CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL 2009
Well, we returned yesterday from our sixth festival, our spirits only a little dampened by the downpours late on Saturday night. Our first duty was to raise our glasses to our dear friend we said goodbye to last Thursday. Rest In Peace.
Some great music was played, some unexpected gems were discovered, and some headliners.....well, could have been better, frankly.
Talking of headliners, lets get Lucinda Williams out of the way. It's an indication of the knowledgeable reputation of Cambridge audiences that she came onto stage to do a solo piece, completely froze, and complained how nervous she was, and then got her band on to do another number. We're a nice bunch, though, and we're always encouraging. But, by the time she'd finished her third track, 'Drunken Angel', Terry tapped me on the shoulder and said 'I'm going.' I agreed; truck-stop rock we'd heard a million times before. So Ms Williams does not make our list of festival gems, this year.
But Susan Tedeschi does. What a voice, out of such a slight, diminutive lady. Wonderful delivery, very engaged with the audience, and her country blues spliced with soul and funk, and a wonderful band behind her.
Actually, as I thought of who had really caught my attention this year, it seemed to pan out as a kind of SG line-up of beautiful, talented women! So, here's SG folk heroine No. 1, Susan Tedeschi....
Then, there was the sublime Cara Dillon, singing beautiful Irish airs, reels and ballads in the softest, sweetest of voices....
The wonderful highlight of the first night, Buffy Sainte-Marie, who lived up to her legendary status, and sang songs of the First Nation people, of borderless lands, of children snatched from their parents into abusive schools, of ecological destruction. And, of course, Universal Soldier (one of my favourites). By the time our Officer and a Gentleman moment arrived, everyone was harmonising to Love Lift us up Where we Belong. And, boy, does she not look stunning at 68?
But, but, but. My adorable SG folk singing beauty for this year is Elana James of Hot Club of Cowtown.....
Not only did her and her colleagues turn us on to full-blooded Western swing in a wild and wonderful way. That gorgeous, sexy Elana James can do things with a fiddle no well-bred lady out to know! And every note brought a pout of the lips, a sigh, a smile as if she was conversing with a secret lover. They brought the house down on Stage 2 on Friday. And, when a tiny Club Tent was packed to the rafters for their second set, there was a near riot as the no-encore rule was enforced a little too rigorously. Seriously, if you want a wild night out, they are the band to see - like Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grapelli meet Willie Nelson in a whiskey fuelled car-crash. Just wonderful.
The rain thundered down on Saturday night, and there was no way we would get into Stage 1 to see Booker T and Los Lobos, so we all headed for Stage 2. And there, we saw Mirtin OConnor (accordion), Cathal Hayden (fiddle, banjo),Samie ODowd (guitar, vocals) and Jim Higgins (bhoadran). No SG ladies here, I'm afraid. Just consummate musicianship. As the MC said, showing us how it should be done. I cannot describe how good it was. We caught their second set on Sunday too, it was that compelling. They did everything from Celtic swing to covers of Rory Gallagher, to a version of Handel's Arrival of the Queen of Sheba. A wonderful track inspired by Mirtin OConnor getting a call from a friend ('A good man for a cup of tea') to say that he had booked him to appear on stage in an hour.....in a venue well over an hour away! The drive through the hills of Connemara conveyed beautifully on the accordian. And an air of Ireland in the shape of a woman....
........a dear friend of mine on this site asked me recently about my heritage. I reckon if I balance my lineage against my weight, I have an English body, a heart from the Highlands and tears of Emerald green. Well, when they played that air, green tears flowed down my cheeks. Sometimes you need no lyrics at all.
This is the best I can find on Youtube, which isn't that great. And I'm sure any 20-somethings will be thinking what the fuuuu........ But these guys can play, believe me.
Oh, and I think we have to have some Western swing....if only just so that I can admire Elana James' curves, and dream of beautiful American girls......<sigh>
Well, we returned yesterday from our sixth festival, our spirits only a little dampened by the downpours late on Saturday night. Our first duty was to raise our glasses to our dear friend we said goodbye to last Thursday. Rest In Peace.
