Here comes Summer!
it’s tent o’Clock
Oo-ee-oo, it’s getting to be that time of year again, where the old tent starts to snake out some tendrils of enticement, begging again to be let out on active service, to soak up the sun, vent in the vibes and generally play devil may care with any chronological age of the occupant. Here, at ATB, we like our festivals, and try to see a spread of reportage across as many corners of the land as we can find. And here’s one, not even that far from our man in a sleeping bag’s homestead. Look who’s on! It should be a corker!
Where TF is Southwell, then? The answer is somewhere north east of Nottingham, halfway between Mansfield and Newark. Here, in the 16th year of its existence, and but 3 miles from an earlier incarnation, at Southwell racecourse, a beautiful setting in lakeside parkland is ready to welcome punters to “quite possibly the best small folk and roots festival in the UK.” Described also as a smaller and friendlier version of Cambridge, the organisers have a track record of pulling greater than their punch, drawing artists as much for where it is and how it is run.
Rich & Jon’s Skinny Dogs
With a broad brush approach to what may be considered folk, let alone the “International Roots & Acoustic Music Festival” it self identifies as. Hell, they have electricity for one! Quite apart from the array of artists booked, the festival also prides itself on special events, one-off commissions that bring together acts one might not consider necessarily usual companions. This this years sees events specifically around Kip & Dave’s Top 10 (Friday), Blues with a Twist (Saturday) and Country, Swing and Honky Tonk (Sunday). These tend to bring together participating artists in ad hoc combination and collaboration around the theme in question. (Kip and Dave are aka Winter Wilson, their show a re-presentation of chart hits re-imagined.) This all on top of bills topped by ATB faves like Richard Thompson, Skinny Lister, Jon Boden’s Remanant Kings and Track Dogs, with many many more scattered amongst the lower pegging.
And if you don’t like music, apart from questioning why you have read this far, there is a welter of other associated activities, workshops, spoken word and dance amongst those available. Not caught a Banter ceilidh yet? You’re missing out. Sounds good, yes? Good beer, widespread foods of the world, decent prices, what’s not to love?
It should be a hoot, and our man will be there (so say hello!) If in doubt, look for the dubious looking gentleman down at the front for the Alabama 3.
Here’s a vid, with clips collated from the last couple of years. All details below.
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