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BACK ONLINE WITH THE WIRELESS SHOW

07/05/2010 06:20 PM

WIZARDMARRAS DRYSTONE WIRELESS SHOW 2010 NUMBER 1

http://drystone.podomatic.com/

Well, after a year of my podcast being offline it is such a good feeling to put one out there at last particularly so as its jam packed full of Drystone acts for this year's forthcoming festival, with one exception and more about that in due course.

I'm not actually going to say much about the tracks in this podcast as I'll be talking more about some of them in later blog when they are officially announced as Drystone acts and some of the featured artists have already been mentioned in previous blogs.

What I have done is cleared out all of the old podcasts from a couple of years ago to make room for new music this year and to make sure that I can keep these new episodes online for a while so lots of people get to hear them.

All the earlier podcasts are available from me if you'd really like a copy so just send an email and I'll sort you out and I'll probably do something like a "best of" to go on the player page of my website.

However here's a track listing of the current one.

ARCOMNIA – ANDRO

THE INDIAN POSTAL SERVICE – ALL OF A SUDDEN

ORCHESTRE DC DANSETTE – DC DANSEZ

AWALE – SVENFRO

PIKEY BEATZ – SPOONFISH

THE WIERDSTRING BAND – FELLWALKING CUM-BRI-AY

ORKESTRA DEL SOL – BIG TOP

ALEJANDRO TOLEDO AND THE MAGIC TOMBALINOS – BRAVO

RED TIDES – ALIGNED

ROOMFULL OF OWLS – PATTERNS

Can you spot the elephant in the room here? It is of course Orkestra Del Sol who'll be on Mainstage not the Drystone but I'll not hold that against them and they do fit with the overall sound of this one.

Next official Drystone announcement soon which will have all the usual links to all the acts in it with vids as well.

AUNTIES CALLING AND MGM

26/03/2010 01:39 AM

Well. I'll not say a word about the kerfuffle my last post caused. But least said soonest mended.

But my main purpose on writing this is actually two fold, and neither related in any way to a musical gathering I am honoured to serve,

Firstly. I have been invited by BBC Radio Cumbria to take part in Little Cumbria.

A five day online diary, so this blog and that broadcast will become somewhat merged over the next few days as I write the radio script.

Secondly to pass on word of this guy

MYSTERY GUITAR MAN

http://www.youtube.com/user/MysteryGuitarMan#p/c/3/OPpUTyG3gec

I'll just say that this guy may possibly be the first true internet artistic genius. His use of the you tube format is using the full potential of the medium, taking it beyond cell phone fart gags, comical accidents and the sheer putrid kak that is the Reality TV generation.

He takes it far above all that and beautifully too.

Even better. He's really really funny too.
These videos are probably better displayed if you view the blog through my website.
http://www.wizardmarra.com/news/

This is probably the best place to start discovering the labyrynth of wonder that is MYSTERY GUITAR MAN.

While this is just a thing of genius.

I BELIEVE IN FAERIES!

18/03/2010 03:48 AM

DRYSTONE ACTS PART TWO

I BELIEVE IN FAERIES!

I can finally announce what I've been keeping secret for all this time and it with great pleasure and excitement that I can confirm that this year on the Drystone will be the fantastic...

PEATBOG FAERIES

http://www.peatbogfaeries.com/

I don't really have to say an awful lot about these guys as they have been regulars on the UK festival scene for years. They of course pretty much founded the Acid Croft genre of music and set countless imitators on their musical careers. With a live album out now and another studio album currently being recorded for release this summer we can expect a storming set on The Drystone.

I can't wait.

I've always wanted to put more world music on The Drystone and this year I'm going some way to redress the balance with one or two tasty treats that'll bring a multi cultural flavour to the Drystone Arena.

ALEJANDRO TOLEDO & THE MAGIC TOMBOLINOS

http://www.magictombolinos.co.uk

The thing is with World music these days and the fact that the UK is blessed with being possibly one of the biggest melting pots of international culture is that you don't necessarily have to look overseas for World music acts take these guys from London (by way of Argentina, France, Greece, Portugal, Slovakia, and Italy) and of their music

Here's what Alejandro says.

"Our ever-evolving musical idiom reflects the way we think and live. Our music, among other things, is a conjunction of various influences (Classical, Rock, Gypsy, African, Middle-Eastern, Latin, and Hip-Hop rhythms) which we bring from places we have lived, visited, or simply the music we like, and have filtered through our own distinct voice."

AWALE

http://www.myspace.com/awale

Again a rich brew of music fermented in the heady scene that thrives in "The Smoke" which is arguably the most multi cultural city on the planet. Awale brings us Afro Gypsy Beats with a line up who amongst them have played with with Hugh Masekela, Jamie Cullum, Dub Colossus, Dr John and Madness.

BTB feat Awalé from Satsang TV on Vimeo.

Nice!

CELLOMAN

http://www.celloman.co.uk/

I saw Celloman a few years back at Knockengorroch and I've been wanting to put him on The Drystone ever since I started doing it and now at long last here he is.

How do I describe what he does apart from injecting some damn good funk into the Cello? Well I won't I'll let The Observer and Songlines do it.

The Observer Review 3 December 2000 by Neil Spencer

"Classically trained, Cellist Ivan Hussey has spent 10 years as a typically nomadic sideman, graduating from the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra to saw strings for the likes of Gabrielle, M People, Smoke City and Sonique. His solo project is a delightfully maverick creation, moving between pastoral, ambient moods to smoky middle-eastern pieces like 'Chebba' (he spent a couple of years in Tel Aviv) and even the odd chunk of roots reggae. There are accomplished voices and accompanists on hand, but the star is Hussey's Cello, proof that the instrument can be surprising, sensuous and funky - all at the same time.

Songlines review June 2009 by Jon Mitchell

"After two EPs and three albums, this collective of electric violinist Samy Bishai, percussionist Oli Savill, drummer Cosimo Keita, bass guitarist Oroh Angiama and director Ivan Hussey on cello continue to combine Middle Eastern and African rythms and melodies with articulate string arrangements in a startling and often highly intense fashion. It's largely a gritty and urban sound, full of clusters of amplified instruments, but has a welcome sweetness provided by guest vocalists Sam Bonner, Frances Rufelle, Eliza Doolittle and the poet Poppy Seed. Despite a few uninspired moments, the highlights are many. 'Sharptown' with it's delightful Afro-pop guitar motif and arresting string arrangement, is typical of their own unique and beautiful sound. When the music picks up, it can hint at a more vivacious and raucous side too, as on the brooding, apocalyptic 'Years To Come'. Across the album's somewhat over-saturated production we hear a sort of tumbling autumnal Afro-Arabic electro-pop which broods and moves quite unlike any other. An extremely bold album with a lot to digest, it should perhaps be celebrated for its unrestrained, uncompromising and unrelenting vision. "

Of course Solfest wouldn't be Solfest and The Drystone wouldn't be The Drystone without

THE WIERDSTRING BAND

http://www.wierdstring.co.uk/

Let's face it we sometimes don't shout enough about how good our own musicians are. Wal, Paddy and James have since Solfest began been one of the reasons Solfest and The Drystone Arena (The festival within a festival) are so good.

Can you imagine Solfest without the session tent alongside Weirdigans, no. It's bloody inconceivable.

Don't forget too that last years Ceilidh saw The Weirdstrings get nominated in the first stage of the Critics Choice award. The award that celebrates those magical moments which make a festival that little bit special.

Well that's it for now.

BUT THERE'S STILL MORE TO COME!

GO ON GET A LA'AL BIT DRYSTYAN THIS YEAR

CHANGE AND THE FIRST DRYSTONE STAGE ACTS ANNOUNCED

16/02/2010 08:57 PM

The French have a word for it in fact, damn the expense “Au diable les dépenses” they have six, “Plus ça change, Plus c'est pareil” translated (and we’ll noy be outdone by the French for the price of a word or two) it means “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

Take Radio 2, we’ve just got rid of Parkinson on Sundays when “avant de le savoir” before you know it, Wogan’s got the show. It makes me long for the days when we had DLT so I don’t know what that says about me, something quite sad I think. But was snooker on the radio such a bad thing.

“You potted a red and nominated blue so here is your blue ball question, What is the chemical name for Stilton?“

I have to say I’d much rather it was Johnnie Walker, though I have been enjoying Uber Luvvie Michael Ball of late.

All this is a preamble for drawing your attention to my new refurbished website which although it’s still undergoing construction has changed somewhat becoming a little bit slicker and looking a bit fancier. Partly because it’s good to just clean things up and out with the old in with the new “Avec l'ancienne à la nouvelle.” And partly because it just wasn’t doing all I wanted it to, so as time goes by it should be a brilliant all singing and dancing site that is also a portal to the world of all things Wizardmarra. Such as this blog, my podcast, of course the Drystone Stage and everything else.
Though it’ll still be a bit the same.

So will the Drystone Stage at Solfest 2010 or SOLFEST MMX as we are saying on the Solfest Mothership.

The Drystone will once more have an unrivalled plethora “incomparable pléthore” of music performed by rising stars and troubadours of the established scene. But they will in the main be newcomers to Solfest although one or two of The Drystyans ever expanding family of artists will be back...
...and on that note let’s have a look at the first release of acts for

DRYSTYAN MMX

First off a returnee to play the gig that I gave them directly after the storming set they played last year.

