Canalside Folk Music / Festivals 2013

[Athy]

Cropredy is the Fairport Convention festival and if you like that folk-rock style has to be one of if not the best of its kind, as PIR says the the audience tends to reflect that, songs like Hippy hippy replacement and Stanier stairlift to heaven if you know what I mean.

 

I had not realised that Sir William, in between designing pacific locomotives, had perfected the stairlift too. Stannah, perhaps.

Of course lots ofpeople at Cropredy, as at other festivals, take a folding chair. This is useful firstly to avoid getting your bum wet on the grass if it's been raining, and secondly to allow you to see over the top of the bloke in front because he's brought a chair too. But there are always hundreds of people standing at the front.

I like the mental picture of Catryn playing her melodeon on Sickle while a Morris side performs on the front deck. At last we know why the boat has a patio.

is there a difference between a melodeon (which I have heard of only in the last few years) and a concertina?

[rgreg]

Cropredy is the Fairport Convention festival and if you like that folk-rock style has to be one of if not the best of its kind, as PIR says the the audience tends to reflect that, songs like Hippy hippy replacement and Stanier stairlift to heaven if you know what I mean.

Last bank holiday in August is Cream Fields weekend, just off the canal about a mile north of the Preston Brook tunnel just onto the Bridgewater is good, mind you it's easily possible to hear if from your boat it's that loud.

The atmosphere at Cropredy is superb. I particularly enjoyed the fringes where you get a really good variety of music- and they are free! Also enjoyed staggering a mile up that, in places, dodgy towpath to the boat after one too many Guinnesses.

[Puckle]

Can someone tell me what "Folk music" has to do with canals and boat? also Morris dancing. All the proper boat people I knew and know all just liked the music of the day, ie pop music, Elvis, etc, no one was into "folk music" and many find it very odd that its associated with boating today as there is no historical connection at all, same for Morris dancing.

 

What is a proper boat person. I thought historically it would be those that worked on boats back in the nineteenth century. And at that time there would have been a lot of traditional folk music around. I like folk music and I am also a Morris dancer and know many other people that live or own narrow boats that have the same interest as me. So are you saying we are not proper boat people. Bit of a snobby statement if you ask me.

[Catrin]

I like the mental picture of Catryn playing her melodeon on Sickle while a Morris side performs on the front deck. At last we know why the boat has a patio.

Great idea.

 

Is there a difference between a melodeon (which I have heard of only in the last few years) and a concertina?

Truth is, I didn't really know the difference between a melodeon and an accordion before the Stourbridge banter (yes, only about 8 weeks ago). I found myself sitting opposite Wrigglefingers on Tawny Owl, and knowing that she plays the concertina I thought I'd ask her some advice about learning an instrument. I'd seen someone playing a piano accordion, and asked her which would be better for me, a concertina, or an accordion.

 

The reply was:"do you want to play an instrument or a wardrobe?" We talked, further, and she suggested a melodeon - also known as a 'button accordion'.

 

Two weeks later I had done my research and parted with the money for a secondhand 'newly fettled' Hohner Pokerwork melodeon. Four weeks after that I went to my first "beginner's weekend".

 

video was taken at that weekend (I am in the video, but not playing melodeon - I am a complete beginner - I don't play any other instrument and I can't read music). The lady in the centre is playing a red piano accordion, most of the other players are playing melodeons.

[Richard Fairhurst]

I'm sure their are one or two boaters who play the church organ but opportunities to do so are few and far between on the cuts.

Until this summer we actually had a church organ on our boat. We removed it because it was causing a slight list, and we thought we ought to be a little better adjusted before heading down the Trent tideway this year. Sadly I never fulfilled my ambition of belting out that Bach Toccata & Fugue (BWV 565) while passing through Harecastle...

 

There's a well-known waterways chap (and recent newcomer to this forum) who's an eminent cinema organist, too, but I'll let him out himself if he so chooses!

