I liked the Britannia site better, but I agree that this one at Hog’s Back is more central and easier to get to. We rode our bikes there, and there was tons of free bike parking.

Except… at Britannia you felt like you were on an island in the river. This one feels like a compound in the woods someplace, and with the high wire fences all around it, it could be any place.

The food was great, including Stone Soup Foodworks’ terrifying Korean taco with organic kimchi. I’ll try that one some other time. (Later! Much later!)

There was a big problem with sound bleeding from the CUPE rock and roll stage into the folk music stages. Sometimes it was quite hilarious how loud it was. Why do they have rock and roll at a folk festival anyway? For next year they need to aim the CUPE stage in the other direction.

Still we heard some great music. I liked hearing good old Rick Fines, Bashia Bulat, and especially a group called Madison Violet, two women from Cape Breton.

They have a few numbers on YouTube. You could Google them, and you should! One of them (the brunette) is Ashley MacIsaac’s sister.

Madison Violet

Here’s Bashia Bulat (right). The woman on the left, who mostly plays viola, is named Alison Wonderland. I love that gypsy violin sound. It reminds me of Bob Dylan’s Desire album.

Bashia Bulat

Folkfest is on today too. You should go. Plenty of actual folk music to be found! And if you’re brave, you could try a Korean taco.

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Yellow piano

August 27, 2010

Two years ago:
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Five peaks

August 27, 2009

Singer and fiddle player in the Cajun band.

Mud monster

The astounding Tanya Tagaq, who channels animals. By far the most exciting performer I saw at the folk festival. You should check her out on YouTube.

Person in the crowd

Mongolian singer Namgar. I think that is her name, and also the name of her band.

Namgar in concert in the dance tent. The fiddle player also does a little throat singing. I find I like music best when performers step into the animal realm a bit, as Namgar does.

Tanya Tagaq again, with that guy from Calexico.

That guy from the Acorn. (I’m really no good with names. I’m glad this is just a blog, not real journalism.)

Guy in the crowd.

Over all I thought this year’s folk festival didn’t have as many big names as other years. No… oh I don’t know… Judy Collins or Pete Seeger.

Maybe they’re out of money. The weather slammed them hard on Sunday, as it has the last couple of years as well.

Maybe the folk festival should just merge with the blues festival, which draws a much younger crowd but would probably like to have the older demographic as well.

Hey, what a great idea! A festival coalition. Don’t forget that you heard it here first.

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Spiderman, spiderman

August 15, 2009

Two years ago:
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Experimental farm 3

August 15, 2008