenty of opportunities to sing
along and these are gladly taken up. Choruses of "It's A Beautiful Day"
reverberate around the site. As there's a proper break between the Levellers and
the next band they are one of the few able to squeeze in a proper
encore.
I manage to get in a bit of a break for a
spot of food and some good craic with some old friends. It's rare I get any time
to really kick back at the festival, but I can get into this.
In fact I get into it so well that I manage to miss Show Of Hands on the Radio Two Stage and Jim Moray on Stage One.