FolkEast 2017
FolkEast is, surprsingly, a relatively recent festival, having only existed since 2012. Everything about it, however, gives you the sense that it's a decades, maybe even hundreds of decades old affair - it already feels like an institution in the UK's festival calendar.
It's located on a smallish site, in the grounds of Glemhall Hall near Woodbridge, with trees and bushes surrounding the one big field that encompasses almost everything. There is one big stage and several marquees all with music playing, as well as a dance tent where you can learn Appalachian or French moves, an outside stage for the many troupes of Morris Dancers to perform on and a few artists playing in the ancient church down the lane. Other than that, you'll find food stalls offering everything from Thai noodles to vension pie, all reasonably priced, a couple of 'pubs' well stocked with many local ales, a tea and cake tent, a knitting zone, a kids zone, stalls selling handmade instruments, sheet music, records, clothes, and all the other items usually seen at a festival. I particularly enjoyed seeing a blacksmith, a boatmaker, all the beautiful crafted instruments and, in the kids area, the mud pie kitchen. It really was a joy to hear people breaking out into song everywhere around the festival, sometimes accompanied by instruments, sometimes not.
There's an exhibition explaining the history of local rural fairs from Barsham to Albion, which perhaps explains the sense that this festival is way older than it actually is - it's based not only on fairs and festivals from the 70's but also everything you see, from men carving stone and wood to clog dancing, storytelling and donkey rides takes you back to a simpler time when community, and nature, was key. In the Kinodrome, old films filmed in the area were shown, and the Museum of Beyond, housed in a horse box, was hilarious and clever.
It's a low key event, and everyone is kind and friendly - whilst wandering around I spy the legendary and magical Martin Carthy, a doyenne of the British folk music scene for the past 70 years just resting up against a fence, smiling to himself. Lovely. There are few young people here - mainly there are a lot of grey heads, with a very few children. It's quiet - often all you can hear is very light conversation, none of that blaring stuff coming out of everywhere. My only criticism would be that even by the end of the day, and armed with a hand drawn map, I kept getting confused between tents - they were all white and none had signs on them, so there was a lot of time spent wandering in the wrong direction. Also, they had run out of programmes, which was a real pity.
The Soapbox area of the festival is set in a bit of woodland, and isn't as well done as it could have been. There is a fun tent which was host to an open mic session when I passed, a small bar and a hot drinks stall, but a large area that was being unused, which seemed a pity.
Musicwise, The Luke Jackson Band consisting of bass, guitar and drums played American Blues beautifully and with great spirit on the main Sunset Stage including a powerful cover of Purple Rain. I caught the pre-mentioned Martin Carthy in a jam packed Moot Hall with someone else singing and playing acordion - it's the most traditional of English folk, and its a lovely sound indeed - so tuneful. Norwich's own Sefo Kanuteh delighted the tiny number of people that could fit in the church with his cora and tender singing - it was great to hear so many forms of folk during the day. Martin Simpson was next, in a busy Moot Hall, with a beautiful, warm twinkly electro acoustic guitar, and his matching voice accompanying. Playing some American and English folk songs with occasional and well timed slide guitar, he covers everything from kites to soldiers. Everyone sings along for certain tracks - he is clearly well loved.
The final act for me for the day were Lau on Sunset Stage. They make a huge great sound with synths, fiddle, electric guitar, and accordion, and even though their set was driving and energetic, even rough and raucous at times, it feels very different to the other acts I have seen today - it's more showy and for the people rather than of the people. There's definitely less of a community feel, although the accordion in particular is played very well indeed. Following Lau, people gather round the fire pit, near the wicker jackalope with lit-up antlers and eyes, and muse on life together. It's peaceful, calm, pleasant and a gathering of like minded folk - a gentle, family friendly reminder of Suffolk, and indeed any rural British area's history and culture. An important, unique and lovely festival - highly recommended.
