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About Me
- The Co-operative Cambridge Folk Festival
- The Cambridge Folk Festival is one of the premier music events in Europe and one of the longest running and most famous folk festivals in the world. It has become hugely popular and a regular sell out attracting ten thousand people, many of whom return year after year. The Festival is renowned for its eclectic mix of music and a wide definition of what might be considered folk. The best traditional folk artists from the UK and Ireland rub shoulders with more contemporary acts, the finest American country, blues and roots artists, acclaimed singer songwriters and even the odd pop star. Bluegrass, gospel, cajun, zydeco, jazz, world, klezmer and a ceilidh are also regular features. The line up has reflected the many changes in the music scene from the 60s to the present and is always a hotbed mix of the old and the new. The list of performers who have appeared reads like a who’s who and the Festival has been a launching pad for many now well known artists.
Is that it? Surely there's going to be more than this?
ReplyDeleteSixteen or so years consecutive attendance, but I doubt I'll bother with this rag-tag line-up
Ever since your inept Council lost £500k with a ticket broker that went down the tubes (which could have easily been avoided) the line up has also gone downhill.
ReplyDeleteAre those 2 issues by any chance related?!
Well I'm actually really liking the line-up. I was not going to go this year due to other commitments but I'm currently trying to re-arrange them to fit Cambridge in.
ReplyDeleteI mean Kris Kristofferson, Seasick Steve, Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, Seth Lakeman , Sharon Shannon & Imelda May, The Unthanks and Salsa Celtica - All great acts.
I'm really looking forward to it.
But how many of them are repeats from the last 2 years?
ReplyDeleteOver the years one the many great things about Cambridge musically has been the number of acts that you wouldn't normally see elsewhere, or every year or two at Cambridge.
With respect Seasick Steve and the Ukulele Orchestra are novelty acts, and great ones at that, but I do think it's losing its credo - probably something to do with being run by committee now.
A disappointing line-up. Last year's line-up had its faults but compared to 2010, last was brilliant. Kris Kristofferson was never a great singer. Now he is well past his "sell by date". Imelda May was one of the highlights last year is worth seeing but the rest are second rate at best. I'm off to the Hebridean Festival instead
ReplyDeleteCan't agree - Playing Live is what festivals are about - Show of Hands, Ezio & Seth Lakemean on the same bill = a good line up. Throw in Seasick Steve, a couple of overseas vistors....and then a bunch of more "trad" stuff like Jackie OAtes, Spiro etc and it is a good line up, nice mix and some top players...
ReplyDeleteThat said, I have had my head turned by SHrewsbury - no crushes, blocked paths or "rug mafia"....so no Cambridge for us this year....
Well I want to go ,as its always a great festival, the line up is just fine as far as far I am concerned.Its one of my favorite festivals anyway!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is rubbish, obviously a cash flow crisis. Saturday almost mirrors Sunday with 9 acts from Saturday repeated on Sunday, Thursday night and Friday hardly worth bothering with. Seasick Steve a headline act, I don't think so nor is Natalie Merchant for that matter. Kris Kristofferson too, great songwriter. Most disappointing line up for years. Obviously diehards will still go but this is supposed to be the prime folk festival of the season, won't be for long if this standard is maintained. There's a bunch of us that go every year but not this one
ReplyDeleteI agree, have been coming with ever increasing group for years - some fine acts - but where is the big dance act - younger band for friday night to bring is a young audience. Kris K is poor poor headliner Surely this isnt it is it? -it said first acts annouced I keep being hopeful - but it looked like a done deal - lots of other good bands around this summer why didnt cambridge get them - come on cambridge not all is lost add to the bill
ReplyDeleteI think there are some great acts in there I am really looking forward to seeing.Personally am looking forward to the mix of trad folk, contemporary folk and some of the overseas acts are worth a look. Do not miss The Carolina Chocolate Drops and C.W.Stoneking fantastic stuff. As for the blanket brigade and the deck chair chavs marking out 'their' territory like incontinent lions, hopefully the promises on this site of the marshalls addressing the problem and handing out a few ASBO's is true? We shall see.
ReplyDelete