Alan Day Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 I must say how much I enjoyed my day at Warwick Folk Festival.I arrived fairly early considering that my first event (Beginners workshop was not until 11-30),this proved a succesful move as it enabled me to see Jody doing his Concertina Workshop.I found this very interesting and from these early lessons you learn the basis of somebodys style and I found that Jody's approach to instruction very interesting.I followed on from Jody and I must say I was shocked to see so many with Jody and again with me.I burnt ten CDs that go with my instruction and I was expecting about six players to it,I had to take names and addresses afterwards to post off some more yesterday.There were in attendance about forty to each Workshop some are behind the camera (see pictures on Jody Kruskal posting.I must say well done to all who attended my workshop playing two tunes very well indeed at the end of the teaching session. When the Workshops were over Jody and I had a little playing session and of course played the Duet we did thousands of miles apart for this site. Great fun and a great experiance. There was about an hour before The Afternoon BIG SQUEEZE so I went to find my good mate Graham Bradshaw who was the sound engineer for the main marquee.Then the storm started,it was so fierce that around the marquee formed a lake.Lightning was striking all around hitting a nearby crane,injuring three Folk Festival people walking over a bridge all of which we understand were taken to hospital one serious (I believe now OK).Whilst all this was going on Brian Peters was playing and singing on stage,brilliantly I must add,he did not falter once but continued his act to the finish and deseves a medal.The audience also appreciated his tenacity and performance and gave him a rousing cheer at the end.I then made a dash to get my concertina cuddling a young lady who had an umbrella near to where my car was parked.In about thirty yards I was soaked.Shortly after I left the Marquee it too got hit ,but no injuries luckily. The big Squeeze was not what I had expected as few players turned up,but Jody was there,John Kirkpatrick and his wife Sally,later to join us was Brian Peters.I enjoyed this afternoon best of all and all the team stayed with me until the end which was not the original plan.There was also some great playing from around the room one of the players being Neil Wayne. I found the Theatre in the evening a strange experiance the audience was coming and going all night,with large numbers leaving then coming back.It turned out that no food and drink is allowed in the theatre and that was the reason, not the playing.Brian and Jody both did a brilliant set and was followed by John who was outstanding doing Gigue live,something I have never seen him do and then bringing on Sally to play base concertina as per Anglo Int.It was her first time on stage and a star is born,a great performance. Last nights Fun followed John, who else could and finished off a great evening of concertina music. I hope another festival repeats this success of all concertina playing. I arrived home at 2-30 AM exhausted,but it was worth it, thanks to the DREAM TEAM. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterT Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Hi Alan, Sounds like it was an amazing experience. My garden could do with some of that rain, but not the lightning that went with your ration! I guess that you'll say that as well as teaching, you actually learnt quite a lot at the weekend, which is a large part of what it's all about. Well done. Regards, Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geraghty Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Hi Alan, I really enjoyed your workshop, and hearing the tunes you had with Jody afterward! I'll see you at the next George session. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Peters Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Well, Alan, I'm most flattered to have been a part of your Dream Team. Unfortunately no-one took a photo of all of us together at Warwick, but here's one of Jody and me relaxing in my garden on the last day of his visit. I think it's fair to say he had a good time at our local pub session here in Glossop, at which he could have been glimpsed joining in enthusiastically with Grateful Dead songs amongst other more conventional session material. He was a great house guest, by the way - my mother-in-law quite took to him! Hope you got back safe, Jody. Playing during the storm at Warwick was a rather surreal experience - rain so loud on the tent roof that I could barely hear myself even with Graham cranking up the PA, and the thunder advancing steadily nearer. I think it's Graham who should get the medal for keeping the show running for as long as he did. I understand that electrical discharges were visibly crackling around the interior apex of the tent! Regarding my missing workshop, it was defintitely the festival's fault, not mine. They'd given me a different time from that printed in the programme. That apart, it was a great day, and hats off to Alan for getting it all together. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Peters Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Errr... Photo didn't appear for some reason. Trying again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidFR Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Errr... Photo didn't appear for some reason. Trying again. Nice photo. Looks like you and Jody both have Jeffries/Jeffries copies with bone buttons. I was/am under the impression that bone-buttoned Jeffries were a rarity. Guess I was wrong! Looks like you guys are having a great time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Day Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 Jody was playing at Warwick a GD Dipper. I forgot to mention that Jody after playing nearly all day was last seen in the beer tent at about two oclock in the morning playing in a session.His enthusiasm for the instrument is overpowering,but understandable. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Peters Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Looks like you and Jody both have Jeffries/Jeffries copies with bone buttons. Mine's a Crabb, early 20th century. Looks like you guys are having a great time! Indeed so! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Kruskal Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 I forgot to mention that Jody after playing nearly all day was last seen in the beer tent at about two oclock in the morning playing in a session.His enthusiasm for the instrument is overpowering,but understandable.Al Alan, Yes, that session was a drunken orgy of English convivial fun. I met John and Liz in the roaring beer tent. We had a fine time playing tunes at maximum volume with melodeon, accordion, mandolin, C melody sax and me on Anglo. Then we began belting out chorus songs with about twenty others of like persuasion. We ended up with a whisky bottle until the wee hours. I’m still trying to remember the name of that song we used to clear the place at closing time. My whole tour was absolutely wonderful, though I am glad to be home at last. I do want to shout out a heartfelt thank you for hosting beyond the call of duty to Brian Peters, Howard Mitchell and Gordon Jones. It was so nice to actually meet other C-netters and concertina players in the flesh including Mark Davies, Dave Prebbles, Alistair Anderson, Chris Sherburn, Alan Day, Geoff Wright, B. Geraghty, Graham Bradshaw, Keith Kendrick, Neil Wayne and perhaps many more that don’t come to mind at the moment, as it is really all now a blur of sights, sounds and wonderful, interesting, generous and friendly people. Concertizing for such great audiences was a pleasure as was playing in some fine sessions along the way. However my fondest memories are of the incredible beauty of the English landscape. Walking on the Cumbrian fells of Lakeland and the lows near Doctor’s Gate in the Peak District of Derbyshire while enjoying fine conversation with my hosts are experiences that I will not soon forget. Thank you all for showing me such a great time. So... where should I apply to for next summer? Any suggestions about festivals that might be a good fit with an American singing Anglo player would be appreciated. Just give me a buzz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Kruskal Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 (edited) oops, duplicate! Edited July 27, 2006 by Jody Kruskal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutmeg Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Just like to add my thanks to all who took part at Warwick. I managed 7 hours of workshops (not all concertina), and realise how little I know, and how far behind I am - but I now have new goals! I was lucky to be in the Chris Sherburn workshop during the great storm, so felt relatively safe in a proper building. The evening concert in the Bridgehouse Theatre was magnificent - what a venue - even if we did have to sneek out for a pint. Thanks everyone. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffwright Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 I was sat next to Jody at Dungworth and we found an inch square piece of glass shaped like a lens. It wasn't out of anything he had in his camera case so we drew a blank there. The next day I noticed the hands on my watch had wrapped around each other. Guess where my watch-glass went? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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