Well, we all hope you had a great festival and travelled home safely.
From an organisers point of view things went pretty smoothly, which is in no small part thanks to the stewards and you, the festival attendees.
We'll post some photos later this week, but we'd love you to leave your comments on the blog letting us know what we did right and what we did wrong - we'll take these all into account as we plan for 2008.
For me Crooked Still were the best act of the weekend, closely followed by Bellowhead and Richard Shindell....let us know what worked for you!
38 comments:
For me the acts I enjoyed the best were those where you could actually hear the words. Chris Woods, Richard Shindell, Lisa Knapp, Wailin' Jennys, Kerfuffle. Crooked Still had their own sound engineer? - they must be joking????!!!! Heavy sibilance and hardly a word heard - brilliant nevertheless. Paul Brady was so loud it was painful - I stuck with it - The Island - magic, my all time Brady favourite - then the engineer must have twigged and turned the volume down - either that or my ears were getting used to the volume. Peatbog Fairies should have come with a health warning - I thought I was going to disintegrate in my seat. Why does it have to be so *#@*ing LOUD?
Bellowhead and Kathryn Tickell - stunning - loud but bearable - I'm used to playing in large symphony orchestras - that's loud but it's natural unamplified loud - for me there's a point beyond which the loudness in not an enhancement but an irritation. Great weekend though - thanks Les and Keith for the laughter.
Grumpy Old Colin
We had a really good time - thanks Alan and everyone for a great festival. Highlights for me included Richard Shindell, Crooked Still, Kimber's Men, Spikedrivers, Kathryn Tickell, Acoustic Strawbs and Vicky Swan & Johnny Dyer.
No complaints about camping, beer or merchandise, but perhaps the food choice could be greater (curry anyone?).
A few more loos near the main marquee and a larger beer tent there might be nice too, but it wasn't a great problem.
One last little point - the landlord in the Bird in Hand pub seemed overwhelmed by the numbers who showed up for Saturday's lunchtime session. The place was packed (which is good...), but perhaps more pubs could be involved and the artists could appear at several venues to allow most folks a chance to see them.
These are only minor niggles, though.. once again, thanks for a great weekend and hope to see you next year.
Brand New Guy
Me my children (and my dog) thoroughly enjoyed the festival this year as we have for the past 10 years. Great music, loads of activities for children and young people. But the two things I found really overwhelming this year were i)once again experiencing how lovely the people who come to this festival are and ii) the toilets they were magnificent they stayed so clean. I think these two things are probably to some extent related! Improvements required: Review the pass out system from venues. Bring back the milkman from last year for more reasonably priced bread and milk.
I thought the whole weekend was great. You had put right some of the "not so right" issues from the previous year. The site was superb, plenty of room, good layout, everything within easy reach. The free bus service to and from town was excellent, plenty of flushing loos( and with hot water to wash hands!!) that has got to beat the porta loos any day. I really like the space you leave at the front of the marquee for the more "boppy" type bands at the end of the evening. The line up offered something for everyone, particular highlights for me were Peatbog Faeries, Rod Picott, Crooked Still, Show of Hands, Kathryn Tickell and The Spikedrivers.
My only suggestions for next year would be the possibility of a few more showers at the other end of the camp site, over by the other loos which would be good. Artist I like to see.... Karine Polwart, KT Tunstall, Richard Thompson, Chris & Kelly While.
Other than that, a fantastic festival, we will be back next year and will continue to spread the word on what great value festival Shrewsbury is!!
Highlights: Crooked Still, Wailin Jennys, Bellowhead.
Lows: Lisa Knapp band.
A few things would help next year-a few more showers in different locations so close to all parts of the campsite. More loos close to the main tents, so you don't have to miss so much of shows.
Some of the sets, the volume was too high and you lost the quality. Also if you were sat to the side of the stage you did not get the best from the sound system due to being in front of the speakers.
Saturday night.
Perhaps more camping marshalls - camping was a bit chaotic and people arriving later on Friday were hard-pushed to find a spot. Perhaps asking people not to reserve places for friends might be a good idea. If they wanted to camp together perhaps meeting up and traveling in convoy, as people do for other festivals.
Those comments aside, it was a great weekend, we had great weather, and we're looking forward to next year!
Above post if mine - I managed to delete half of my post!
anyway, I'll try again!
Highlights:
Show of Hands
Bellowhead
Kerfuffle
Kate Rusby
Rod Picott Band
Salsa Celtica
The Peatbog Faeries
Lowlights:-
The darn blasted dogs that kept yapping and barking during every act we saw.
