On the Road Again 2014 Interium #2 - Festival

I attended the Island Folk Festival near Duncan this past weekend. It was nice. Good music, kind and friendly folks and the skies were generally cloudy which meant that no one got badly burnt by a blistering sun. The lineup, unlike the bigger folk festivals, was not a star studded lineup that would attract 1000s and 1000s of attendees. There were a few big names, most notably Murray McLauchlan and Spirit of the West, but many of the performers were island based - which gave the festival of a down home family kind of feeling. That feeling is why, I think, people keep on coming back to this festival.

The line up, given what I assume is a limited budget, was quite amazing. Even the MCs for the various stages (all of whom were local) were talented singers/songwriters that could hold their own on any stage.  However the way this festival uses all of those talented performers is quite different than how they use them at Ont ario Festivals. At such festivals as Peterborough,  Mariposa or Shelter Valley the daylight shows are almost all workshops. That is three- four performers (who do not normally play together) join each other for a hour or so of sharing songs and stories. The audience gets to be observers to this process. Every once in a while one gets to watch a magical collaboration  between the players as they add to/embellish a peer's music. You know something special is happening when the performers break out into laughter at the sheer joy of hearing someone else's licks.

I got to see some of that this weekend. In particular there was a workshop with Daniel Fox, Gary Comeau, and the lead from Incendio. The first two were great fiddlers, mandolin and guitar players (the former was also a great trumpet player). The lead from Incendio was an amazing Latin guitar player. As they in turn played their pieces and the others joined in there was no doubt that something special was happening. To hear a Rolling Stones tune played with a Brazilian rhythm enhanced  by a fiddle from northern BC and a mandolin rooted in New Orleans is a once in a life time experience. Something that could only happen at a folk festival. I wish they would have more such workshops where there will always be the possibility of something unique happening; where the performers are having fun and where the musicians  are playing as much for each other as the audience.

I sit in awe of their skill and their near visible love of their craft. The workshops are never nearly long enough. I am transported to another place, another time where life is pure and honest. There are times when I forget how important music is to me, folk festivals almost always remind me.

P.S. The Festival has this great shuttle system. At any time almost without waiting there is a van ready to take people from the Festival back to Duncan. It is only an eight minute drive but this free service saves all kinds of hassle for folks like me and everyone else who doesn't want to drive).  On Saturday night I got the last set in the 9 passenger van. We were chatting and one of the other passengers asked me who was my favourite act was. I briefly discussed so of the performers I had seen and mentioned the above.

It wasn't until I got out that I realized that the person who had asked me the question was the lead singer for Spirit of the West! They had just finished an energetic hour and half set that had the audience on the feet for the whole time.. I felt bad that I hadn't realized this. If I had I would have still answered the question the same way but I would have explained it better. So I sent him a brief email. He responded back. Does that make me a groupie? I don't think so. But it is that type of refined gentleness and good manners that makes attending a folk festival so rewarding.