Auckland Folk Festival 2017
Assortment of singers/musicians perform Sandy Denny related songs on the Mill stage
Weather was great, although Friday night was cold and I didn't really sleep, but over all, a great festival with lots of interactions and a good balance of music genres. Sang a few things on Friday night in the new Second Hand News Lounge with GnR.
Highlights: mostly busy Sunday morning: Sandy Denny tribute concert at 10am (WTF!) She would have turned 70 years young earlier this month (6 Jan). Anna Dunwoodie (harp) and her musical partner (guitar) performed a lovely version of Banks of the Nile; just needs more practice :) (lets all do this again).
Don McGlashan interview and a few old songs in the Mill on Sunday morning
Following that, was new festival president (Nigel Robertson) interviewing Don McGlashan who used to lead the Mutton Birds back in the 80s/90s. Busy morning!, I had only just got back to festival site for start of Sandy concert, having stayed at club cabin to ensure a good nights sleep. The interview was brilliant and he sang (using loop pedal and his tenor horn) Lucky Stars, Don't Fight It, Marsha. It's Bigger Than The Both Of Us, Dominion Road, Anchor Me and Andy - which put me in tears twice. Ho hum. The memories. It's now 20 years exactly this January since those songs were reflecting my discovery of NZ and my journeys with kiwi bf M.
New food stalls included a lovely Coffee Guru selling Affogato for $6… I had one each day and a lovely hot chocolate to keep me going in the jam session on the final night. And the salad and carved ham man was back. He's a hoot :)
Remains of a shared meal at our encampment
Lots of music and food at camp as usual with our 2 buses, one normal campervan and 4 tents. Later we managed to have the Old Kitchen to ourselves before the end of the final concert. Again it was a cold night and it is the warmest room/covered space - even had a heater!! The acoustics are really rather nice when you have the room empty to yourselves. The diddlies (including final act Four Winds from Ireland, went out onto the deck).
Downside, which I'll feedback, was that the front of house sound in main marquee was unnecessarily loud. We've had the same sound man for years and he's clearly gone deaf! He stubbornly refused to listen to the many complaints he got. Meanwhile the young sound guy running the new Village stage was all over the place and would be much better. After resting up I'm even considering heading to the Bunker for a reprise :)
Banjo Santa and morris dino dance?? Really? I'm none the wiser
This wasn't the only strange event. Jono did an amazing guest rock mandolin part during Dave Alley Band's set. Definitely an unexpected highlight :)