Saturday
Whilst there are a couple of acts I'd like to see on the bigger stages, I've been neglecting the Club Tent and Megson followed by the Toy Hearts are more than enough to tempt me over.
Megson are in the process of releasing a new album of children's folk songs(When I Was A Lad), having become parents for the first time last year. It's a great folk tradition, with the likes of Martin Carthy having done it previously.
The set is a liberal mix of songs from previous albums and the new one. It leads to a great atmosphere and some fantastic sing-a-longs making it well worth the trek across site.
The Club Tent is a second home to the renowned duo and they really know how to work the stage. They leave a very happy audience behind and will no doubt meet and greet a few of them in the next interval.
Next up it's time for a bit of country/bluegrass from a band that I've been following for a number of years, Toy Hearts. Until now I've followed from afar, but now's my chance to see them live for the very first time. I even manage to grab a quick chat with the band before they get called to the stage to set up.
It has definitely worth the wait, The Toy Hearts easily live up to high expectations. Their set sees them move through a number of Americana genres, but with a real emphasis on old school country. Along the way there's a little bit of blues, a little bit of bluegrass and I'm sure I heard a few Cajun notes in there.
The blood harmonies are to die for and are a real trademark of the sound. With the weather being warm and sultry, the Toy Hearts are just what the weather doctor ordered.
It's time for a slow walk across the site to catch the second half of the Unwanted. The trio weren't originally on my list of acts to see, but having seen them perform in the Brian McNeill Session I think they're well worth the trip.
Mid-Atlantic really doesn't do justice to what they do. It's like they've taken Irish folk music and reinforced by a whole load of gob iron. Throw in Cathy Jordan's soaring and it's easy to understand how this combo are adding a new dimension to traditional Irish music.
There's a couple of opportunities for sing-a-longs, The Unwanted are definitely a band that believe in audience participation and participation is what they got. It's something that really does bring the crowd into the experience and this is an experience worth having.
I stay at Stage Two for for the opening numbers from Phantom Limb. It's a hugely vibrant and vital start that, naturally, focuses on their recent "The Pines" album. I've used the word energy a lot, but this band have it in abundance. They also have a real understanding of how Americana can be used as a building block that can take shapes and sounds from more dance orientated music.
I want to stay and hear some more, but I also want to give The Unthanks & The Brighouse and Rastrick Band a go. As it works out I don't do justice to either as I bump into an old friend with a new baby and end up having some very unique backing music to one of those conversations, so apologies dear reader for letting you down on the review front, such is the nature of festivals.
Nanci Griffith is now twenty albums into her career, her latest "Intersection" was her first released on Proper and her first released in the UK before the US, something that brought her a massive cheer on her return to Stage One.
I've always thought that live was more Nanci's medium and even though she performed the early part of her set sat down with the band, I still do. When she's performing her trademark folkabilly sound in front of an audience it brings out a personality that she's not yet managed to capture on record.
She also seems to have gone back to having a harder edge, more political on both the personal and wider level and it's great to have it back. Many parts of the States have suffered the same loss of industrial heritage as areas like the North East and Scotland and whilst the place names are different, the sentiment is definitely the same.
The result was one of the best sets I've heard off Nanci for quite some time. She even brought the Clap Brothers, which I presume were named for their hand noise, rather than a throw back to some medication required type activity, for the anti-Wall Street anthem "It Ain't Alright".
Whether it was the weather or just it being another glorious Cambridge Saturday, something seemed to be dragging the best out of the performers. Nanci Griffith was superb and the ultimate accompaniment to chicken tikka masala and a pint of 6X.