Some great music was played, some unexpected gems were discovered, and some headliners.....well, could have been better, frankly.
Talking of headliners, lets get Lucinda Williams out of the way. It's an indication of the knowledgeable reputation of Cambridge audiences that she came onto stage to do a solo piece, completely froze, and complained how nervous she was, and then got her band on to do another number. We're a nice bunch, though, and we're always encouraging. But, by the time she'd finished her third track, 'Drunken Angel', Terry tapped me on the shoulder and said 'I'm going.' I agreed; truck-stop rock we'd heard a million times before. So Ms Williams does not make our list of festival gems, this year.
But Susan Tedeschi does. What a voice, out of such a slight, diminutive lady. Wonderful delivery, very engaged with the audience, and her country blues spliced with soul and funk, and a wonderful band behind her.
Actually, as I thought of who had really caught my attention this year, it seemed to pan out as a kind of SG line-up of beautiful, talented women! So, here's SG folk heroine No. 1, Susan Tedeschi....
Then, there was the sublime Cara Dillon, singing beautiful Irish airs, reels and ballads in the softest, sweetest of voices....
The wonderful highlight of the first night, Buffy Sainte-Marie, who lived up to her legendary status, and sang songs of the First Nation people, of borderless lands, of children snatched from their parents into abusive schools, of ecological destruction. And, of course, Universal Soldier (one of my favourites). By the time our Officer and a Gentleman moment arrived, everyone was harmonising to Love Lift us up Where we Belong. And, boy, does she not look stunning at 68?
But, but, but. My adorable SG folk singing beauty for this year is Elana James of Hot Club of Cowtown.....
Not only did her and her colleagues turn us on to full-blooded Western swing in a wild and wonderful way. That gorgeous, sexy Elana James can do things with a fiddle no well-bred lady out to know! And every note brought a pout of the lips, a sigh, a smile as if she was conversing with a secret lover. They brought the house down on Stage 2 on Friday. And, when a tiny Club Tent was packed to the rafters for their second set, there was a near riot as the no-encore rule was enforced a little too rigorously. Seriously, if you want a wild night out, they are the band to see - like Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grapelli meet Willie Nelson in a whiskey fuelled car-crash. Just wonderful.
The rain thundered down on Saturday night, and there was no way we would get into Stage 1 to see Booker T and Los Lobos, so we all headed for Stage 2. And there, we saw Mirtin OConnor (accordion), Cathal Hayden (fiddle, banjo),Samie ODowd (guitar, vocals) and Jim Higgins (bhoadran). No SG ladies here, I'm afraid. Just consummate musicianship. As the MC said, showing us how it should be done. I cannot describe how good it was. We caught their second set on Sunday too, it was that compelling. They did everything from Celtic swing to covers of Rory Gallagher, to a version of Handel's Arrival of the Queen of Sheba. A wonderful track inspired by Mirtin OConnor getting a call from a friend ('A good man for a cup of tea') to say that he had booked him to appear on stage in an hour.....in a venue well over an hour away! The drive through the hills of Connemara conveyed beautifully on the accordian. And an air of Ireland in the shape of a woman....
........a dear friend of mine on this site asked me recently about my heritage. I reckon if I balance my lineage against my weight, I have an English body, a heart from the Highlands and tears of Emerald green. Well, when they played that air, green tears flowed down my cheeks. Sometimes you need no lyrics at all.
This is the best I can find on Youtube, which isn't that great. And I'm sure any 20-somethings will be thinking what the fuuuu........ But these guys can play, believe me.
Oh, and I think we have to have some Western swing....if only just so that I can admire Elana James' curves, and dream of beautiful American girls......<sigh>
VIEW 6 of 6 COMMENTS
ted_stryker:
I love music festivals, they are so fun and the people there are always so warm and inviting. My Sister and her husband go to Burningman every year and I'm hoping to go next year with the Misses. God that will be so much fun! I've been listening to a lot of Pink Floyd lately, I saw them live for the Division Bell tour in '94 and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. That was a little off topic, but that's how I work. Haha! Anyhoo, take care!
secretary:
It sounds like you had a really good time. x
It sounds like you had a really good time. x