50 years of Cambridge Folk Festival Musings on 50 years of involvement Keith Day April 2024 50 years of Cambridge Folk Festival In the summer of 1974, as a new graduate with a degree in Agricultural Botany, I relocated from Newcastle to Cambridge to start my new job in agricultural research. I had been playing guitar and bass for several years, and while in Newcastle, I had become more focussed on folk music. Not knowing a soul in Cambridge, I spent my second weekend in the city going to the 10th Cambridge Folk Festival . Looking at the poster, there are many familiar names – Martin Carthy, Planxty, Boys of the Lough, Loud o n Wainwright. My personal lasting memory was sitting talking to a Scotsman in the bar for quite a while, and only when I saw him later on stage, did I realise I had been talking with Archie Fisher. I left thinking that the £3 for the weekend ticket had been well worth the money, and that I might return. I could never have guessed how big a part “The Festival” would play in my life, as I have been involved from that day to this day. I settled into my new adopted city, and that autumn I set about tapping in to the local music scene. At that time there were 2 major folk clubs in Cambridge The Crofters Folk Club , m eeting on a Tuesday at the Rob Roy on Mitchm’s Corner, and on a Saturday night, the Cambridge Folk Club (CFC) was at the Portland Arms. I went to both, which were very accepting of me, and made me welcome. The Crofters club was essentially a traditional club, led by the Crofters band – still operating today , but although the CFC was more catholic in it’s acceptance of all styles, it was more focussed on what we might call Americana today, with a bluegrass band as resident . CFC s till operates to this day Both clubs had nights with a guest performer interspersed with singer ’ s nights. Later that autumn, the resident bluegrass band at CFC, Ricky G and the Modern Ferret t ones (don’t ask), led by Nick Barraclough, had a vacancy for a bass player, as the incumbent player was off to college. I was offered an audition (despite being a bass guitar player, rather than a double bass player), and turned up to a house in Hertford Street, to meet up and try out. I picked up the double bass an d tentatively plucked the strings. The banjo player recognised that I had no idea, and leaned over and whispered in my ear that it was tuned like a bass guitar, and so off we went. That banjo player is godfather to my children and one of my dearest frien ds to this day, and it started with a whisper! Anyway, I got the gig, and was thus thrust into practices, and over time, committee responsibilities at the club. The Club President , at that time, was Ken Woollard , Festival Director at the Cambridge Folk Fe stival. Ken was a great organiser, but was by no means a musician himself, and he relied Circa 1976 heavily on the opinions of those around him, and that brought in the regulars at Cambridge Folk Club. Of course, in those da y s, Ken w orked as a full - time firefighter , and organised the Folk Festival in his spare time – there was a plaque in the public phone box outside the Fire Station commemorating this fact . Until the 9 th festival in 1973, Ken’s home address and phone number was on the poster as where to buy tickets . Many evenings were spent round at The Woollards home on St Phillips R oad , listening to the latest crop of LP’s sent in by the agents of prospective artists for the next festival. Maybe it was the deep involvement of members of the local scene which led to the festival line - up regularly including the likes of The Crofters, The Radio Cowboys, Nick and Anne Barraclough, Pete Sayers to name but a few. I do think that the festival lost some of its local roots when the involvement of the local musicians was reduced. The local clubs kept a presence for many years, each club taking turn to run sessions in the club tent, although even this has now ceased. I can understand the reasons for change, but I am sure that the lack of involvement or engagement with the local folk scene is regrettable in some ways. 1975 saw me playing in the club tent and compering the CFC session on the Friday evening, a slot we retained for many years. Later that year, I moved in with the banjo player, Erik Grainger, who had whispered in my ear at the audition. By now I was spending a great deal of time with the CFC band members, and when a room vacancy arose in the Hertford Street house , I took it. I was therefore, now living at Folk Club central. We would run open house after the club closed on Saturday night. If a guest needed accommodation, they would often stay with us on our sofa. Vin Garbutt stayed about 4 days, and I clearly recall Martin Carthy holding some sort of clog/step dancing seminar in our tiled kitchen. As the 1976 Festival came into sight, Ken was looking for someone to write the programme notes, and I cannot remember how, but Erik, Nick and I were persuaded to have a go. This was pre internet of course, and so we only really had press releases to use as sources for our write ups. Many of them were such pretentious nonsense, we came up with a plan. The most sickening and meaningless ph rase from one press release stated this artist was “carving an enviable niche...” . We decided that we would insert this phrase in all the write - ups who gave us a useless pompous press release. We , of course , assumed someone would read what we wrote and see what was going on, but no. It went to press as we had written it. Accordingly, in Folk Review, October 1976, a letter was published, noting how Messrs. Grainger, Day and Barraclough seemed very keen on the phrase, having used it to “describe no less than seven artists appearing this year”. At least someone noticed. We were much more careful with our wording in subsequent years. While on the subject of the programme, one year the sales of the large format programme of the day were disappointing, and at the end of the festival, they had many left unsold . A t one of Ken’s meetings, he raised the issue for ideas on increasing sales. After a while I asked Ken for a