Free entertainment Saturday, Hope Square, Weymouth Wessex Folk Festival 2008 main stage

Besides the wonderful ambience of the Old Harbour, with the boats passing to the sound of music, the free entertainment in Hope Square on the main stage of the Wessex Folk Festival marked the Weymouth weekend out as something very special.

The main stage acts started out around midday with that excellent local band the Tree Fellahs. Much more than a ceilidh band with brilliant musicianship that got the audience's feet tapping in the sunshine.

Followed by Way Out West, all the way from Tucson in Arizona with classic songs of the cowboys, songs of Hollywood's singing cowboys, and their own mix of cowboy and Western tunes played with their very own bordergrass sound. Way Out West is Emmy Creigh, guitar and vocals; Slim Rost, bunkhouse bass and vocals; and Tom Poley, banjo, guitar and vocals.

Later in the weekend, I saw Way Out West performers joining in at a pub session; a fine and friendly band loved by the Hope Square audience.


The Wareham Whalers were formed from an idea of Dave Wheatley of a group of blokes getting together in a pub, having a few drinks and then ending up at one of their homes for a singalong. From this early idea, they have moved a long way to the professional entertainers that held the Hope Square audience rapt.


No Fixed Abode, who later supported Dick Gaughan at the Saturday night concert, showed that they are performers of the big stage as well as the intimate club setting. Una Walsh sang beautifully in her own lilting Irish accent with Tony Dean supporting on acoustic guitar.


LeDPiN are Neil Martin, David Roger, Louis Hemsley and Phil Wilcox who, between them, play guitar, bodhran, cello, flutes, whistles, accordion, percussion and bass guitar as well as singing. Full of excitement and surprises with a repertoire mainly of Irish origin.

Tramps Like Us performed with bare feet, such is their dedication to verisimilitude. Formed in 2007 with four friends at Bath Spa University and linked by a desire to play their music, their way, they brought youthful exuberance to the Hope Square stage for an unforgettable experience.


Jodie Jones is a singer-songwriter from Devon and showed us all why she was in the Top Ten Winners of the BBC Talent Showcase at the beginning of 2006.



Djambo ended the Saturday Hope Square main stage free performances with their fusion of celtic, latin, folk, rock and jazz blended into a unique style that had the audience dancing in the isles.



As the sun started to go down and festival goers headed for the Saturday night concert or the pub sessions, everybody I met agreed that the performances on the main stage in Hope Square had been a stunning success.

Bye for now

Rob
(Rob Hopcott - online author)