Cambridge Folk Festival - A roving report............

[reiver]

suziko wrote:

Can you define "Skiffle" to the people (not me, of course!!) who don't know what that is?

Suzi

Well, Suzi - Let me try to describe it, at least in the case of Hobo Jones and the Junkyard Dogs. Take 3 guys. Give one a guitar and a full range of 3 chords, C, F and G will do. Give another a washboard and some finger picks. Give the last guy a wooden box attached to a piece of string which is then attached to a large stick - and a reasonable singing voice. Now play any song you like as fast as you can. I'm sure that's not the Wiki description but it kind of describes what happened for 45 minutes last night. And it probably wasn't as bad as I made it sound It was made poppular over here in the early 60s by Lonnie Donnegan (another Glasgow boy) who brought it over from America.

Scott - I feel your pain! That was a lesson learned for me.........

Michele - I shall do just that. But not right now - I'm in the cafe!

The weather today is a lot cooler than yesterday which makes me wish I'd brought a jumper - which is a lot like a sweater but with a differrent accent. Later today I shall be trying to catch The Robert Cray Band (very folkie!) and Newton Faulkener (interesting guitarist).The rest will be surprises, some pleasant - others, not so much..........

Tomorrow night Pentangle are playing. Initially this news didn't excite me too much as these older bands change personnel so often they end up with no connection to the original line-ups. However! This is the original line up complete with Bert Jansch, John Renbourne and Danny Thompson, so I will definitely be making the effort to see them. I've seen all 3 before in various solo or external ventures but the thought of seeing them together is quite exciting.

And so, as I sign off, I'm not an Alan Jackson fan but I do find myself humming "It's Five O'clock Somewhere". Drink anyone?

Stuart

[reiver]

Haha, well you can really write down a report Stuart!

Much fun to read, really envious that I can't be there as well, looking forward to the rest of the report, have fun!

Ness

[suziko]

Ah, yes, now I remember, Stu. Thanks for the explanation. After reading that, I remembered the scene from It Might Get Loud where they showed Jimmy Page peforming in a skiffle band. And I've heard a few songs, like Rock Island Line and John Henry, done in the skiffle fashion.

Sounds like fun!

suzi

[neverfoundthetime]

Did Stuart mention, you need to be wearing a 1956 style British jumper when playing Skiffle? .
Can you believe that, my spell checker doesn't know what Skiffle is either!

[reiver]

A couple more pics. Toward the Main Stage:

Manran playing

[reiver]

Away from the Main Stage:

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The view from my tent

[RicksPick]

So cool Stuart
Gad your havin a good time
Have a wee dram for me
So wish I could have popped in
What sincronicity I've just come across a tab and cd book for Dueling Banjo's
It even has Man of constant sorrow
had to buy it lol

RicksPick

[reiver]

Justin Townes Earle, son of Steve Earle

[Lavallee]

This is great Stuart, definitely a live report (using your Iphone?)

Marc