On Saturday night a group of young drunken people with a small child asleep across 4 seats at the back of the Marquee, taking up seats that had been paid for by other people who had to stand. This same group continued to cat-call, whistle and carry on a loud conversation throughout.
Perhaps a more efficient pass-out system could be brought in? like rubber stamping on the hand?
Brilliant weekend!
Highlights...
Peatbog Faeries, Bellowhead, Spikedrivers, Show of Hands, Kate Rusby, Idiot and Friend, Rod Picott Band....
Disappointments...
Strawbs, I'm sorry to say, although they were enjoyable so probably expected too much and more a problem with me...
The ferrets loved the weekend too! :D
What a fantastic festival!!!
Full marks to Alan and Sandra for all the organisation and the quality and variety of acts.
For me Show of Hands were outstanding, both for their act and for the quality of the sound (and the soundman). Kate Rusby was also brilliant and Steve Tilston gave a very good performance on Monday afternoon (shame he couldn't have been on in a more popupular time slot).
Peatbog Faeries were far too loud and each tune sounded exactly like the previous one. Acoustic Strawbs almost cleared the marquee - I've never before seen a queue to get out in the middle of an act!
Other lesser known bands and performers also gave outstanding performances. Amongst these were the young band 4Square and the two line ups of superb harmony singers: Rapsquillion and Quartz.
More showers needed for next year but otherwise no serious niggles.
Congratulations to all concerned.
Highlights
Kathryn Tickell (Last saw her fifteen years ago maybe more, just stunning), Show of Hands, Wailin Jennys, Peatbog Faeries Bellowhead (Best of the Fest!).
Appreciative Pats on the back;
Keith Donnelly, Kimber's Men
Lowlights
Paul Brady (Abysmal - words can't describe... ), Crooked Still (Even their own singer appeared annoyed by the on stage behaviour of the cellist - They had their own sound engineer? Was he asleep or just an amateur? They sounded terrible).
Hats off to the stewards - the site was kept nice and tidy considering the number of people there. Though hats back on with regards to the stewards on the main tent on the Saturday night who failed to control the crowd where I was waiting outside the marquee to get in, they avoided confrontation on one occasion by allowing a drunk and argumentative chap in despite not having a token while preventing others from entering, they (the stewards) also stood watching the acts with their backs to and blocking the door preventing easy entry by at least two people in wheelchairs who couldn't reach the entrance and couldn't be heard above the act.
The pass out system just doesnt work, the only way to run these things is the same as other festivals. If you leave the marquee you lose your place. This allows for a constant flow through the tents and prevents the build up of bodies outside the entrances. More showers needed, more toilets too though pleasantly suprised by how clean they were kept with the odd notable exceptions which were dealt with.
Stewards could have exercised a bit more control over who camped where, family, quiet and late night area designations were academic as people had to pitch where ever they could find a space.
Fine sound produced by the festivals own sound engineers who performed better than some of the engineers brought in by the acts.
Good Food selection, good bars, good music, good vibe and family friendly mean that I'll be back
We've grown into the Bridgnorth/Shrewsbury experience over the last 5 years and have to start by saying it gets better and better.
For me the highlights were; Peatbog Faeries (volume was OK by me and I was at the front), Show of Hands (so much better live than on CD...apart from live cd that is!!), Paul Brady (I didn't think he was too loud but The Island was stunning)Crooked Still (OK the sound could have been better, but their since purchased CD's are a joy), Rod Picott (and a nice guy to boot), Katherine Tickell (who warmed up a freezing M2), Salsa Celtica (who rated Shrewsbury way ahead of Cambridge and that gathering in Somerset).
I felt Kate Rusby was just going through the motions, OK but could have been oh so much better.
I just don't get Keith Donnely or Les Barker.....and that's not because I have a SOH bypass.
Some gripes.... barking dogs, blankets with sleeping children on in the "mosh pit" (for some people I think they leave common sense at home!!) I think the large front area could be abused by picnicers in future, a la Cambridge. Erm ... thats it really!!
Next year (or the year after!) please....
Old Crow Medicine Show, Richard Thompson, Tinariwen (or some other North African act)
Overall a great weekend. Thanks to all who gave time and energy for us to have such fun.
An excellent festival. Thanks to everybody involved. My highlights include:
Directing the traffic on friday morning clearing the queue that had built up and getting you all in!
Standing at the junction at gate 4 on Monday afternoon waving my arms about like a whirling dervish directing the traffic and getting you all off the site as painlessly as possible.
The late night music sessions in the food area marquee.
