Folking at Cambridge Folk Festival 2013 – Day 1

CamFF_FoxyA folking brilliant start to a truly stellar line-up at this year’s Cambridge Folk Festival.

Now in its 49th Year, it remains a cornerstone event in the folk diary.

After finally getting the tent up, losing half my body weight in liquid from my newly erected sauna, I headed from Coldham’s Common campsite and caught the well organised and frequent bus to the main festival site.

The picture on the left really sums up the atmosphere of the place, a gathering of people of all ages who share a love of life, music and community.

I was really looking forward to seeing Jamie Smith’s Mabon opening the main event on the stage 2 and you will see from the video below that it was the perfect way to set the standard for the weekend.

Kat&SeanHusband-and-wife team, Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman followed with performances from their superbly crafted album Hidden People. Kathryn’s sublime voice and effortless delivery and Sean’s masterly guitar arrangements wooed the Cambridge crowd as the sun beat down on folk town. The Ballard of Andy Jacobs was a particular highlight, made memorable by the solitary figure of Kathryn sitting on stage at her piano.

Rusty ShackleI then headed over to the club tent to catch Rusty Shackle. We’d featured them on folking last year so I was keen to see them in action.

Formed back in 2010 and with an infectious pulse and style, they are difficult to pigeon hole. That said, elements of folk, rock, bluegrass, Celtic rhythms and Delta blues are clearly present.

They are the sort of band that have even more fun than the audience and their rough and ready style grows on you, as you are left pondering, how a band can have the balls to bring two genuine Welsh lamps with them on stage.

Larkin Poe then brought the Thursday night club tent to a rocking climax. I was very much looking forward to seeing The Lovell Sisters in action as we had featured their album Thick as Thieves back in 2012 and this was the first chance I’d had to catch them since. A great end to a brilliant day.

The folkmaster