New Forest Folk Festival 2022
Venue: Powells FarmTown: Plaitford
Date: 6to1oth-07-2022
Website: https://www.newforestfolkfestival.co.uk/
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year the New Forest Folk Festival remains true to its guiding ethos "The small festival with the big line-up". With just a single stage, and a fringe for workshops, it has a relaxed feel so the only reason to get up is for beer, food or the trade stalls. However, if you do that you're going to miss one of delights of this festival, which is the absolutely stunning location on the edge of the New Forest. There are marked walks through woodlands or along country lanes and this year, on my second visit, I discovered the beautiful Plaitford Common, which is an expanse of heathland with some amazing views. There's plenty of time to explore before the music starts at noon. Of course, four days of glorious sunshine helped and the bands appreciated that there probably wasn't going to be a lot of dancing until the sun began to set.
The music across the festival lived up to its billing with top quality acts. When you get Jez Lowe, Ralph McTell and Lindisfarne on the same day then the ticket price is very good value for money. I hesitate to use the word "legends" as these performers are still writing and exploring, rather than living on their reputations. Ralph McTell performed two songs that were so new he made no apologies for having the lyrics up on the stand, just in case.
The Thursday, the first full day of the festival, is also very worth going to as it's kept for local artist showcases with each getting a full set on the main stage and giving the audience a chance to perhaps discover some new talent. With ten artists on the day they can't all get a mention but I'll talk about Katie Grace Harris, who included songs from her début album 'The Toledo Sessions' that I've been playing on a loop ever since getting hold of a copy. The Polly Morris Band delighted with songs both funny and touching and it was good to see Becoming Branches live for the first time. Jim Chorley also impressed with songs that have an uplifting and comforting feel to them.
Reg Meuross once again showed why he'll always attract an audience, getting us to chair-dance along to "The Eyes of Ida Lewis", probably better known as "Row Ida Row", which was videoed to be sent out to the USA and we all joined in with the actions. I do wonder what the Americans will make of it. Mad dogs and Englishmen probably, but we enjoyed ourselves. Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman are always worth seeing and Wilson and Wakeman gave a show stopping performance, taking us across many genres with real panache. Festival favourites such as Tom Leary, Kevin Dempsey, Marion Fleetwood and Joe Broughton, amongst others, made sure there was plenty of music to keep everyone happy.
Something else this festival does well is the community big band. The Folk Camps Party Band started out as a family playing music together but then added more and more friends and relations of all ages to become a great ceilidh band who enjoy the show just as much as the audience. I think there were 20 musicians on stage with the youngest being just 9 years old. Saturday saw the Southampton Ukulele Jam opening proceedings with possibly even more people and again giving us a great time.
Those numbers certainly gave the sound engineers a challenges, but they rose to it magnificently. We often forget these people behind the scenes but Paul, Ian and Jim knew exactly what they were doing all weekend. The sound was clear right across the arena and the inevitable gremlins were dealt with very quickly. The festival volunteers and helpers also deserve more than a mention, particularly those manning the breakfast bar in the morning who were very appreciated. The stewards and security were helpful and cheerful all weekend, making sure everything ran smoothly, the gates never got crowded and there were always well serviced toilets. Although with temperatures in the high 20s hot showers weren't necessarily a necessity they were always hot at any time of day or night. These things can make or break a festival's reputation but this one gets them right.
This is festival I'd recommend, being not too big but with the ability and reputation to deliver real quality.
Words and pictures Tony Birch
Fatea have put a massive gallery live at New Forest Folk Festival Gallery
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