by Ben Niamor & Victoria Stanley
Owing to a hectic life, a slightly belated review and celebration of an amazing weekend….
The Music Baa, run three key events a year, a friend went to the folk one earlier in the year for one evening and gave some feedback that was shared by the team, on their socials and it was deservedly complimentary, and he goes to a great many more festivals this size and smaller than the author does!
It was music to my ears as we already had tickets! My other half and I have not been to a festival for years, for various reasons, but spurred on by familiar friends on the bill, and some new names to us that we would be assured we would enjoy!
We arrived to an already bustling campsite a couple hours into access to camping, and found a happy, well-organised team all well laid out, nice and simple.
As you can see on their page the site is limited to 500 tickets, and everything is really close to hand.
The single bar and stage under a huge tent, with gaps in the bill sufficient to get out the heat under our shade canopy, read, chat to the neighbours.. just a true chance to relax, which is what we had anticipated and chosen the event an hour away from home for.
So let’s start with the usual festival opinions I can recall being the same when in another lifetime, it feels like I was going to Glastonbury, Guilfest etc.. let’s just quickly round them up..?
Toilets and showers – eco toilets, wood shavings if you poo, apparently not for everyone but I welcomed the fresh air in those surrounding’s in such hot conditions, privacy no issue, but air movement certainly designed in. My take really simply…a portaloo in summer is deathly horrible thing, so with green credentials ensured, and them being well serviced and wash hand facilities alongside.. good solutions. the showers were spacious and similarly thoughtful of space and readily accessible. Basic but functional.
The Baa (sorry Bar) – I heard some dissenting comments but you can’t please all the people all time.. for me and her, our opinion was happy to pay significantly less than festival prices we have heard about.. for quality choices. If people drink generic pales or lager at home or in Wetherspoons then real-world pricing will always be a bit of an uphill struggle for them. I gathered a good few people don’t go out like I do week in, week out, they prefer festivals. No criticism, good for them, but not a wider view.
So any niggles about pricing are mute, they are not the ones keeping venues open and understanding the economics of providing chilled, perfectly wonderful beverages, in this case in a field in a heatwave. To those present who regularly frequent venues and events, this place are knocking it out of the park, which is no surprise as talking to Anna briefly they are no strangers to festivals, so they choose to do what they need to do and everything they can to be fair.
It’s actually very easy to pay somewhat more for the same or similar in high street locations.
We enjoyed beer, cider, cocktails all served well, with a smile from great staff.
The offer was local across beers and ciders, the cup on a deposit first purchase, there was happy hours throughout the day.. so if like us you take in all the hard work on setup, signage, art etc.
Then you might have the sense to engage with that structure and buy a beer before the next band are on for instance, during happy hour…! Literally can’t fault them, on what is among the most common things people talk or moan about with any event.. please don’t change a thing I will hope it’s the same when I next come to a festival.
Food – sufficient offer to keep us fed, some food and catering breakfast in our van but we certainly enjoyed the amazing catering plenty too over the three days, again sensible offers of excellent quality food. Snacks and dinner for us of the kind you enjoy at a festival, mega tasty, and again hats off to black tented catering heroes, as if a kitchen wasn’t hot enough at any given moment.. you worked miracles in a heatwave.
There had been some small changes, talking to those who had been last year, well-considered changes or developments had happened this year reflective of issues across the UK owing to climate and sometimes lack of common sense, so for those concerned about fire and accidents witnessed elsewhere, there were checks politely and supportively to ensure space between pitches, safe cooking for campers, more provision of fire buckets and water .. simple but thoughtful common sense that was well received.
So there’s the site and team and environment covered? We liked it, we enjoyed staying with The Baa, we are definitely interested in the folk and blues events next year and happy to share our experience enthusiastically to the music community.
So to the bands..!
There are too many to many to mention individually.. so some special mentions from my take, in no particular order.
Jon Amor Trio-
The gateway band to investigating this event was for me, I am a committed superfan I will admit, but a chance to see them in a different setting was well rewarded, a classic set from them but with room to boogie, classic Amor material, and Trio songs mixed.
But the tent jumping to crowd pleasing anthems such as Juggernaut, as many had not experienced the band before, and that’s a big part of what a festival should be about, finding new music..?
James Oliver Band-
Rocking the blues as always, Norman Watt Roy on bass a rare treat for me.. with James irreverent banter as always making their set a joy. His band and him play so incredibly well, its bemusing to see him latch on to willing audience members as a comedian might.. all part of an ‘old skool’ raconteur style that is part of the experience alongside the excellent band and the ludicrously wide-ranging material he plays so well.
Pete Robson-
A one-man delight, real roots talent. Songs well sung and the wonderful sound of steel guitar exploited to make this a treat, the kind of focused traditional narrative and sound that makes you sit up and pay attention. A new name for me, but one I shall remember and seek out if I can.
Vince Lee and Sophie Lord-
True to my impressions.. when investigating the lineup ahead of getting tickets, I saw a press pic, and with the whole image tight and the amazing looking (50’s original in stunning original condition I later discovered) double bass, I looked no further. So, hearing them for the first time on the day, I was delighted to find the respectful and beautifully accomplished sound was reflective of my thoughts that they would not look so very much the part and play such stunning instruments of they were not the embodiment of that kind of foot stomping blues. Came away with the CD, again definitely happy to travel to see them again, composed, well-chosen songs, and superb musicianship.
