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Canalside Folk Music / Festivals 2013


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On one of our trips quite a few years ago, I was sat on the back of the boat playing my melodeon (it had a cruiser stern.. I wasn't steering at the time I hasten to add..) and we passed a boatyard - can't remember where, but I was playing a Morris tune called "Princess Royal" - Suddenly this head pops up from out of the engine compartment of one of the boats, he shouts ".. isn't that Princess Royal ?" , jumps out and proceded to dance Princess Royal with two oily rags for hankies...

Edited by Pete of Ebor
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On one of our trips quite a few years ago, I was sat on the back of the boat playing my melodeon (it had a cruiser stern.. I wasn't steering at the time I hasten to add..) and we passed a boatyard - can't remember where, but I was playing a Morris tune called "Princess Royal" - Suddenly this head pops up from out of the engine compartment of one of the boats, he shouts ".. isn't that Princess Royal ?" , jumps out and proceded to dance Princess Royal with two oily rags for hankies...

 

Superb :)

 

Another member of Ouse Washes Molly is Jason Gallop, who is a co owner of the wooden working boat Spey. I can imagine him doing just that.

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  • 4 months later...

My understanding is that the term melodeon is variable, depending upon where you are from. In Britain a melodeon is a 'button accordion', but these might be called an accordion elsewhere. The whole thing is further confused by the Americans using the word 'Melodeon' for something far more like a harmonium.

 

Different countries have different tunings for the rows contributing to the sounds of the music. For English folk music, a common tuning is D/G. You have different preferences in France, Germany and Ireland.

 

There are

great things played by Eastern Europeans, with many rows of buttons, which sound very different to a 'melodeon' or anything you would hear in the UK - but heaven only knows what they are called - or how you ever develop any kind of proficiency.

 

FidoDido, I met several members of Ouse Washes at the Melodeon 'playday' in November, I look forward to meeting them again at the 'Melodeons and More' day in March. I love the look of Molly dancing.

 

im sure i mentioned these two last time we met but just as a reminder,

 

 

hope you enjoy

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After playing with them at the Rickmansworth Festival I joined a band called The Sitting Ducks http://www.thesittingducks.co.uk we have a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Sitting-Ducks/109177639171661?fref=ts

 

I'm pretty sure we are playing some Canalside pubs this year as well.

 

I know at some point we are playing at the Denham Yacht Club in Uxbridge. (I shall walk round the corner with my gear! LOL)

Edited by tafelberg
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I love folk music, I still consider myself a boater (even if I am between boats) and I play and sing. I think there has to be an overlap of people who love gentle, outdoor music and a bit of folk rock for me too, fresh air, a picnic with wine or beer and great company and people who live in the boating community. I think they are similar because of their community lifestyle. There can't be a boater alive who hasn't asked for or offered help to another at some point or shared helpful and sometimes boring stories.

 

Cropredy is wondrous. I am a young 50. I mention this because of the chair issue. Cropredy has a large and continuous following because of its lovely atmosphere, enhanced by the warmth and friendliness of the guys from Fairport. Hardly surprising that we get older each year.

 

There is room to move, loads of people go up to the front for their fave bits. Those with chairs are just keen to be able to sit and enjoy the whole day without losing half their family and friends. I was very privileged to go last year when it was gloriously sunny.

 

I first went by boat in 2008 but by the time we arrived it was not possible to moor up there and we chose to moor nearly two miles away (as we had bikes) so we could turn without going through the locks. We visited the fringe then, enjoyed the stalls and the village atmosphere. We had planned to go to Banbury and back, but Cropredy was too nice.

