OH MY!
We performed at Weatherstock at the top of the hill. The Aleford band that played there were Gennetta, Toolee, Kelidonna and myself.
The day started with a lovely concert by the Lonely Mountain Band and then a procession up the hill from the rather frightening Forsaken Inn. I could see why it had been forsaken! The procession was huge and we were joined by lots of younger people who had little experience of horses and the area, so progress was slow.
When we first arrived it took a long while to settle everyone down before the first bands could perform.
There were 10 bands chosen to play, and they were all excellent, of course. Unfortunately someone let off an appalling green stink bomb soon after the start and people were forced away from the venue, and it took ages before the area was made ready for the bands to perform again.
I won't say much about the other bands as I am sure that they would rather you read about them on their own notice board but suffice to say that they were all very good, the cream of the crop.
We had time to play just four tunes; Bagpipe Boogie which is an instrumental favourite; a song which has become our theme tune, Craban; the lovely folk song called She Moved Through The fair and a new song about Weathertop to a tune called Echo Beach.
After all the bands had performed there was a public vote and we did not do as well as I hoped, in fact we came last. I think the whole band were hugely disappointed, and not least because we had some new words to sing to our Weathertop song, which we would have played at the end. Ah well, we can play that another time.
However we won what to us was an even better prize - the Lonely Mountain Band Cup. What a supreme honour, to be voted best by the very amazing group of people who organised the whole thing. A group of people we hold in high esteem.
The day started with a lovely concert by the Lonely Mountain Band and then a procession up the hill from the rather frightening Forsaken Inn. I could see why it had been forsaken! The procession was huge and we were joined by lots of younger people who had little experience of horses and the area, so progress was slow.
When we first arrived it took a long while to settle everyone down before the first bands could perform.
There were 10 bands chosen to play, and they were all excellent, of course. Unfortunately someone let off an appalling green stink bomb soon after the start and people were forced away from the venue, and it took ages before the area was made ready for the bands to perform again.
I won't say much about the other bands as I am sure that they would rather you read about them on their own notice board but suffice to say that they were all very good, the cream of the crop.
We had time to play just four tunes; Bagpipe Boogie which is an instrumental favourite; a song which has become our theme tune, Craban; the lovely folk song called She Moved Through The fair and a new song about Weathertop to a tune called Echo Beach.
After all the bands had performed there was a public vote and we did not do as well as I hoped, in fact we came last. I think the whole band were hugely disappointed, and not least because we had some new words to sing to our Weathertop song, which we would have played at the end. Ah well, we can play that another time.
However we won what to us was an even better prize - the Lonely Mountain Band Cup. What a supreme honour, to be voted best by the very amazing group of people who organised the whole thing. A group of people we hold in high esteem.
We would like to thank:
the audience
Mr T Urbine and his associates
the vendors
the other bands
and most of all the Lonely Mountain Band
Also we thank Hollyberye and Timcoolish (AKA FreeMark) for the moving pictures of the concert which are here
the audience
Mr T Urbine and his associates
the vendors
the other bands
and most of all the Lonely Mountain Band
Also we thank Hollyberye and Timcoolish (AKA FreeMark) for the moving pictures of the concert which are here