[alan_fincher]

I like the mental picture of Catryn playing her melodeon on Sickle while a Morris side performs on the front deck. At last we know why the boat has a patio.

is there a difference between a melodeon (which I have heard of only in the last few years) and a concertina?

 

Great idea.

'Scuse me!

[John Holden]

Until this summer we actually had a church organ on our boat. We removed it because it was causing a slight list, and we thought we ought to be a little better adjusted before heading down the Trent tideway this year. Sadly I never fulfilled my ambition of belting out that Bach Toccata & Fugue (BWV 565) while passing through Harecastle...

 

There's a well-known waterways chap (and recent newcomer to this forum) who's an eminent cinema organist, too, but I'll let him out himself if he so chooses!

 

Perhaps I should have been a bit clearer and said pipe organ, like to see you get that through Harecastle

[Richard Fairhurst]

Hmmm... could mount a 32ft pipe horizontally... probably wouldn't do great things for the stability of the tunnel though!

[TimD]

Can someone tell me what "Folk music" has to do with canals and boat? also Morris dancing. All the proper boat people I knew and know all just liked the music of the day, ie pop music, Elvis, etc, no one was into "folk music" and many find it very odd that its associated with boating today as there is no historical connection at all, same for Morris dancing.

 

Erm, then how come this song Tom Beech's last trip was ever written if there was never a folk song tradition about canal boating.

Edited December 11, 2012 by TimD

[MaryP]

 

is there a difference between a melodeon (which I have heard of only in the last few years) and a concertina?

 

Apart from the use of bellows and reeds to make the sound, like chalk and cheese. A Melodeon is like a button accordion, will give a full and slightly chunky sound, and is often restricted in which musical keys you can play on it. The concertina is usually a much smaller six sided instrument (there are other variations) with a much lighter sound, often fully chromatic. Each button creating one note rather than the melodeon which produces 2, depending on whether the bellows are pushed or pulled.

 

That is a VERY general description. There are loads of different types of both, worth taking the time to look into.

 

Page of concertina pics: My link

 

Page of melodeons: My link

[MtB]

My experience of Cropredy in 2011 is that a chair is a requirement - most of the people there seemed to have one. Not exactly rock and roll - more like hip replacement waiting list!!

 

Yep, same as when Metallica headline at Reading festival! Can't move up the front for all the fold-up picnic chairs and tables.....

 

 

MtB

[homer2911]

My experience of Cropredy in 2011 is that a chair is a requirement - most of the people there seemed to have one. Not exactly rock and roll - more like hip replacement waiting list!!

 

 

SSSHHHH!! The more people talk about Cropredy, the more difficult it will be for me to moor next year!!

 

There is a standing area designated in front of the stage, but anyone behind its boundary will usually have a chair - three days of standing is a bit arduous for anyone, let alone us 60-somethings. I beleive the audeince limit is 20,000 BTW. Folk-rock and traditional predominates, but with a sprinkling of guests like Squeeze, Status Quo, Joan Armatrading, Jools Holland, 10CC etc

[Bugsworth Tippler]

Erm, then how come this song Tom Beech's last trip was ever written if there was never a folk song tradition about canal boating.

 

I don't fully understand this comment but I think you'll find this song was written in the 1960s/70s(?) by David Blagrove.

[Arthur Brown]

All songs are folk songs I've never heard a horse sing

 

my ambition of belting out that Bach Toccata & Fugue (BWV 565) while passing through Harecastle...

 

Love it!

[Athy]

Just caught up with this thread again. So, a melodeon is the same as a cajun accordion (or is the correct spelling "accordeon")?

[FidoDido]

Just caught up with this thread again. So, a melodeon is the same as a cajun accordion (or is the correct spelling "accordeon")?

 

Cajun tend to be single row of buttons on treble end and two bass buttons. Many melodeons / diatonic accordions have many more buttons, but yes, they are the same type of thing. different note pushed in to when pulled out.