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We are reading from the same hymn sheet here, Miss Bluegreen - even though Croppers can hardly be called a "folk" festival these days. Yes, there are always a few folk acts, and always a fairport spin-off or two as well as the guv'nors themselves, but over the last two or three years Status Quo, Easy Star All Stars (reggae), Jools Holland inter alia have played there. this year, 10CC (again) and Alice Cooper! But for location and atmosphere it is indeed highly commended (glorious weather? Last year? Ummm, part of the time perhaps). What'ds the "chair issue" which you mention? Most people seem to take folding chairs, 90% of which are the same design, the ones with arms which incorporate a hole for your glass, can or bottle - some manufacturer and/ or importer must have made a fortune from the festival-goers around the country.

We first went, out of curiosity more than anything else, in 2002 and have been back every year since, occasionally camping, usually by boat. We are almost considered to be regulars now.

Are you going this year?

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Another folky boater here! I play the fiddle :) We have the chippenham folk festival this weekend and I can't wait!

As for canalside stuff - my fiddle teacher's band is playing at the Devizes beer festival this year on the wharf. Hoping to get up to that too. They play folk/rock and are brilliant!

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Beard - Check....Boat - Check....Real Ale - Check....Folk music - Check.

 

I think a lot of boat owners just appreciate the simpler things in life, and beards, boats, ale and folk all go hand in hand. I love a few ales and watching the Morris Dancers, me!

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Beard - Check....Boat - Check....Real Ale - Check....Folk music - Check.

It certainly pushes all the buttons for Margaret and I. We do tend towards the celtic side of things but will listen to any good musician. A good venue for folk music which is not far from the canal is Lichfield Guildhall -http://lichfieldarts.org.uk/contact-us/lichfield-guildhall/. Canalside but somewhat isolated from the main system is The National Forest Folk club and Festival which is held at Moira Miners welfare (Ashby canal) - had great night there with Spiers and Boden a couple of weeks ago. Next gig for us was canal side but sadly not anymore - Grantham Guildhall for Blazin Fiddles.

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We are reading from the same hymn sheet here, Miss Bluegreen - even though Croppers can hardly be called a "folk" festival these days. Yes, there are always a few folk acts, and always a fairport spin-off or two as well as the guv'nors themselves, but over the last two or three years Status Quo, Easy Star All Stars (reggae), Jools Holland inter alia have played there. this year, 10CC (again) and Alice Cooper! But for location and atmosphere it is indeed highly commended (glorious weather? Last year? Ummm, part of the time perhaps). What'ds the "chair issue" which you mention? Most people seem to take folding chairs, 90% of which are the same design, the ones with arms which incorporate a hole for your glass, can or bottle - some manufacturer and/ or importer must have made a fortune from the festival-goers around the country.

We first went, out of curiosity more than anything else, in 2002 and have been back every year since, occasionally camping, usually by boat. We are almost considered to be regulars now.

Are you going this year?

Someone else was grumbling about the chairs, it just seems common sense to me. If I do go this year it will be without the boat as it went in March - huge sad face - I have a friend who has been to every single one, I camped in 2012 - but I do remember the weather being amazing. I had to use suncream. The evenings were v cold tho, as there was a mad dash back before our fave bits came on to get warmer clothes from the tent.

 

My only disappointment was Joan Armatrading. Aw, now you've got me thinking about if I am going and that means planning. The girls who played with fairport that weekend were really good.

Edited by bluegreencanal
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My first 2 or 3 canal holidays were with a group of Morris Dancers in the 80's. People who like folk often like out doorsy, country ish, and not 'run of the mill' activities too. (Not all admittedly). I am a self employed ceilidh caller, and I own a boat. Another ceilidh caller I know is a share boat owner, a ceilidh band member form Coventry is a serial boat owner and I have met numerous other folky people on the cut. 'Fraid it's quite widespread......

One of the best music nights we've ever had was at a Ceilidh dance at Aqueduct Marina on the Middlewich Branch of the Shroppie. I can't dance to save my life but was very tempted on that occasion. Music of all genres is a great source of enjoyment and ideal social outing.

 

If it's folk that floats your boat then every Monday night in The Bridge pub in Audlem will no doubt suit you. Hurdy Gurdies in abundance.