The quality and variety of the food stalls in particular - the pie stall and No Bones Jones Veggie stall - I have never had such a nice meal as the veggie platter from any outside catering stall - and I didn't even notice there was no meat in it.
Low points
The pass-out system does not work! - lots of people left after Show of Hands - took a pass-out token and didn't return - so we had a marquee that was three quarters full yet those queueing outside where still not being let in - likewise for Kate Rusby / Bellowhead. I personally don't like sitting in concerts - so I would prefer to flit from venue to venue seeing a bit of a lot of artists. The current system forces me to stay in one venue to ensure I see the headlining act - thus taking up space which other people may have wished to use for the earlier acts.
I wasn't totally convinced by the quality of the beer (although the range and quality of the ciders etc was excellent, not did I feel that the licensee had got his staffing levels right.
and finally - stewards who have no flexibility to deal with situations as they change.
However, in summary, a great fstival - keep up the good work.
thanks for a wonderful festival - a million times better than last year.
Small gripes - the token system doesn't work. It encourages people to go early to get a token then disappear for an hour or two until the act they want to see. Anyone arriving later can't get in all evening even if the marquee is half empty.
Could Sabrina marquee be sited a bit further away from the other venues? Unacompanied singing had to compete with loud sound checks. Is there other possibility for non amplified music?
Many bands in main marquee were far too loud and distorted close up. For some the best listening distance was about half a mile away!
However - on the whole very well planned,organised and excellent value for money
I suppose people have to be a bit negative or maybe are trying to be helpful but for our group it was by far the best festival since "Old Sidmouth". The questions that occur to us are all to do with success. This is obviously the best site and best organised festival of all and with such expertise and advantages why not go for it to become the number 1 festival. Extend the number of days so that people don't have to choose between Bellowhead, Katherine Tickell or a great ceilidh band. Have later night dancing to enhance the ceilidhs, and, got to get in a moan, improve the dance floor. The outside dance stage was the best we've ever danced on, can we take it with us everywhere. Put it nearer to the terracing and create a fantastic arena, invite top international dance groups, etc etc. Go on, take over the world.
Gordon Phillips Ouse Washes.
What an excellent site and layout. For us, Show of Hands were the highlight of the weekend and we realy enjoyed Kerfuffle, Salsa Celtica and Peatbog Faeries. We also felt Kate Rusby was just going through the motion which was disappointing, she has definitely been better.
Suggestions, (not complaints!), for next year would be;
• Consider raising the height of the main stage to give a better view
• Some toilets near the main stage to save the sprint across the food area!
• A bigger range of drinks at the beer tent near the main stage to save having to go over to the Members Pavilion Bar
• A couple more food/drink outlets – fresh fruit stall, Greek/Med food
• An Elsan point and pedestrian gate from the dance marquee camping field through to the toilets by the stables.
Thanks for a brilliant weekend and you will definitely be seeing us again next year.
Fine first major festival for us, we have done some of the smaller ones in the past but tried this one tagged onto our major camping holiday and found it a perfect ending...ultra clean toilets which surprised us, showers too much of a hike from tents, is it me or did the timing not match the programme and some of artists sets were cut short? kids were well entertained, plastic pintpot system excellent idea...only major gripe I had was DOGS! they seemed to yap at worst moment poss, and my kids did step in some do-do right next to village stage! that said will be back next year...thanks again...
ooh nearly forgot can the stewards be given a briefing to ensure people dont come and go as they please during singing. Just some obs from a big festival virgin!
How loud were Peatbog Faeries?! Show of Hands awesome...'The Dive' one of the best perfomances of anything I have ever heard or seen. Megson excellent as well...minor moans - do we have to applaud the sound engineers at the end of each and every artists bit...? even though most of the time it was same blokes.?...and felt a bit put out when Owen came on stage on Sat night and apologised for everyone having to queue for over an hour and then we had to applaud ourselves for queuing for so long!
My fist experience of Shrewsbury and was very impressed - thank you!
Stars of the show for me:
1. The Main Marquee – I think the tent helped to make the event.
2. Wailin’ Jennys – simply superb harmonies, three voices that complement each other very well.
3. Crooked Still – I think the description of alt.bluegrass sums it up quite well. Rushad the cello player is completely barking mad, but it made for an entertaining set.
4. Rod Picott – can’t get “Tiger Tom Dixon” out of my head.
5. Kathryn Tickell Band – saw them in marquee 2 – very warm set to complement the cold night.
6. Peatbog Faeries – an assault on the senses (both light and sound), but great fun.
Suggestions for next year - Be Good Tanyas, Amy MacDonald, Karine Polwart.
