I always look forward to the start of October. Not only does it signal the start of that beautiful time of year when all the leaves begin to turn and throw the world into a whole new spectrum of colour, it also means it’s nearly one of my favourite times to be back in my home city: Derby Folk Festival.
FRIDAY
This year’s gorgeous event kicked off with an evening concert featuring the phenomenal talent of Moore, Moss, Rutter and Blair Dunlop.
Moore, Moss, Rutter
If you’ve never heard these guys play before, give them a listen! Their debut album, released on Rootbeat Records and produced by the incredible Andy Bell, is available for purchase here.
As for Blair, I was recently delighted to do the photography & album artwork for his latest release, entitled “Blight & Blossom” (out now on Rooksmere Records). I’d suggest you buy it, but if you go and see him live he’ll do a much better job at the cunning sales banter. For the meantime, I’ll simply plant the idea that he’s really very, very good indeed. Here’s a snap of him looking ever so slightly like a member of Duran Duran:
Blair Dunlop
After Blair’s set there was a short interlude involving dancing, bitter shandy, stall oggling, caffeinating and a generally lovely time catching up with all the familiar friendly faces. Then the queues began to build up outside the doors of the Great Hall ready for the evening’s main event: the guitar and songwriting wizardry of Martin Simpson followed by a new act to me (and a very welcome one at that), Jamie Smith’s Mabon.
Martin Simpson
Jamie Smith’s Mabon
Here’s a nice little linking fact for you: Two of the member’s of Mabon played as part of the ceilidh band who did the evening’s entertainment at a wedding I photographed on the Isle Of Man. It’s a small world, no? Incidentally, the lovely bride in question was also at the festival and was kind enough to give me a lift home afterwards (thank you, Heather!)
SATURDAY
Saturday morning kicked off with a flashmob ceilidh on Derby Market Place (suitably far enough away from the bizarre array of fairground rides who’d parked up outside the venue) followed by a fantastically blue Morris troupe. Morris dancing outside a Walkabout Bar. Excellent stuff.
Morris dancing outside Walkabout…
This was followed by lots of informal sessioning back inside around the main foyer area and one of Lester Simpson’s AMAZING big group singing sessions. How he managed to get such a large group singing note-perfect multi-part harmonies in such a short space of time is beyond me. All I know was that it was a right nice way to start the musical day.
Lester Simpson’s Saturday Sing
Gig wise, I was delighted on Saturday to finally catch the new four piece line-up of Pilgrim’s Way! They’ve now expanded to include the multi-instrumental talents of the terribly clever Jon Loomes, and my goodness do they sound tasty. To add to my joy at that, Tom (Kitching, the main man on fiddle) had adopted a bow tie and braces into his stage gear. Myself and David Gibb both approved highly of this. I’ll be photographing these guys in their new line-up form in the not too distant future, so watch this space!
Pilgrim’s Way
Saturday also featured floor spots by Earlsdon Morris and a showcase by Folk-3D (a fantastic group set up to teach traditional dance, music, song and craft to schools and communities. More info here!) There were more pleasant surprises from the Foyer Folk Club and performances from Cupola, Coope, Boyes & Simpson, Winter:Wilson, George Papavgeris & Los Marbles, Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer, Elbow Jane, Peggy Seeger AND Peatbog Faeries! Whew.
Earlsdon Morris
Folk-3D
I was well and truly gutted to miss Peatbogs in the evening, but I hear techno-folk avec jumping up and down doesn’t do much for unwelcome attacks of migraine. In case you haven’t witnessed one of their gigs before, it looks something like this:
Magic.
SUNDAY
After dosing up to my eyeballs on painkiller and sleeping for as long as I humanly could, I returned back to the festival to the sound of another of Lester’s big sings. Again, what an unbelievably lovely sound to fully awaken to. There were also a cracking set of tunes going on in the foyer courtesy of Tom Kitching, Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer, and one of Walsh & Pound’s final festival gigs occurring in the great hall.
Vicki Swan, Jonny Dyer & Tom Kitching
Walsh & Pound
Speaking of Mr Pound, he and his lovely wife (Nicky) have a new duo album out now! Check out “Homecoming” by Haddo, it’s an absolute corker. Dan also has a new solo album out on Rooksmere Records, entitled “The Same But Different”.
Sunday’s installment of the Foyer Folk Club was particularly fine, this time being run by my dear friend and old fiddle tutor, the fabulous Sarah Matthews. There were spots by Kirsty Bromley, David Gibb and Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer, some decidedly energetic dancing (of both the organised and spontaneous varieties), a selection of some of my favourite tunes and – one of my highlights of the entire weekend – DARLEK MORRIS DANCING.
Yep, you read that right. Scroll down…
Jonny Dyer @ The Foyer Folk Club
David Gibb & Sarah Matthews @ The Foyer Folk Club
…Doctor Who?
DALEK MORRIS DANCING. Amazing.
I think my favourite thing about the above photo is the look of utter bewilderment on the face of the lady in the elevator to the left. Just in case the photos weren’t enough, I managed to grab some video too…
Now, you may be wondering – how on earth do you top a Dalek Morris display? It’s a difficult one, to be sure, but Derby managed. Festival organisers Bob Rushton & Mick Pete know their stuff. So, it was time for another one of my festival highlights: Fay Hield & The Hurricane Party! With a voice like that and a band line up that she aptly describes as her “folk dream team”, you can’t go far wrong. Incidentally, lit like that, don’t you think the audience look just a tad like brightly coloured aliens? (I realise there’s a slight theme developing here…)
Fay Hield & The Hurricane Party
Unfortunately this marked the end of my time at Derby Folk Festival, but having seen Seth Lakeman several times before I’ve no doubt that it finished with a bang! I also have it on good authority that there was a high level of boogying occurring…
Last but not least, huge congratulations to all involved in the festival. The performers, sound engineers, staff and everyone who made it another perfect antidote to the post festival blues of late September – thank you all. Now, roll on next year!
E x
Elly Lucas, Photographer 