Village Pump Folk Festival is as much about new discoveries as old favourites (part two)

Village Pump Folk Festival 2016

Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th July 2016
White Horse Country Park, Trowbridge Road, Westbury, Wiltshire, BA13 4LX, England MAP
£120 for a weekend ticket

Daily capacity: 2,000

Friday's music starts in the early evening on the main stages, though there was music on in the Social Club Hall (a small stage behind the Clubhouse, slap between the main stages) for my entertainment this evening I would take in Frukes (Frome Ukes) a fun opening set of about 16 players on stage.

Mike Scott has a wonderful repertoire of ironic songs of life, with comedy being at the core of many of them. He dips into this today and a Christmas version of 'Hallelujah' finishes his set.

Silver Street Band play to quiet audience, that listen to quality set. 'Galway to Graceland To Be With The King' and their version of 'A Man You Don't Meet Everyday' finishes off a lovely set.

Martha Tilston has such a beautiful, clear voice, I've seen her perform a few times over the years and she's always a highlight. 'Artificial' is a personal favourite.

My surprise of the day was Neville Staple. He ripped through a set of songs I knew like 'Johny Too Bad', 'Monkey Man', 'Working For The Rat Race'. 'Enjoy Yourself' is we think the last song! Well nah! The crowd are carrying the show on, singing 'Ghost Town'. This brings them back out for 'Guns Of Naverone'. This guy really performed with a passion that's held for a long time now and it showed to his audience and me, I really enjoyed it, much more than I thought I might. As a side note, I spotted Billy Shinbone (of Flipron) playing guitar, I wonder if its a permanent move?

To end the night it's into the social club for a while and to hear Andy Kershaw performing his DJ set.

Saturday is Haturday here, so is the tradition now, and there are lots of people that use the excuse to wear some mad head gear, many the maligned festival type hat, but some great creative home made titfers too.

Harp and a Monkey recount 'Footsteps of Giants', about the kinder trespass walk and those that walked the Pyrenees to help stop the onset of fascism in Europe. 'Bowton's Yard', an adaptation from a dialect poem, was great and reminded me of 'Neighbourhood' by space.

Barluath are a Scottish/Hebrides band with pipes, fiddle and whistles. Reeling off tales of husbands lacking courage, Stoke on Trent's ladies, and pits, as well as trad/new highland tunes.

Bryn plays a few songs, 'Windy Harbour' and 'Don't Laugh At Me', follows a joke of Jones the spy, all part of the Llantrisant folk club sessions in the Club House. Oddly older people in the audience film him on their ipads/ tablets and a younger lady spins yarn. Bit of age stereotype reversal right there.

Steve Tilston, (Martha's father), brings his tales of taking up this profession against his fathers wishes, and sings of being on the road when he was younger.

Reg Meuross talks of words of welcome, and sings of a refugee friend, eloquent song smith that he is he speaks easily to his crowd to tell the stories behind his songs, like his first girlfriend (and all the women in his life being smarter than he) from latest album 'December'. 'England green and grey', really stood out.

Lynched the Irish four piece, present traditional songs from such sources as a lady from a Dublin pub and the traveller community such as 'Child Number Four'. It'so similar to Scarborough Fair, I'm left wondering if "every rose grows merry and fine" was the true line to "parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme?" A child friendly version of 'Tommy Tucker' and anti fascist song 'Peapod Soldiers' are among the high spots. I'll catch these players again I hope as they were a highlight for today.

continues in part 3... more >>