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My only disappointment was Joan Armatrading.

Yes, Armourplating was OK but no more than that - one of those "well, I'm pleased I have seen them on stage" artists to tick off the mental list. Actually I think I saw her playing a concert in Hyde Park during my student days - Don McLean was top of the bill and a singer called Susha, wonder what happened to her, was also on.

One year when we were "between boats" we hired a camper van, or motorhome or whatever it may be called - more expensive than camping but a very comfortable option.

Are you planning to get another boat or or you permanently bankside now?

One of my highlights, two years ago, was looking out of the boat on to the towpath and seeing Simon Nicol, with attendant folky-looking dog, looking admiringly into the engine room where the Gardner was thumping away to itself. "You can't beat an old Gardner" he said in those headmasterly tones, before resuming his dog-walking amble.

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Folk music might not be a long standing boater tradition, but, perhaps because of interest in both boats and folk music in those who are interested in an 'alternative' life style there does seem to be an increasing overlap.

 

I've recently started to learn the melodeon. Surprised at how many of the people I've met through that have links to boats/ canals. A lot of serious beards and real ale, too.

Wasn't folk music and melodeon playing mentioned in the book 'Ramblin Rose'? As with the Irish and many other nationalities of years gone by, simple music melodies were a great source of entertainment and no doubt working boatmen also indulged as such.

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There are some folking boaters boating folkies writing songs about waterway life. Many songs will fall by the wayside but perhaps some may endure to be tomorrow's folk music (I don't want to engage in a discussion as to what is or is not folk music - life's too short). Lyrics, some music and videos can be found on the website 'Songs of the Inland Waterways' http://www.waterwaysongs.co.uk/index.html

 

Contributions of songs or additional information would be welcomed.

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Yes, Armourplating was OK but no more than that - one of those "well, I'm pleased I have seen them on stage" artists to tick off the mental list. Actually I think I saw her playing a concert in Hyde Park during my student days - Don McLean was top of the bill and a singer called Susha, wonder what happened to her, was also on.

One year when we were "between boats" we hired a camper van, or motorhome or whatever it may be called - more expensive than camping but a very comfortable option.

Are you planning to get another boat or or you permanently bankside now?

One of my highlights, two years ago, was looking out of the boat on to the towpath and seeing Simon Nicol, with attendant folky-looking dog, looking admiringly into the engine room where the Gardner was thumping away to itself. "You can't beat an old Gardner" he said in those headmasterly tones, before resuming his dog-walking amble.

Hm, yes, it was lovely to see her. I would love another boat, but can't do it at the mo. I have to make a home for my teenage son for a bit longer.

 

I got a kiss on the cheek from Ric Sanders, I love his fiddle playing and he is a really nice guy. How lovely to get admiration from Simon Nicol :-) coolio.

 

I will have another look at the program to see if I can be tempted this year.

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ive often thought the irish , had their history , love songs and poetry in their songs and maybe more , the welsh with their music and songs , the scots ah yes

, a little dissapointing that the english appear to have so little , or hold what thay have in low value .

 

but as some one stated the humm of a boat engine or perhaps the purr of a merlin engine is music , standing in a blacksmith forge and listning to the beat of the hammer , some one said perhaps folk is of a simpler time , i doubt it , its in the heart and seen in the eye some can express it by word or the skill of a tune , im fortunate i can enjoy that .

and a lot of otheir music ,

the irish built the canals and the railways so they say , i guess we would have had and heard that at the time when the horse was the power and the song of the irish folk was the sound on the canal i guess in that way theirs a link between the narrow boats and folk

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The irish built the canals and the railways so they say , i guess we would have had and heard that at the time when the horse was the power and the song of the irish folk was the sound on the canal i guess in that way theirs a link between the narrow boats and folk

The Irish are natural entertainers and smile with ease. Anyone who has been blessed with the experience of a good Irish wedding will bear testament to how they enjoy life and all that it offers.

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