BY AND LARGE DIDMARTON is a great festival. Last years was covered in in the September 1996 issue of NWBN, so I hadn’t planned on mentioning the 1997 one, but then things happened and, well ....

The one thing that will probably stand out in most peoples memory is the weather. If ever it’s as bad again they can count themselves very unfortunate indeed yet, despite the horrendous storms and aqueous, monsoon-like stair-rods, no-one was flooded out. The ground just took the water and that must be a plus factor for campers! And the organisers did their utmost to ensure minimum suffering - they even had a team delegated to pushing cars, caravans and campers through a treacherous muddy patch.


Didmarton is a very good festival and well worth visiting. The following comments should not be taken as an indication that British Bluegrass bands are no good, rather that they are good but could do much better with some effort. They in no way reflect upon the Didmarton festival inself!  The organisers do a terrific job, and celebrate in fine style at the end....

Bill Smarme celebrates in full decadence!

Last year I hardly commented on the bands, but this year I must. Of all the British Bluegrass bands  I saw (and I saw all but two) there wasn’t one that I can say was ‘must see’ or anything like approaching it (remember: only my opinion !). There’s usually something that moves me when they’re on-stage, but every one was sufficiently lacking in one or more aspects to make them just a ‘one-more’ band. Some played/sang disappointingly, some like they wished they were somewhere else, others like a scratch band. Apart from The Ken Tardley Playboys, most seemed to be rooted to the spot. No reflection on the organisers; but could it be due to the weather? Sometimes the large marquee was more than half empty, despite the rain.

I never really thought I’d be saying that there were really only two bands that shone and that both were comedy outfits. The first was Bill Smarme & The Business, who played Comedy R&R (?) exceedingly well and kept the packed house in fits of awe and laughter. But most amazing of all was the comedy BG band Sensitive New-Age Cowpersons (SNACs), from Australia. At first I thought the name was just a re-hash for last years excessively loud, outdoor jam-session jamming. Country-rock band The Cowpokes, but how wrong can you get? SNACs is covered in Colin Nichol’s article (this issue) but I want to add my two penn’orth with a different slant.

But what made SNACs so special?

• These guys were all top flight crack instrumentalists who played terrific bluegrass;
• All the harmonies, stops and starts were 100% rehearsed;
• They dressed up for the gig, looked well on stage and appeared to be enjoying what they were doing;
• They didn’t just stand in a line like four well-separated daffodils - they “made show” and performed;
• No time was wasted on inconsequential chatter and fill-in noise - the introductions were well thought out and relevant;
• They didn’t take the audience for granted, but worked at it;
• There was wide variety in the offerings;
• They made me feel like they were playing for me;

In short, they were skilled, witty and entertaining. They held a jam-packed audience spellbound and got two standing ovations! And through all this they played only one song that many would normally regard as a BG number. The rest were parodies of anything, or anyone, you care to think of, but played in a definite BG style in the BG format wherever possible. “The Baron Knights of Bluegrass” (if you can remember who they were...) describes SNACs well. There were a lot of non-bluegrass people there for the ride, but everyone was bewitched and watched, listened and applauded like mad.

Wild appreciation for the SNACs at Didmarton - were you there?

I’ve since heard comments like “They’re making fun of our music” - maybe they are, but I think not - it’s the subject matter they make fun of. And they do say that they love straight Bluegrass but can’t make any money at it. Someone told me “I saw them at the Stainsby Folk festival, The Festival on the Hill, and they were awful.” Well, the venue was so big that the presence of the band was probably lost; how do SNACs come over on a CD? Perhaps someone could review one?

But to me the message seems clear: The only way to popularise the intrinsically introverted, musician - singer’s music, “Bluegrass”, is to study the principles in the bulleted points above. Then apply them.

Derek Brandon, Chester

[ Click for 1996 report | NWBN mag Home Page ]

Updated 23rd Jan 1999