Best of all – the company of my fellow festivalers. Looking forward to the next one.
we arrived at 11'0'clock on friday morning to very welcoming stewards who started to direct us to the quite area we started off ok but due to the lack off anyone further in to the site we ended up on the late night site,this turned out to be fine. what a great festival we have only ever come down for a day in the past this was our first weekend we had a great time we enjoyed all of the acts great line up we will be comming back next year, loved the bus into the town more showers would have been good and thanks to the lady steward who waved to us when we left a great time was had by all we done THE BOYDONS OF STAFFORD
We had a great time and will be back. Highlights were :
1. The Wailin' Jennys (the reason we came and even better live than on CD)
2.Megson (CD hasn't stopped playing since)
3. Show of Hands (amazing performance but picture on programme does them no favours)
We also liked the free bus, No Bones Jones' vegan platters, the lovely showers, the clean toilets and the location.
Could do better: dogs (but only when barking along to the music), bigger range of slightly faster food, (40 minute wait for a bacon sandwich...).
On site newspaper stand would be nice too.
Madeleine and Simon
Really great weekend - high lights Wailin Jennys, Show of Hands, & Kerfuffle.
I am a big Paul Brady fan, but he played too many rock numbers - he has loads of more suitable songs he could have included - he was a disappointment. I agree with many of the points raised regarding need of more showers, great free bus, raise the stage so more can see.
Artists I would like to see next time - Karine Polwart, Cara Dillon, Bruce Cockburn, Pierce Pettis, Martin Stephenson, Kris Drever, Marc Cohn, Bap Kennedy, Terry Clarke.
On the whole, darned good value, I thought - even driving all the way from Hampshire was worth it. Can't be bothered to crit any particular band/artiste, as it's all a matter of taste anyway, but surely Richard Shindell went on too long on an evening when there was precious little spare time?
Food variety a little lacking, and could do with more merchandise to browse - especially music-related. Maybe it's the downside of expanding into such a big site!
Abiding impression was that the old guard has to look out, because there were some infuriatingly talented nippers on the loose (422, Kerfuffle, 4square...) Good - they can keep entertaining me when I'm past it. However, for vocal harmonies, the oldies still seem to have it.
What else? Oh yes - next time, get the Open Mic session sorted so that people that turn up at the duly appointed time don't get turned away because people snuck in and filled the entry sheets in advance (gripe gripe)
Blah blah dogs blah toilets blah etc all been said.
For the future, please don't deviate too much towards the wall-to-wall-singer-songwriter lineup that Cambridge has deteriorated into. Keep it like it is - folky music, nice people, inclusive and relaxed!
What a fab weekend. Great site and the main marquee was stunning. Will agree that stage could be a little higher but sound system was great and I just cannot understand previous complaints.
One niggle was the strobe lights which when Salsa Celtica came on shone directly in peoples faces( they were set too low)and hence the mass clearance.
Paul Brady's comments after his first song were rather disrespecful and with the help of the completly wrong sort of band for this festival made for one of the biggest mass clearances out of a venue I have ever seen. It was to his credit he recovered the situation and gave a fine performance but he was very rattled early on.
Special mention of Crooked Still who were amazing as were Bellowhead and Show Of Hands.
I would love to see far more Irish music(such a shame losing Patrick Street) here like Altan, Dervish, Danu and Slide to name a few and how about Christy Moore.
Bar facilities were poor and understaffed which made many people buy their beeer outside festival and just go back to their pitch when a refill was needed.
Anyway well done to organisers. For me this is already better than Cambridge and the fact you could survive a wet festival under cover is a big plus.
As usual, a brilliant weekend. Its very easy to criticise so I am not going to do that. You will NEVER please everybody but Heh Hoh!.
I was a 'rapper' at this years festival and we had a ball. Great to meet all the other sides and share some quality time with them. We'd love to do next years as well and I am sure Hobo's would be up for it!!!!
Keep up the good work and thanks to all especially the stewards who performed without fault. Its not on easy job to control the way they did and they did it with a smile. Well done!!!!
Next years request.........warmer evenings please!!!!
I really enjoyed this years festival, and for only the second Shrewsbury folk festival, and for it to already be on par with, if not towering above Towersey is a feat of brilliance. Congratulations must go to Alan and Sandra Surtees.
Highlights of the festival for me were bigger bands such as Bellowhead and Peatbog Faeries, as well as Crooked Still, but also the magnificent 4Square whom I had the pleasure of watching in Marquee 2 on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday in the nearby pub. We shall hopefully be seeing alot more of them in the future. Does anyone know if they have a CD out yet?
