View From The Field - macademis

Firstly, have to say that after four vey long days at the front (well as close as I could get for most acts) I am folked out. A great atmosphere with a wonderful pot pourri of competing attractions to keep you entertained all day each day.

The Cherry Hinton camp site had good facilities, was well supervised, good-humoured, and as far as I was aware, well behaved. A great range of ages were there, and exceptionally good facilities for children and aspiring young folkies were laid on. Some wonderful talents being nurtured through music workshops and given the chance to perform on the Club Stage and in the Den to attentive and appreciative audiences.

Catering and toilets, showers, transport, parking all well provisioned.

The line-up, for me was exceptional, and as usual had the surprises, the 'as expected' and the disappointments as every festival. The first act on Friday Manran, were unknown to me before, but they were brilliant and got the day off to a great start. Other highlights: Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill two sets, both superb and rapturously received; Peatbog Faeries finished off Saturday and Sunday night brilliantly (finished me off to - I'm too old for that sort of dancing - agitated Tai Chi is more my style!); Spiers and Boden with Saltfishforty; Mary Chapin Carpenter - great to hear her live for the first time (shame it was only 50 mins); Anxo Lorenzo Band - kicked of Saturday with gusto; Penguin Cafe delighted everyone; Port Isaac Fisherman's Friends tremendous set that had everyone smiling and singing along; Richard Thompson - possibly the best set I've seen from him - astoundingly marvellous! even the encore duet of Who Knows Where The Time Goes with Steven Mangan worked; Mary Hampton Cotillion - have had her CD for a couple of years first time seeing her, with band she was excellent, as was the new material; a lot of very good acts in the Club tent and also the Den that I can't recall the names of (one 14 y.o. fiddle player surname Tighe is an exceptional talent).

As expected: Rumer - great voice, but that material is bland and didn't fit easily in a folk festival; Emily Smith, Kate Rusby, Chris Wood, Katriona Gilmore & Jamie Roberts top notch as ever

Disappointed with: Home Service didn't light my fire (I was fairly jaded by then I admit); ditto Robert Cray; Newton Faulkner; the half dozen boorish noisy drinkers that occupied the end of the bar in the Club tent and annoyed everyone there - its not as though there weren't other bars!

macademis