Two For Joy
FATEA was fortunate to catch up with Magpies Bella Gaffney and Holly Brandon at Beardy Folk Festival recently, so we had a chat about their own event which takes place in Yorkshire in August.
FATEA With all that was happening in 2021, what made you decide that was a good time to put on your first ever festival?
BELLA Are you trying to say it was mad?
FATEA ...
HOLLY It was a bit mad. It was something I'd always wanted to do. I saw the calendar was empty for a second year so there was a way to do something about it. We've many friends who're artists, and in that industry, so we thought we'd give it a go.
FATEA It a very successful festival too, everyone we've spoken to said it was amazing.
HOLLY We were really happy with the reception
BELLA I think everyone was so grateful that something was happening. Everyone had been cooped up for so long so we gave them the opportunity to let off a bit of steam.
FATEA How did you find the site? It's a stately home, isn't it?
HOLLY I just e-mailed everyone I could think of and then Robert Sheffield, who lives at Sutton Park, got back to me and said "Come on in". This was the first time they'd done something like this although they do weddings there and they have agricultural and horse shows as well. It's a really lovely site.
BELLA You can see the house from the festival site and the gardens [which won Gold in the 2019 Yorkshire in Bloom awards] will be open.
HOLLY You can camp in and around the woodland and we've expanded the camp-site this year, so it's all very spread out.
FATEA Is it a weekend festival?
HOLLY It's Friday evening and all day Saturday, with music continuously.
BELLA We've got John Smith headlining on Friday and Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra, then Seth Lakeman on Saturday. We're really excited about the line-up. We've got two stages interleaving with the smaller one sponsored by Brass Castle, who're an independent Malton-based Yorkshire brewery producing vegan and gluten-free craft beers.
FATEA What sort of age range will it attract, do you think?
HOLLY Anyone and everyone really, it's a family friendly festival. We got the gardens and park for people to look around as well as sessions in the bar.
FATEA You're playing as The Magpies, but will you be doing individual sets?
BELLA No, I'm comparing as well, so we didn't want to overwhelm people or they'll be sick of me by the end of it! I really enjoyed comparing last year.
FATEA It's a very hands on festival for you isn't? Holly, I believe you were seen last year running around with bags of toilet rolls.
HOLLY For us, of course, it isn't just the music. I did end up having to put my hand down a toilet so, yes, it is literally hands on.
FATEA Do you have a team behind you as well?
HOLLY Oh yes, Dan Webster is our stage manager and we have Head Stewards but we're still looking for volunteers if anyone's interested.
FATEA This is the second year so has it got bigger?
HOLLY The capacity's stayed the same but we have the second night this time.
BELLA The feedback we had from last year was that people liked it because it was intimate.
FATEA Is the intention to make this a regular festival?
HOLLY We hope so; that's certainly our plan. We'll see how this year goes but we'd love to carry on. There aren't that many festivals around us in Yorkshire, but a big musical community and not a lot of festivals.
BELLA Beverley folded a few years ago so that left a bit of a gap.
FATEA It's such a great idea, here's gap here's some land. It is a lesson for everyone.
HOLLY Having so many festivals cancelled did give us a way in to the market, so we saw it as an opportunity.
BELLA Fingers crossed for the weather now. The stages are outside.
FATEA What else can we look forward to from The Magpies, after the festival?
BELLA There's a tour coming up in the autumn, starting in October, to promote our new album "Undertow".
FATEA Thank you so much so much for taking the time to talk to us. We're looking to the festival and seeing you out on the road.
The 2nd Magpies Festival takes place in the grounds of the Grade 1 listed Sutton Park, York on the 12th & 13th August. All details and the ticket link can be found here https://www.themagpiesfestival.co.uk/
You can find out more about The Magpies, including tour dates for October and November.
I Will Never Marry
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