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

reiver
Posts: 0
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:30 am
Status: Offline

Wed Jul 27, 2011 11:06 am

Hello my TG friends. Welcome to the first in what I hope will be a series of roving reports centred around my forthcoming annual pilgrimage to the Cambridge Folk Festival. Yes, it is that time of year - the suit and tie are back in the closet and it's on with the cheesecloth and shorts - and maybe even........wait for it.........sandals! I'm not a sandals person. There wasn't much need for that kind of thing growing up in Glasgow.

For those of you familiar with the concept but not with the details of the Cambridge Folk Festival, which I assume is 99% of you, this is a link to the website.

http://www.cambridgefolkfestival.co.uk/

The official music takes place on three stages - The Main stage, Stage 2 and a club stage which is by far the most intimate of the 3 AND has it's own bar. For the other stages you have to walk, oh, about 20 yards to get beer. They should probably rethink that - we're not there to try to get fit! The unofficial music will be happening everywhere.

For my part, the action starts early tomorrow morning (Thursday) when I get in the car for the 4hr drive to Cambridge, dump my car in a field and trek with tent and guitar to the campsite where I will be surrounded by hundreds of irate folkies, who - like me - are trying to remember how to put up a tent that gets used once a year. If I'm lucky it wont actually BE raining - just threatening to. It adds to the sense of danger. Once the tent is up, the drinking can start - it's like a prize. I always camp in the same spot (I say always but I've only been twice before) slightly closer to the toilets than the coffee bar. I find that to be the more convenient of the options.

The music starts at around 5pm on Thursday and stops at 11pm on Sunday. It's a great opportunity to see some people that already carry a solid reputation (Richard Thomson?) and others that will come as a complete surprise. I shall try to illustrate future blogs with pictures but I'm not sure how successful that will be. I'll be in a field!! I'll aslo try to keep them shorter - I'm sure I've lost half of you already.

And so as this first report comes to an end - and I finish up work for the weekend (I wish that phone would stop ringing......I'm busy here!!) - my thoughts are turning to people smiling, having fun, music all around me.....even in the camp site, singing along, clapping along and acting slightly younger than I should do but fitting right in. By way of balance I should also mention the sore back from sleeping on the ground and the assorted smells that you encounter by the Sunday evening. I think there ARE shower blocks but no-one seems to know where they are.

Until the next one - stay healthy

Stuart Image


willem
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:53 am
Status: Offline

Wed Jul 27, 2011 11:31 am

Stuart,wish you a good time there and looking forward to a new report when you are sober,,,don't forget your pocketlight to find the way to the coffee bar,,oh Hummmm,,the toilets..ho and i know what you do first when you come home after the festival...


dsmarion
Posts: 0
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 6:17 pm
Status: Offline

Wed Jul 27, 2011 11:38 am

Stuart,

Definitely keep those of us who cannot attend anything like this (at least not this year) well-informed. It sounds like a great venue and I am sure it'll be a great time. By the way - you didn't lose me yet - so I vote for the more info the better. Others may disagree, but I like your light-hearted writing style and wit. I was cracking up several times reading your post so your reports should be very entertaining. I am looking forward to living vicariously through you this year on this one.

Scott


suziko
Posts: 0
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2009 9:37 am
Status: Offline

Wed Jul 27, 2011 11:44 am

Stuart,

What a great idea! I can't wait to read your future entries on the folk festival. Is there anyone in particular you're looking forward to seeing this year?

Suzi


Lavallee
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:48 am
Status: Offline

Wed Jul 27, 2011 11:50 am

Hey Stuart, I am looking forward to your reports, I am sure they will be a blast. You said you were bringing your guitar. Is it the first time you are bringing it ? Are many people doing the same? Maybe a jamming session and a video of that? Hope you will enjoy your sandals.

Marc


User avatar
skaladar
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2010 12:45 pm
Status: Offline

Wed Jul 27, 2011 5:11 pm

It sounds like it’s going to be a lot of fun Stuart. I’m looking forward to your follow-up!

♫ Ken ♫


millponddave
Posts: 0
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 5:46 pm
Status: Offline

Wed Jul 27, 2011 6:54 pm

Sounds like a lot of fun to be had there!

Dave


BobR
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2009 11:18 am
Status: Offline

Wed Jul 27, 2011 7:19 pm

Stuart,

That sounds like so much fun, until Sunday night that is when its over. :( Looking forward to you reports.

Don't forget to shower :laugh:

Bob


User avatar
Music Junkie
Posts: 0
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 7:17 am
Status: Offline

Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:54 pm

Nice ! Looking forward to these reports. I love that kind of stuff. Especially when the beer is only 20 yds away...... ;)

Have a great time!

MJ


reiver
Posts: 0
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:30 am
Status: Offline

Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:07 am

Hello, fathful reader.

I have arrived safely (stop worrying) - tent is pitched - beer is opened and I had a small vodka.....just to settle my nerves :) Although I'd left the orange juice behind - I did have a small can of Red Bull which came to my rescue. The problem with getting drunk on vodka and Red Bull is that you can't sleep it off.

The weather is extremely pleasant - somewhere around 70F, I guess. The campsite is pretty full but I did manage to get squeezed in at my usual spot.

Todays entertainment starts at 6pm with the headliner, Chris Woods, on stage at 9:10. He is the current BBC Radio 2 Folk Musician of the Year - but I think I'll give him a miss! At the same time - in the club tent - Paul McKenna will be playing - a Glaswegian (from Glasgow!) singer that I caught briefly last year........I think I'll check him out instead. The Thursday night is usually a quiet introduction to the weekend.

I'm about to return to my tent, do some reading - maybe play my guitar a little - and maybe have a few more drinks.

Stuart Image


Post Reply Previous topicNext topic