Supercool, too, to see so many friends from our local The Half Moon, up on the second stage (or, like my friend Lizzy, above, out with the dancers!). Phil and Sophie Thurman; Ian, Darren and Kathryn of Vinegar Tom; Alice and Jamie and Steph - newly formed as ceilidh band Swinging Molly. You can read about them all here. We also got to hear the lovely James Bell, who the Half Moon has got to know in recent months, and who definitely wins Best Dressed Boy of the festival, with 3 impeccable suits over two days, and lashings of eye glitter at the pub on Saturday night. His gig Sunday was even better, when he brashly announced "So Martin Carthy does this song, and it's probably the most famous trad tune in England, but I thought it needed something doing to it... um, so I've done it." And proceeded to belt out a version of Scarborough Fair that was all about fast guitar rhythms and some serious tune tweaking. But it worked. 
Spiers + Boden + Friends = Bellowhead!
You'd be excused for thinking so far that there were no big names at this festival - but Martin Carthy was there with Brass Monkey, as well as 3 Daft Monkeys and Wilber and Kathryn Tickell and loads else. My absolute favourite, though, has to be the John Spiers and Jon Boden 'big band' lineup, Bellowhead. They formed to played at the first Ox Folk Fest 4 years ago, so inbetween songs, the crowd couldn't help but burst into choruses of "Happy birthday dear Bellowhead". Gotta be one of the most intense, vibrant live gigs ever (with a "Cat Empire" kinda intensity, if you've ever seen them live), although I never expected to see a mosh pit at a folk gig! They so totally deserve the "Best Live Act" gongs they've picked up at the last two BBC Folk Awards. You can hear their stuff at: http://www.myspace.com/thisisbellowhead
I'm so knackered now, but I've had a lovely time! And I have many new songs to learn....
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