PIKEY BEATZ
www.myspace.com/pikeybeatz

That Sunday afternoon slot seems to be breeding quality, DIDDLEY SQUAT the year before became the sensation of the year, and did you know that last year DIDDLEY SQUATS set along with THE WIERDSTRING BANDS SOLFEST CEILIDH were both individually nominated for THE CRITICS CHOICE AWARD in the UK FESTIVAL AWARDS.

Virtual Festivals Critics' Choice Award
In association with Pimm’s

This award is designed to celebrate those special acts who added something a little extra to their festival show. It could be comedy, nostalgia, crowd interaction or just that 'secret ingredient' - basically something that sets them apart from other performers as a real crowd pleaser.
And the winner is

La Casa Azul - Indie Tracks

“Who?...”
There’s a time when I really wished I’d had a working PC. I don’t think it was pushed as much as it should have been.

Anyway back on track to the incomparable PIKEY BEATZ and their set last year. They had of course brought a large contingency of their loyal fans to the festival, which is an important thing to note “These guys sell tickets!” bums on seats or as it actually was, feet on wet ground rapidly becoming muddy as the drizzle inexorably turned to rain but what happy punters danced before such a stage of stars.
For such a young act they presented such command of a stage as I have rarely seen in some older and more seasoned acts the combined latent star quality in both Wilfy and MC Boo Blistah is something to see. But you could also just enjoy seeing the HUGE GRIN on Niggles face. Though most folk were dancing and having the time of their lives.
So they’ll be back for a later slot.

Wilfy- Vocals, Electric Guitar
Niggle- Rhythm Guitar
Dan Dan- Bass
MC Boo Blistah (Kyle) - Uke, Backing Vocals + growling
Hannah The Spanna- Accordion, Saxophone
Midge- Percussion
Mad Skillz Tam- Drums

JONNY KEARNEY AND LUCY FARRELL
http://jonnyandlucy.com/

JONNY KEARNEY AND LUCY FARRELL toured as support for THE UNTHANKS last year which led RACHEL UNTHANK to say of them...
“Their song writing is heartbreaking and touching, humorous and unexpected, and never ceases to enthral. Jonny and Lucy are perfect foils for each other. The fragility of one and warmth of the other is a moving combination.”
They’ll be having a major CD launch (I’ve got a copy of the preview CD and its blissful music.) around the time of Solfest so we may have our name dropped in the media a time or two.

THIS FRONTIER NEEDS HEROES
http://web.mac.com/jessicalauretti/jessicalauretti.com/This_Frontier_Needs_Heroes_HOME.html

This is what they say about them back home in the States.

"SPINEARTH was there and caught up with Brad and Jess Lauretti of This Frontier Needs Heroes , to get a sense of the brother-and-sister band who have received much acclaim for their folk-styled, Americana sound. A bit cynical of the times, but fairly hopeful in the consciousness and sensibilities of a new generation—the band's name says it all."
SPIN EARTH

"This is an excellent brother-sister duo (I think) from Brooklyn. They keep it simple for the most part, with light harmonies and instrumentation – Brad’s vocals compare very favorable to a mixture of mostly Fleet Foxes with a hint of Damien Jurado thrown in for flavour. Now even though most arrangements are simple, they do manage to work in very appropriate little flourishes of sound – in the end you get ten songs that can really dig down deep. RR 2/29/09"
WTUL NEW ORLEANS

"With harmonies so tight they sound like they come from a single larynx, the act crafts a shuffling, aching Americana that taps deep into the whole back-porch vibe that folk music ought to exude—but not without a tinge of The Band and Will Oldham to help modernize it.”
DECIDER.COM

SEAN TAYLOR
http://www.seantaylorsongs.com/

I’m listening to Sean right now. His brilliant CD “Calcutta Grove” singing the blues and as they say “Telling it like it is.” Or as the The Indonesians say, "Mengatakan itu seperti itu." But that sounds like the title of an album of Buddhist Chants and distracts from Seans work.

To put him down as simply a bluesman takes too much away from this extremely gifted musician a multi instrumentalist and songwriter who has been compared to JOHN MARTYN, TOM WAITS, and indeed BOB DYLAN. Yes you can see how his work is influenced by them but he’s no cheap imitator. Like the good Doctor Frank N Furter says...
...I am trembling with anticipation.”
I have turn volume up right now as SEANS version of RITCHIE HAVENS “Freedom” has just come on...
,,,GOD IT’S GOOD!!!

O’HOOLEY AND TIDOW
http://www.myspace.com/belindaohooleymusic

BELINDA O'HOOLEY is best known as the former songwriter and pianist with RACHEAL UNTHANK AND THE WINTERSET on leaving the band it led the TELEGRAPH to say “... (it’s) like Brian Eno leaving Roxy Music...” Then teaming up with Yorkshire songwriter HEIDI TIDOW brings us a duo whose stage manner has been likened to a meeting of JO BRAND & LAUREL AND HARDY. Their songs are their own wry mixtures of their unconventional take on life, it sounds beautiful as well. Result!

DAN WALSH
www.danwalshbanjo.co.uk

Dan was with us a couple of years back playing with CHRISTI ANDROPOLIS and performing sterling work as part of the band. It’s mark of a musician’s quality and commitment when you note how many bands they are in. It regards how much in demand as a artist and speaks testament to their skill being wanted to enhance the sound of a band. Commitment shown by the number of bands the musician actually works with regularly. As well as CHRISTI ANDROPOLIS, DAN also plays with MOTHERS RUIN, HUNDRED MAN ORCHESTRA. LAND OR SEA, KATHRYN DAVIDSON and WILL POUND. If you need any further comment from me Dan takes the Banjo into another place and makes all the Banjo jokes obsolete, he actually makes it a bit cool.
The final worD on DAN WALSH comes from HAYSEED DIXIES DON WAYNE RENO who pronounced that DAN was “the best banjo player I’ve seen in Britain.”

MARK GWYNNE JONES & THE PSYCHICBREAD
http://www.psychicbread.org/

He we have returning from a few years back MARK GWYNNE-JONES and PSYCHICBREAD. One of my great regrets of that year (I think offhand that it was 2006) with as I’ve mentioned earlier in these writings that with comparing acts on Mainstage I missed a lot of the stuff that I booked because I loved what they did. That’s why I book them, because they make music that I would be well pleased to hear elsewhere if I’d bought a ticket. I’ve got eclectic tastes so I can make a big enough mix. I know I won’t hit the bull’s-eye with everyone on occasion but that’s the way apple tastes in the Popes coffee when the bears eat cookies in the wood! Or “det er slik eple smaker i Popes kaffe når bjørnene spise informasjonskapsler i skogen! “ As they say in Norway.

What I started out to say was my regret at missing Marks set, I write a bit of poetry, (I used write a lot, being fortunate enough to get about forty published and earning me the astounding wealth of five of your English pounds.) Mark really knows how to do it and uses the spoken voice in a way that’s a kind of non singing that emphasises the music in the words themselves so the words are the singers of the song.

THE CACTUS ROOM
www.myspace.com/thecactusroom

DEBBS who plays with PSYCHICBREAD also plays with THE CACTUS ROOM the brainchild of TEDS CHAPMAN, the discoverer of “diddley reggae”. He’s been about Solfest for the past two festivals playing his saxophone. Now you get the full band, believe me it’s good.

ANTHONY BATTERSBY

Two Solfests ago he attended his first festival; he went home and wrote a song about it. The following year he stood on the Drystone Stage and sang it to great acclaim and showed that there was latent talent blossoming before your eyes. He’s back for his third Solfest and a well deserved second appearance on the Drystone.

SID WRIGHT
http://www.myspace.com/solowork

Occasionally a CD will come through the door, hand produced on PC with scrawled names and titles in marker pen.

I often dread these, but no more of that.

Some are the very best things you can get through the post; SID WRIGHTS was one of these, another young singer songwriter starting out who doesn’t quite yet see what they have within them. It’s damn good though mark my words.

WILL TAYLOR & THE DISH OF CHEESE
http://www.myspace.com/mrwilltaylor

I’ll apologise right now for this farrago of an entertainment. WILL TAYLOR a man who writes songs featuring the worst obscenities that live on Solfest FM broadcasting to half the county said that word on open microphone, twice!
They are though some of the funniest things you will ever hear though and it is a great delight to get onstage with him alongside THE ONE AND ONLY MIGHTY TREE, PHIL DANCE and ELTON RITCHIE to hold forth was joyous madness and yes adult content.

The end of Solfest is the end of a party and we are the singing drunks, though I have to say there was a sea of happy faces standing before us every one of them drunker than us.
As the Welsh say, "Mewn byd meddw, y dyn yn squiffy King"

“In a drunken world, the squiffy man is King.”

MORE ACTS TO COME SOON

ANOTHER NEW YEAR

30/01/2010 05:29 PM

My GOD! It's 2010 already and it's been about six months since I've been comprehensively online apart from the odd day in the library and at two quid for an hour they were few and far between.

So what's new Al? Well the biggest and most important thing is of course that I am now married to the most wonderful lady in the world my darling Karen and I can thoroughly recommend married life. The wedding day itself was perfect and I have to put on record here a great big word of thanks to my best man BIG JOHN THOMPSON he did me proud got me to the registry office on time and embarrassed me big style in his speech. Thanks also to all our brilliant friends and families who came along laden with good food for the shared wedding breakfast, to TRYCKSTER who played the best music ever to come out of Cumbria and it's something they sadly don't do much of anymore, to ANGELA who led us all in a circle dance that was for me the best fun of the night and finally to SUNNY who performed the ceremony that handfasted Karen and I in front of all our great extended family of those we love.

