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Shetland 'folk' Festival


Guest Auld Meerkat
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Guest Auld Meerkat

Some good visiting acts for this year's festival but sometimes I wonder what the organisers are trying to achieve. We are about to have a jazz festival and a blues festival, we have the Thomas Fraser festival and other events for country music and every weekend there are rock gigs etc.

Why then do these types of music need to feature in a folk festival when there are very few folk events during the rest of the year (Please don't bother with the old Bill Broonzy comment about 'aint heard no horses signing it!') Why do we need bands in the folk festival concerts who are decribed in terms like roots,indie,folk rock etc.? Why can't we have folk that sing in their normal dialect and know their traditional roots? Why do we need rock bands at night in a folk festival club? - Would I expect to hear the Shetland Fiddlers at a jazz festival? In an attempt to sell as many tickets as possible the club has become the late night spree or booze festival in an attempt to rival Posers night club.

What will be the legacy of our annual event. At the moment it is a world music festival based in Shetand and is leaving the traditions behind and disappointing visitors when it ' doesn't do what it says on the tin '

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Well if we are going to have a thread criticising the Folk Festival may I have a go at the booking arrangements. Like fill in a form giving all your credit or debit card details and post, fax or e-mail it to the SFFS office in the hope of getting a ticket. Wow!.....that is a really secure way to pay and accounts for me not having a ticket for the one concert I could have got to. The one I would have liked to go to.

 

Before someone mentions the Festival shop yes it is an alternative. Only day it is open that gives me a bus to and from town is Saturday and I tend to avoid shopping on Saturdays. Surely it is time SFFS got round to on-line bookings.........or am I just being a grumpy old man?.

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Some good visiting acts for this year's festival but sometimes I wonder what the organisers are trying to achieve. We are about to have a jazz festival and a blues festival, we have the Thomas Fraser festival and other events for country music and every weekend there are rock gigs etc.

Why then do these types of music need to feature in a folk festival when there are very few folk events during the rest of the year (Please don't bother with the old Bill Broonzy comment about 'aint heard no horses signing it!') Why do we need bands in the folk festival concerts who are decribed in terms like roots,indie,folk rock etc.? Why can't we have folk that sing in their normal dialect and know their traditional roots? Why do we need rock bands at night in a folk festival club? - Would I expect to hear the Shetland Fiddlers at a jazz festival? In an attempt to sell as many tickets as possible the club has become the late night spree or booze festival in an attempt to rival Posers night club.

 

What will be the legacy of our annual event. At the moment it is a world music festival based in Shetand and is leaving the traditions behind and disappointing visitors when it ' doesn't do what it says on the tin '

 

Blah blah blah blah blah............U mad bro? :lol:

 

I've been enjoying the SFF for 20 odd years now and I love it as much now as I did back then, best four days of the year for me within Shetland. Yes, there are other music genre's on show, including some of Shetlands more up and coming young bands who are given a stage to play on by the SFF committee, which is great.

 

If you don't like it don't purchase a ticket. Ticket sales matter and from a quick look on the festival website I can see most venues are sold out, in this climate of financial uncertainty that's no mean feet.

 

Keep up the good work SFF committee, counting down the days now, CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!!!!!! :lol:

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Better get involved here or get accused of some kind o trolling by the trolling police.

 

I don't go too often to the FF but the concerts I have been at(normally Clickimin) show a wide range of musical talents and not all folk music. Whenit comes down too it there are very few complaints from the hundreds if not few thousand that attend these vents regularly.

 

If you're a music fan then it won't matter if there are the odd 'rock', 'jazz' or 'contemporary' bands at the 'folk' festival, its a great event and with the sheer size and scale of it then the committee probably need to diversify a little bit to help it on its way, can't see it as too much of a problem TBH.

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Agreed Trivaluk, and another thing, I think i'm right in saying that the FF is all organised on a voluntary basis!!!!

 

I wouldn't like to know the amount of man hours that the committee put into it, from scouting out bands, fundraising, booking flights and accomodation, everything that goes along with organising the venues etc etc etc....If they want to throw in some other musical genres here and there then thats fair enough with me, i'll enjoy them as much as anything else.

 

15 sleeps, am lik a bairn waitin for xmas :lol: :lol: :lol:

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I keen da feeling!

 

I am well aware the FF is something you either "get" or don't. Yes the tickets are a difficult area but to a great degree that's down to the nature of the festival and how popular an event it is. The committee put in a massive amount of work and can't be thanked enough.

 

Annider ane dat canna wait! :D

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The folk fest is my favourite annual event in Shetland, and the thing I like best about it is the diversity of the music. As thousands of folk flock to sell out concerts every year I surely can't be alone? I'd like to say a huge thanks to the voluntary folk fest committee.

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I'd lik to think dat da Folk Festival committee think da 'Folk' bit is 'music for da folk' and dat da folk will enjoy.

 

I for wan am glad it's no joost a 'folk' festival. Dat's a brawly specific genre (and no sure if even Shetland Traditional music would come under dat catagory). I doot dey widna fill Clickimin for even 1 night we dat concert!

 

I mind hearin a 'real English folk' band aboot 15 years ago (canna mind exactly when - I'm been going dat lang da years aa merge together!) and it was certainly not my taste.

 

It does lighten my heart dat whit started aff as a moanin thread has been turned aroond to a good een! :D

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Hi aye

 

Thanks for all the positive feedback aabody. It really is appreciated. To add to the excitement levels (and da committee's stress levels) can I just say....TWO WEEKS TO GO!!! WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO :-)

 

Anyhoo, in response to the initial queries though - my response is quite simple.......why no? We continue to programme many local bands that showcase the native Shetland traditions and influences in music but we do so alongside many other local bands whose focus is perhaps more country, jazz or bluegrass - because it's giving them all a platform to perform and is fantastic for showcasing Shetland's rich musical heritage and talent. We programme these local bands alongside visiting bands - and try to ensure that there is a diversity of music showcased using a fairly broad interpretation of the term "folk music". We do this because that is what the audience wants and has come to expect. In fact, the diversity of the music programmed is what we are regularly praised for. Like a business, our voluntary run Festival actively seeks feedback so that we can better understand what our audience (customers) want - which is why the survey we do on the back of the Festival each year is so important. In terms of visitors, the number who come back year after year is quite incredible actually!

 

This year, the committee is particularly excited to invite Admiral Fallow to be part of the Folk Festival (which is definitely more indie, folk rock) and including this band is all about expanding our innovative programming and audience range. It's adds something to the overall package that we have to offer and will hopefully increase the number of Shetlanders who can benefit from the entertainment on offer. After all, that's why the Festival is organised - for the benefit of the Shetland community (not for any personal gains)

 

In terms of understanding our audience, we do know from feedback that our process of selling tickets and memberships needs to be updated. Please be assured that online sales is something we are actively looking in to but it's important that it's well planned and well communicated (especially as our current system is so established). Hopefully next year :)

 

Thanks again for everyones feedback. As the demand for tickets is so high, we've yet again expanded availability this year so there are still some tickets left. Please check the website www.shetlandfolkfestival.com for info

 

Aa da best

 

Mhari Pottinger

Shetland Folk Festival Committee

 

Shetland Folk Festival Society, Registered Scottish Charity (SC013445)

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