h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Sunday August 10th dawned much brighter. Well, it was when I surfaced at 11.00, my normal surfacing hour after being on the the night before!!! . The rain long gone, but it was still very blustery. I took a stroll down to the main street. Broadstairs is on a horseshoe-type loop based on an old cart track, and is a notorious traffic pinch point. To this end, during Folk Week, the street is closed at the bottom end from 21:00 to 01:00, due to the pressure of visitors and the danger of motorists hitting them, especially if drink driving.

It was good to see the crowds out and a wide variety of Morris sides, which were now dried out, and performing on the Prom. Some of the sides were regulars such as Royal Liberty, a side who use scaffold poles instead of sticks. This side I first met back in 1982, at Sidmouth International Folk Festival

http://www.sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk/

Of which Broadstairs is an offshoot. The history is too complex to note here. Suffice to say I met this bunch of itinerant dancers who had only a melodeon player for a Musician, so I volunteered my services. The side had two very dodgy claims to fame. They danced an obscure style of Cotswold Morris, namely Ascott-Under-Wychwood, which has a very limited repertoire. Anyway, it turns out that this side, like most was dying due to lack of young blood, but a young biker had been told of this club that loved drinking, so he turned up, and thoroughly enjoyed himself. He then collared the rest of his biker gang to turn up the next week (but forgot to tell them what the event was, except it involved and lots of it...) They turned up, and after a bit of arm twisting, found they enjoyed the Craic... except the side were poor. They couldn’t afford proper sticks for the stick dance... Unfazed, the bikers went to their steeds of choice, took out their tyre levers and gauntlets, and so began the nascence of the scaffold wielding Royal Liberty Morris side. I know, because I was there! and played for them at Sidmouth for two wonderful years, and what a wonderful bunch of hairy, unwashed louts they were... But I digress...

http://www.royallibertymorris.org.uk/

Dead Horse Morris, who's musicians use medieval instruments such as schawms, sackbuts, english bagpipes and a Contra bassoon They also have attracted quite a number of young dancers , which is rather unusual in today’s society where Morris dancing is seriously .

There were also other sides that were down just for the day, such as Harwich Morris, Offcumduns (who I have also played for in the past, known locally as Off comdons... I leave you to decide why!!! and Wantsum Morris, another side I have danced and played for, in a previous existence!!! Morris musicians get around a bit don’t they? They should have their own gossip magazine! ‘Read the latest copy of FOLKING, in your news-stand today!!!’ .

I decided, as the sun was shining, to stroll along the prom, and take in the ambience of it all, and ended up at the Bandstand just as the ‘Hand to Mouth Theatre’ started. This consisted of a male performer, martin Bridle, supporting a verdant Punch and Judy-style theatre mounted on a broomstick, and totally encompassed so I could only see his hunter wellies and knees. . He was accompanied by a young lady, Su Eaton, playing a Hurdy Gurdy and other musical instruments. It was a wonderful show, running for 25 minutes, which must have been exhausting in that wind, and well worth looking out for. I just wished I had seen them earlier!!! I managed to video the show, but the wind noise is excessive! Please take the opportunity to watch it... It is very cleverly done. and one of the many highlights of my week!

http://www.handtomouth.co.uk/

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=eo68vlnOiYI

The usual trip home, supper, and watching the Olympics, although my Step-mum was adamant we’d never amass the medal haul anticipated...

The evening playaround was Drohne, in the form of Philip G. Martin. (the G is important! ) I have seen Philip on many occasions over the years and have known him for some time. I even bought his first cassette around 30 years ago! He plays hurdy gurdy and english bagpipes, performing Breton music along with some C16 and C17 music. There are a couple of tunes that are lively but most is rather dirgey, as it was at that time, due to it being the period before commontime... what a God-send to Musicians! The landlady of the Lord Nelson actually said he is banned from the Pub next year as they were losing trade and he really ruined the atmosphere in the Pub.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qnmNSYd22L0

The Late night dance had Warblefly as the guests, who played very lively celtic music and really had the audience dancing and enjoying themselves. The band are Frank on guitar, Dave on drums, Pete on mandolin and mandola, Elly on melodeon, Andrew on bass and David on fiddle.

http://www.warblefly.co.uk/index.htm

They really have to be heard to be believed. I was knocked out and, conscious of how little I had and the amount of I had drunk, I almost bought their album, as all CD’s throughout the festival were £10.00, as opposed to the usual £12-15.00 online. I wish i had now. Still, despite rather large amounts of Greene King Abbot and Courage Director’s I managed to wend my way home through the trashed plastic glasses that littered the street and so to

Monday’s Journal follows when I get the time.

Thanks for reading!

And maybe I have inspired you to attend next year! I already have one HooToo regular! All may be revealed.

MMF

In fact I just stole the Piggery Jockery one and put it next to My Boys of Bluehill one I stole from you a little while ago