When I find where Karen has put the CD I'll get some pictures up here.

I must think mention the other band that played as it will lead to the next thing I want to say. They were THE BIG DISH OF CHEESE (formally known as WIZARDMARRAS BIG DISH OF CHEESE which give you a clue to one of the members) our prior and first gig was closing the proceedings on the Drystone Stage at last year's Solfest and was the biggest laugh, surprisingly we got an awful lot of nice things said about us and we will be doing the same again this year.

We are Will Taylor, Phil (The One and Only Mighty Tree) Haslehurst, Phil Dance, Elton Ritchie, and myself

The wedding gig was slightly more drunken than that (I recall vaguely drinking something like Lambrini straight out of a jug) and surprisingly the song that went down the best was Wills evil piece of work "SLUTBITCH" a hideous piece of writing that has nothing to recommend it all, but Will is a true and rare poet who manages to say the most obscene and disgusting things in song and lift them from the sewer raising them to the level of inspired comedy genius. I cannot lay such claims to the potty mouthed rap I lay over the top of the instrumental breaks while not (even though I say it myself) playing some thick and funky harmonica. While performing this it was an absolute blast seeing lots of people dancing in front of us.

The band was formed through us getting together at my regular Open Mic session at The Spinners Arms in Carlisle, which brings me on to what I want to say next for that aforementioned session is changing.

WIZARDMARRAS SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE SPINNERS regenerates on Saturday February 6^th 2010 and will no longer be the Open Mic but rather the new embryonic folk club that I've had a hankering to run for some time and our first performer will be the delightful Elaine Davidson http://www.elainedavidson.net/

(Not be confused with the lady who is the world's most pierced woman. That little faux pas caused some severe consternation with a lot of Real Ale drinking beardy types at one festival I can't possibly mention)

Supporting Elaine will be the much loved local singer BILLY JOHNSON.

Then from March it gets even better on the first Saturday (6^th) we'll have another visiting featured artist and support and then from the second Saturday (13^th) and every second Saturday we'll have the revamped Open Mic in the form of THE DRYSTONE SESSIONS and will follow the pattern as before but we'll be keeping weather eye on the talent who might end up getting a paid gig at one of the other Saturdays or indeed on the Drystone Stage itself at Solfest. When all is done and dusted the mics get switched off and we get together for a full on session (which will probably feature a few tunes by "THE CHEESE"

See you there.

BIG LOVE

DEEP THOUGHTS

15/09/2009 03:47 AM

As I’ve been lazing around a bit in the peaceful backwater that is post Solfest (along with trying to get all the wedding preparations done with Karen…The day is ten days tomorrow) I’ve been watching some of the stuff I’ve recording on my BT box that I couldn’t watch as I was too busy with other things.

One thing was the documentary on the late Harry Patch who was until his recent death the last surviving participant in World War One, now there are none left. A most moving programme, again saying to me how important it is to keep the stories of your own lives alive, tell your children what it was like for you as a child. It may not be long ago but times are changing fast. Thirty five years ago moving two huge knobs to control flat white lines up and down on the side of a TV screen to stop a white dot from flying off screen was considered shit hot technological entertainment, how the hell can the WII generation understand how good that was at the time. Forty five years ago clipper lighters were a huge excitement to me and my sad crowd of mates and only rich kids had colour tallies, fifty fives and was born into world still rationed and Sputnik and Telstar were still unlaunched.

The other show I watched today pointed this out and perhaps something important too, it was from the Beebs “Blues Britannia” series entitled “Can Blue Men Sing The Whites?” (Borrowing a title from THE BONZO DO DOO DAH BAND) and it told of the rise and influence of the great British Blues Revolution and spawning the likes of FLEETWOOD MAC, JOHN MAYALLS BLUESBREAKERS, CREAM, THE ROLLING STONES, MANFRED MANN and THE YARDBIRDS.

In those days people like the young Mick Fleetwood and Chris Dreja of THE YARDBIRDS could only get the authentic black blues music that excited them in specialist shops. Rock and Roll having been and gone leaving only a watered down copy in it’s wake, but in a few shops off main streets and frequented by somewhat dodgy looking post war proto geeks in Mackintosh’s recordings by MUDDY WATERS, HOWLIN WOLF and LEADBELLY could be found.

You heard on the grapevine that “Someone in Ealing has a Champion Jack Dupree LP” so you’d get on the bus and go to an address you’d been, knock on a strange door and timidly ask “Can I see you record please.”

Time and effort were spent seeking out this Wonderstuff that spoke to you.

Today the music ever written is available at the click of a few tiny buttons and can then be played on your mobile phone for pence. Is it a true improvement? If something is so cheap and requires no effort, do we value it less? Does its message have less importance because we choose not to listen long enough to let it speak before we are chasing the next synthesized dragon?

That of course brings me back to Solfest, the community where we can sit as villagers used too. To talk and care about each other as we did all our homes were part of small and tight villages, and where in all likelihood as at Solfest there was live music every night. It is only about one hundred years ago when the only way you could hear music was live. In the century just gone we got recordings, before then you had to make some effort to go and listen.

Solfest rocks doesn’t it.

WHY I'M DOING WHAT I'M DOING

24/07/2009 02:42 AM

The Festival Journal of Mr A R Whittaker, "Mr Wizardmarra" Part Two "Tingles"

DISCLAIMER:

The Festival Journal of Mr A R Whittaker, "Mr Wizardmarra" Is not The Festival Journal of Solway Festivals Limited and the opinions and statements below are those entirely of Mr Wizardmarra. Who is as sharp as a pincushion and as mad as cheese.

FROM A VERY UNTIDY DESK

So if you've hit on this page following the link from the Solfest message board here's the crack.

In some ways I've become jaded with Mainstage. Even though believe me standing up there in front of you wonderful people is the biggest buzz in the world (and sometimes the scariest) it is run in such a way…

…and here I pause to commend to you the brilliant and lovely Sam Jelfs who is the finest stage manager that Solfest could wish for, not forgetting Gerard works harder than he should for a volunteer, year long putting together a terrific line up year on year and depending on who is available within the budget he's given. Sometimes it's a harder job than it should be. Finally Anna, who came to us a student studying Festival and Event management and who has now become an indispensible part of Gerards team and the Solfest family and this year has just graduated with first. I spoke to her at the weekend at Stainsby festival and she puts a lot of her success down to Solfest and in particular to Gerard and Simon too for being interviewed for her dissertation.

It is run professionally and efficiently because that's how the big guys like it, and that's how it has to be. But it becomes impersonal; the high rolling bands haven't the time or the inclination to get to know on a personal basis every MC at every gig they play. That's what MySpace is for.

But I need the craic, and every year I book bands and acts for The Drystone and only get to see a third of them.

I book the acts that make the music I hear, who are bright young things who will one day grace stages far bigger than The Drystone or even Mainstage and in locations far more exotic than the wind blasted fields of West Cumbria. I book them and care about them. And every bloody year I miss some of the most fantastic sets the festival gives us all.

I don't get to speak to the people I've built up a relationship with through emails and contracts. I'd like to meet them and talk to them.

There's the other really exiting thing too, the thing that I enjoyed more than anything last year. Using the radio mic to compere from the audience and to actually talk to people, have them introduce a band or shout for more. I can't wait to do that again, to bring you into the show. This year all being well sees a little refinement too, you'll have wait and see what that is.

For bands, well we of course have the brilliant Adrian Edmondson and The Bad Shepherds. I've seen them play twice now at Workington and Dent Festival and both times they rocked. I think some people still think it's a joke, that Adrian is doing another "Bad News" but he's not it's serious stuff this and I think in some ways it's the best thing to happen to Folk Music since Fairport Convention got plugged in. Punk tunes on folk instruments in a folk style, it could oh so easily go down a very smelly pan. But if you surround yourself with some absolutely Stellar Folk Musicians like Fairports Maartin Allcock, the truly amazing Andy Dinan who can play a fucking fiddle let me tell you, and of course Workingtons own Troy Donockley who plays the Ukulele and Pipes like no other man. He also told a very funny story about a local character named "Tucker" and Border Crack and Deekabout doing story about a "loch Ness monster" type sighting in Maryport harbor which I can't possibly repeat here as it's worse than the swearie word above.

Songs like "Down In The Tube Station At Midnight" become tragic tales like Kate Rusby ballads of sorrow and loss, you can hear the poetry and dare I say it the literature of the song. Their version of "Teenage Kicks" a song described by John Peel as the best Pop record ever becomes the best Folk Song ever. Just listen to what Andy and Troy do on the instrumental break, spot what's in there. It's a piece of genius.

Someone who didn't quite see what I saw said.

"Yes, they are good. But they're just a covers band."

But isn't that what folk bands have been doing for years. Other people stuff, keeping it alive, keeping it relevant in a changing world.

More on the other bands to come soon.

Now I need to go bed, it's 2:22 am. I turned fifty five yesterday. I had a bloody stressful year and I'm a knackered old fart.

Love

Wiz

The Festival Journal of Mr A R Whittaker, "Mr Wizardmarra" Part One. "Harumph!

