My
approach to Blakey Ridge from the neighbouring valley of Farndale,
under a clear blue sky on this mild midsummer's afternoon, was
breathtaking in it's beauty. On reaching the moorland plateau,
I could soon see that oasis, set in miles of heathland, called
The Lion Inn.
A smiling guy with a pint greeted my car, and guided me into the campsite. My car was to be my bed for the few hours sleep I was to get that night. The number of tents already pitched that afternoon probably reflected the fact that the fun had started the previous night. Bryan Josh had apparently done an inpromptu acoustic gig in the bar with Blakey Festival support Prendo, which I wished I hadn't missed.
This was my first visit to Blakey, and I headed for my inaugural Lion Inn pint. I soon recognized the fireplace, featured on "The Spirit of Autumn Past" CD, and imagined the tales it could tell.. I noted Paul Crossland, the concert organizer and landlord I must have seen his picture, possibly on his blakeymusic website.
Wandering outside with my drink, I realized that the pony-tailed trials biker who had been riding the nearby moor was none other than Bryan himself. He acknowledged me as he rode past. Iain Jennings and Jon Blackmore arrived, and Iain had a chat, on recognizing me from their recent Glasgow gig.
Back at my car, and after a chat with Seamus, my nearest neighbour, I felt it was time for a snooze. The previous several short nights in my travels around family in Derby, Scotland, and Lancashire were catching up on me.
A couple of hours later, around six, I thought I would go for another pint, and see if there was any action. Liam was out on the moor on the trials bike now, but had broken down because Bryan had used all the petrol! Paul went to assist - it was his bike.
The midges were out in force from now until dark - insect repellent is required next year!
The speakers in the festival compound (the carpark surrounded by high screened fencing) were blasting out Pink Floyd. The articulated lorry trailer at one end, the stage for the night, was now filled with lights, speakers, drumkit, keyboards, etc. Around 7pm Mostly Autumn were sound checking, and I found a vantage point. The band were obviously in great spirits, and made their work look easy. Heather seems to have a good ear, and plays a big role at this time in assisting the guys on the sound desk.
The sun was starting to set as the first support band, Sevenball, took to the stage. They had a good sound, but I'm afraid eating, and then capturing the sunset on camera, took priority. I came across Paul, introduced myself, and you could not find a more helpful and easy-going guy! Paul, your Blakey-burgers are out of this world - congratulations to you and your staff. I also took this opportunity to get my CD booklets signed by Bryan, Liam, Andy, and Jon, who were watching the support, Bryan also writing his setlist! The sunset was beautiful, I got some memorable photos.
John
Prendo was next on stage. Starting solo with guitar, his virtuosity
was incredible. Something must have held him back from greater
fame! I must check out his and Sevenball's websites via blakeymusic!
I spoke to friends of his, Tig and Clare, up at the old Cock Pit
standing stone. Super people!
I was expecting Mostly Autumn on stage at 11, so I was on the phone to my cousin in Scotland (another MA fan) from my car, when they kicked off with "The Night Sky" at ten to!! As a result, my initial vantage point with my camcorder was peripheral, which was disappointing. I was to end up dead centre at the front for the second set.
The dream had started. I was already floating as Angela's flute and Bryan's guitar led a now familiar path through an atmospheric stage of coloured lights and smoke. I had to move, though, as feedback started coming out of the speakers on the right where I initially found myself.
For "Winter Mountain" I was on the opposite side. They were sounding great - tightly together as always, and with a well balanced sound so you could hear every instrument. Im coming home! My cousin in Scotland heard this and one or two other tracks through my phone, and was apparently playing harmonies on her keyboard!
"Spirit of Autumn Past II" and Bryan took a deep breath. Heather, wearing white, midriff bare, and with a headscarf, had swapped her tambourine for a guitar. This is a great singalong, before Angela's flute floats you off again, backed by Iain's superb keyboards.
