TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Merry Hell headlining Saturday night  :)

Any news on the rest of the line-up? Can't find any info on-line but I'm not the world's best search engineer!

Some confirmation on FB yesterday (without collaboration) that this year’s will be last, just like the punk one and probably the blues one - it would appear they have more profitable options available.

Tribute bands?

It seems they will concentrate on Decade themed music weekends rather than genre based.

I'm not surprised.

We attended several over the years, each revealed that Butlins didn't understand the folk audience in different ways. The first we attended ran out of ale on the Friday evening as no-one told them folkies seldom resort to godawful lager.

We enjoyed the ones we attended - mostly thanks to friends being there to meet up with and chinwag.

There's an opportunity for someone to run a better version, but in the current financial climate, I think the squeeze is on for disposable income.

I went for the first time last year and had a fab time. The rumour going round the weekend  was that the Butlins Skegness site was being sold to developers. People were expecting GBBF 2021 to be the last one.

We've got tickets foe January and, if Butlins are selling up/aren't interested, I really hope the promoters will find another home for the event.

Are they (Butlins) not the promoters then, just the hosts?

Pretty sure all the music weekends are organised in-house.

We have been to them all and thoroughly enjoyed them (apart from the ridiculous queuing!)
We had decided not to attend the next due to the fact the date was changed from before Christmas to January.
Knowing this will be the last, we may change our minds.

I'm going in January for the first (and it seems, the last) time. Hope it's going out on a high.

I assumed they were just the hosts but I may well be wrong.

bak

There are a few big pluses and a few big minuses. Superb value for money, great line ups, very compact BUT awful sound, too crowded and massive queues ( a Sky Bar pass is a must). I enjoyed most of the ones I went to a lot, its a nice winter break but I cant queue for 2 hours. You have to book early to get a Sky Bar pass and end up paying a much higher price.

Butlins has just been bought out by the Harris family https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-62974028 a friend who works at Minehead tells me there’s going to be a few changes so I imagine they’re looking at all events.

Pitmans Poets, Ian McNabb and Chris Difford added.

What is a Sky Bar pass, I can't see it mentioned at all?

It's an upstairs bar in one of the venues. It costs more and is instantly sold out because it's more comfortable and has a better view. So it's not offered as you can't get in.

We've succumbed to booking.

A word to the wise: Butlins no longer take Tesco Clubcard vouchers for food, just accommodation. Not realising this, I tried to book up to find I had £150 in excess vouchers. Fortunately a phone call to Tesco sorted this out. So £150 paid via vouchers and food paid for by card - another £164!

See you there.

Not me im afraid ive been to every one ...but stupid time of year

Same with us, been to every one, but not this time.
Doesn’t seem the same being on the wrong side of Christmas.
Can’t face a 500 mile round trip in January!

This will be my first one. I could never make it in December, too much going on.

first and last  ;D

I was going to travel to the festival by train, but it seems it will coincide with a couple of proposed rail strikes. So, if anyone from South Wales fancies sharing transport I'm happy to drive/split the petrol money.

I believe I may be able to do that, Mick. I'll PM you.

Cheers, Andy

First one for my wife and I BUT no fun fair !!!!!
 I was really looking forward to going on the big wheel with the winds whipping in from the North Sea, do you think we will get a rebate ?   ;D

Seems like a shambles, glad we didn't go

Why?

Ridiculous clashes, artistes dropping out, no beer except bottled. Program was thin anyway but Oysters clashing with Merry Hell, Headsticks clashing with Ferocious Dog. Hell fire!!

It always was a car crash but putting the Oysters up against Merry Hell is a spectacularly bad decision. And Ian McNabb has pulled out because of ill health.

Like someone else said, this was always a pre Christmas treat. I don't have the stomach for Skegness in January.

Should have been there but I came down the covid earlier on in the week. Highly disappointed.

Never too bothered about clashes. Expect it at a festival with more than one stage.

I do wonder if it's not deliberate to have a ridiculous clash as the facilities literally can't fit everybody in the same room?

My first (and, it would seem, last) GBBF was, on the whole, an enjoyable experience with some good company - Andy and Wendy of this parish and their friend Vicky - along with some fine music and decent food. Some great performances from artists I was familiar with, as well as from others that were new to me. Oysterband and Steeleye Span were, as you would expect, well worth the long trip from South Wales. Billy Mitchell & Bob Fox were hugely entertaining, as were The Alan Hull Songbook. Chris Difford, who I had not seen solo before, was a highlight, not just for the great music, but also for his very funny anecdotes.

Of those I hadn't seen before, Hunter Musket were very good, they had Paul Burgess (10CC) guesting on drums and he also sat in for Gerry Conway during the rather fine Pentangle set (Jaqui McShee had announced that Gerry was 'unwell, with a cold'). I thoroughly enjoyed Ferocious Dogs and Dave Speight's acoustic blues too. Carrie Martin turned out to be a fine guitarist but I wasn't a fan of her voice.