 

Oh, and I'm a morris dancer, and my wife is a folk musician

 

Will Pound, who is nominated for Folk Musician of the Year is also a recent NB liveaboard. He also plays for Morris, and was the harmonica on the Christmas No.1 single Not sure if he posts on here though. Black Pig Morris (Border dancers) have several NB liveaboards here in Nottingham, and Rose and Castle Morris from around the Braunston area say it all

 

me - I'm in www.ousewashes.com

 

In fact, we and around 150 other Molly dancers will be at the Cutter Inn in Ely 11-12 and the five miles from anywhere pub at Upware from 3-6pm on Saturday 26th Jan, if you are in the Fens and so-inclined. There are a few here who moor not far away

[Athy]

I may have seen your lot - whoops, I mean your side. Do you take part in the annual Whittlesey Straw Bear Festival?

Edited January 9, 2013 by Athy

[FidoDido]

yes - been there most years. In fact, we seem to be one of the rather few Molly sides that havent been banned yet! (Thus the 26th Jan event, which is for Molly sides only).

 

Will be there this Saturday. Do say Hello (my names Rob). I'm the big fat one with a black shirt and a 2012 badge on my top-hat. Missus is the melodeon player in the ball-gown. We also do Ramsey Straw Bear, which is primarily for kids. My wife and Gordon Philips of Ouse Washes have taught around 2000 primary school kids over the years about traditional dance, story and song. Whittlesey Straw Bear wouldnt allow the kids to dance, so the Ramsey Straw Bear tradition, which actually pre-dates Whittlesey's was resurrected so the children can perform. It is next Monday this year, as the school had an INSET day on the real plough Monday!

 

They were featured on BBC4 the other week - the Unthanks Traditional Winter programme.

 

Edited January 9, 2013 by FidoDido

[Catrin]

My understanding is that the term melodeon is variable, depending upon where you are from. In Britain a melodeon is a 'button accordion', but these might be called an accordion elsewhere. The whole thing is further confused by the Americans using the word 'Melodeon' for something far more like a harmonium.

 

Different countries have different tunings for the rows contributing to the sounds of the music. For English folk music, a common tuning is D/G. You have different preferences in France, Germany and Ireland.

 

There are

great things played by Eastern Europeans, with many rows of buttons, which sound very different to a 'melodeon' or anything you would hear in the UK - but heaven only knows what they are called - or how you ever develop any kind of proficiency.

 

FidoDido, I met several members of Ouse Washes at the Melodeon 'playday' in November, I look forward to meeting them again at the 'Melodeons and More' day in March. I love the look of Molly dancing.

[mattlad]

My experience of Cropredy in 2011 is that a chair is a requirement - most of the people there seemed to have one. Not exactly rock and roll - more like hip replacement waiting list!!

 

More hip-op rather than Hip-Hop then!

[Athy]

Vary good, Matt! Sit down and have a greeno.

[FidoDido]

 

 

FidoDido, I met several members of Ouse Washes at the Melodeon 'playday' in November, I look forward to meeting them again at the 'Melodeons and More' day in March. I love the look of Molly dancing.

 

That'll be Lynn, I expect.. Maybe Steve Dumpleton too?

 

I hope they were behaving themselves

[Auntyfab]

Not all boaters like folk.

 

I was surprised to be woken up 2 weeks ago by a boat passing by with the Sex Pistols blaring out - my initial surprise at the age of the boater was turned to dismay when I worked out how long ago the Sex Pistols were current.

[Catrin]

That'll be Lynn, I expect.. Maybe Steve Dumpleton too?

 

I hope they were behaving themselves

Yes, Lyn, and another lady, who was very helpful to me, and whose name escapes me at the moment - I met so many people that day. Ah, could it be Lorna?

[FidoDido]

Yes, Lyn, and another lady, who was very helpful to me, and whose name escapes me at the moment - I met so many people that day. Ah, could it be Lorna?

 

Yes, we have a Lorna good memory!