ruler, and asked Sandra, my then girlfriend , and now my wife , to stand up. She was wearing a fairly tight pair of Levi jeans , so I turned he r round, and measured her back pocket, and announced that the programme size should be no bigger than a jean’s pocket It was considered radical, but that year the programme sold out in a day, and that is why the programme thereafter is the size it is. It changed to the larger A5 in 2019, but returned to pocket sized again thereafter – I have no idea what caused that return. There were 2 major events in the year, when Ken called in the troops for help. The fi rst, and maybe smaller meeting, was to set the timetable for the weekend. In those days, most artists were booked for 2 sets over the weekend, often one on the Main Stage 1 and one on Stage 2. The name of each artist was written on a strip of paper for ea ch of their cont r acted set, with the length of the set. We then went about putting the acts into a sensible order for the two stages, and it always seemed to go swimmingly, and then right at the end you would find you had 2 slots left and nobody to play, o r you had a clash, and would need to re - hash the whole programme. Honestly, it was worse than doing a seating plan for a big wedding. The really big event was the Poster party, again at the Woollard’s home in St Phillips Road, off Mill Road. The marketi ng for the festival was almost entirely print - based (digital marketing had not been invented). The large posters, for the first 30 years or so, beautifully hand - drawn by local artist and musician, John Holder, were well known, generally featuring someone playing an instrument , and listing the line - up and the usual details. These posters were available as full sized for billboards etc, and in small size for indoor noticeboards. There were additional folded handbills giving all the salient details for indiv iduals. All of these had to be mailed out to all the folk clubs, individuals, press etc. It was all done by hand by the local team of musos and their friends and families , in return for a beer and a bowl of chilli. At the beginning of the evening there w ere piles of envelopes, posters and handbills. By the end, there were sacks of mail waiting to be franked and sent out. The poster party grew significantly in size and complexity when Greene King came on board, as we had to send the promo materials to al l of the Greene King pubs, of which there were many! This tradition c ontinu ed until Ken retired. I carried on compering the Club Tent for some years , while the compering duties on the main stage were covered by artists on the bill , who were persuaded to do it, some with a better grace than others. Ken, however, was becoming increasingly unhappy with this arrangement. Some of the artists did not g o on, do the introduction, and get off – they wanted to tell a joke or whatever. It was also becoming more important that the comperes were integrated into the stage management, to stick to the protocols, and were properly briefed. It was then that Erik, myself and Terry Stoodley were asked if we would do it. So it was , that around 1980 , we took over the role of compere on both main stages. Erik did not particularly enjoy the experience, and stood down the following year, when he was replaced by a very young Michael (aka Myke) Clifford. The three of us acting as comperes until Terry ret ired a year or two after Ken retired. The roster of comperes has now increased to a team of 6. This year , 2025, will be my last, but I am the only original compere still hogging the stage. You may think the job merely involves getting on stage, and sayi ng a few words, which in the early days, more or less covered it. In recent years, there is at least 1 compere Comperes circa 1981 backstage at all times when performances take place. We are there to step in if there is any problem – fire or any other possible public safety issue. We have a brief on what to do under the instruction of the stage manager. We are trained in the type of language to use, for example trying to minimise the use of gender specific pronouns. It goes without saying that comperes cannot consume alco hol before or whilst on duty, so that we have a clear head when working. Inordinate quantities of tea are consumed! We check with each artist before their appearance to see if they have any specific point they want us to make in the introduction. It is so metimes unclear what the correct pronunciation may be for an act, so it is good practice to check this with the artist in question. Only very rarely do artists not engage with the compere, and over the years, I have met, albeit briefly, many of the great names in popular music. Possibly the biggest nightmare is getting on stage, getting the attention of the audience, and then completely forgetting who you are introducing. If it is someone who I am unfamiliar with, you may see me glance down at my ha nd, where I may have written a name prompt. Many years ago, I did cause great offence once, when introducing a band from Zimbabwe , with the terrible introduction of “...so ladies and gentlemen, please give a huge Cambridge welcome, from Bulawayo, Rhodesia, ... ..”. I had no idea how I came to use the highly inappropriate old colonial name for Zimbabwe. The audience seemed not to notice, but the band and their management certainly did! There have been some interesti ng moments over the years. One year around 1990, a young performer was booked to play a 45 minute set on Stage 2. After 25 minutes she walked off stage, and announced to the stage manager that she didn’t know any more songs, and she was done! We therefo re had 20 minutes to fill, and an audience who were getting restless. I got on the radio to Stage 1 and told Terry Stoodley to hot - foot it over and we were going on to keep the audience engaged, and so it was that Terry and I did a short set. We were used to playing together, but we did it and got an appreciative round of applause when we finished. On another occasion, as is normal, the stage manager will say “go”, and that is the cue for the compere to