05/06/2009 06:26 PM

DISCLAIMER:
The Festival Journal of Mr A R Whittaker, "Mr Wizardmarra" Is not The Festival Journal of Solway Festivals Limited and the opinions and statements below are those entirely of Mr Wizardmarra. Who is as sharp as a pincushion and as mad as cheese.

FROM THE VICE CHAIRMANS CUSHION

As I write this the Solfest countdown on www.wizardmarra.com says 83days 08 hours 01 minute 13 seconds and counting

down.

So it's time I sat down using my Vice Chairmans Arse (Worzel Gummidge had a selection of heads which enabled him to multi task. I have a Box of Arses.) and say a bit about how we are doing with putting Solfest together.

Perhaps to try and address some of the concerns that some may have and to chew the fat about what we think is actually going to be a bloody fantastic weekend in weather that personally I think will be exceptionally nice.

The festival is intentionally smaller this year as we aim to achieve the feeling of the festival that we have become. Friendly in the way it was back in the day. When the music business was actually about music and creativity, not the corporate and corpulent monster (in the very worst Clive Barker, Stephen King Ramseycampbellhutson James Herbert Sense.) it is now.

Really the compliments about Solfest that I have had comparing us not only to Glastonbury, but more wonderfully early Glastonburies. That we are a festival like they were in the seventies, so Old Skool that it's actually a term that's perhaps a little too fashionable for us, and it's spelled SCHOOL anyway.

But those are the nicest things to hear, and thank you.

The problem arises as nothing comes free. Everything must be paid for in one form or another. So we as a festival selling one thousand tickets less correspondingly has less income. As we don't want to be a festival that just bleeds it's customers every year we try and set fair prices for our tickets. We (though this is entirely my personal thought and not that of the Solfest Committee) screwed up last year with the parking fee of 10 quid per car, so we scrapped it. Last year we could have just upped the tickets to ninety quid for everyone and said no more. This year we've gone up a fiver, and around 750 tickets are available to the 12 to 16 year old at sixty quid whereas last year this age group would have paid full price. Blah blah blah blah.
But we try and be fair. If you don't buy tickets we can't do it. No festival without you guys, it's your money that does it.

FULL ON REALITY: #1. That this is what pays for everything.

From the Toilets to the Land and the Security, the generators the fencing the session tent dogs in space cleaning out the proclaimers shit on the roadway stewards dinners and the guy that works the lights.

ALL THE BANDS

And the paper that wipes their arses.

This year we are down on our budget around eighty to one hundred thousand pounds, so it's pretty important we sell the tickets this year. But the downshot of this is that we have to cut our cloth accordingly.

FULL ON REALITY: #2. Most things cost more this year than they did last year.

So all the practical nuts and bolts ( in their various forms holding the fence, drystone stage, site art, and bedlam boudoir together and offering too many other solutions when “...and how? do you say, is it fastened?” is the question asked.) the clean up crew and the mainstage structure itself
all the wires
plugs
amplifiers

ALL THE BANDS

and their roadies and Dave
who's the bloke that sweeps up Big Trees leaves.

But first off is the hard and fast cost of the physical side of the festival. This always is more costly than previous years. So the cuts have to be made to the show, to the sparkle to the open air circus we give you.

FULL ON REALITY: #3. We have less money to spend on bands that cost more now anyway.

This for Gerard, Alec, Tom and myself is the hardest reality. The heaviest weight falling on the mainstage. No one comes to a festival purely on the line up, but if it's not right it's as bloody wrong as it ever could be and you should be ashamed of your mantle of bandmaster.

So we try using our best judgment and (particularly so on mainstage) depending on who is on offer this year and very importantly how much they will cost. One mainstage act can cost more than the Drystone Stages budget. One band last year cost more than has ever been spent on the bar stage since it began.

But we try our best, to try and put on the best show we can with the money we have.

For Solfest it means we cannot afford everybody that everybody wants to come and please everybody at once and all the time.

Sometimes people will think it's crap.

So we'll try our best in the full light of truth that sometimes
some people
won't like
some
of what we do
but if we did what they wanted if we could afford it anyway then...

...somebody else
wouldn't like
it
and
we'd be bastards for even thinking of it.

But we try our best, if you are disappointed in some parts of the festival. Well, we've tried. we can't do any more.

I think that this is going to be an amazing year, come along if you'd like to. If you don't fancy it this year we can't make you come. Lots of people are though and they are up for a damn fine party.

If you're not keen on the mainstage line up, come down to the Drystone where I'm taking up full residence this year, or check out the bar stage, dance, visit Wal in the session tent. Really do the festival, I'm told it's the kind of place where you can talk to your neighbour. There's a lot to be said for just sitting with your family and friends (the family you actually choose) in your camp talking like you never do at home.
Talking to each other.
Completely lost in the craic that you miss the bands you want to see anyway.
Good Craic though, well worth it.

More to follow soon, now I must away and make Karen her tea.

THE EIGHTY YEAR OLD MAN

09/02/2009 05:15 PM

To find out what this is about see the fancy dress thread on the Solfest message board.

WIZARDMARRAS DRYSTONE WIRELESS SHOW REVIEW OF 2008

03/02/2009 06:10 PM

Yeah I know I should have had this one up a week or two (or three or four) ago. But sometimes life gets in the way of doing what you'd like to do. Anyway it here it is at last

WIZARDMARRAS DRYSTONE WIRELESS SHOW REVIEW OF 2008

Some of the tracks have been on the podcast already but as the casts in question have been taken off line it's good opportunity to play some of my favourites from last year, some of the tracks are new ones but from artists that I really like and in the case of one it's neither been on the cast nor have they appeared at Solfest or my open mic at The Spinners Arms but more of that later first lets get down to business with...

BUSHPLANT
www.bushplant.com/
www.myspace.com/bushplant
GO MAKE SOMEBODY HAPPY HERE

I love this track pulse poundingly good full on celtic boogie with hints of Peatbog Faerie like fiddling from Mary Custy. As I said when I first put this up Bushplant have made this available as free download on the understanding that if you get it you will donate something to a children s charity. Not a bad deal in my book and they will be appearing on the Drystone stage this year.

BILL LLOYD
www.myspace.com/banjobilly
CAREY

Back from podcast number 1 here's my good friend Banjo Bill Lloyd with his wonderful version of Joni Mitchells "Carey” there is something about Bills singing here that just makes me feel so good every time I hear it. Bill who runs the session yurt at Solfest (and about a million other festivals too) is one of those people that seems to bring out the best in others. No one who wishes to play is ever turned away and are encouraged to join in and not hold back. Top man.

MR & MRS
www.myspace.com/mrandmrsmusic
CUT ALL STRINGS

Since I first met Ric and Chez on Preston platform (doing a soft shoe shuffle dance, thanks Jethro) the have performed a cracking set on The Drystone and I'm still in admiration for the sheer quality of songwriting. So much so I emailed Steve Lamacq and said he should check them out. He did and has subsequently played them on two of his shows. Remember you heard them first here.

FLUTATIOUS
www.myspace.com/flutatiousUK
SPACE

Pure good trippy music thats beyond definition, is it folk, is it psychedelic, is it neo classical or something else altogether. Whatever, it's very good. Just let it wash over you and enjoy.

THE MELODICA MELODY AND ME
www.myspace.com/mmmelodic
PLUNGE

There's a strangely haunting quality to MMM's music, and another band the the aforementioned Mr Lamacq likes too. Though he got wind of them before I did. Complication on the journey up to Cumbria meant they arrived late and had to play a truncated set at Solfest but that being said if you flip to the previous blog to this you can see them performing unplugged in the bus that was behind the stage.

DUMB INSTRUMENT
www.dumbinstrument.com/
www.myspace.com/dumbinstrument
EXTERMINATING ANGEL

If this track from Scotlands Dumb Instrument doesn't make you feel a bit spooked, you have something wrong with you. It's an unsettling comment on the time we live in but exceptionally well done.

THE DUPLETS
www.theduplets.com/
www.myspace.com/theduplets
LILLIAN'S

Another band who will be on The Drystone this year and a fresh track from them as I thought to play the Green Set again after it was on the last podcast wasn't a good idea. Gillian Fleetwood and Freya Thompson simply make great music. And here's a jolly good and lighthearted video of the “Queen of All Argyle” another track as is Lillian's from their album “Tree Of Life”

THE CACTUS ROOM
www.myspace.com/thecactusroom
CRAZY RHYTHYM

Another studio recording from Ted Chapman aka “The Cactus Room” He has created a rhythm which he calls “Diddley Reggae” Diddly reggae was born when Ted fastened a bit of a Bo Diddley riff onto half a bar of a reggae 'Skank' - The groove felt good but it had a chopped half a beat off the bar, making it 7/8 time. So when thinking about it, the only other popular tune in sevens is Pink Floyd's 'Money' and you cant dance to that. Invent your own footwork that fits and you can name that dance. Can you do the Diddly reggae? Its 1-2-3-4- - 1-2-3- - 1-2-3-4 - -1-2 ..... Go on have a go.

ROB HERON
www.myspace.com/robheronmusic
LOVE DRUG

A great favourite of me, The Drystone Stage and my open mics at the Spinners Arms. Rob is now studying music over in Newcastle so we don't see him quite as much but I'll take any opportunity I can to play his stuff, so here's a new one from his album “Korsa Floden” which is I believe a river in Norway.

MARY LOUISE MARTIN
www.myspace.com/louisemarymartin
GREENSWEETS

It's just damn good music.

