Shrewsbury Folk Festival

Tim O’Brien ; Steve Knightley © Richard Webb making their international debut. After a together a band of his choosing which Shrewsbury couple of songs into their set—Neil resulted in ‘a mini Transatlantic Sessions.’ Young’s Cowgirl In The Sand and Robert Joining him were musicians from Folk Festival Emery’s Build It Up word soon spread that Scotland and Ireland who combined to there was something special taking place. deliver one of the most anticipated Shrewsbury, August 23-26, 2013 The crowd swelled, the marquee filled up festival sets. and everyone was just caught up in the Martyn Joseph ‘Wales’ best kept Summer draws to a close so too does exuberance of the performance. Five secret’ not only performed twice but also the festival season and whilst Shrewsbury voices, an array of instrumentalists, a presented a talk ‘Why I Write’ which was Folk Festival is one of the last, the old bluegrass treatment of Joni Mitchell’s illuminating. The capacity audience adage ‘saving the best ‘til last’ can Carey and a closing traditional gospel learned about his influences and were certainly be applied to it. Festival patron song Working On A Building culminated treated to a gorgeous rendition of Clara Steve Knightley, best known for his in a standing ovation. But it was not over from his most recent album SONGS FOR involvement with acoustic roots duo, as the band were due to open up that THE COMING HOME. He is about to Show of Hands, kicked off this year’s evening’s performance on main stage. release a Bruce Springsteen covers proceedings by introducing Italian And open up they did! A capacity crowd album and spoke eloquently about his electro-folk band Nidi D’Arac before took Jake and Taylor Armerding, Mark hero and how Springsteen particularly performing an eclectic solo set during Erelli, Zachariah Hickman and Charlie excels at writing for the adult male. which he covered Lau’s beautifully Rose to their hearts. Their debut album Folk music is so often (incorrectly) haunting Ghosts, sang a Pink/Dylan C’MON sold out in 20 minutes and for the associated with the more mature re-mix (!), paid homage to the Cecil Sharp remainder of the weekend the question generation so it was heartening to see so Project through Aunt Maria and closed most often asked was ‘Did you see many youngsters taking the stage— out with his own Country Life. This ‘folkie Barnstar?’ ‘Yes I did!’ award winners Moore, Moss and Rutter; blokie’ as he described himself, received a Erelli also played two solo sets (each Lucy Ward, and queue entertainers wonderful reception and whetted time he was accompanied by Hickman on including Thom Morecroft. Bright everyone’s appetite for the festival finale— double bass and Jake Armerding on fiddle Phoebus under the watchful curation of the Patrons’ Set—for which he was joined and mandolin). I have to declare an Bellowhead’s Jon Boden presented a by Oysterband’s John Jones. To see and interest here—as a long time fan of Erelli’s tribute set to Tom Waits; his songs really hear these two folk legends on stage music, my motivation for attending come alive when sung by much more together was undoubtedly a festival Shrewsbury was to see him on a rare UK accessible voices. The Carolina highpoint and a coup for the organisers. visit. Erelli was one of the eight singer- Chocolate Drops, in their only UK In between however, over four days, songwriters who participated in 2009’s appearance this year, gave us their there were many highlights and invariably Darwin Song Project so was not unknown particular take on old time fiddle and some tough choices to be made as to who to the Shrewsbury audience. His brand of banjo based music. Afro Celt Sound to see, given that performances were contemporary folk, covering personal System’s modern fusion of African scheduled over three different stages. themes (Pauline, August), social rhythms and traditional Celtic music had Shrewsbury differs from many festivals in (Imaginary Wars, Everything In Ruin) and the audience gasping with delight at their that some performers play more than political (Volunteers) is compelling and energetic performance. once and the sets are longer than usual, in deserves the kind of attention he received Shrewsbury has something for some cases running to 90 minutes in here. As a bonus, Erelli also participated in everyone; in addition to stretching the length. This presents festival goers with Jim Moray’s Folk Slam singing three songs definition of ‘folk’ through a diverse the opportunity to pick up on the ‘buzz’ and leading the ensemble cast in the range of musical performers, there are created by a performance and ‘hot foot’ it closing song, the Band’s eponymous The children’s events, ‘Tuneworks’ across to one of the other marquees. This Weight. workshops, yoga classes and a dance was exactly the case in point with One of the beauties about festivals is tent. It is all so well organised and run in Barnstar! Playing the second stage on the coming together of artists from such a friendly spirit that it is easy to see Sunday afternoon, this five-piece different groups. American roots musician why many of the 7000 visitors keep bluegrass collective from the US were Tim O’Brien asked the festival to put returning year after year. Jela Webb .

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