Only got there for the Sunday this year. Great weather, which was a plus as I remember wandering around in the mud a couple of years ago….
Standouts for me were Home Service (great in the 80s and still wonderful now they have reformed). John Tams in fine voice and his songwriting was always first class. Almost sad to report how many of his political ‘polemics’ still have relevance after 25 years, but they still sound terrific.
Rumer was very pleasant in a kind of classy Carpenters middle of the road kind of way, if a little distant from most definitions of folk or roots music. Mary Chapin Carpenter has always been a favourite and her set went down a storm in the main tent. Nice mixture of the familiar with a few from the more introspective recent release “Age Of Miracles”. She got one of the best receptions in the main tent.
Also saw some very good performances in the club tent and finished the day in the second tent watching Frankie Gavin (and De Dannan) fiddle his way through a mix of contemporary and traditional material. Superb playing and a great way to end the day.
Still don’t understand why folks go to Cambridge, talk incessantly through every performance and often seemingly fail to actually acknowledge there’s any live music taking place. Apart from being incredibly rude (to performer and audience alike), surely their local park is more convenient – they could piss everyone off there for free!.