TEN BEARS
www.myspace.com/tenbearsmusic
BRACES

Ten Bears current single is the theme tune for Channel Fours T4 Orange Unsigned band show. They've not been on the podcast before, nor have they been on the Drystone. But when this track arrived via email I simply had to put it up on the podcast. I passed it on to Gerard who runs our mainstage saying that I thought they were worth a slot. So you never know.

Finally a story from me...

THE NIGHT VISITOR.
Being the first part of a larger work that may end up as a print piece rather than a full recording.

And that's it for 2008. Next cast up will feature some of the acts lined up for appearing on the Drystone Stage this this year and believe me I have some TRULY FANTASTIC musicians already booked and more to come.

A word to the wise also, tickets for Solfest 2009 go on sale next Monday, February 9th full details will be on the Solfest website tomorrow Feb 4th .

See you soon

Wiz.

THE TILTON SESSIONS

30/01/2009 09:19 AM

This is what went on in the bus referred to by Gaz Coombes as "The Space Bus" at the back of the Drystone Stage. For you, a collection of DRYSTONE SETS.

Jodi Watson & Ali Rigg
TONGUE TIDE

Paul Harrison

The Casual Terrorist

Laura James

Fiona Clayton

Three

from

The Wierdstring Band

The Melodica, Melody and Me

FROM THE DESK OF THE VICE CHAIRMAN

17/12/2008 04:47 AM

Right here it is Ladies and Gentlemen, the information you have been waiting for (well some of it anyway) oh before I get onto that if you are looking for podcast information it's on the blog entry prior to this.

SOLFEST 2009 TICKET PRICES

Adult tickets: 85 pounds

Child tickets (6 – 11yrs) 25 “

Young peoples tickets (12 – 16) 60 “

So there you have it, and believe me these prices are the product of THREE committee meetings that were long and hard. It was not an easy thing this year, but we have listened to what you have said about our pricing last year and that is why we now have the new ticket bracket for young people of 60 pounds, yes we have put up the adult and child tickets as well but this has been off set by the reduction for in young peoples tickets.

But look NO CAR PARKING CHARGE we realize that this was a very unpopular decision last year so we've ditched it. We are now one of the increasingly few festivals not to charge for cars and even with the five pound increase on adult tickets our prices are very competitive to just about every other comparable festival. We did try to see if we could keep it at eighty quid but with all our “overheads” costing us more this year we just couldn't and still make the festival viable this year

In a year when it's going to be hard on everybody with the “Credit Crunch” we are trying to make Solfest as accessible as we can. We have also reduced the numbers that we shall be putting on sale to try and get back to the more intimate Solfest that so many of you have said you missed. This year only 6.500 adult tickets and 750 of both the child and young peoples tickets will be on sale.

This won't be easy for us, we will have to tighten our belts while still trying to put on the quality event that has won us so much praise and loyalty from you our supporters.

Here's something else that should cheer you up, NO TIXMOB. We will again be selling all tickets through a locally based outlet. The arrangement has not yet been finalized so I can't say who it is just yet nor when the tickets will be on sale, though we may be selling them earlier in the year than we have in previous years. Once we have got Christmas and New Year over with and we get stuck into business then I will let you know, it will of course be on the Solfest website too.

http://www.solwayfestival.co.uk/

I can promise you too that we should have a superb display of site art for Solfest 2009, the much loved and iconic emblem of Solfest “The Steel Wizard” will be back as we have bought this from Abbott though sad to say I fear the “Wicker Women” have now seen better days and it is doubtful that they will be back. We have already booked some of the bands (and no I'm not telling you yet but I know that one will please an awful lot of you as you have asked for them).

Other more mundane things to consider, last Solfest you don't need me to tell you that the traffic problems for you getting on site were a nightmare. Although it has to be said that when you get a mass of people turning up in cars for an event (whatever it may be) it is inevitable that you will have a traffic queue, we will however be working really hard to minimize this and get you onsite as quickly and efficiently as we can so you can get your tents up and getting down to the serious business of enjoying the festival. We will also try and ensure that all of the camping fields are well lit and have adequate toilet facilities. This was a virtually impossible task this year as we had to hire three extra fields on the Friday and we just couldn't get the infrastructure in place to fulfill these needs.

In closing for now. I hope that all of the above meets with your approval and as the New Year rolls out you'll find that we will have some fantastic acts lined up (I'm really excited about The Drystone, though I have set myself a hard act to follow on from the last one, where I felt I had the strongest line up I've ever had.)

Don't forget you can mail me with your feedback on

wizardmarratalk@googlemail.com

HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR

Alan

WIZARDMARRAS DRYSTONE WIRELESS SHOW 7. There's a fella with a BIG NOSE on it.

16/12/2008 08:34 AM

WIZARDMARRA'S DRYSTONE WIRELESS SHOW No:7

There's fella with a BIG NOSE on it!

Well my friends far too long has gone by since I last posted one of these, so I have decided that straight after this podcast I'm going to sort another straight away in the manner of a CHRISTMAS CLIP SHOW. That is put the best tracks from all my previous casts in one BIG BUMPER CHRISTMAS NUMBER with some cleverly crafted new linking material.

But enough of that for we've just got a NEW one up and lets get right down to telling all about the fantastic array of musical talent within it.

One more thing first. If your'e here looking for SOLFEST NEWS of which I intend this blog to be my personal channel of information to you, check out the entry just before this one or wait until next week for my delayed information on 2009 TICKETS PRICES and more.

OK! Let me make it clear first that most of the acts featured on this podcast are from the piles of submissions already winging there way to me. I've haven't picked up post bag yet from the Solfest PO Box yet, but I know that is going to be a FULL SACK. No thse acts on the podcast have not nesacerily got themselves a slot on the Drystone Stage, but I'm not saying that haven't either, only time will tell (although some are!!!) There are also one or two who have been on the Drystone or Solfest before. Right that's the disclaimer over with and the first band up is...

THE WISHING WELL
www.myspace.com/thewishingwellband

LIFE ON THE BORDER

Jai Larkin sent me this via the demo upload page of my website which is cheaper than sending it through the post from Australia where this band hails from and what a fantastic track it is with Jai blasting out like Mark Chadwick but only for a few seconds as it's son clear that these are no Levellers rip off. They their own sound and a confidence that only comes with experience Jai himself having performed with Bob Geldof, Liam O'Moonlai, Tim Finn and Andy White. For a band that have only been together for two years these chalked up an impressive 180 gigs and travelled 10 Australian festivals this year. Visit their MySpace for more stuff, it's worth it.

Another band that used the demo upload are

THE AMATEURS

myspace.com/theamateursuk

HOMESICK

To quote what the bands Andrew Fletcher says in the brief biog he sent me with the track

“Hailing from the Midlands The Amateurs owe their humble beginnings to performing as a backing band for Robert Plant's (Led Zeppelin) ‘Tsunami Relief’ project, playing a string of shows and raising thousands for charity. As winners of the Kerrang! Radio best unsigned song competition 2007 & Festibull 2008, they have been led onto some excellent live shows; including support slots with cage the elephant, guillemots, & Jack Savoretti, a host of shows around the UK, and a standout performance at 2008's Guilfest. Performing live sets on local and national radio stations has secured them regular airplay. With the advent of their new EP (set for release in January), and the latest addition to Jagermusic, The Amateurs supply the listeners with 3 new catchy Indie pop classics to be enjoyed by all.. “

I wish I could remember who they remind me off. I should really stop comparing these different bands to others, but in this case it stops me from really getting into what is a beautifully crafted track. Again though visit their MySpace there is also a free download of their live version of “Homesick” to be had at

http://www.tourdates.co.uk/The-Amateurs

EMMA McGORDON AND SUE WICKWAR

http://www.litfest.org/flax005/mcgordon/mcgordon.html

OPAL BLUE
THE SCARY THING

Emma is a poet of exception from West Cumbria (not Barrow as I say on the podcast) who performed accompanied by Sue Wickwar in The ALHAMBRA marquee at this years Solfest and she sent me the tracks for the podcast before Solfest and it is to my shame that I haven't used them before. OPAL BLUE is as joyous expression of life and love that you could wish for and later on it the cast THE SCARY THING is uncompromising, unsettling and thought provoking and all the more wonderful because of it.

ROB HERON
myspace.com/robheronmusic

INTROSPECTION

I can't anything about Rob that I've not already said on previous blog entries. Young, good looked and talented. It makes you sick sometimes.

KIRK McELHINNEY & BECKY TAYLOR

http://www.myspace.com/kirkmcelhinney
http://www.myspace.com/piperbeckytaylor

YESTERDAY

Another member of the emerging music scene in Cumbria the present time Kirk McElhinney has so many irons in the fire it's hard to keep up as a solo artist and collaborator. Here is teams up with Becky Taylor who came to my notice when a CD of hers and this solo track where given to me by a good friend who'd promised to pass them on. The fact that she'd forgottent to do so for two years not withstanding I still got them and I just LOVE this track, Becky is doing things with a set of Uillean Pipes that are HOT! Sit back and enjoy it.

While you are whizzing about the internet checking these links out be sure to go to one of Kirks other projects.

http://www.myspace.com/straydogshowlin

I had booked Straydogs to perform on the Drystone this year but unforeseen circumstances prevented the guys from coming, so I have just slid the gig along year. So there you have it, the name of the first act announced to perform at Solfest 2009 are STRAYDOGS. That's as long as they still available of course.

