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North West Bluegrass
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Hardly Strictly Bluegrass October
2004
Part 1 - Our Personal Introduction
  So
our report is late again, again.
We've had too many things to do and more family problems than usual. In 2004 we bought a house in Saint Alexandre le Village, Gard, in the south of France, where we spent 4 weeks buying (mostly used) furniture in November-December. Then after Derek's 95-year-old mother moved to a residential home. Jean's 90-year-old mother became ill and eventually died, with all that entails. Just when the dust was settling Derek's mother decided to go back to her own home and the PC jacked in with a very serious problem that took days and days to fix. So there are some of the reasons why it's late. Yet many have said they like a late report; last January one principal organiser wrote to Jean saying, "It's great to know you come all the way out from the UK for our shows here. Every year I read your reviews, look at the photos and bring back the memories." Our personal celebratory start to the festivities was a Thursday evening dinner party, at our daughter's house in the City, for our daughter, three hard-working festival worker/organisers and ourselves. Jean knocked up a wonderful meal, enjoyed by all. The cheeses, which we'd brought from the market in Chester, England, were excellent and well appreciated. The fish course, Moules Vendéen (mussels done in butter with herbs and lots of garlic... mmm!) seemed a good idea and was, in fact, a great hit. It wasn't until next day that the dangers were realised... Thankfully no one was ill! In part we were celebrating having the highest attendance score of any attendee, or at least we think so. But if you know better then please let us know... 12,100 miles every year for 4 years is 48,400 year-miles each! Mark Twain is reputed to have said, "The coldest winter I ever spent in California was a summer in San Francisco." Well, we can vouch for that truism, but it was now October and nothing seemed to have changed. Despite a very cold, grey, damp and misty start to Friday we were up and away in good time to take in most of the performances put on especially for the school children of the City. Although we like most styles of music you must understand that we're biased towards the Bluegrass part. There was so much to see - even more this year, with four stages operating - that it was very difficult even to take in all the bluegrass acts, a problem compounded by some unfortunate scheduling which led to two or more bluegrass-based bands playing simultaneously. On top of that there were non-bluegrass legends like Jean's favourite, John Prine, that we just couldn't miss. The 4th Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Concert in Speedway Meadow and, new this year, Marx Meadow, Golden Gate Park, promised to be a red-hot occasion music-wise, judging from the star studded line-up invited by Warren Hellman and his team. It looked like being at least the equal of the 2003 event - you'll have to read the main reports to find out. But in the meantime here below is a more-or-less complete list of the 2004 participants, in alphabetical order: Derek & Jean Brandon, Chester, England. Write to us HSB 2004 Guest List: Over 50 bands played
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