A Hebden field featuring several sheep
Some years ago Martin Scorsese put together an amazing seven part documentary film series on The Blues. Even seven films just wasn't enough despite getting luminaries like Wim Wenders, Clint Eastwood and Mike Figgis involved. (If you don't already have this DVD set on your shelf, stop reading and order it now.) The splendid blues writer Peter Guralnick was charged with the daunting task of editing the accompanying anthology. "There's not enough room" he cried. The Hat thinks that it is likely that any festival organiser would totally understand how he must have felt.
I was hanging around outside the smoke-filled oak panelled meeting room at Festival Headquarters last week when all you could hear was the place echoing with exactly the same sentiments albeit somewhat noisier. It called to mind a version of that traditional film rider "no animals were harmed in the making of this festival"... However, my insider people tell me that the line-ups have now been done and dusted and the venues allocated - but nobody's telling me any details for some reason...
There just isn't enough room. There just aren't enough slots. The days and nights aren't long enough. Where do you start when there is so much talent available, so many styles to choose from, such an avalanche of consummate skill, raw energy and brilliant stage craft? Don't ask me. I would have said yes to everybody and we would all have gone home flat bust but incredibly happy doing so. I would surely have been the soft cop in all those rubbish tele dramas. But you cannot please everyone and sadly some will be disappointed.
The Hat is told that all will be revealed on Friday December 2nd. The gig at b@rplace is now well subscribed and it looks like being a storming night. Paddy will be front of stage, as usual and Jason will be hovering around issuing instructions, as usual. For some reason, the team that worked so hard putting togather the first festival are still out there and raring to go. The Hat finds it quite interesting that for a festival that only appeared out of the blue this year for the first time, the vibe and goodwill that it created still rolls on. There seems to be a genuine backing and enthusiasm for the second festival to pick up where the first left off. This may be connected with the fact that the Hat's photograph appears on the spiffing festival website but I suspect it more likely that discerning blues festival goers knows a good thing when they turn up at one....and of course everyone likes to go to a gig that is fun fun fun and has good pubs...oh, and I suppose some will like the pretty scenery. My good pal Cozy likes the odd tree but for myself I tend to think one field is just like another..
I hope you can get to Hebden on Friday week. To paraphrase Willie Dixon - "this guy is a hoodoo man, this lady is a witch, this other guy is a hoochie coochie man and she looks like a voodoo gal". The Hat is reliably informed that they will all be turning up on December 2nd...
Pip Pip!
The Man in The Hat