Wayward Daughter

FolkEast Day One

The day began in a rather baggy-eyed fashion as I'd barely managed to sleep a wink. Not due to noise or discomfort - I was actually rather snug and cosy in the 'spare room' of Cal and Katie's very well appointed tent - but just a general restlessness which I was unable to wrestle into submission.

Matters weren't helped when the showers weren't working (only a temporary situation I'm pleased to report!) but a healthy breakfast of muesli, fruit and peppermint tea got me kick-started for the day's entertainment and I was soon raring to go!

The weather was pretty good and having explored the festival arena and located the veggie food outlets I checked out some of the local acts playing at the four (count 'em!) stages in the late morning/early afternoon slots. All were good (with one decidedly dodgy exception!) but the musical delights cranked up as the day wore on. The main acts I saw today were:

The Toy Hearts (bluegrass and swing from Birmingham - the one in the West Midlands not the one in Alabama!)
Monster Ceilidh Band (Borders dance music played in a dubby drum n' bass stylee)
Mawkin (folk/jazz/prog/rock fusion - much better than that description may sound!)
The Shee (Anglo/Scottish magic from six AMAZING women playing, singing - and occasionally clog dancing - their hearts out. They brought the house down!)
The Travelling Band (folky/bluesy rock with Fleet Foxes type harmonies from Manchester)
Baskery (stomping Swedish blues from three sisters)
Eliza Carthy Band (what superlatives can I use about the doyenne of English folk music that haven't been used a thousand times before? Suffice it to say that she and her band ROCKED big time!!)
Seth Lakeman (a great set from the matinee idol of Dartmoor!)
Peatbog Faeries (Scotland's finest Celtic fusionists overcame some technical problems to deliver a stormer of a show to end the night. The Skye's the limit!)

My picture shows Eliza Carthy in flight! Possibly singing this!