Natalie Merchant

Image by Nigel Cooke (www.nigelcookephotography.com)

Natalie Merchant looked very striking as she stepped on stage this evening. Dressed all in black, lips accented in pillar-box red, the performer launched straight into song and paced the stage, giving the photographers in the pit some great shots at the same time!

Finishing the set with the help from Irish quintet Lunasa, Natalie lived up to her all-star status. We could have listened to her all night!

Saturday's podcast now up

Today on the podcast we catch a father and Son duo doing a special secret set, talk to Eliza Carty, the award winning Sam Carter, and the hard working Joe Pug.  We also talk to one of the team behind the club tent and find out more about the PRS foundation and how it benefits musicians.

Gretchen didn't peter out

Country music star Gretchen Peters has a host of hits under her belt and has recently released a compilation of all her best songs.

As well as being a fantastic singer-songwriter, Gretchen, we understand from one of the journalists who interviewed her earlier, is also a really lovely person.  That's always nice to hear. Go Gretchen!

Thanks The Unthanks!

The award winning and critically acclaimed folk band The Unthanks offer a strong and fresh approach to classic folk tunes, and engaged the Stage 1 crowd with a rich and lovely sound. The band, led by vocalist sisters Rachel and Becky Unthank, treated us to some traditional folk storytelling, warmly received by the discerning Cambridge audience.

Pink Martini? They should be called Pink Champagne!

Pink Martini are on Stage 1 right now and to say the crowd are loving it would be a total understatement.

The 'little orchestra' from Portland, Oregon, sing in ten different languages and tick off a multitude of different styles in doing so.  From Latin to lounge, and classical to jazz, the band are inspired by early Hollywood musicals and certainly seem to have brought that movie-star glam to the Festival.

This is their only UK festival performance - if you missed this, you'll kick yourself!

Spacey site art

Who are these strange characters that have descended from outer space?

Well actually, they are human and Festival customers posing in one of our pieces of interactive site art. There are several different themed boards around the site so look out for them!

Kathy Mattea sings in the sunshine

Having been in the business for almost thirty years, Kathy Mattea has been top of the country music game for some time.  Bringing a laid-back sound to Stage 1 the artist and 'her band' - a sole guitarist - rounded up the crowd for a rendition of Kumbaya, which sounded just lovely. And seemed to draw the sun out from behind the white clouds it was hiding behind.

Her latest album, Coal, draws on her family's experiences in the coal mining industry and was nominated for a Grammy.

A bit of Sussex Wit

Johnny Flynn takes to stage 2 during the late sunny afternoon. Johnny Flynn is also known as Joe Flynn and he named the band after watching a documentary that said English folk is entwined with a style of irony to be found in rural counties like Sussex.

Johnny Flynn was originally an actor and counts W. B. Yeats and Shakespeare amongst his influences which is clearly reflected in his music with his evocative lyrics and his captivating manner on stage.  

Devilishly good Dervish

Proving that not winning the Eurovision Song Contest a few years back was only a good thing for them and their careers, non-Euro Trash band Dervish celebrated their 21st birthday at the Festival this year.

No strangers to Cambridge the band returned for the fifth time (and they're doing three sets this weekend!) to play a mixture of love songs and some more upbeat numbers, pleasing the audience with every single one.

See them again on Sunday at Stage 2 at 8.55pm.

Angelic Jackie

Hearing her sing, it is easy to understand how Jackie Oates has quickly become one of this country's most celebrated young folk stars. The talented vocalist and fiddle player sounded and looked angelic when she graced Stage 2 on Saturday afternoon with an exquisite performance of tradtional folk.

Hypnotic Vibe

Quartet Spiro played a vibrant set on Stage 2 this afternoon, captivating the audience with their eclectic and original sound. Complex arrangements and edgy harmonies made for an hypnotic musical experience, performed with verve by the band, led by fiddler Jane Harbour, who's stunning floor length gold dress added to the drama.

Hobo Jones & The Junkyard Dogs

Even though Hobo Jones & The Junkyard Dogs weren't actually scheduled to play this year, Festival Organiser Eddie thought they were so good when he saw them at Glastonbury earlier this year that he decided to get them to do a surprise set in the Club Tent.

Describing themselves as 'not a band, just a bunch of people who like getting drunk and sodding about' the groupplayed the musical genre they claim to have created - Skunk Rock!

Filled with jokes and quips, their songs livened up the Club Tent ane helped those who maybe 'got drunk and sodded about' last night get over their hangovers!

Julie Fowlis - big on audience participation!

A very glamorous-looking Julie Fowlis took to Stage 1 to deliver a multitude of traditional Gaelic folk songs.

The singer, who has previously won BBC Radio 2's Folk Singer of the Year and been nominated for a stack of other awards, invited the audience to sing along. And after they mastered the tricky language they sounded (almost) good!

Sweet as chocolate

Carolina Chocolate Drops brought sunshine and happiness to Stage 1.  With their array of unusual instruments and quirky songs, the trio produced a set filled with music from the 20s right up to present day. Toe-tapping goodness.

