Mostly Autumn were excellent as usual. Olivia is heavily pregnant but it did not seem to slow her down much and her voice was on top form. For a band with such a large back catalogue there is always a lot to choose from and the sets were well planned. Old favourites like "Evergreen" mixed in with stuff from the new album and the inevitable but excellent "Heros Never Die" encore. As much as I enjoy these small venues they are certainly a band who deserve to be playing to much larger crowds.
Saturday at the Dart Music festival was dampened by the weather, late afternoon it came in cold and wet. This year there were fewer classical acts which was a shame.
Earlier when the sun was still shining I really enjoyed the mostly original blues-rock of
Kris Barras , not so the annoying blokes stood behind who complained they did not know any of the songs
No wonder the world seems to be dominated by tribute bands.
Chaz Thorogood put on a good show in the old riverside fort which seemed particularly popular with some of the younger element. Again it was slightly marred by people talking noisly in the background.
We went to see
Daughters of Elvin in the church. Or some of them as the hammer dulcimer and viol players were absent. Its "carefully researched" Medieval music and very well preformed I found it intresting but it did send my wife to sleep! It was a bizare moment when a dancer dressed as a unicorn came out, it seemed a bit pagan for the church. I think they would have been a lot better if they had all the members giving them a wider range of instruments.
We were quite enjoying one of the unoffical acts playing on the street, a trio of cigar box guitar, cajon and digeridoo when they joined by another digeridoo/ percussion duo for an inpromptu jam. This was great fun.