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Steve Poole - Guitar, vocals.
, vocals.
Alan Taite - Guitar, vocals.
This year's Mini Tanners Folk Music Festival, was hosted as usual at Swansworth Farm in the Surrey countryside, Boxhill, organised and co-ordinated by Noddy Lazarus.
Review
I suppose I should begin by saying how much I enjoyed this now once-a-year event, first. And I did! I enjoyed on an 'entire' level, as did everyone else there judging by the general atmosphere Saturday night in the tent. The first night was a sort of 'get settled' evening. Finish work. Drive down the A24, and try to remember where the darn turn-off is! " Oh Yeah, I remember now!" I was saying to an assortment of fellow visitors as we turned into Ryker's and got our weekend's 'water'. Some of them never having set foot upon the hallowed soil of a 'Tanners' folk 'do' in their lives. But, of course, I knew better. I knew they were all in for a good time.
Part of the fun is putting up a tent in the warmth of a Boxhill Summer-'night'. One wonders why one does this ritualistic self-abuse every year at around the same time on that initial Friday night. You can't find your tent-pegs, and your car battery has gone dead because you have flood-lit the tent area with your head-lights for a couple of hours. However, when you've got yourself sorted, tent reasonably upright, friends head-counted, all present and correct, and you've made a few gestures of 'hello' to past remembered faces across the way, it seems a layer of calm achievement descends and you chill out. It is then you may wander over to a make-shift log-fire raging away in the distant corner of the Swansworth Farm field that's used (when the Marquee is too cold), and you remember why you're glad you made it.
Basically put, the music that you hear is superb! Sean Humphries started off, as I remember, the Friday evening with Andy Ive. An impromptu set, around the fire, including 'Old Man Time', 'Silver Coin', and 'Bella-donna Moonshine'. We stayed up like this till late, chilling out on the live music, the warmth of the fire, and anticipation of Saturday's Festival proper. One after another the songs came, until we only knew for sure we'd been there for hours! I even did a lame cover of 'Leaving on a Jet Plane' on Andy Ive's Fender, having did for a string on my own guitar. A guitar 'duet' from Andy and Sean on 'Big yellow Taxi', and a surprise fireside vocal performance by JCB's own vocalist was especially memorable.
I arrived with a couple of Basement Writers, Frances Lane, Nick Waller, and 'Bunjie's refugee' Raven. I knew, if these Poets had brought anything with them, there was likely to be additions to the mainly acoustically based Saturday set by way of some 'performance poetry' or 'song' into the mix.
The main event was Saturday's 'all nighter'. There were three bands, including JCB, and Tanners' own much loved 'Noddy's Lot'.
JCB were, as one has come to expect, very good. Bettie, who's voice was as perfect as it has ever been, handling in seamless fashion 'ballad', 'blues', and the more Traditional 'Folk'.
The band-section ended with 'Noddy's Lot', with a now strong, very well rehearsed 'vocal section'. I thought their harmonies made their set songs 'come alive', from 'Waterloo Sunset' to 'Fun Fun Fun' to the silken Violin and acoustic instrumental 'Vigo
250'. As for Noddy herself, her voice was the best I have ever heard it! - Later, during 'Old Man Time', 'Too Close to the Wind' to name just two, she seemed to be able to 'gather' the heart of the audience. Steve Poole played as well as always like the band's 'anchor'. Geoff kept up
the humour and rhythm against the great Nicola/Noddy blend of harmony. I have to say, Nicola Davies, as always, played subtly, coolly and could be forgiven for inspiring one to go get a few secret lessons oneself and learning to play Violin!
All the best - Joe.
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