Musical Notes…

We have recently been to our annual pilgrimage to a field in a small Oxfordshire village to witness the audio spectacular that is the Towersey Village Festival. There were a few small changes over the last year which seems to have been introduced due to the increased numbers of people visiting with a new camping area set aside and a larger main tent for concerts. Also this year you had to buy drinks tokens (this was apparently due to the company having been targeted by thieves at another venue).

The main reason we go for is the intimate musical experience that is mostly of the folk genre (though with some crossover alternative acts along the way). We managed to avoid the worst of the weather and saw a great number of acts such as:

Bellowhead – a folk super-group who have a big sound and bigger energy and inspire a party atmosphere from their fans, that can result in the most unlikely of people pogo dancing to the beat (honests, I couldn’t help myself – it was the music that made me do it).

Edward II – another interesting fusion, this time of folk, reggae and rock that were loud and enthusiastic, but not my cup of tea.

Abigail Washburn and Kai Welch – selling themselves as players of American old-time music these two had a nice gentle sound to them that was enjoyable to listen to.

Bev Lee Harling – an artist with an interesting CV that takes in Mediaeval, Jazz, Burlesque and now uses old junk as instruments (tin pots and pans and an old suitcase as percussion, an electric drill, cheese grater, and chopping vegetables on a board with a knife) in an act that is enhanced by the visual experience that adds to the wonderful and enchanting performance. She was one of our favourites this year.

Larkin Poe – a couple of young sisters from the US who play loud and amplified (too loud and amplified for my taste).

Jamie Smith’s Mabon – celtic inspired folk music by very accomplished musicians.

Donal Lunny, Padraig Rynne & Sylvain Barou – Irish inspired music led by Lunny, who has been playing since he started in the early 70’s with folk band Planxty, with concertina playing Rynne and piper and flutist Breton Barou, make up this traditional sounding trio. Very good musicians but not enough songs for us.

 

Esquisse – a very talented French band who were fine musicians but naturally lacked the ability to interact with their British audience.

Old Man Luedecke – another one of our ‘finds’ for this year was this gentle, amusing and talented Canadian banjo player who had a way with words and a captivating, self-effacing charm.

Roy Bailey – a stalwart of the left wing inclusive music scene and a patron of Towersey this grand old man of folk has a huge and enthusiastic following. His son-in-law the talented Martin Simpson said that if Roy recited the telephone directory the audience would applaud – and it is true, such is the devotion and love that this man inspires by his dedicated fans. He did have trouble with some songs and made a few mistakes, but he exudes passion and integrity by the bucket load.

Jon Boden – The lead singer of Bellowhead, Jon can play a different style on his own, or as he was here with a couple of other fine musicians to support him, a much calmer and more reflective mood than the behemoth group.

O’Hooley & Tidow – we saw this couple a while back and know of them when they were part of the Unthanks group. They are talented and quirky performers with a gently cutting wit to them.

Nancy Kerr and James Fagan – this couple have a well balanced act with complementary voices and an interesting turn of songs.

Reuben’s Train – This duo are a very different proposition, one that often confuses the audience. The lead singer has such a low voice that people are not sure whether it is serious or comical, and can find it all a little disconcerting. That is something I like about them and I think it brings an extra quality to the dark and bleak songs they choose to sing.

The Melrose Quartet – this is a group made of two couples, both of which have successful independent careers, but together have a wider and deeper quality to the songs and tunes they perform.

David Gibb & Elly Lucas – A very young couple who are full of talent and the enthusiasm of youth and who have some cute and quirky songs in their act.

Stephen Taberner – better known to us as the choir master for the Spooky Men’s Chorale, but on his own he shows his jazzier side to him while keeping his comic edge sharp.

JuNk – these are an interesting new performance act that use found items as musical instruments and a post-apocalypse back-story to create their own comical world that they explore in a fresh and entertaining way.

Beltane Border – one of the many dance groups that perform at Towersey who were here for the first time and camped near to us for the weekend. The dance a different style to Morris, that is more aggressive and dramatic in appearance as they black up and stomp around in heavy boots and black raggedy cloaks.

in between the music we managed to fit in a bit of drinking, eating and socialising and saw my uncle and his friends as they played and sang at the nearby pub.

All in all we had another entertaining and enjoyable weekend.