By Chris Moreton  The 1999 event

Having phoned to confirm the date and location, Norma and I set off from South Wales on our Annual Pilgrimage to our dearly beloved 'Edale' Bluegrass Music Festival (named after the Peak District village where the festival was born about 30 years ago, but held this year at Uppermill, near Oldham).

The sign posting around Manchester and Oldham caused some consternation but when we passed under a railway bridge announcing in letters 8 feet high: "Welcome To Oldham - HomeOf The Tubular Bandage" (??!!) we knew we had reached the centre of the universe!

The Author on stage.

Out of Oldham and up into the Pennines to the town of Uppermill. Upon arrival we encountered Derek and Jean Brandon (our celebrated NWBN providers), in search of Bluegrass happenings. Norma's 'Rural Tea-Shop Detector Alarm' needed urgent attention so Norma and Jean went off to deal with that while Derek and I sussed out the scene in the delightful Civic Hall Venue, an ancient stone-built two storey building with a reception foyer/stage on the ground floor, while upstairs there was the main concert hall, complete with stage balcony, bar room, lift and changing rooms; brilliant! Bryn Williams and family had been running workshops that afternoon and it was great to meet more old and new friends; the excitement of being among kindred spirits started to kick in.

Off to find the Tea Shop and Norma and Jean. After a cuppa Norma went off for a walk while Derek and Jean and I went to the car park for more socialising, since by now the Hall was locked, where we met Arthur Robinson. Norma, Kevin Garratt and I were Arthur's honoured Dinner Guests in his motorhome! During the meal Norma expounded the virtues of the campsite location, surrounded as it is by such things as a canal with locks, a railway viaduct, a river, an ancient road bridge and everything (even a dipper on a log in the river) We will bring our caravan next year and make a weekend of it. The town itself though, a bit touristy, has a good selection of pubs, tea shops and ancient buildings.

The Saturday Concert was terrific with a surprising number of music fans from all over (I met a couple from Suffolk) making an audience large enough for a lively atmosphere. The guys did a great job on the P.A. and the evening started with an immaculate set from Silverhill (John Keegan and Bill Hyde) followed by Yours Truly (mainly guitar, songsand one banjo piece My Grandfather's Russian Clock).

Part of the TT Scratch Band: Jean Brandon, Tom Travis, Bill Hyde

Tom Travis followed. It was great to see him with his singing partner Chris Wing again. Jean joined in, her award-winning voice on excellent form with a few well-chosen songs and Arthur also came up for a couple. He is one of the firstvoices I remember from the 'Old Days' of Edale and I always get a lump in my throat when he sings. Bill Hyde and Ian Reynolds did an excellent job on banjo and lead guitar respectively to make up the Tom Travis Scratch Band.

The final act of the day was The Bluegrass Brothers. I have to admit that I missed the first part of their set because I wanted to get in some quiet pickin' before we all had to vacate the Hall, but Norma enjoyed every minute of their show as I did when I came back in!

The Bluegrass Brothers

Excellent punchy lead breaks on banjo, mandolin, fiddle and guitar with smooth harmony vocals and fine singing. Some of the most moving moments where when the guitar player, Ray Duffey, used finger picks and they did some folk style material. I think 'Diversity' is becoming a trade mark of British Bluegrass (perhaps it's only Americans who can get away with a whole evening of pure Bluegrass and hold an audience? just speculating....

It made a change to see Bev Williams as 'The Boss Man Behind The Scenes' and Tom Travis as the MC - a real role reversal.

Unfortunately witha gig on Friday and one on Sunday afternoon, I was unable to stay for the full weekend. So far I've been able to attend every 'Edale' since my first visit in 1980. Long may it continue!

Thanks Bev!
Chris Moreton, Usk.
Further reading in NWBN: [ July 1998 |  July 1997 | Sept 1999 ] [Chris' home page ]

1st Dec 2000