Nostalgia

Here is something I wrote for the folkmob at the end of 2003:

Well another year over! Phew!!! It was quite eventful. We had a lot of great guest performers at the Tudor Barn, mainly thanks to Brian Bruce who took on the role of A&R man for the club during 2003. The acts that were special for me were Derek Brimstone, Ron Trueman-Border, John Barden, Bill Gardener, Digable Cat, Joe Bouzouki and I mustn’t forget that wonderful exotic dancer who performed at Dave kenningham’s 50th Birthday party!

A group of Folkmobbers went to The Canterbury Fayre festival in August. This was a great event bringing together classic acts spanning five decades, including Arthur Lee & Love, Robert Plant, Mike Heron, Nick Turner, John Otway, and Roy Harper. What a pity it was the last one.

Linda Smith & Dave Bryant hosted two wonderful musical garden parties, that were well attended by folk musicians from near and far. The star performers though were a herd of feral parakeets leaping from tree to tree!

There were two camping weekends at Knockholt. 134 people attended the first one in June!!! That must be a record. It was a special 10th anniversary event and the weather was fantastic. Dave Bryant brewed a special “Knockholt knockout” ale and special guests Joe Bouzouki & The Missing Puddings played an acoustic set around our campfire. The September camp was a lot quieter but still enjoyable – I just love that steak & ale pie served at The Tally Ho.

Members of the FolkMob continued to support other musical ventures throughout the year, including: Performers night at Mycenae House every Monday, Jazz, Blues & Beyond at The White Swan every Friday, Jennifer’s Club at The Alma, Johnny Phelps’ nights at The Monty Club in Eltham and of course Alec and his band The Greenwich Traditional Musicians every Tuesday at The Cricketers.

New in 2003 we saw: the opening of Oliver’s Bar in Greenwich a great little downstairs venue providing live Jazz & Blues four nights a week; The Beacon in Hayes which has a super session once a month hosted by our old friends Walking The Witch.

There were also some goodbyes – notably our old mate Nigel Saunders, who ran off to Australia to seek his fortune – good luck Nige. The Duke Of Edinburgh in Lee seems to have died off – never was the same since Sheila & Brian went. The Anchor in Lewisham also fizzled out. Dorothy “Call me Dee” finally left The White Swan. She may have been a miserable old bag, but she did more for live music than any other Landlord that I know of in the borough of Greenwich. The final death knoll for The Guildford Arms, which was transformed from a little run down back street boozer, that played host to the Folkmob most weekends, into a trendy (upmarket?) wine bar & restaurant full of snoots.

Seems like a lifetime ago!