I stuck to my satisfactory position as Evergreen's intro by Bryan and Iain led into Heather's haunting vocals, and culminated in Bryan's great guitar work. This went down a storm.
There's something mysterious in the woods, warned Heather, as "Whichwood" started, with Angela, dressed all in black, bubbling away on the flute. Bryan and the audience encouraged Angela to extend the end of her warbling. The audience were jigging around by now.
Up next, "Out of the Inn" had Angela,
Heather, and Liam grouped together, Heather on low whistle, and
with Iain providing the almost aboriginal sounding layering in
the background, before the rest of the band joined in as this
number took on it's rocky edge. Great guitar sound again. Jon
and Andy's rhythm holding every track together is excellent and
faultless.
For "Dark Before the Dawn" I had moved to the right side again, where the sound problem had long before been solved. This was another rocky number, where flute and whistle provoked the audience to clap along again.
The long, thoughtful, keyboard intro to "The Last Climb", with plenty of smoke for atmosphere, led into Bryan's Floydy sounding vocals, and then a peaceful stretch of flute which Angela obviously put heart and soul into. As her part ended, she sat and swayed, obviously as entranced as the rest of us, while Bryan played on, demonstrating his virtuosity again.
The end of the first set had arrived. It was about midnight. The first day of Summer was starting. I worked my way forward through the crowd as people went for food and drink. I soon found myself behind the front row, in the center, and was just cursing myself for being too slow for a momentarily available pole position, when the couple in front of me upped and left. Unbelievable! Centre-front, and with a camcorder and a camera!
Moments later, the band, minus Heather, filed back onstage, and Jon took it away with the beat of Overture to Sauron, closely followed by Bryan's guitar intro, swelled by Iain's keyboards.
This segued into the quiet start to "Greenwood",
with Heather strolling onstage, dressed like a beautiful white
fairy, all whispy muslin, and flowers in her hair, to sing the
dreamy lines, before strolling off again as the music took on
a rocky edge. Very dramatic.
From the "Music Inspired by The Lord of the Rings" album, Bryan announced, here next was "Return of the King", another great beat, and rock guitar, with Bryan taking away the vocals. Some of these pieces tonight had never been played live before. It was a privilege to be here to hear it, and well worth all the traveling. As for the seven heroes in front of us, they must have been running on adrenalin - it was half past midnight!
The girls came back on stage, to much undecipherable shouted comment, and Bryan introduced "Half the Mountain". The audience sang along, with Angela taking up the lead on flute between Bryan's verses, before Bryan's singing guitar completed the song.
"Shenanigans", with audience clapping, had the beat of Bryan's strumming, strung together by the girls on flute and whistle. You cannot stand still to this music! Especially when it leads into "Shindig", a real Celtic foot-tapper, Angela on flute, Heather on bodhran.
Heather commented happily on how everyone was jumping around like faeries and pixies.
"Nowhere to Hide", more clapping and singing along. "I dont want to close my eyes, I dont want them open... "
Seven hundred people (twice as many as last year) enjoying a superb live performance in the early hours of a cool morning atop the Yorkshire Moors - it was unreal!
Heather introduced "Shrinking Violet" next, as reflecting her teenage years growing up; this provoked much alcohol and testosterone induced whooping and catcalling from the crowd - all respectfully quiet though when she sang this lovely award-winning song. You just have to sing along to the "na-na-na" chorus (no, not Kylie) backed by Bryan's soaring guitar. Wonderful.
Angela and Liam exited for a break as Heather
started singing "Never the Rainbow". That unsung, and
indeed unseen, hero Iain carried on playing in his dark corner
behind towering keyboard stands. Andy and Heather leant back to
back, playing bass and tambourine respectively, as Bryan's guitar
soared again, and Iain's keyboard sound filled the moorland night;
Heather was by now playfully banging Jons cymbals with her tambourine.