Father and Son...

After Seth's signing he and his dad, Geoff, popped into the Club Tent to surprise everyone in there with a few songs!

Hats off to you!

Don't forget that the Festival's holding it's first-ever Hat Day on Sunday! If you forgot yours, or didn't have time to make one, worry not, you could always pick one up on site...

Become a real animal in one of these fabulous hats - on one of the fantastic festival stalls. 

We've got rhythm, we got music... who could ask for anything more?

Think pink - these pink ukuleles are utterly fabulous!

Hats hats hats....... there's a hat for everyone!

If the feeling takes you don't miss out on the folk jam - some wonderful instruments are available to buy, including drums of all shapes and sizes, these beautiful bodhrans.... and a plethora of fine violins, guitars and banjos!

We've got rhythm, we got music... who could ask for anything more?

The Burns Unit, burning down the house!

The seven piece Scottish-Canadian band proved very popular with the crowds. With folk singer Karine Polwart (our very own celebrity blogger in 2007), Emma Pollock of The Delgados and pop artist Future Pilot AKA as well as King Creosote, Glaswegian rapper MC Soom T, multi-instrumentalist Kim Edgar, drummer Mattie Foulds and Michael Johnson. 

There is definitely a slightly alternative style with this collaboration of artists. With a mixture of singers, songwriters, roots, folk, pop, rap to name few, this is a truly unique line up. 

Morris Men get the sun gods moving

Y'see, there is a shamanic magic to Morris Dancing. As the Morris Men started their dance in the bar, the sun gods decided to join in the fun. The clouds parted, and the first rays of sunshine appeared. Nice one bell-ringing, tassle-wearing dudes!

A grey start to Saturday!

After a rousing finish to last night's Festival, Saturday opened under grey skies and a touch of rain. As we all know though it takes more than just a spot of rain to dampen the spirits of the Festival-goers. Decamping to the bar there was only one thing for it...whip out the instruments and let the folk music begin!

How many artists can you fit on Stage 1?

The Unusual Suspects - Scotland's acclaimed and brilliant 'folk-orchestra' - closed Friday's programme in superb style. A collaboration of over 30 artists took the stage by storm, fusing celtic folk and jazz in a powerful contrast; bagpipes, brass, strings and percussion creating a huge and joyful sound.

The Wonderful Wonder Stuff

After winding up the auience with a little fib about not playing any of their more rocky tunes like Size Of A Cow and Dizzy because they were at a Folk Festival, 90s groovers The Wonder Stuff churned out their hits to a cram-packed Stage 2.

Joined by their new violinist, Erica Nockalls, who looked the part in a fifties polkadot dress and red lipstick, the band were the perfect party band.

Friday's podcast is now online!

On Friday's Podcast we talk to Cajun Zydeco band Mama Rosin, Legends Sharon Shannon and Imelda May, Hobo Jones & The Junkyard Dogs as well as finding out about festival tent etiquette, The Co-Operative, and the English Folk Dance and song society

We knew he'd be good...

...but he was even better than that!

Seasick Steve, who's been a bit under the weather today (not that you'd know it - what a trooper!) just stormed Stage 1.

The blues guitarist had everyone singing along and really getting into the spirit. One lucky lady was even plucked from the audience by the one-time hobo to sit on his knee and be serenaded. How romantic, just don't tell his wife!
Going by the reaction of all our friends on Twitter and Facbook, Seasick Steve seems to be one of the Festival highlights.

He's doing a signing at the moment and the queue doesn't seem to be letting off, despite the drizzle!

Mama Mia Mama Rosin were good!

Despite Seasick Steve headining the main stage at the same time Swiss band Mama Rosin had no problems drawing the crowds to Stage 2.  The band mix punk and rock with traditional music to produce a really young and upbeat sound.

Down in the Imagined Village

Back by popular demand, The Imagined Village - a remarkeable collaboration featuring by Martin Carthy, Chris Wood, Eliza Carthy and Johnny Kalsi - gave mesmerising performance of their unique folk fusion on Stage 1 on Friday night. The rain did nothing to dampen the spirits of an uplifted audience during this rich and dramatic set, which inlcuded songs from Empire and Love, the new album which was released earlier this year.

Seth Sizzles ... again!

The Festival's favourie fiddler Seth Lakeman is pretty handy, isn't he?  And he's not too bad looking either. Bonus!

Unfortunatley for us girls backstage, that information's not the best kept secret around here, which might explain the huge crowd crammed into Stage 1 to see his performance.

They weren't disappointed either. That was some fine fiddling, Seth, some fine fiddling!

He's doing a signing at 1.30pm tomorrow. Get there early, the queue's bound to be a biggun'.

Joe Pug on Stage 2

Joe Pug took to Stage 2 just now for his first of three performances this weekend. The singer-songwriter has been compared to Dylan and Springsteen in the past, but he just showed he his own unique sense of musicality too.