THE DUPLETS

http://www.theduplets.com/
http://www.myspace.com/theduplets

THE GREEN SET

The Duplets are Fraya Thomsen and Gillian Fleetwood and have been playing together for sometime now. They are taking Scottish traditional music into some very new and exiting pastures indeed. As their album “Tree Of Strings” from which this track is taken shows. “The Green Set” is made up of the tunes “Chloe's Passion, The Up Downie and The Triangle.” and to be honest I could have played anything from the album as they all sound equally good. I strongly advise you to visit their website and hear more from them. Check out to the extra video here too which is a lot of fun on top of sounding great. You'll all be doing the dance!

ALEJANDRO TOLEDO & THE MAGIC TOMBOLINOS

http://www.magictombolinos.co.uk/musicians.html

http://www.myspace.com/alejandrosax

FANFARIAN IMPRO

Like The Duplets this was a CD that came through the post and was a delight to hear. It's always exciting to get the submissions through the door and I want each one to be special. Sometimes it's not everything it should be, sometimes it's a real disappointment and sometimes the band just doesn't do it for me the music is great but not really my cup of tea. Not so with this one, it's loads of fun and blasts you out of a bleak mood in an instant (it did me) getting you dancing around the kitchen.

PROJECT NOTION

http://www.myspace.com/projectnotion

CONSTELLATE IN CUBISM

A bit different this one. Hailing from Melton Mowbray this slice of jazz/funk urban ...
...sod the definitions this is good stuff featuring the lead vocals of Tori Maries just sit back and enjoy

PEANUT ALBINOS

http://www.myspace.com/peanutalbinos

CARTIHEYNA

Another one that came through the door and has rarely left the CD player (it's either been this one or The Duplets) and another one where I could have put anytrack on the podcast. “Falling From The saddle Of A High Horse” is great album and possibly has the best title of any I've received over the years.

To quote Paul Carrea in Nightshift issue 152
'Imagine a band that look like a bunch of old-fashioned tinkers, who play skiffle banjo, mandolin and brushed drums with a masterful depth of dark gothic and celtic soul, but are mercifully devoid of any carousing Irish accents... Peanut Albinos, in soft, battered, slept-in suits and hats, have an English take on longing, regret and coming to terms with consequences, all while making you think you are in a late night lock-in with Tom Waits on the Kilburn High Road.'

I could also quote what was said on www.unpeeled.net
'No peanuts, no albinos. Lying bastards. Dead good though.'
All things considered a bloody good band.

AGENTS OF JANE
http://www.myspace.com/agentsofjane
BIG HAT
MONANS DANCE
SHETLAND BRAE
AGENTS OF JANE played for us at the Solfest Stewards party. The bash with free beer and nibbles that we throw for all those who give us their help over Solfest weekend and beyond and these guys aquited themselves well. The first two tracks are on for a bit of nonsense but are featured along with “Shetland Brae” on the album “Karaoke Boy” Good stuff indeed.

EMMA McGORDON AND SUE WICKWAR
THE SCARY THING
See above

It gets a bit monotonous trying to think of superlatives and something original and constructive about all these bands. But I'm not going to put something out on the podcast that I don't like (nor indeed on The Drystone) so what do I say about

THE CACTUS ROOM

myspace.com/thecactusroom

SEVEN TO HEAVEN

Basically this is my mate Ted Chapman. Ted is someone who has provide entertainment at various late night sessions at festivals I've been to this year, notably Stainsby and is a regular at the open mic sessions that I run at Wheaton Aston festival. You may have caught him lurking in the ALHAMBRA marquee at Solfest this year. The Cactus Room is his other hat where he takes the rythym he discovered for a walk. It's called Diddley Reggae being a fusion of the famous Bo Diddley rythym and of course reggae. He's asked me to encourage anybody to use it, go on give it a go. They can't touch you for it.

Finally as usual, one of mine called Big Groove. I'm a hell of a one for snappy titles as you can see, I'm not saying the tracks brilliant. But it's mine.

See you soon. It's Sunday afternoon and I'm off to retire in front of a roaring fire and enjoy some movies with a nice glass of Guinness.

Alan

SOLFEST FM

13/12/2008 07:17 AM

SOLFEST 2009

12/11/2008 04:57 AM

Hi Everybody.

Or to be precise anybody, anybody who chances upon the blog or has somehow found their way here by intent.

Heres an announcement. A gentle word so you can say that we did tell you.

As of yesterday evening 11th November 2008 Simon Kay stepped down as Chairman of Solfest after five years in the post. Simon has said from the start that he would do the job for five years and then review it. He did and said it was time move on.

Should Simon wish to make further public comment it is entirely his business.

Following this Dave Camlin was duly elected Chairman and myself Alan Whittaker was elected as Vice Chairman. There were six nominees for Chairman, Myself, Alec Pyne, Gerard Irving, Alwyn Branniff and Dave Camlin. Further discussion led to two candidates up for election to be elected by secret ballot. The result Dave Elected chair and me Vice. (How appropriate) I don't know the split of the vote.

I am honoured to be elected Vice Chairman of Solfest and I believe Dave and I can really work together to keep Solfest moving forwards as the wonder filled event it has become (remember the LED Cyclists!!!) but also so we can get back on track and reconnect with some aspects of Solfests heart. Important things that we are perhaps in danger of losing if we aren't careful.

We have a lot to learn from this last years festival, mistakes made need addressing.

Publicly too I take pride in thanking Simon for what he has contributed to Solfest over the years and I look forward to watching his plans for this year blossom. For he has not left the committee but will be developing some exciting stuff for..

... here quietly is the first announcement of the date.

Friday August 28th to Sunday the 30th, 2009

Solfest VI

I need your feedback and thoughts so I've set up a dedicated email.

wizardmarratalk@googlemail.com

I'll not gaurentee a prompt response, nor indeed will I gaurentee a response. But I will read them and take on board what is said. I'll immediately trash any that I feel are frankly RUBBISH. But stuff that is sensibly put forward will be taken on board.

I'll not put up with anything offensive to me or any other committee member.

But I do have a sincere desire to make SOLFEST VI the culmanation of the MAGICAL ASPECTS of last years festival but dealing also with the stuff the made it BAD IN SO MANY WAYS. Bringing that friendly atmosphere back, that feeling Solfest had of a rootsy festival like they had in the seventies, we have to keep that in sight.

So I'll read and listen to the good stuff. The Wise Stuff. But I'll not promise reply to all.

We have two new committee members too in Matt Kirk (who sang as Che Guevara on Mainstage) and Ben Durkin (Compere about town and more) both strong team members over the years who have now taken that plunge to running things with us.

Matt and I intend to really open your eyes with some incredible SITE ART!!!

Anyhow

See you soon.

We have a festival to put on.

BUBBLES

04/10/2008 10:40 AM

WIZARDMARRAS DRYSTONE WIRELESS SHOW 6

BUBBLES

Well here it is after too long an absence for which I apologize, preparation for Solfest took more of my time than I'd expected (of which I should have been aware, Solfest always takes more time than I allow for) and post festival. Well one tends to get knackered during the weekend and there is always period of brain death were I just don't want to do a thing.

But getting grips with myself and putting onto the net edition 6 of the wireless show has done me a power of good and it gives me great delight to present it.

Here as always you'll find the links to the featured acts websites and some musings on the festival itself. At the end too I'll tell you all about “THE DRYSTYAN TOUCH” which is my version of “The X-Factor”

I'll put on record here before I do anything else a huge thank you to everyone who worked on The Drystone Stage this year.

CREW DRYSTYAN 2008

Dean Pendleton

Dan Pearson,

Charlie Cragg,

Adrian Hull

Oliver Suckling

Andrea Tynan

Sharon O’Connor

Alec Morris

Cat Hirst

Chloe Thwaites

Mick Fuller

Peter Milston

Gavin Bradshaw

Mark Twiss

Sean Kerr

and my brilliant team of PA's who made my job so much easier on the weekend.

Hannah Rogers

Kat Askew

Sky Higgins

Vikki McMullen

Sunny Dermott

Elton Ritchie

Dylan Reay Bennet

and to Jon Purkins who organized the team of artists who made the stage look so wonderful, better than it has ever looked before.

Last but in no way least of course the absolute light of my life Karen Butler, fellow Solfest Organizer and superstar. (Don't put it about too much, but she's going to make an honest man of me before the next Solfest!)

So to the podcast.

Opening as usual with a musical gewgaw from me before opening properly with

TRIXY FOLK from DIDDLEY SQUAT

http://www.myspace.com/bodiddleysquat

I'd said in the program that these guys were my “punt of the weekend” and I wasn't lying. The crowd in front of the Drystone seemed to agree with me too. It was packed, everyone of which
bouncing along to the most original band ever to grace the stage. The followed this storming set with a further impromptu gig in the Alhambra marquee. Our new splendid red and black Berber tent that was the home of the spoken word, comedy and Music Hall for the weekend.
Who needs Gogol Bordello when you have Diddley Squat.

I wasn't going to make an issue about the use of the tent as a music venue as it is owned by one of the members of Diddley Squat, Jonah Maurice.

Jonah has been a regular at Solfest for four years now with “My Giddy Aunts Theater Company” performing as the BFG a stilt character who is now a fixture at the festival last year he introduced the L.A.D. (Long Armed Depressive) one of the funniest walkabout characters I've ever seen. Now with the addition of Diddley Squat in his repertoire I can't wait to see what he'll bring to Solfest next year.