Bryan introduced "Heroes Never Die", dedicated to the memory of his father Robert Josh, with whom he used to come to The Lion and walk these moors. Angela's atmospheric flute intro was followed by Bryan and hundreds of backing vocalists singing the first verse. Bryan then took the song away with some complex fingerwork made to look easy, and without even looking to see what he was doing while he sang. Heather was swapping her whispy fairy wings for a silvery lace shawl over her white outfit of sleeveless top and trousers. The music was becoming rocky and soaring again over the bass and drum beat. Jon completed the song with a round of every drum and cymbal he could find.
Mostly Autumn always put heart and soul into their performances, they know THAT is the source of the inspiration and emotion behind their songs.
"THANK-YOU, AND GOODNIGHT!" shouted Bryan.
The band left the stage, the girls, Angela behind Heather, holding hands and skipping offstage.
A few minutes later, they were back for the requested and expected encore
"Mother Nature" was introduced, first by Heather saying it was dedicated to Bryan's mum, Jean. Bryan pointed her out, waving from the CD stall, and thanked everyone for a brilliant night on this Summer Solstice. The stage crew were thanked for doing a great job, and the support bands for their superb performance. Oh, and "Happy Birthday Rita!" (from behind the bar). Nobody was forgotten, despite the lateness of the hour (now after 1am).
"Time..to look, and see", the song started quietly, with delicate guitar and keyboard work. "Sometimes..she cries", it continued. Thought provoking words. The audience sang along.
This is an epic 15 minute song, of many time changes, with sections of screaming, soaring, rock guitar, alternating with "Sometimes she cries out..for love!", and then a clap along section as the beat changes. You know you get nothing else after "Mother Nature" because it takes so much out of them. The song changes again to a calmer, quieter, moody guitar and keyboard section, as the band catch their breath before the rousing finale. Then, the beautiful instrumental sound building, the pace quickening, a crescendo is reached, and finally relief for the band as their night's performance ends.
The seven of them, Bryan, Andy, Heather, Jon, Angie, Liam, and Iain came together arm in arm for several bows Liam spilling his lager down Iain's back.
There is the promise of next year now. How could I possibly miss it?
I soon came across organiser Paul, congratulating him on a brilliant night. I promised him a video and photos. I had been videoing for a couple of hours and was parched. Was there any chance of a drink in the pub? (It was about 1.30am) Follow me, he said, and we took an obstacle course back-way into the pub, across a picnic table and a stone wall. I found myself in the private Green Room set aside for the bands and their entourage for the after-gig party.
There were words of greeting and congratulations to the band members already there. A can of Boddies was found, and I settled next to Iain for a chat.
The guys didnt know whether to be hyped or tired. Bryan looked shattered.
Heather entered the room, bright as a button. "Hello Trev's Travels", she smiled, remembering my travelogue of part of their recent tour on their website.
A wheelbarrow full of unsold cans of beer arrived, courtesy of Paul, with the instruction that he didnt want any left by the end of the night. Even some hot chips and pizza were forthcoming from the kitchen - more unsung heroes in there!
Soon after, Bryan headed for bed, after somehow managing to leave us with a few verses of a traditional haddock fishing song (!?) accompanied by his guitar and some backing vocalists who recognized his party piece.
After more chatting, with Iain, Jon, Angela, Heather, and members of Sevenball around the table, I headed for bed around 4am, aware that England vs. Brazil was to be on in the bar at 7.30am.
I would have slept anywhere, so the inclined passenger seat of my car in the campsite, in a warm sleeping bag, was fine.
I was awoken by the sound of other people up for the match at 7.25am.
So...we lost..but I'll never forget the way The Lion erupted when Michael Owen scored the first goal. And thanks again, Paul, for serving a much needed sausage sandwich and a pint of juice at half-time! And anyhow, I was still massively buoyed up by that fantastic performance by Mostly Autumn!
Thanks for the goodbye hug, Angela. After a final chat with Bryan, comparing our performance cars, I set off on my long journey back to Hampshire - playing Mostly Autumn on the CD player of course.
Written from the heart and soul.
Trev.
(trev@naon.demon.co.uk)
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