walk on stage and announce the next act. On this o ccasion I was sent out onto main Stage 1, and started my settle down routine when the stage manager came on stage and whispered in my ear – keep talking, but you are going to be here a minute or two as the next act ha s been taken short, and would be delayed What to do? I started singing The Wild Rover, and suddenly I was leading a choir of 5000 giving “no nay never” a work out. After 2 verses I looked to the side of the stage, and there was the artist and the stage manager laughing at my predicament. Always ready to play bass for a session One year, Roy Harper was playing stage 2, and introduced a guest guitar player onto the stage – a certain Jimmy Page, who took rather too much time with his guitar solos, meaning that the set overran massively. He did not endear himself to the back - stage team before he went on, but creating an overrun, meaning the closing act would get an extremely short set upset everyone. All hands on deck to clear the stage. I ended up taking Mr Page’s guitar stand off the stage, and somehow, it never got passed back to him, and it ended in my bag. The 25th Folk Festival in 1989 was memorable. The closing session on the Sunday Main Stage was to be an on - stage party, featuring lots of the stars from the line - up playing together. Isaac Guillory was the organiser and m usical director, and was starting the session, gradually adding members. At 4pm that day, I was asked if I would play bass for the event – rather short notice, but after a couple of hours with Isaac, I thought I was ready. One of the songs due to be sung was “Will the circle be unbroken”, with M artin Carthy singing the verse s . It then transpired that he did not know verse 3, so backstage, there I was , teaching the lyric to Martin, when Isaac said to me, “ W hy don’t you just sing it ? ”. This is how there i s a picture of me leaning into a microphone on Stage 1, with Ralph McTell, Al Stewart, Martin and (a very young Eliza) Carthy backing me singing “ my ” verse. The photo grapher, my wife, was backstage, ran around to the stage front area to take the picture, despite the shouts from the security guards. She was determined to catch the mo me nt! The guy on the sound desk was not prepared and so the first 2 lines were inaudible to the crowd , until my mic went “live” It is a shame that this sort of thing is all b ut impossible today. From a personal perspective, 2011 stands out. My children have been regular attenders at the festival, but in 2011, my now son - in - law arranged an elaborate way to propose to Lizzie, my second daughter, involving a bunch of friends wearing t - shirts which spelled out the phrase “marry me” when we turned around near the beer tent. She said yes, very publicly, and the story was picked up by the Festival crew , radio and the local TV channels . If it happened today, it would Marriage proposal at CFF 1991 Moment of glory at 25th C ambridge Folk Festival - what a backing band no doubt have gone viral on social media. Not so many people will know, that frequently, performers contracts require the festival to provide certain equipment, with a double bass being a particularly common one, especially for artists travelling trans - Atlantic. The festival would hire one from a London agency, at considerable cost. One year, they did this, but the artists declared the instrument unplayable – the action was so high, and Ken contacted me, knowing I was a bass p layer, lived close by, and might be prepared to lend my bass, which I duly did. My bass is now on site every year as a standby, and my only stipulation, is that if anyone uses it on a main stage, they must sign the back. The Keith Day Instrument Loan com pany has supplied a range of guitars and basses over the years. A few years ago , I was asked if I could provide a right - handed electric guitar and a bass guitar for major Irish artist at short notice. I scurried home and brought a selection. They did in deed need the bass, but the guitar was for the use of the guitar tech. He needed to line check and set the amps up, and the band guitar player was left - handed, but the guitar tech was right - handed. Any right - handed guitar would have done! When my childr en were small, they would be allowed backstage to play – again unthinka ble today. I did once lose my 4 year old daughter. I heard a well - known voice reading a story in one of the caravans backstage, and looked in to see Alexis Korner (great bluesman, but also a well - known voice over artist ) , telling Rebecca a story. Like most artists at the festival, they are very accommodating and easy to work with, which makes the few exceptions to this rule all the more memorable, but they must, of course, remain name less – see me in the bar! On e year, on the way out of the site, passing the artists on - site parking area ( which no longer exists) I saw Billy Conn o lly walking around. I asked if he was lost or needed help, and he replied “I am looking for my car”. I said “what’s it like” , expecting a colour or make. He said, as quick as a flash, “It’s like a wee box wi’ a wheel at each corner”, and with that turned on his heel and was gone. Overall, I have seen a multitude of changes , from the advances in sound and lig ht technology, to the introduction of comperes, from Club Tent to Stage 3, from 2 performances per act to one, to the demands of security and health and safety. I have not always welcomed change, but I have accepted it. One thing which has not changed, i s the friendly, respectful and helpful team behind the stages. We hardly ever meet other than for a weekend in July, but when we arrive, it is as if we have never been away. As I retire from Folk Festival duties, I think it is the camaraderie of the backs tage team that I will miss above everything So ends some musings on my 50 years of involvement, starting as a single rather lonely 20 year old paying £3, bringing 3 children, and 5 grandchildren into the festival family, to my 50 th year involved with the festival in my 71 st year. I would not have changed a thing! Keith Day April 2025