Venue:
Hotel Tivoli, Carvoeiro, Algarve
Date: 03/10/2015
See comments. My previous 2 attempts at posting failed, so it’s see comments or I give up
The audience:
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It made me think..
Can you guess what it is yet? Yeh, see comments
Costa Del Folk Portugal
by 8 Comments
Mrs B and I had a blast at this, our first Costa Del Folk festival. It was also the first one in the Autumn, and the first one not held in Spain. It was very well organised with good sound and a varied bill. Pretty full-on with 9 or 10 hours of live music each day. I saw 41 performances over the 5 days. I enjoyed most the acts I hadn’t seen before – Demon Barbers XL, Ewan McLennan, Mambo Jambo, Lady Maisery, Flossie Malavialle, The Mighty Doonans, Wizz Jones, Steamchicken, Tickled Pink, Broom Bezzums, Coco & the Butterfields. Barbara Dickson didn’t do it for me, but a lot of people enjoyed her. Of the acts I have seen before, Show of Hands were as strong as ever, Tim Edey was just jaw-droopingly good, The Young ‘Uns were terrific, and my faves Rob Heron & the Tea-Pad Orchestra were splendid
Audience: Average 60 plus but mostly sprightly and there to enjoy the music. As is symptomatic of the current folk scene, the performer tends to be the youngest person in the room. No kids, other than Seth Wakeman’s twins as the festival is during UK school term
It made me think: What’s not to like about this concept? Good range of live acts in picturesque surroundings in largely nice weather, with comfortable accommodation, decent food, a multi-stage format and endless opportunities to hang out with folk musicians. Compare to getting piss wet through at one-stage Cropredy. Er, let me think
Next Spring’s Costs Del Folk is a real bargain. 6 nights pre-season exclusive use of hotel in Magaluf in that there Majorca for 499pp inc flights
At the Portugal finale they announced that next autumn’s will be in Rhodes at a 5* hotel for 749pp inc flights. Rather more up-market option I think, but still well priced
This has just appeared on YouTube which describes the whole event very well. the Demon Barbers XL video diary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwW1ovB7vQs
This version of George Jones’ “Things Have Gone To Pieces” by the excellent Rob Heron & the Tea-Pad Orchestra is slightly marred by wind noise. The version they played in the folk club after midnight that same day was just gorgeous https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKKu-BvKURk
I spent a couple of Christmases at the Hotel Tivoli in the late naughties after I split from my lad’s mother. I couldn’t face Christmas alone in London so I packed off there for a week each time and very nice it was too. Lovely place.
Though I have to say for a Catholic country, trying to get midnight mass there on xmas eve was surprisingly impossible. Part timers.
I have seen their flyers so many times, but, given that I do that many festivals as it is, it feels like a temptation to move from weed onto crystal meth; it could be the point at which I sell my house and just succumb to a year long orgy of processing from one foreign field to another. The line ups always look truly impressive (and most of those names wouldn’t even waste their time at Cropredy nowadays). But tell me. Is it all just acts on stages, or does it do a full on festival with sessions and ceilidhs? And was there much in the way of local Portuguese acts?
No Portuguese acts. My brother queried this with the organiser. She told him that the previous 2 festivals in Spain had some local acts put forward by the council who were keen to promote local culture. Apparently the equivalent body in Portugal showed no interest whatsoever. It would have been nice to hear some Fado or such like and I’m sure there would have been plenty of interest from the punters
There was a ceilidh every day, hosted by Steamchicken in the early week and Tickled Pink in the latter. Tickled Pink brought a caller and a dance master who was on the floor paying close attention to the moves. There were workshop sessions, late night bar jamming sessions often led by Mike Harding, and a daily open mic. There were rumblings that there was no informal session room, unlike the Spanish festivals which had plenty. I think the organisers got the message loud and clear and I would expect that to be sorted out at the next festival
They also had Chance to Meet sessions, sometimes twice a day, and a very tough daily quiz run by Nigel Schofield. The Young ‘Uns raised their profile by hosting a short-notice singalong in the pool! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txiD_b3ydCw
41 performances! That is serious festival going.
It all sounds rather wonderful but I have the same reservations as young Cheshire. Could be become worryingly addictive.
What an extremely ingenious idea to have a British folk festival in a sunny Mediterranean setting.
Too late! I’ve signed up for Majorcah!