In the Shropshire countryside, on the banks of the Severn, the Shrewsbury Folk Festival 2009 opened under ominous clouds. The Chair gave a rousing start to the festival on the main stage with their big sound, mixing highland reels with a thumping beat all at a breakneck pace. They had the crowd clapping along and cheering in no time. The band’s infectious sense of fun persuading a mostly sober, first night audience to enthusiastically join in the ’cluck cluck whoo-hoo!” song, complete with chicken impressions.
In a change of pace, Mark Erelli brought his classic American folk & blues to the Shrewsbury countryside. Moving tales of small town life with ’just a bit of politics’. He played largely solo but was joined on stage by Darwin Song Project bandmate Karine Polwart for a haunting rendition of “Delivered.” Their voices meshed beautifully and they will be reunited later in the festival as part of the Darwin Song Project.
Rachael McShane had a fresh take on what I can only clumsily describe as funk/jazz/folk. Stepping out of the shadow of 11-piece behemoth Bellowhead she proved herself to be a very likable and chatty frontwoman. Lyrically it’s straight down the line traditional folk but musically it’s anything but. Backed very capably and sensitively by three musicians from the funk/jazz world they proved that there really is no end to the places this music can be taken.
Later, Corinne West’s warm voice lit up the hazy tent with her American/Canadian three-piece band. A soulful rendition of “Everybody’s Talkin” was a highlight but she could have happily played all night and the crowd would have still have loved her for it.
Bringing the second stage to a close were Faustus. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Faustus live, but I was quickly reminded why they are one of the most popular acts on the circuit. The second stage tent was crammed to the point of standing room only, so maybe they should have been on the main stage. Dramatic lighting and liberal helpings of dry ice made the trio appear somewhere between rock gods and devils as they worked their way through their repertoire of inventive arrangements of ancient songs and self-penned tracks. The musicianship and energy were first class and to top it all off they bicker like they’re married. Highly recommended.
Swedish folksters Hoven Droven (translated more-or-less as Helter Skelter) finished the night on the main stage. They are definitely folk but with real rock credentials and a healthy helping of crazy energy. The crowd received a lesson in Swedish geography as represented by the back of a fiddle, the ’sign of folk’ and some moving tales of songs composed in front of a log fire in the depths of the northern winter. So, Friday night was a fine start to the festival with plenty to come over this long bank holiday weekend.