Grizzly and the Grasshoppers –
I’ve seen Grizzly many times solo, we are blessed he plays our nearest venue The Southgate Inn, but I had never enjoyed a band show. I expected it would be faster, louder but every bit the driven and fun show you get if he’s on his own.
I was in for a treat, it was not so much faster for the most part, but layered and complimentary, fun in a different way, I struggle to describe adequately.. perhaps informed by his own enjoyment of playing with a band at a festival during the sunny summer season rather in his element, which is slightly different to playing a pub solo? It was a raucous riot including him adding himself as a second drummer several times! Absolutely perfect fit festival band.
DSB-
New to me and I’ve no idea why..?! Local to venue, played all over but I had not the pleasure.
Amazing band whether playing their own stuff or absolutely smashing some Hendrix for a happy audience demanding an encore mid-afternoon.. there’s a theme here but a band I will be looking out for, and bending the ear of promotor friends about.
Ian Siegal Band –
I’ve seen this amazing bluesman before many times, with different bands, solo.. guesting with Jon Amor.. always an uncompromising performer.
Ian has written and recorded with an array of artists the world over and it shows, a confidence.. a sort of self-assured ego, almost in knowing his many awards, as a result of well-travelled career meaning he can deliver his own songs and some of the hardest hitting blues from the likes of his favourites Muddy Waters , and Howling Wolf at will. Playing his own Revelator, or back door man by Wolf.. you are transfixed with his immersive delivery that demands your attention. As always, an absolute delight. As was the way he deals with anyone whose own conversations at the front distracting him or those more immersed such as myself, in his own well-known style he makes his displeasure at loud ill-considered audience members known so we can all get on with his performance, another trick learned of a bluesman’s journey well lived I guess?!
North Drive-
A more bluegrass offering here, the sound befitting the hats and stomping feet, a great sound with southern bluegrass flavour, storytelling and folk song.. another new name not too distant from the area who were exactly as described and really good.
The Duskers-
I’ve known The Duskers some little while, another name I am fortunate enough to thank my local for, as they come up to us regularly in the year. In trying to spread the word about this excellent band, I always open with ‘do you like the Byrds?’ This group of wonderful musicians and wonderful humans I am pleased to know, they have an enveloping sound, and for me at least (sorry Tim but I know you will understand?!) Melinda on pedal steel guitar is the piece de resistance.
The haunting and yet enchanting sounds of this instrument played so well adds a layer to the band’s sound that takes all the other superb musicianship to a distinctive next level for your ears.
As you may have gathered, I love them anyway, but truly that’s the best analogy I can summon, if you like the Byrds version of blues/country then you would love everything they do. Great to see them with room to reach out and stretch their legs physically as well as musically as they normally look a little crammed into our local!
The Cinelli brothers-
We have been advised by many including many of my favourite artists, which I am fortunate enough to call friends that I would love and should see this band, it was actually a part of the drive to try a festival after such a gap.
They did not disappoint! I was around whilst the soundcheck was going on, and observed a high level of detail and attention from the band, which often means they will rip through a set, they want everything spot on so they give there all.. which is what they did!
An amazing band, they certainly know how to hold a crowd…this was a superbly fitting close out band, a high note of a current blues scene, a first time for many of us, and a winning vote for me to end the weekend on.
I’ve not covered everyone, I didn’t catch everyone, we had a lot of sociable time with friends new and old, some of the musicians again those new to me and those dear to me for many years… just a really great level of it being achievable, no multiple stages miles apart, no trudge forever for the campsite, the bog etc.. all close by allowing you to relax, and feel like you have not missed anything, which is something I always suffered from in huge scale events such as Glastonbury despite that too bringing lots of music to my life. That was over twenty years ago, and this was so different.
Just as when I worked loading and hospitality for our sadly long-gone Saddleback festival, the chance to meet and chat to people, among them some of the heavy hitters in the soundtrack to my life, to learn something of the journeys of musicians or other music fans like myself is an incredible experience.
Some of these bands are totally new to my ears, and local enough that’s surprising, which does show that sometimes you don’t have to look too far for new fantastic bands to see the rest of the year?
I’ve come back and spreading the word a little in the hopes some of these musicians may play venues we frequent week in week out.
I think the only observation, and I say observation as it’s not a criticism, is if I look at last year’s bill, there are many familiar names who have now played two years. They are excellent, I know some of them extremely well ..but from a festival perspective keeping the bill refreshed each year, is I think really important.
In my efforts to help advertise a blues festival in my own town, I found I was regularly rebuffed as after the first two years (all different and some incredible timing meaning we had up and coming and very established names mixed into the lineup…) the booking changed and too much was recycled for a second or third year, and people who aren’t out every week like me simply told me ‘it’s the same bands as last year’ for me, I keenly await the announcements and hopefully some new names and well caught headliners will entice a return visit for me and the other half next year.
This a reflection or opinion the increasingly fickle nature of a society who for too long have viewed and experienced music as free. It’s the biggest thing I feel butted up against when doing every small thing I can to encourage people to get involved with live music.
There are certainly a good many local bands that would be an amazing fit for the Baa in our regular gig itinerary, who knows maybe some of them will feature in future years and we will see some more of the amazing south Wiltshire and Hampshire talent showcased at the Hootenanny in our venues keeping live music live ready for the summers fun? Overall, an amazing, and enjoyable weekend, I did make sure I caught Anna from the team but to all of you, what a cracking job. Thank you from a very happy couple in Devizes.
Editor’s Note: Next up at The Music Baa near Salisbury is dedicated to reggae, Flock Steady Bleats from 21st to 23rd August: Find out more HERE.
devizine.com 