It was Jonah who gave me one of the best Solfest moments too as we were setting up on the Wednesday, I was enjoying a sit down and brew on the Drystone reveling in the fact that my stage had power and sound running before anyone else. The speakers blasting out a selection of tracks which made the whole atmosphere in the Drystone Arena palpably good and abuzz with anticipation of a great event when at the very moment Freddie Mercury sang out “I Want To Break Free” I saw Jonah and his two brothers arrive on three Horse drawn carts across the skyline in front of the stone circle. Incidentally from the same vantage point on the Saturday night across the darkened field I saw the magical LED cyclists ride in the opposite direction. A potent dreamlike image straight out of a Peter Greenaway film.

Wonderful.

Staying with the Eastern European flavour (which is definitely the new music of the age) we have MAGIC VIOLIN by MINNIE MOOSIKA

http://www.minniemoosika.co.uk/

Klezmer, as I've said before it's the white mans reggae (a term possibly coined by my good friend and Solfest Chairman Simon Kay, then again he maybe heard it elsewhere) the music of the diaspora. The track here MAGIC VIOLIN, I particularly like. As a sidebar here Gavin Tolan (a very tall man) the bands mandola player also constructs wonderful mechanical puppet shows, you can see one in action on the bands website.

Next track.

WHAT A FUCKER – THE CASUAL TERRORIST

http://www.myspace.com/thecasualterrorist

From the title you will appreciate there is strong language on this track so I repeat here what I have said on the podcast. If you are offended by such language, skip the track. It's not gratuitous though. Christian Reay the eponymous terrorist writes songs that combine the anger and anarchy of punk with considered lyricism and a deft hand at catchy melodies that can catch you off guard. We all know men such as the one he sings about here along with his friend Daniel (and shamefully I can't find my notes that has his surname on). They turned up at one of my open mic night at The Spinners Arms and I'd really finished booking acts for The Drystone. But the response from the crowd was a loud BOOK THEM so I had no choice really, the blew us all away and it was a pleasure to give them the opportunity to perform. It's good that there are still people unafraid to write really uncompromising and challenging material, more power to them and more of Daniel later in this blog.

WELL WELL WELL – CHRISTI ANDROPOLIS

www.christi-andropolis.com

Christi took to the stage on Saturday night and owned it. A powerhouse performer that gave a breathtakingly good set. I've banged on a lot about how this years line up on the Drystone was my strongest yet and Christi was one of the best of the weekend. A native of New York state she plays a wonderful fusion of Appalachian style fiddling with the English and Celtic traditions.

This track (recorded at The Sage, Gateshead) exemplifies her tour de force playing. She should have been at last years Solfest but as sometimes happens communication went astray and it didn't happen. Needless to say I was more than happy to set matters to right this year and without a shadow of a doubt she will be seen on the Drystone again at some point in the future.

JESUS ON THE MAIN LINE – CHRIS JAMES

http://www.myspace.com/chrisjamesblues

I can't believe it was May that I last had a track by Chris up here. One of the regulars at The Spinners and well known on the Folk and Blues scene Chris followed Christi on the Saturday night wearing possibly the funniest fancy dress of the festival that was also elegant in its simplicity. A white paper “boiler suit” (or was it a very large Babygro) and an orange cardboard carrot nose he came as a snowman. It was a surreal image on stage for sure as he began to sing in his distinctive style.

THEA GILMORE SONG (???!!!) - JUDE & DAVE PROUD

A live track here from the open mic sessions at the Spinners Arms with my very good friends Jude and Dave Proud again they are also Solfest organizers.

Back to the music, Jude has got to be Thea Gilmores biggest fan (and didn't she do a beautiful set at Solfest a couple of years back) so she entranced us at the Spinners with some gorgeous versions of some of Thea s songs. Jude has a fantastic voice which I think we have under rated and undervalued for too long. Dave has often been in the limelight having been a leading member of local band DELIVO (featured on podcast number 2, which will have been taken off line by the time you read this, if you really want a copy email me and I'll sort something out for you) and a regular singer at the open mics. Another one of Judes songs will being going up on

http://www.myspace.com/wizardmarrassaturdaynightatthespinners

very soon, enjoy.

Jude is to be a mum is another couple of months or so and Dave has just turned 30.

Now there is a lot of talk right now about 70 being the new 50 (so that makes my 54 the new 34, yay! I've almost got my zits back and the full flower of youth AND that also means my fiancée is a cracking stunner at (the new) 23!!!) therefore Dave having turned a real thirty means he's at the new 10!...

...That explains a lot too.

BLUE SKIES – DANIEL VERSUS THE WORLD

http://www.myspace.com/danielversustheworld

As I said earlier more from Daniel here on his own without The Casual Terrorist and showing a nice touch on the pianoforte too. Daniels work is as full of venom as the Terrorists is though the track here is one of his milder songs. But the thing with Daniel is to follow his career over the years for his voice as it matures and acquires experience will be a good thing to hear.

STAR – LOUISE MARY MARTIN

http://www.myspace.com/louisemarymartin

Louise has been on The Drystone two years running now and both times has been soooo good, you could (and one day if god is in his heaven it will happen) put her on stage alongside Duffy, Roisin Murphy, Annie Lennox, Amy (the carphone) Winehouse or just about any sublime lady vocalist and she would be able to stand there and hold her head up as one of THE BEST. If you are reading this before November the 8th and are anywhere near Kendal she is supporting Cara Dillon (another brilliant lady singer who gave a storming set on mainstage three years back) and it would be well worth you while to spend a pound or two for that show. Her song the scintillatingly good “Greensweets” was on podcast number 2 but you can still hear it on her myspace.

Also if you remember a rather good close up musician around the festival, that was Jay who plays guitar in her band.

BE FREE – BILLY GLEW

http://www.myspace.com/billyglew

Billy was one of those brave pioneers who took to the Drystone in its first year, when it was just a few pieces of wood, canvas and a trailer. Oh how things have changed. A maestro of the guitar and writer of compelling music. High time he got to be heard bit more.

SAMBENCO - DOS BAULS

I can't find any web presence for Dos Bauls but that could be due to the fact that half of the Bauls is Dan Fox who is one of the busiest men in the county. Percussionist in Sonic Tradition (Who of course are part of Solfest and The Drystones history having performed on both the Drystone and mainstage and the aforementioned Louise Mary Martin is now their lead singer replacing Ali Wood now of Tongue Tide) Dan is also the man behind SOLFEST FM whose website should be regularly checked for they will soon have recordings of live sets from many of the Drystones acts online.

http://www.solfestfm.com/

VENUS IN FURS - THE WIERDSTRING BAND

http://www.wierdstring.co.uk/

What can I say, this has to be the definitive version of Venus in Furs played by the Drystone Stages house band, Wal, Paddy and James. Who have established themselves as our ceilidh band (Wal also being part of Sonic Tradition and at one time a member of Dragonsfly who I've had on earlier podcasts and were on The Drystone on Sunday night)

LA'AL CLOUDS – WIZARDMARRA

It was only a matter of time until I put this up on here and it's still one of the things I'm most proud of thanks to Tom Kay tuneage. It was made with E jay a few years ago now but none the worse for that. It's the sound of a Cumbrian summer in the twenty first century and I'll thump anyone that disagrees with me.

Finally

THE CAMEL SONG - DIDDLEY SQUAT

See above, it's the Squats once more

AND REALLY WELL AND TRULY FINALLY.

IT'S

THE DRYSTYAN TOUCH
What is it? It's a new talent competition to find the brightest and best new Cumbrian singer songwriters and give them a world stage platform on The Drystone Stage at Solfest. Cumbria is the best place on Earth to live. That's a given, a fact. But the cost of living here is that if you have any artistic leanings whatsoever it is that little bit harder to get your name known. To be heard and seen.

Solfest has established itself as a world class festival, we get an audience from everywhere. Australia, all parts of Europe and Canada and the USA. The Drystone Stage has also established itself as a very special stage, to quote Rob Armstrong of “TARRAS” the Mercury Award nominated band who chose to have their re union gig on the Drystone.

“"The Drystone Stage is the cool place every cool band wants to play"

Well Solfest 2009 will see three brand new acts get a prime time evening slot on the Drystone and the process begins at my Open Mics at The Spinners Arms, Cummersdale, Carlisle. on the FIRST Saturday inevery month And The Last Man Inn at Plumbland near Aspatria on the THIRD Saturday in every month. Both sessions start at 8pm.

To be in with a chance the contenders must be resident in Cumbria or if they are a student at a College out of the county their parents must reside in the county. There is no age limit, but entrants must write and perform their own material. No backing tracks allowed, if you want to be a “Pop” singer there is nothing wrong in that and that's what the X Factor and Carlisles Stobbart factor are for.

If you come along to one of the open mics, say you want to try for the Drystone Touch and that's it. You'll get to perform two or three songs on the night (and come back as many times as you want) assessing and judging it all (in these preliminary sessions) will be myself, Karen and the very discerning audience at each session. In around May or June there will be a “final” in a well known local concert venue and that's when the three winners will be decided. I'm also working on some other extra prizes to go with the paid slot on the Drystone but they are under wraps until I've got them sorted out. At the very least you'll get a free drink for performing at the sessions, which at the Spinners means a free pints of REAL ALE and they've just made it into the prestigious GOOD BEER GUIDE so you know it's quality stuff! The Last Man also provides free food later in the evening for everybody performers and punters alike.

