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home » festivals » Moseley Folk Festival » Moseley Folk Festival 2008
Seth Lakeman is Moseley Folk Festival's success storyMoseley Folk Festival 2008 reviewThursday 4th September 2008 Sunday was surely a day to please all the more traditional folk fans who didn't quite get their fix from the Saturday and Sunday. For me, though, nothing during the day stood out to the same extent as some of Saturdays acts. Ian Campbell, for all the eulogies about him being the Optimus Prime of Folk in Birmingham, put on an unimpressive show. The Scottish legend and his banjo playing friend took it in turns to sing traditional folk tales from their homelands, some of which were genuinely pleasant. One, for example he was sung in a traditional Scottish dialect, none of which I could understand, but that was part of the appeal and authenticity. Most of the time, though, it was quite dull. One song particular ruined it for me. It was a song Campbell had written to the tune of one of Beethoven's Symphonies, something that lacks imagination in the first place, but aside from that he had to read every word from a notebook. I could otherwise appreciate what these men were trying to do - that is perform in the style of traditional folk, like tales sung around a camp fire – only, one of the main aspects of this form of music was that it was not committed to paper. Surrounded by people who remember much more complicated things, this was disappointing. Rachel Unthank and the Winterset drew a lot of interest and went far in getting the day back on track. Rachel and her band had the traditional late-telling feel that Ian Campbell did but with the music that he lacked. Their songs were sung, harmonized by Rachel's sister Becky, with a bleakness that gave the stories potency, but also with an intimacy that makes this emotion bearable. Like a friend considerately telling you bad news. Hauntingly minimal piano and wailing strings only serve to add to this feeling and what's more is that in a few songs the sisters added their own form of percussion with some clog dancing. An entertaining spectacle for the eyes, then, as well as moving for the ears and the heart.  I took the time on this day to wonder around the festival and check out some of the other things on offer. There wasn't much. There is a third, well it can't really be called a stage. A third place where bands play inside a small tent, but with the line-up this year on the main and lunar stages it's no wonder it was empty most of the time. Other attractions include a 'green' fairground which in reality consisted of see saws jerkily pulled to and fro by a strangely dressed man. These were also neglected, the children preferring to slide down a muddy hill nearby. This lack of entertainment is in no way a bad thing though. If there was loads of entertainment this would be Glastonbury and everyone would have massive blisters and massive amounts of no money, or Reading with massive amounts of sweat and beer all over them and/or gas canister shrapnel in their eye. This festival is a safe one for a family and feels more like a picnic with amazing music. Thankfully the organisers are not looking to expand it any time soon. 
After my short and pleasantly uneventful walk around the festival site I waited again at the main stage, content that I was missing nothing of interest elsewhere. I waited for Scott Matthews. He came on all shaggy hair, leather jacket and telling Wolverhampton accent; and he played magnificently. There was a lot of “faffing” to use his own terminology and a lot of apologizing for this faffing. Perfectionism, however, is usually the precursor for perfection and though I wouldn't go that far I would certainly say the wait was rendered negligible when compared with the enjoyment his songs brought. His voice is unique, expressive and delicate and his songs are layered and well composed. A well deserved slot as the penultimate act. That leaves one man to go. A man who two years ago wowed an unexpected crowd on the smaller lunar stage at Moseley Folk Festival's début. For him to now be headlining the final night is not only testament to his own success but also to the success of the festival itself for getting previously unknown bands into peoples lives. Maybe two years from now some of this years unsigned bands will be headliners.  As for this year, Seth Lakeman is a ball of concentrated talent. He plays guitar very well, he plays banjo very well, he plays the fiddle almost too well and he writes great songs for all of them. His backing band were great, the double bassist especially really creating a performance of his own and producing some forceful bass; sometimes leading the melody itself. The better moments, though, were where Lakeman took the stage for his own and tore frantic music from his violin and somehow singing as he did told stories from his coastal travels of the UK. 'The Hurlers' made a lasting impression with a deep-as-the-ocean instrumental backing to vocals as high as the mountains he was singing about. A symbolic ending to a great weekend. Seth Lakeman is Moseley Folk Festival's success story. review by Robert Knowles photos by Bryn Russell
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