If you missed out, try and catch him Saturday on Stage 1 at midday, and at 9.25 at the Club Tent.

The colours of the Festival...

Seasick Steve spotted spying on Imelda May and Sharon Shannon...

While watching the Imelda May and Sharon Shannon on Stage 1 from our trusty little caravan backstage who did we spot right next to us?  Seasick Steve, that's who!

He probably thought  that by hiding away from all the fans and watching from behind some railings would be a sure-fire way of keeping on the down-low.  Little did he know we were out with our trusty camera... PAPPED!

Marvellous Markovics

The atmosphere sizzled to sensational Serbian brass ensemble. The orchestra, led by virtuoso Boban Markovic and his son Marko, strormed through traditional eastern european Gypsy tunes at a dramatic pace. Explosive energy and rolling rhythms really got the crowd smiling and bouncing.

It's not just all about the music...

Morris Dancers

Kids' Ceilidh

Sassy Imelda May with Irish folk Superstar Sharon Shannon

What a unique collaboration this is! Irish accordion and fiddle player Sharon Shannon with a rockabilly artist Imelda May. Sharon Shannon opens the set with some impressive Irish accordion music  Of course, she is a accordion virtuoso so it's bound to good!

Imelda joins Sharon on stage for the fourth song, dressed in a green tartan dress, red nail polish and black high heels - what else would you expect from Imelda! The duo played the latest single on Sharon's studio album, Go Tell The Devil, to much cheering from the onlooker's!

Swing Out (Quebe) Sisters

Stage 1 is currently swinging to the sound of The Quebe Sisters Band.

Since they formed the group have taken the American music scene by storm and their performance at Cambridge is part of the first-ever European tour where they're sure to win even more fans this side of the Atlantic.

The sisters will be doing a signing at the MOJO tent at 4pm today. Plus on Saturday they'll be busy with a song and fiddle workshop for young people at The Hub at 2.45 , a performance at The Club Tent at 7.10, and the one on Stage 2 on at 9.30pm.

Breabach opens main stage!

The Scots take to main stage with some toe-tapping folk music to get the crowds going on this warm summer's day. Their lively folk music mixes fiddle and guitars with bagpipes, flute, whistle and Bouzouki. And their opening even song included a bit of a jig!

The band were nominated for Best Up And Coming Artist at the 2006 Scots Trad Music Award and also nominated for the Best Folk Band in 2007 and 2008. Well worth a listen if your coming to the Festival, they are also here on Saturday.

Teddy Bears Picnic

Lots of children went down to the woods today and got a big surprise - a Teddy Bears' Picnic...

On Sunday there'll be a bigger bear on site - PUDSEY! Look out for him on stage with Gretchen Peters and at the signing tent giving out hugs.

The MOJO Interview: Seasick Steve

Being interviewd by Colin Irwin

Seasick Steve realy entertained his fans in the Club Tent during his interview with Colin Irwin from MOJO Magazine.  With his trademark beard and cap the blues man swigged from what looked like a bottle of wine while being quizzed by the audience.

The crowd were in stitches with his tales of living as a hobo, busking to pay the rent, playing his three-string guitar and diddley bow, and how how he almost muked up hitting the big time during his appearance on 'Later... With Jools Holland'.

He also told the fascinated audience about his trip to the Brits earlier this year when he was nominated for an award. The singer and his band mate busked at Earls Court tube station on their way and made £16.50!  However, when they arrived at the glitzy event they were turned away from the red carpet by bouncers!

Seasick also confessed that the only thing that's changed since he found fame is not sweating too much when he fills his car up with petrol.

Street Voices

Backstage after the interview Street Voices, a local group of current and ex-homeless people who busk in the streets of Cambridge, played privately to Seasick Steve after he invited them to. After that, he signed a few autographs for waiting fans then scooted off to his dressing room backstage to prepare for his performance tonight.

Seasick signing autographs

Seasick Steve is appearing on Stage 1 tonight at 9pm.

Stornaway end the first night of the Festival

Hotly-tipped for the big time Stornaway didn't disappoint as they took to Stage 2. Especially the front row, which was made up of young female super-fans!  

The foursome from Oxford made reference to the fact they were playing in their birth-place's arch rival city but they certainly didn't seem upset about that fact!

Having played at Festivals all over the country, including Glasto and Radio 1's Big Weekend, the band didn't show any signs of nerves as they whipped the crowed up into a frezy to finish the evening.

Check out what the boys have to say on Thursday's Festival podcast too!

Cocos Lovers do MC Hammer (seriously)

The great thing about this Festival is all the impromptu performances that go on.

Among some pianno playing, and a session from the recently reformed The Shivers in the bar, Cocos Lovers have just set up on the grass near Stage 1 and have drawn quite a crowd.



The band, made up of husbands, wives, brothers and sisters, are currently playing a mix of traditional folk and more up-to-date tunes, including (this isn't a joke) their version of MC Hammer's Can't Touch This.

Brilliant!