Friday, 22 August 2008
Isambarde @ The Bideford Folk Festival!
Last Saturday, Jon and I went to the Headline Concert of the Bideford Folk Festival. There were three acts playing, and we were especially keen to see the first one: Isambarde.
Isambarde are a three piece consisting of three young people named Chris Green, Emily Sanders and Jude Rees, who between them all play an impressive array of instruments. The instruments they played at the gig were bouzouki (Chris), guitar (Chris when not playing the bouzouki), fiddle (Emily), Oboe (Jude) and a Medieval instrument called the shawm (played by Jude when she wasn't singing or oboeing). They play folk, and do it mightily well, too.
I have been wanting to see Isambarde for far too many years to count, which is all King Simon's fault. Jude, you see, is his sister, and I've even met her once, many years ago now (which she remembered!). It is King Simon who told me all about them and then issued a royal decree that we must all go to Isambarde's Website and like their music, so it's a good thing that I did, I guess. ;)
Ever since that time, I have been looking out for an opportunity to see them live, and hoped to buy their albums at the gig. However, the only times I ever heard of them playing a gig anywhere near somewhere I could be, I always had to be somewhere else at the time. So, I was surprised at the Appledore Arts Festival when I saw a flyer for this year's Bideford Folk Festival. And this time I was able to go, so I nagged Jon until he agreed!
Isambarde were amazing. It really was worth the wait. And now I have all three of their albums for a bargain price, so that's fab, too. I actually played the first one as soon as we got home that night, and then played the other two on a long journey the next day, and enjoyed them so much I would have played them all again right away, had Jon not asked me if I could play one of his CDs instead.
We did not see much of John Kirkpatrick as he wasn't really our scene (many in the audience obviously disagreed as they glared when we walked out between sets to get a drink). But instead we got to talk to Jude and Emily, which was really great.
The final act of the night was astounding, though - if you ever get a chance to see Fiddlers' Bid I highly recommend you jump at it! There were four violinists, a bassist, a guitarist and a girl who played both harp and piano (though not at the same time, obviously), and they were incredibly talented and a lot of fun.
So, a good night was had by all, methinx. And before I run away back to my novel, I must say it again: Isambarde and Fiddlers' Bid are brilliant, so go see them perform and buy their albums!
