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Great British Folk Festival

Venue: Butlins
Town: Skegness
Date: 30th November - 2nd December
Website: http://www.bigweekends.com

Saturday

Centre Stage beckons with a folk blues duo that I've been wanting to see for a very long time, Babajack. Consisting of Blues award winning percussionist Becky Tate and partner Trevor Steger. Babajack are not only highly accomplished players of music, they also make a lot of their own instruments with Trevor Steger naming his winebox guitars after the vintage that used to reside in them.

I don't know if you remember the sirens scene from "O'Brother Where Art Though", but that's the sensuality that defines Becky Tate's performance, sultry and full of passion, a set to draw sailors onto the rocks, particularly when playing cajon, an instrument she quips, "That can't be played sidesaddle".

It is a stunning set, but words and music are delivered with a rough and readiness that defines the genre, but somehow with a real eloquence that lets you know that you are in the presence of great performance. It's a dark set with plenty of death and illicit affairs and one that will live long in the memory, Babajack and a duo I hope to catch again real soon.

GBFF has a distinctive gap between afternoon and morning sessions on the main stages at least. JAKS is running an open mic night, hosted by Brian Easton, whilst traditional folk trio, Panjenix are in the Jellyfish Lounge. There's time to get a decent meal in and have a drink and then catch up with the activity in the minor venues or simply to socialise with friends whilst waiting for the main stages to reopen.

It is a bit of a shame that more use isn't made of the smaller venues and the Skyline stage during the course of the festival, but the festival is still relatively young and walking before you run may be a better long term option than trying to do too much too soon, maybe next year.

Before you know it the doors have been thrown open and the tables are starting to fill out for the evening sessions. It's choice time again. Centre Stage is kicking off with Blue Swamp, a band that, to be honest I don't know a lot about and that alone nearly tempted me into seeing, especially as there was nothing about them in the festival guide. They came within a hairsbreadth of being my first act of the night, unfortunately I haven't seen Fay Heild & The Hurricane Party since they released "Orfeo" so it's time to catch the Mistress Of The Macarbe and her cohorts.

The band are still soundchecking when the audience are let in, but it's not long before they head off for the backstage area. There is a palpable sense of anticipation in the room, partly brought about by one of The Hurricane Party, Sam Sweeney, being one of the nominees in the instrumentalist category at the Radio Two folk awards.

The band are not only rich in both nominees and winners of awards, they are rich in the folk tradition, drawing on a number of lesser known songs from its heritage. Fay is great in translating that musical link into witty banter with the audience.

The folk tradition is a dark one, there's even a high body count in both nursery rhymes and lullabies, something Fay takes delight in pointing out. Together with The Hurricane Party , Fay delivers and exquisite set of songs, some from the album, some from her hugely vast repertoire, she even borrowed a song that her partner Jon Boden had included on his a song a day project.

It's an intense and highly enjoyable set, one in which the life and vitality in the delivery provided a delightful juxtaposition with the content, a great kick off to the evening

With both main venues having staggered timing, I'm making a bolt across the site to catch Thea Gilmore, an artist that has always been popular with the folk fans with her thoughtful and considered approach to the music and the wider associated genres such as Americana. From the purer folk form, her work on unfinished Sandy Denny songs has really raised her star at the moment.

The set starts well, including a cover version of the famous Guns 'N' Roses song "Sweet Child Of Mine", I'd never realised how good a folk song it would make so plenty of kudos to Thea for doing just that. The title, if not the song, would prove prophetic, unfortunately not until after technical problems with Nigel Stonier's guitar.

It had all started well, when it was just Thea & Nigel on stage, but after the rest of the band, including Tracey Browne, joined them, something went wrong on the technical side. Thea's lad was going to be joining them for the next number, but dad sat with him whilst Thea delivered an off set vocal only number whilst the techies tried getting it all working again. The rendition was simply stunning.

The delay did mean that I didn't see as much of Thea's set as I was hoping for, but I really did want to get back to Reds to see what I fear will be my last chance to see June Tabor with Oysterband and I was not going to miss one minute of it.

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