We arrived at Vale Park at the appointed hour and had the chance to hear Tanglefoot's sound check. There was lots of stopping and starting and "Can I have more of his guitar in my wedge please Dave?", but what we heard was enough to whet our appetite for later. Tanglefoot are 5 Canadians - most of them BIG Canadians with long hair, beards, big boots, billowing shirts, colourful jackets and waistcoats. They start with a big song and carry on in the same vein, using vocal harmony to good effect. But this is BIG music - the harmonies are powerful and the instruments played with vigour - guitar, mandolin, bass, keyboards, and whistles occasionally.
They played 2 sets with most songs getting some introduction and explanation by way of an amusing anecdote. The songs covered a wide range of topics, from hockey to war via love and wireless repairs(!).
The second set looked likely to be foreshortened by rain, but as the "last song" came to an end the sun came out again and we were treated to 3 more, which went down very well. This is a very competant act and they seem to enjoy playing - certainly there is lots of jumping about and there are lots of almost rock-band like poses, not least the bass being played Pete Townsend style and finally being held over the guy's head, to be brought down (more carefully than it looked!) at the last "blam!" It made me feel a little like we were watching a bit of an act rather than, say Bakers Fabulous Boys who were clearly having a ball, but its a very good act, and we shall be seeing them again soon at Parkgate, in the upper room at the Boathouse (30th June) - it will be interesting to see how they cram into that tiny space, and how the act changes to fit in.
Fiddlestone played in between the 2 sets by Tanglefoot and sadly the set was let down by the sound system, which was not set up to deal with the band's more subtle style. Mal reckoned that it was mainly down to them not using their own mikes. So it was a bit of a strain to hear them sometimes, but it was obvious that behind the nervous vocals and the hesitancy because of the sound, there were some nice delicate sounds coming out of the instruments, and the vocals often produced the traditional English folk style harmonies that I like so much.
They deserved to be heard, and they can be at the Old Manor Folk Club on Sunday 19th June.
These 2 acts were supported by a good assortment of folk from the local clubs, and one song for the children to join in, which they did, I even saw 2 of them jostlig for position on the mike!
It was a nice afternoon, with the weather just managing to stay dry (mostly), and we even had some sunshine. Our only complaint might have been the lack of toilets, the queues for those in the Vale Cafe being too long.
Baker's Fabulous Boys - Old Manor FC - Evening
After being fed and watered (half and a curry), we came to the last event of the Folk on the Coast Festival. The room was jammed with every ticket being used, and there was a sense of excitement building as Frank, the host, led out with a few very well executed songs, including my favourite blues "Down and Out."
Bakers Fabulous Boys are a young, vibrant and very, very good band. Featuring Russ and Stuart Williams from the Helsby Bluegrass enclave on Mandolin and guitar, Lorraine Baker on electric double bass and John from Manchester on Banjo, all 4 singing and all 4 gathered around one mike in the old style, they started high and finished higher! This was a great way to send off the festival, we had old country, bluegrass, celtic reels,blues and "fiddle tunes" all played out in frenetic style with the band clearly having so much fun together and sharing it with the audience.
I was so full of music (and a little Black Sheep), that I was temporarily phased when they launched into Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" and followed with an Otis Redding number, but I quickly recovered in time to enjoy this fine performance. The band were worn out having played in a cave in Cornwall the previous night, and had drove down on Saturday, played, then drove back in time to play for us, so I suspect they were secretly pleased that the club has to stop by 11pm, becasue we were all hungry for more, and the bar staff (retiring after tonight) might have let us carry on, but it was not to be and the applause at the end was full and well meant.
It was a musically well fed audience that went home after that, for many of us it was the 5th consecutive night of free music - how good is that? - and we were feeling the pace, but equally, many of us knew that we would be in The Farmers on monday for the 6th night, because its the friendships made that continue in these sessions and the music brings us all together and fuels our lives.
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