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Amelia’s Magazine | Wood Festival 2011 Review: Zeus, Treetop Flyers Eliza Carthy and printing with lino!

Wood Festival Samba Band and Tents by Sam Parr.

Sunday at Wood Festival began with a stint of harmony singing led by Katy, capsule the talented teacher of the Bennett family. It’s rare that I get to sing these days what with so much else going on in my life, price so I relished the opportunity to exercise my lungs with lots of (mainly) like-minded women.

Wood Festival 2011 - photography by Amelia Gregory

All photography by Amelia Gregory.

A noisy samba parade was the culmination of the morning’s activities, travelling the length of the site to entertain campers. At many points Wood Festival felt more like a family camp than a festival, which was no bad thing as it ensured that there was a real sense of friendliness which can often be missing at other festivals, and it felt like a safe place to leave children roaming wild in packs.

Wood Festival 2011 - photography by Amelia Gregory

Polly and Billets Doux Wood Festival 2011 - photography by Amelia Gregory

Polly and the Billets Doux kicked off proceedings on the Wood Stage with their double bass heavy blend of jazz, gospel, country and folk. I particularly loved their painted double bass, which was passed around the band.

To Be A Fighter by Polly and the Billets Doux.

Two Fingers of Firewater Wood Festival 2011 - photography by Amelia Gregory

Two Fingers of Firewater took the tented Tree Stage during the lazy post lunch hour for keyboard soaked country folk.

Wood Festival 2011 - photography by Amelia Gregory

During the afternoon my merry group of adults decided to join the kids in some lino printing: at Wood all ages muck in together which is something that happens rarely in our modern society. It was really wonderful to have the space and time to indulge in a bit of creativity.

Katy Rose Cavalry Parade Wood Festival 2011 - photography by Amelia Gregory

Katy Rose and the Cavalry Parade is the newest venture for Katy B, who has renamed herself in the wake of the latest grime artist to crossover into the mainstream.

She had warned her morning singing group that we might be asked to join her on the stage for the final number but I was off visiting the compost loo and missed the callout. Woops! Katy Rose is a super singer and songwriter who you can hear on this old youtube recording since I currently refuse to link to myspace (they won’t let you hear anything unless you log in)

Wood Festival 2011 - photography by Amelia Gregory

Kettle Making by Lorna Scobie. Lots of green workshops for the kids (and adults) to attend.

Sun Powered Kettle by Lorna Scobie.

Zeus Wood Festival 2011 - photography by Amelia Gregory

Canadian rockers Zeus took to the Wood Stage during the mid afternoon lull, which meant that a large part of their audience consisted of excitable children wielding hand made fake fur snakes at the foot of the stage. I’m not really sure what they thought of it all (the band, or the kids).

Wood Festival by Rebecca Strickson.

Wood Festival 2011 - photography by Amelia Gregory

Zeus are on the very good Arts and Crafts label. Love this video:

Treetop Flyers by Fi Blog.

Treetop Flyers Wood Festival 2011 - photography by Amelia Gregory

Treetop Flyers were a great evening time discovery: more tight boy harmonies in a bluesy country stylee. They won the 2011 Glastonbury Emerging Talent so expect to see a lot more of these boys. Super.

Eliza Carthy Band Wood Festival 2011 by Michalis Christodoulou.

Last up we caught folkstrel Eliza Carthy, who was predictably quite fantastic live – switching between fiddle, guitar and voice with perfect ease and chattering away about her dad’s 70th birthday celebrations. Eliza’s new album Neptune came out in May and it’s a rollicking narrative ride through her life.

Eliza Carthy Band Wood Festival 2011 - photography by Amelia Gregory

I was very sad to miss Robin and Joe Bennet’s band Dreaming Spires, who closed the festival as we sped back to London. By all accounts it was a perfect way to round off what was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable festivals I’ve been to in some time. After all, there aren’t many festivals where the people who run it get up on stage to remind everyone to put on suncream. Wood Festival was invented for and is undoubtedly best suited to families, but I for one hope to return, with or without children.

Eliza Carthy Band Wood Festival 2011

Don’t forget to read my reviews of Friday and Saturday at Wood Festival too. Read also this review by Matt Hanley of Green Wedge.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday June 10th, 2011 6:18 pm

Categories ,art, ,Arts and Crafts, ,children, ,country, ,Dreaming Spires, ,eliza carthy, ,Fi Blog, ,folk, ,gospel, ,Green Wedge, ,jazz, ,Joe Bennett, ,Katy Rose, ,Katy Rose and the Cavalry Parade, ,Lino Cutting, ,Lorna Scobie, ,Matt Hanley, ,Michalis Christodoulou, ,Neptune, ,Polly and the Billets Doux, ,Rebecca Strickson, ,review, ,Robin Bennett, ,Sam Parr, ,Singing, ,Solar Cooking, ,Sun Powered Kettle, ,Sunday, ,Treetop Flyers, ,Two Fingers of Firewater, ,Wood Festival, ,Zeus

Amelia’s Magazine | Wood Festival 2013 Review

Wood Festival by Ben Rothery Illustrator.

