XPost: rec.music.celtic   
   From: dalton@nfld.com   
      
   The 32nd Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival, held from   
   August 8 to 10, 2008 in Bannerman Park, St. John's, Newfoundland,   
   Canada, was a resounding success. Despite the light rain during   
   some of the sessions, people turned up to hear the mix of stellar   
   local performers and a few from away.  I wore rain gear and stayed   
   dry.   But usually this festival is rain free.   
      
   On Friday I caught the last set of the North Atlantic Fiddle   
   convention, then the gypsy jazz stylings of the Duane Andrews   
   Quartet, then a moving set from visitor Andy Irvine, then   
   a rousing trad song session from Gulliver's Spree (the core   
   duo of Gulliver's Spree are Tom Boland and Dave Panting ex-of   
   Figgy Duff and ex-of Rawlins Cross).   Then there was a good   
   set of original songs from Ron Hynes. who closed with his   
   best known song, Sonny's Dream.   To close out the night   
   there were great harmonies and instrumentals from   
   The Masterless Men, including some wonderful vocals from   
   John Curran and Chuck Lewis.   Also I'm sure that Mike   
   Hanrahan, who I missed since he played early, was very   
   good as well.   
      
   Saturday afternoon I missed The Mahers Bahers and Danny   
   Mills and Charlotte Ann Malechewski (who is supposed to   
   be an up-and-coming young fiddler and Roy Johnston   
   but was impressed by Folk of Conception Bay North, The   
   Myricks, Eventide, and Folk of Bay St. George.   I was   
   also impressed by some of the young performers at the   
   Neil Murray Stage.   
      
   Saturday evening I got there halfway through the songwriter's   
   circle, hosted by Ron Hynes and with other songwriters   
   Colleen Power, Lindsay Ferguson, Blair Harvey, and Amelia   
   Curran.   Then came The Forgotten Bouzouki, featuring a   
   Greek-Newfoundland lead singer and also locals Dave Panting   
   and Pamela Morgan (ex-of Figgy Duff).   Then came Irishmen   
   Seamus Creagh and Man Cranitch, joined by some local friends   
   for some tunes.   Next came A Crowd of Bold Sharemen, who   
   are Jim Payne, Fergus O'Byrne, Gerry Strong and Daniel Payne,   
   for a strong mix of songs and instrumentals.   Then came   
   Quebec band Le Vent Du Nord in a stirring, toe tapping set.   
   Then the night was closed out with blues from The Roger Howse   
   band, reggae and ska from The Idlers, and country from   
   The 8-Track Favourites.   
      
   Sunday afternoon I missed the first act but caught Quebec   
   fiddle virtuoso Pierre Schryer, joined by some local friends.   
   Then came Jerome Epstein but for much of his set I was   
   at The Neil Murray stage.   Then Art Stoyles on three row   
   button accordion backed by some friends did a world-spanning   
   set of instrumentals.   Then there was some bluegrass from   
   John Clarke and The Rosalines, who were very good.   Then   
   came Alan Ricketts, a great young multi-instrumentalist and   
   singer, backed by Hugh Scott.   Then came a set from the   
   large young celtic band The Dardanelles, named after the   
   shortest street in St. John's.   They have their own driving   
   style, with hints of world beat.  Finally came a set from   
   The Folk of Labrador, who were good, though I spent part of   
   their set at The Neil Murray stage I think.   
      
   Sunday evening I arrived part-way through the opening set by   
   Amelia Curran, who is from here but is now based in Halifax   
   but considering moving back.   She plays heart-creaked poetic   
   original odes, and her latest CD is War Brides.  Then came   
   a set from The Sons of Erin, with lead singer Ralph O'Brien,   
   who is also the owner of Erin's Pub where they play once a   
   month including this coming Hallowe'en weekend.   They delivered   
   a mix or traditional Irish pub songs and some instrumentals.   
   Then came Curtis Andrews and Nuno Cristo, but I missed them   
   since I was over at the Homemade Jam tent listening to Andy   
   Irvine play unamplified to an intimate crowd.   I sue hope he   
   comes back again and tells all his friends about the festival.   
   Then came some strong woman blues from The Lori Cooper band,   
   followed by a wonderful solo set of songs from visitor Sylvia   
   Tyson,  followed by a stellar reunion set from Figgy Duff, who have   
   just released a reunion live CD and had the usual accordion work   
   from Frank Maher, fiddle from Kelly Russell, mandolin from Dave   
   Panting, vocals, whistle, keyboard and guitar from Pamela Morgan,   
   and some others.   Next was button accordion ace Graham Wells   
   with his band Chain Rock (named after a rock near the mouth   
   of the harbour that a chain was put across to block passage   
   of ships) for a set of Newfoundland and Irish instrumentals.   
   Finlly Shanneyganock closed the festival with a rocking set   
   of songs and intrumentals featuring Mark Hiscock on accordion and   
   Chris Andrews on vocals.   
      
   In addition to the Main Stage lineup they had some   
   Morning Sessions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., featuring   
   a variety of dancers, singers and instrumentalists.   
   They also had a Homemade Jam tent with hosts encouraging   
   audience participation.   There is a children's activity   
   area, and also The Neil Murray Stage where young performers   
   show their stuff.   
      
   Usually this festival is held the first Friday+weekend   
   in August but this year it was held on the second, I think   
   to avoid conflict with The George Street Festival.  So   
   maybe they have moved to having it the weekend after   
   The Regatta (which is the first Wednesday in August,   
   weather permitting).   But for more info on the past   
   festival and info on the 2009 one when it becomes available,   
   check http://www.nlfolk.com  .   That site will also have   
   information on how to apply to play the 2009 festival.   
      
   As usual, I was blown away by the depth of local talent   
   plus some well-received visitors.   I highly recomment this   
   festival to anyone local or away, but note that if you   
   plan to travel here for the festival that bed-and-breakfasts   
   fill up quickly for that week so it would be advisable to book   
   soon.   
      
   David   
   http://www.nfld.com/~dalton   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)