IRFMF 2005 Mardles review

Ipswich Riverside Folk and Maritime Festival, 10th-12th June 2005.
A personal view by Carys Swinger.

This article appeared in Mardles, the Suffolk folk magazine.

This was the second year of the festival at the Steamboat Tavern but the first under a new name, chosen to highlight the riverside location. An ideal venue therefore for a weekend featuring mostly local talent with a couple of big names thrown in for good measure!

The festival was opened by Wall of Sound, Parkside School's Samba band performing a brilliant selection of self-penned numbers outside the front of the Steamboat. Even the pub regulars who had no idea about the festival came out to listen despite practically sub-zero temperatures! An enjoyable singalong with session regulars was then followed by a great evening featuring ceilidh band Stowfolk, who soon made their audience forget the cold as they danced the night away outside.

Melodeon workshops and morris dancers were the early attractions on Saturday, and the sun even put in an appearance for a short while as Haughley Hoofers, Lagabag Morris and Pretty Grim entertained the crowds. The afternoon highlight was undoubtedly "Uncle" Charlie Haylock, performing a selection of monologues (and even the odd song) with a Suffolk flavour that were so appreciated he was asked to repeat some of the same tales in his second slot the following day.

Despite the British weather the show must go on, as they say, and landlady Val had organised a barbecue in addition to the regular full pub menu which was greatly enjoyed by all. In keeping with the maritime theme of the festival, shanty singers XXL did two fantastic unaccompanied sets. Sadly due to the increasing cold and threatening rain their second appearance was indoors and not on the riverside. It was at this point it became clear that the main act of the evening, Little Johnny England, would also be performing inside the Steamboat, and not in the covered outdoor area as was originally intended.

The evening session began with.me! It's a somewhat daunting experience to open for your favourite band - especially when you sing solo and unaccompanied. Well, not entirely unaccompanied. Halfway through my set I was joined by folk music's newest recruit - my boyfriend's 10-year old daughter - to sing Steeleye Span's "Harvest of the Moon", a song she had learnt some 20 minutes before!

Little Johnny England headlined the festival and played two fantastic sets including old favourites and new songs, albeit in a venue somewhat smaller than they're used to! Due to indoor space constraints few people were dancing but the applause at the end of each number rivalled that heard at festivals three times the size!

The overall Sunday atmosphere was much calmer and less hectic - or maybe everyone was just happy to sit/stand around and let the music wash over them! A second dance session featured Priory Morris and East Suffolk Morris Men, firstly within the Steamboat grounds before continuing the entertainment out on the riverside. In keeping with the 'dance theme' of the afternoon Heather Bexon had organised both a well-attended clog workshop and an Appalacian dance demonstration, the latter accompanied by 13-year-old Catherine Allen fresh from her performance on Radio Suffolk earlier that afternoon.

Sunday evening was opened by a capella trio Triangle in their first public performance for nearly ten years before festival favourites Deadly Lampshayde took the stage, bringing the second Ipswich Riverside Folk and Maritime Festival to a brilliant end. The weekend was a resounding success, even more so when you consider the complete lack of funding from Ipswich Borough Council - something we hope to rectify next year!


	Ipswich Riverside Folk and Maritime Festival, 10th-12th June 2005. A personal view by Carys Swinger. This article appeared in Mardles, the Suffolk folk magazine. This was the second year of the festival at the Steamboat Tavern but the first under a new name, chosen to highlight the riverside location. An ideal venue therefore for a weekend featuring mostly local talent with a couple of big names thrown in for good measure! The festival was opened by Wall of Sound, Parkside School's Samba band performing a brilliant selection of self-penned numbers outside the front of the Steamboat. Even the pub regulars who had no idea about the festival came out to listen despite practically sub-zero temperatures! An enjoyable singalong with session regulars was then followed by a great evening featuring ceilidh band Stowfolk, who soon made their audience forget the cold as they danced the night away outside. Melodeon workshops and morris dancers were the early attractions on Saturday, and the sun even put in an appearance for a short while as Haughley Hoofers, Lagabag Morris and Pretty Grim entertained the crowds. The afternoon highlight was undoubtedly "Uncle" Charlie Haylock, performing a selection of monologues (and even the odd song) with a Suffolk flavour that were so appreciated he was asked to repeat some of the same tales in his second slot the following day. Despite the British weather the show must go on, as they say, and landlady Val had organised a barbecue in addition to the regular full pub menu which was greatly enjoyed by all. In keeping with the maritime theme of the festival, shanty singers XXL did two fantastic unaccompanied sets. Sadly due to the increasing cold and threatening rain their second appearance was indoors and not on the riverside. It was at this point it became clear that the main act of the evening, Little Johnny England, would also be performing inside the Steamboat, and not in the covered outdoor area as was originally intended. The evening session began with.me! It's a somewhat daunting experience to open for your favourite band - especially when you sing solo and unaccompanied. Well, not entirely unaccompanied. Halfway through my set I was joined by folk music's newest recruit - my boyfriend's 10-year old daughter - to sing Steeleye Span's "Harvest of the Moon", a song she had learnt some 20 minutes before! Little Johnny England headlined the festival and played two fantastic sets including old favourites and new songs, albeit in a venue somewhat smaller than they're used to! Due to indoor space constraints few people were dancing but the applause at the end of each number rivalled that heard at festivals three times the size! The overall Sunday atmosphere was much calmer and less hectic - or maybe everyone was just happy to sit/stand around and let the music wash over them! A second dance session featured Priory Morris and East Suffolk Morris Men, firstly within the Steamboat grounds before continuing the entertainment out on the riverside. In keeping with the 'dance theme' of the afternoon Heather Bexon had organised both a well-attended clog workshop and an Appalacian dance demonstration, the latter accompanied by 13-year-old Catherine Allen fresh from her performance on Radio Suffolk earlier that afternoon. Sunday evening was opened by a capella trio Triangle in their first public performance for nearly ten years before festival favourites Deadly Lampshayde took the stage, bringing the second Ipswich Riverside Folk and Maritime Festival to a brilliant end. The weekend was a resounding success, even more so when you consider the complete lack of funding from Ipswich Borough Council - something we hope to rectify next year!

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