This year I was soooo looking forward to camping with our baby Snarfle at Wood Festival, my favourite family friendly small music festival in the whole world.

Wood Festival 2013-review
Sadly it was not to be. The gremlin that is teething reared it’s ugly head in dramatic fashion a few days before the festival, and I couldn’t bear the thought of dealing with incessant nighttime screaming as our induction into camping as a family: not to mention how unfair it would be to everyone around us. You know that baby that keeps you up all night on a campsite? Yup, that would have been us. So we decided to cut our losses and drive up for a day of festival time on Saturday.

wood festival wood parking
Wood Festival does everything with a big hearted ethos of responsibility: just check out the wonderful pricing system for parking fees at Braziers Park. Fortunately we are now three so I don’t feel so bad about our choice of transport! We had been worried about the weather but a grey start soon gave way to a sometimes blustery but often sunny day: perfect for camping as we dolefully noted a few times. Still, we’d made our decision, and arrived tent less.

Wood Festival 2013-kids area

This year the kids’ tent was hosted by Barefoot Books, a perfect fit for Wood Festival since they also host a cafe and community space at their main UK offices in Oxford. The friendly space featured a book stand (naturally) and plenty of areas for babies and children of all ages to hang out and play. We attended a singing session and a puppet show put on by a children’s theatre company.

Wood Festival 2013-review

There was also a book signing session, and for older kids an iFOUNDSOUND workshop with musician Dan Mayfield, where old 7 inch records were given a new lease of life as a homemade miniature record player – constructed out of cardboard, coins, a needle and goggly eyes. Yes really.

Wood Festival 2013-review

There were events going on all day in a plethora of tents and casually marked out spaces on the grass: too many to list here, and too many to attend with an irritable baby, though we did try the spoons workshop (he wasn’t feeling that, but then he wasn’t feeling much to be honest, CURSED TEETH). So instead we tanked up on delicious seasonal local organic food from Vaults & Garden and lazed about on the grass listening to music. Here’s a selection of what we heard:

Wood Festival 2013-review

Adam Barnes is the King of Sunshine and Rainbows according to his twitter bio, but was quick to apologise for the downbeat nature of most of his songs. We enjoyed his beautiful voice and tales of woe, accompanied by only the lightest of guitar strums and keys.

House of Hats band Wood Festival 2013-review

House of Hats hail from Brighton, with wonderful folk harmonies shared between the female lead vocalist and her male cohorts: the perfect thing for a relaxed festival setting. I love the artwork that accompanies their free download, why not check it out?

Wood Festival 2013-review

Flights of Helios wooed me with their woozy tunes; moody synth sounds topped off with yet another gorgeous male voice. I can’t wait to hear more from these Oxford based boys.

Wood Festival 2013-review

In the Tree Tent I stumbled on the delicious voice of singer songwriter Liz Lawrence, who had a rapt audience hooked on her lilting tunes.

Wood Festival 2013-review

Wood Festival 2013-review co-pilgrim
It was great to hear Co-Pilgrim play live: I’m a big fan of their beguiling take on Americana – you can read more in my review of their new album here.

Wood Festival 2013-review
Wood Festival 2013-kids area
Oxford is a hot bed of creativity, and the more I discover about the wonders of this little town the more I think, hmmmm, what a nice place to live that would be. In the meantime I’ll have to content myself with the wonders of Wood Festival: the most delightful small music festival that ever there was. Why not make it your destination next year? The quality of music is always awesome, and there’s no other place I’d rather take a small baby. We look forward to a more successful visit next year.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday May 23rd, 2013 10:04 pm

Categories ,2013, ,7 inch, ,Adam Barnes, ,Barefoot Books, ,Ben Rothery Illustrator, ,Brazier’s Park, ,Co-pilgrim, ,Dan Mayfield, ,Flights of Helios, ,House of Hats, ,iFOUNDSOUND, ,King of Sunshine and Rainbows, ,Liz Lawrence, ,Oxford, ,Pindrop Publicity, ,review, ,Snarfle, ,Tree Tent, ,Vaults & Garden, ,Wood Festival

Amelia’s Magazine | Live Music Review: The Unthanks; The Arnolfini, Bristol – March 21st

unthanks Rob Fuzzard
Illustration by Rob Fuzzard

They are wearing dresses that look like fresh versions of the past. And their hair is worn long and embracing of its natural waves and kinks. Rachel is pregnant and vibrant. The Unthanks are wholesome and true. True to their families, dosage friends, dear home and folk music. Their Northern roots infiltrate everything from the lilt of the pronunciation of lyrics; ‘luvley’, to the songs they choose to sing. My image is of them as land girls, wearing cream wooly jumpers, dresses and wellington boots. In the evening they sit around the fire of a single glazed, rambling cottage, singing from right within. Where the truth lies.