Of those acts on the 'Introducing' stage, I was impressed with Plumhall and the wonderfully named Michel, Pfiefer and Kulesh. Gaelforce, a fiddle driven folk rock quartet were pretty good, but not particularly groundbreaking. Of course there were the inevitable clashes that meant I missed some acts I would have liked to have seen. Pitmen Poets were on at the same time as Steeleye. Merry Hell clashed with the Oysters. Dean Friedman, who I would have liked to have seen, if only out of curiosity, was on at the same time as Chris Difford. The Kate Taylor Band was another I would have liked to have seen, but they clashed with Dave Speight. I'd heard some good things about The Houghton Weavers, but they were on at the same time as Pentangle. Also, Mark Chadwick from The Levellers was on at 11.30pm on the first day, but after a five hour road trip we were all a bit knackered by then, so he was also one that I missed.

So, an enjoyable experience - marred only by the lack of some clearer communication about certain line up/venue changes and one or two sound glitches. It's a pity it's the last one, but clearly a folk festival isn't the most lucrative of events for the hosts.

Carrie Martin played one song where the chord progression was very familiar.  

Eventually I tracked it down to Hawkwind's "We Took The Wrong Step Years Ago" (https://youtu.be/LSkuUYnYckU)

As Mick said, she's a great guitarist.

Ferocious Dog were my highlight along with the night of the North West's finest The Mathers Robinson Band, The Houghton Weavers and Merry Hell.

Sounds like I had to miss a good one. Still testing positive. Boo! Glad folks enjoyed it though.

Nice to know that Plumhall played well. They're based in my neck of the woods and its been nice to watch them build up a fan base.

They put on gigs in the extraordinary cruck barn of The Craven Arms pub, in Appletreewick, Yorkshire Dales, where they provide the support. We've got Rod Clements & Ian Thompson and Steve Knightley coming up there over the next couple of months. It's a lovely venue. Heartily recommended if you ever get the chance.

The web site doesn't list any current gigs...http://www.craven-cruckbarn.co.uk/cruck-barn-concerts.html  How does one see what's on/buy tickets?

The web site doesn't list any current gigs...http://www.craven-cruckbarn.co.uk/cruck-barn-concerts.html  How does one see what's on/buy tickets?
[/quote]

I'm sure I bought them via the pub's website. It does say the page is under construction so maybe they've had some technical issues.

However, you can buy tickets for both concerts from wegottickets.com. Only one more Plumhall organised event is currently listed: Miranda Sykes and Hannah Martin, on September 29th.

We thoroughly enjoyed it. Many fine acts. Steeleye and Oysters both played a blinder. Hunter Muskett were a new find for us, but have obviously been around. Alan Hull Story was great. Mitchell and Fox were on great form. Bonus marks to Joe Martin who followed Steeleye and closed the festival with a great mix of his own stuff and covers. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house as we all sang the day the music died in American Pie.

Paul

I’ve just been listening to The Space Ritual, 50 years on its every bit as astonishingly, monstrously brilliant as it was  back then.
  One tour I’m glad I didn’t miss😎

I thoroughly enjoyed what is alleged to be the last ever GBFF . Favourite act was Oysterband. I loved seeing for the first time Mitchell,Kulesh & Pfeiffer .
Not a bad act was seen . I have a full collection of GBFFs , never missed one ,never had a bad one .
Gutted if it is the last

Was nice to meet you Trevor

All is not completely lost .
From the embers of GBFF BUTLINS. I have received confidential correspondence of which I will share a tiny part —-  as it’s secret info .
Quote… I am pleased to inform you that there will be a (new name) UK WEST COAST FOLK FESTIVAL to be held in three venues at BLACKPOOL Winter Gardens on 12/13/14 January 2024.

More info to come . Diaries folks

Was very sorry to hear Skeggy was ending as had enjoyed some great weekends there, but as we have just moved back to Lytham this news couldn’t be better.

One of the benefits of GBFF being held at Butlin's was the convenient accommodation and food hall. Never been to Blackpool Winter Gardens. Do they have similar facilities?

Not at the Winter Gardens as it is purely an entertainment complex. Plenty of hotels and B&Bs close by though. I suspect the shape of the festival will be quite a bit different. Quality places to eat are limited - need to go out of town for that.

The major downside of Blackpool is it's Blackpool!

The organ at the Tower Ballroom (not far away...) is even mightier than Alan Doonican's! (allegedly)

You could say that about Skegness!

Even mightier??  How could that be??

It's a major upside to an exiled Blackpudlian whode birthday is on 13th Jan.

Ah….a B n B in Blackpool in January……Luxury….

nice idea! but no thanks to Blackpool as a venue...

Use of cruet included?