We’re back from an absolutely fantastic weekend hosting our first stage at Filey Folk Festival, our Loudhailer Seaside Special. The whole of Filey was buzzing with live music at ten venues. We hosted two days of music at a new venue, the Masonic Hall with 41 performers who all played brilliant sets. The Masonic Hall was a lovely venue. We set up the room with cabaret style tables, pink table cloths, candles, Richard’s home grown Primula auriculas & muscari and hand made menu cards (glue only just dry!) Rich and I got the show on the road with a couple of our favourite songs. Dexter chose to play a Japanese jazz piano song and Burning Down the House before we introduced our guests, who we have met at our regular Loudhailer Acoustic nights, and most of whom have never played Filey Folk Festival before. Rich and Dex took these photos throughout the weekend.
There was a fabulous eclectic mix of folk in the very broadest sense. From Vivian Querido’s haunting solo violin tunes which took us on a journey round the world from Scotland to Hungary, the Mediterranean and Macedonia to our terrific feel good Sunday headliner The Last Resort who had everyone dancing in the aisles to their fabulous full band 50s rock n roll, jazz and blues. What a weekend…
Andy Bassett-Scott had his ukulele at the ready and some fine Manchester banter to boot. We sang along with the traditional English folk of the Ramshackle Shantymen and The Smugglers. Effie Bassett-Scott wowed the audience with her gorgeous new age folk vocals playing her first full festival set. You could hear a pin drop during Effie’s stunning a Capella version of Ewan MacColl’s Hull lost trawler lament.
Work in Progress’ Filey debut of fantastic feel good bluegrass stormed the Hall complete with banjo, guitar, mandolin, bass and Cowboy DC at the helm, we were all singing along, great fun.
Gifford Rolfe, Joan Foye and Roy Kibbler produced a wonderfully crafted set segueing between Gifford’s beautiful original songs, Roy’s poignant yet hilarious spoken word-smithery and Joan’s marvellous renditions of American women’s mostly murder ballads. Everyone was totally engaged by their show within a show.
Click on an image to see the full picture and scroll through…
During the weekend we were treated to the most stunning songwriting and two new album launches. Jim Orwin’s exceptionally well crafted poetic songs of life in Hull, beautifully sung – reminiscent of a Northern Scott Walker – were mesmerising. At the other end of the spectrum, Graham Graham Beck’s incredible quirky piano songs and head gear-to-be-reckoned-with together with Glastonbury festival style flag waving had everyone grinning from ear to ear. His set showcased songs from his new album suitably festivally launched GGB style on a £1.50 plastic model boat, which duly sunk. The boat – certainly not the album.
Jeff Parsons’ slide guitar in his dryly humorous Loud Shirts was a real highlight – especially when Rich and John photo bombed Jim’s portrait of Jeff. So there it is, showing the first, second and third places in the Loudhailer Loudshirt competition…guess the winner?!
Frankie Flowers’ country set was delightful. Frankie would love to go to Nashville. So her song about her parents going there and leaving her behind is ace. And with a bit of luck that song will get her there! Keeping the American feel we stomped along with Brian Williams’ one man band. Led by blues harp wizz, Brian Williams and perfectly accompanied by lead vocalist Brian Williams and on boogieboard, spoons, bones, whoops and hollers, Brian Williams. Still with an American folk blues feel we welcomed Dick Appleton’s superb finger pickin’ mostly instrumentals and healthy dollop of irreverent wit and Dennis Caruana’s set and repartee showcasing his remarkable vocal style and range.
Chris Scarlett is a Filey aficionado and we’ve seen him playing a fabulous set of covers, but we asked him to play a set of his original songs, full of descriptive writing about Yorkshire life. So evocative they take you there, they went down a storm.
It was great to see a full set of Graham Brady’s very fine and edgy, catchy original songs. If anyone can make you feel good about spending 6,000 days in a car with a corpse, Graham can. Karl Oakes’ set featured an excellent version of Sailors Blues 82s, his song of growing up and going out in Hull set against a backdrop of the decline of the fishing industry, and Katie Spencer’s charming set of heartfelt original songs, soulfully performed provided a moment of cool tranquillity. What a roller coaster of amazing performances.
Thanks to all our guests and to the great audiences who came to listen over the weekend.
Saturday Gallery – here’s Richard photographs and a couple of Dexter’s, click on an image to see the full picture and scroll through…
Sunday Gallery – click and scroll…
Thanks to Ian Kennington, Dennis Caruana and Robert Hartley who have been the driving force behind the festival since 2004. We were delighted to have been asked to run the stage, and had a brilliant weekend. Thanks to Jim Orwin for hanging out all weekend. We love Jim’s new EP, Gypsyville Girls (get in touch with Jim for a copy).
A huge thanks to John Colling and everyone who staffed the bar at Filey Masonic Hall, for making us so welcome and being part of the Loudhailer Seaside Special team for the weekend. Thanks to Peter and Lynn at the Methodist Church for loan of the stage and to Arts Council England and Northern Rail for supporting Loudhailer Seaside Special at Filey Folk Festival 2015.
Rich and Lou and Dex.
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