And indeed, growing up in their Northumberland home, the Unthank family would partake in group singing. Their father George, is part of a folk group called The Keelers that specialised in sea shanties of the north-east, their mother is a member of local choirs, and they always attended festivals and folk clubs. Rachel, the older of the two sisters, who looks like peace personified said: “This is amazing, a privilege and an honour, to be up here singing like this. Of course. But there something about singing with lots of people, that’s just… good for the soul.”

Unthanks

Rachel’s speaking voice is high, full of character, vibrancy and northern accent. Her eyes close as she sings and sways, stroking her baby bump to the instrumental breaks. She loves music and singing for its remedial, loving, relaxing, spiritual and bringing together prowess. As does Becky, her sister. Recently engaged we are told, she is funny, lower toned in voice and smoother. More of the honey to Rachel’s jam. Homemade and paired with the band (butter and bread… this metaphor accidentally went further than anticipated), they are your next level folk. Playing the piano, violin, fiddle, viola, cello, double bass, drums, guitar and ukulele, they are all stunning, and together make for a polished and encompassing sound. The beauty and love of the music they’re all creating, their sole focus. Not lumberjack shirts and shiny belt buckles.

The girls themselves don’t hold an ounce of arrogance, and are both entirely likeable, modest and genuine in their performance and stage presence. The confidence that’s so rosy, and tangible seems to be from deep within, from a stable and unmoving place.

unthanks

But they could be all over themselves. With a Mercury Award Nomination in 2008, being named as one of Best Albums of The Decade in Uncut and The Observer for The Bairns (out on EMI), as well as BBC Folk Awards and many others. Why didn’t I know of them before? Or my evening’s accomplice. As the evening went on, I found myself increasingly mesmerised and indadvertedly swaying in a progressive daze.

They sing of drunks, pubs, Newcastle Brown Ale, men, sweat, bosoms, daily life and poverty – STORIES of England of the North, the land, the people, the past. With the strings behind them, they sing everything tenderly, slowly and with an enormous wedge of sadness. But it’s hard to feel sadness with them, it’s more that they disarm you and fill you with beautiful sounds and truths. Things aren’t and never have been idyllic for everyone, forever.

Between tracks they chat leisurely about where they found their songs, and banter with the piano player, and husband of Rachel, Adrian McNally. Rachel talks of the need we have now for music that strikes chord and brings people together. Such as the North East mining songs, full of trouble, strife and heartbreak. There is a comradery in folk music, and a wholesome edge that is inescapable. It’s English summers, rolling hills and blustery mountain tops. It’s reality and being unafraid of it. It’s the soundtrack to what we discover when we experience something that flicks the deep, dark switch. One weekend, after trundling out of our home and switching the telly off, a walk by the ocean, some awful news, a baby’s birth, right then and there we see and feel light and free. We vow to repeat our actions again asap; “we should do that again darling.”, or never take things for granted, because we’ve realised what life is about. They know, The Unthanks. They get it.

190809_theunthanks[1]

One song featured the two girls singing unaccompanied, Rachel giving ‘advice’ to Becky on marriage. “You’d better be a maid all the days of your life, Better me a maid as a poor man’s wife.” They laughed about it, and smiled broadly to each other and then out to the audience. Another track; The Gallowgate Lad, is about a girl crying alone in Newcastle. Someone asks her; ‘What’s wrong?’ A mistake, as it can be. The piano dancing notes, paired with the story telling Becky, alone on stage, is a tremendous mix, full of drama, reviving the angst of past encounters. A number of other songs also featured the use of mighty clog dancing by Becky. Whilst Rachel sat on a chair for a mini rest, Becky tapped and stomped on stage. This was delightful and served to enhance my own desire to own clogs. Excellent skill! They also treated us to a song from the soundtrack of archive footage of Newcastle, they had performed at the Tyneside Cinema recently. They sang of the docks, the ale and the banter in their hauntingly joined voices.

Becky and Rachel put on a superb show, and yet it didn’t even feel like a *SHOW*, it felt as if we were in their living room, by the fire, with knitted cream jumpers and hot toddies, all singing together. It was warming to the heart and soul. Incidentally The Unthanks run weekends of singing in Northumberland, so perhaps check them out if you want some of your own sing song jubilation. For now check out this video. You can buy all their albums now; The Bairns and Here’s The Tender Coming are both out on EMI, and Last, on Rabble Rouser.

Written by Helen Martin on Tuesday March 22nd, 2011 6:45 pm

Categories ,Adrian McNally, ,album, ,arnolfini, ,Avon, ,bristol, ,EMI, ,folk, ,Harmonies, ,Helen Martin, ,live, ,Mines, ,Newcastle, ,Newcastle Brown Ale, ,Northumberland, ,Rabble Rouser, ,Rob Fuzzard, ,Singing, ,The Unthanks

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