However, a review of the token system is necessary, as it simply didn't work. Bums should reserve seats. I also think that a bigger venue for the improvers session is necessary.
Overall though, a very successful festival, and I shall be returning next year.
Oh yes - forgot to mention the lighting. It may just be me of course, but....can the light techs please bear in mind that although many bands are danceable, that doesn't make the event a teen clubbing experience. It was Salsa Celtica on stage, not MC Jazzy G.
It did not enhance my enjoyment of the music to have my retinas unexpectedly roasted at 10-second intervals, as the spots swept the seating area, and although I took measures to counter this repeated visual strafing, I bet I looked a right charlie watching Bellowhead from beneath the peak of my cap.....
Oh, moan, moan, moan - dammit, I enjoyed the music!
I must say I also enjoyed the 'travelling artists' too. The one in particular which blew me away were the Eynsham Morris, what a show stoping site. Full marks to the lads in the top hats!! What do you all think?
Just wanted to thank everyone for a wonderful festival. We camped all 4 days, and found plenty for all ages to enjoy. Well organised, thanks to the stewards. Thought the balance of music styles just right; whole place was suffused with music both spontaneous and planned; left on Monday mellow and full of music!
Highlights - Peatbog Faeries (fantastic, especially the fiddler from Kathryn Tickell band!!); Megson; Kerfuffle; Wailin' Jennies; and the amazin Crooked Still, especially the celloist!! Thought the sound of Bellowhead and Salsa Celtica was more bearable from my sleeping bag in my tent at the back of the quiet area!! And I think the men would like hot water in their toilets!
Will be back en masse next year.
Tony Fisks must have been on another planet.
Richard Shindell was superb and should have had longer. His 1st visit to the UK was the highlight for me. He was very approachable during his visit and a genuine nice chap. I recommend Vuelta to anyone as an introduction to his music. Dave
positives.....free bus, kids entertainment...thought jiggery pokery were ace...clean lavs, pintpot scheme...and of course fantastic music...kerfuffle, show of hands, megson, richard shindell et al....negs, only a few....lack of showers in tenting area, dogs a nuisance, the REALLY loud bands, ie Peatbogs Faeries, Salsa Celtica...dance tent could have done withbeing closer, and more than one speciality coffee stall, 45 mins for a brew!?...other than thaT, OH AND A MORNING Paper..All credit to the organisers, a do to be proud of....
forgot to mention.....any chance of joe topping or elbow jane next year....
you beat me to it.just seen elbow jane booked for next years festival..............you fine people!....thats worth my entrance ticket alone.
Well spotted - it's great to get such quick feedback.
We're already booking artists for next year, but our offical annoucement is months away. However, it's likely that some will list the festival on their gig lists before we have time to announce. For the very impatient amongst our blog readers Google may be you friend...good luck!
very good festival the weather was smiling on us all we tried to see as many acts as possible over the weekend.
the campsite we were on was nice and quiet at night.
a few more toilets next to the beer tent.
nice to see a large english food trailer on site this year as it was missing from last year
very fast service never waited more than 5 minutes and excellent value and quality (thanks for the bottle of milk) hope the caterers stay the same for next year as they all compliment each other beer tent could have been bigger.
the new venue is 100 percent improvement from last year
a paper shop for next year and a few more showers.
overall i think not to much needs to change for 08
a credit to all involved
mike
I thought the festival was fantastic as usual, loved the spikedrivers,crooked still, show of hands, Kimbers men ( they needed a bigger venue) and bellowhead.This festival always surprises me with new artist I've not seen or heard of before.Which is why it is special. The food was great,where would we be without the moor and coast, and the coffee stand was much needed, the vegitarian had tasty food. Cider and perry bar..wow. the variety of venues was good. I enjoyed the hugging workshop.
Plenty of loos so important..s and the showers were good when you got in.
The only dissapointing thing was sometimes i wanted to be in two places at once, because there was so much good stuff to see. the weekend flys by.
My wish list, I would like to see tanglefoot. Rory Mcleod and little johnny england, hayseed Dixie would be fun to have at shrewsbury and any Cajun and zydeco music.thank you all for a great time.
it was moor and coast that we had to wait 40 minutes for a bacon sandwich not sure what all the fuss is about
Madeleine and Simon
Bellowhead and Rapsquilion where by far my faves! The only downside was some guy in the food tent dressed in all red making a load of noise with his bodhran!! What was all that about!?
From thock versus hoar
yes 4square do have an album
you can buy it at http://www.4squaremusic.co.uk/main/album.html
They were brilliant
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