And that is it. The LONGEST blog in a while. Until the next one, bye.

UNTIL THE NEW PODCAST.......

30/09/2008 12:51 PM

Here's some cool vids from MR & MRS who impressed me greatly this year and gave us a great set on the Drystone.

The new podcast will be up very soon along with details of "The Drystyan Touch!"

THE BEAT AT SOLFEST 2007

08/08/2008 12:17 PM

THE UNDERTONES AT SOLFEST 2007

08/08/2008 07:22 AM

BADLY DRAWN BOY AT SOLFEST 2007

08/08/2008 07:14 AM

Part 1

Part 2

SOLFEST 2007 - THE TRAILER

08/08/2008 02:34 AM

THE ONE ON THE SLATE

03/08/2008 07:00 PM

WIZARDMARRAS DRYSTONE WIRELESS SHOW 5

THE ONE ON THE SLATE

The penultimate podcast before Solfest! Kicking off with my latest piece of sequenced nonsense, “The Lonely Dancer” 'nuff said.

It then kicks into a brilliant track by the first official booking for Solfest 2009 a terrific Irish band by the name of

BUSHPLANT.
“Go Make Somebody Happy Here.”
bushplant.com
http://www.myspace.com/bushplant

Who got in touch with me via MySpace and have just played by all accounts a cracking set at Hawkfest. They are a truly hi energy band and you'll have to wait an eternal 13 months before you get to see them on The Drystone.
The track here “Go Make Somebody Happy Here” is a piece of pure ass kicking joy, and when I asked the band if I could use it on the podcast I got the lovely reply “It's a track that was made for sharing.” How nice is that.

The tune inside it will be familiar to any fan of the Peatbog Faeries as it is the traditional reel “Lexy McAskill” one of their signature tunes from the “Mellowosity” album by the Shetland mega stars.

But to quote Bushplant MySpace page regarding the track.

“the single is a pounding beast of a thing, sounding like the bastard spawn of an illicit liaison between Alabama3 and S-Express at a Clare fleadh, all the while delicately embroidered with the silvery fiddling of Mary Custy, a star in her own right with 3 solo albums of her own. The single is available as a free download, with the request that a donation is made to a children's charity, however small - 'for the children of the world', whenever. “

So it would be nice if you took that to heart and did the decent thing with a quid or two.

PADDY ROGAN & JACK HARTLEY.
“epic medley number 3”
http://www.myspace.com/paddyandjack

Next up another track from Paddy Rogan and Jack Hartley who I featured a couple of casts ago. These two awfully talented chaps who hail from East Cumbria (a cold land where all who dwell there wear black leather talking of grim days and darkling skies!)

They will be on the Drystone Stage over the Solfest weekend.

Would you like to know when? As you are aware if you are a Solfest regular, we don't publish our running order until the weekend. Well if you go to

http://wiki.wizardmarra.com/tiki-mobile.php

via your mobile phone over the weekend you can call up the running orders for each stage.

You'll not find

OUTROADS
“Hellbound On My Trail”
http://outroads.co.uk/
http://www.myspace.com/outroads

Over the weekend though, well not officially but I do know for a fact that half of them at least are coming to Solfest as punters so there may be spontaneous blues outbreaks in a session tent or two. The two track that I've featured here are from their new album “Goodbye To All That” and thanks to Eddy Lomas for the copy and for allowing me to put a couple of tracks on the cast. The First “Hellbound On My Trail” is pure gritty mean down on the crossroads by a steeltown and the devil drives a Cadillac with it's headlights shining black. The other is “Amigo Mio” (Bacon) which for me reminds me of early Pink Floyd in there “Meddle” days and tracks like “Shamus” it'll no doubt be reminiscent of other stuff too but I've not heard everything yet.

THE WIERDSTRING BAND
“Hangover Cure”
http://www.wierdstring.co.uk/

Wal, James and Paddy. Collectively The Wierdstring Band.

If I ever get my own TV show (not likely I know, but it's a harmless fantasy and a comfort to an old man) I would have these guys as my house band. Jonathan Ross can keep his poofs, I'll have these shabby bearded fellows. Choosing a track to play was actually just a case of sticking my hand in the bran tub of their music and using whatever stuck to it. You can find more on their websites. Like the brilliant cover of “Venus In Furs” or other gems such as “Lambing”. So then “Hangover Cure” is here and I salute The Wierdstring Band the ONLY band to have a Drystone Stage residency as they lead the (it'll be three years old now so I can call it ...) ...TRADITIONAL SOLFEST CEILIDH on Sunday afternoon.

WILL MORGAN
“The Castleford Ladies Magic Circle”
Will is someone I like to call my friend. We have met literally a handful of times. We share a common link with Glasson Music Festival and Wheaton Aston Music Festival. The former we have both worked at (4 or 5 times each) and the latter four or so times for me once for him. He works as a compare though he is a fine singer and musician and I always try and catch his act. Among other things he is for my money the best practitioner of the late Jake Thackrays work on the circuit nowadays. Anyone who is of an age with me will remember Jake Thackray guesting on many black & white televisions shows of the sixties. He sang funny songs in a bit of a funny voice in those days with titles like “Bantam Cock” and “Sister Josephine”. Now I understand the humour much more, most of which had gone over my head as a youth. Will brings them to life again as you'll hear in this one taken from his album “Will Morgan sings The Genius Of Jake Thackray”

It may be a long while before he's on the Drystone. But he will be one day.

RICHARD ANDERSON
“Thank God For The Little Things”
richard-anderson.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/richardandersonmusic

Richard Anderson. This is his second outing here and the track is the single from his CD “Songs That Chose Me” which frankly hasn't got a bad track on it. I can only advise you to go to his website and purchase a copy.

It's odd, and I'm gonna fess up here. Richard has been trying to get a gig at Solfest for a while now, but the demo's and stuff of his I'd heard. Well it didn't quite hit the mark for me; I don't know why? was it his voice? The pitch not quite to my ears or was it the tunes? I don't know but this album is so bloody good I actually play it a lot. Until you are in the (VERY fortunate) position of getting loads of free CDs from people wanting gigs, all of whom need a fair listen. To make time to listen to stuff that you really like shrinks as the years go by. But Richards there in that select clutch of albums and demos, he also plays a cracking live set too as I've also seen and you will too this year.

PALE LILAC
“Black Knight”
thehowesband.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/palelilac

As I say in this years program for Solfest these guys are “The sincerest Deep Purple tribute act going”

As they say on their MySpace page they sound like “Machinehead meet Morris On” Micheal, Claire, James and Joel are a true family band being Dad, Mum, and “the Boys” occasionally joined by daughter/sis Nicola. The James – Joel combination on Djembe and Accordion that doing killer business on classic metal anthems.

Here is “Black Knight” from them, for you by me

OUTROADS
“Amigo Mio” (Bacon)

See above

DRAGONSFLY
“Familiar Shores”
http://www.dragonsfly.org/

Dragonsfly are part of The Stainsby Connection. In that the are an act that I have first seen at Stainsby Festival. As with Silverwheel and KTB last year (and some tasty contacts have already been made at this years FORTIETH Stainsby festival).

Led by the lovely Maya Preece who can sing in more than one language which I find very impressive Dragonsfly are a band that really make you get up and dance. This track sees them in more sedate pace and allows Mayas vocals to take you on a gentle ride.

FLUTATIOUS
“Trippy”
http://www.myspace.com/flutatiousUK

Like Dragonsfly, Flutatious have been featured on here before. But why let that stop me from putting up more of their superb tune making.

Most of the acts featured on this cast will be at Solfest this year, the exceptions being Will Morgan, Outroads and Bushplant. Those that are, apart from one act are coincidentally on the same day too.

What day is that?

That would be telling wouldn't it

The next podcast the final one before Solfest will be up around the 12 and will feature some tasty stuff from WIZARDMARRAS SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE SPINNERS

And if you are of a mind for some pure Drystone Wall PORN check out.

http://www.dswa.org.uk/

From this podcast on to make room on the “podmatic” website one previous episode gets removed so Episode One has now been deleted.

Hopefully I'll get them archived somewhere on my website.

WIZARDMARRAS DRYSTONE WIRELESS SHOW 5

03/08/2008 06:58 PM

BEAR CUB

30/07/2008 04:21 AM

The BEAR CUB SOUNDSYSTEM will be appearing at various locations around the Solfest site this year. Their amazing 12volt soundsystem will bring to you anything from old time dance ska/ rocksteady knees-up, to modern conscious roots bouncing.

This completely mobile soundsystem will perform at selected sites during Saturday and Sunday. On both the main site and Shoreside campsite.

At the time of writing this the likely line up of DJ's will be
DJ DUBJON, Steve Jahvis (One Love Sound System, Lancaster) and Steve Cat
and featuring the sunshine vocalist and MC Reggae "Birdman"

Stay tuned for more snippets of stuff about SOLFEST 2008

The music played on the above clip has nothing to do with BEAR CUB SOUNDSYSTEM but has been made by me and features a sample from a track by DIDDLEY SQUAT who are appearing on The Drystone Stage this year and sequencing by me.

IT'S NAFF BUT I LOVE IT!

SOLFEST FM

30/07/2008 03:10 AM

Solfest FM

Do you know it is a fact that I listen to nothing else!