Culturazi

Merry Muse, Friday 8th Aug, 2008

by Severin

The meet ‘n greet of an early arrival is a delight – some favourite people, the foyer is all vibrant and anticipatory, and I’ve got a belly full of Polish dumplings. Anticipation sparking off good memories of Mr Fibby moments, especially on the oval at midnight at the Folky, and my first wow/stitch from dancing re Crooked Fiddle Sat night at Corinbank……….. I’m ready………..

But wait there’s more – yay its Matty Ellis doing a walk up! Its been ages, and he’s got a new song to try out on us. For some reason the lights are up and the usually attentive Muse crowd are talking so loud its harder to hear Matty. I can feel a loud shush coming on, but in the end I’m too self-conscious.  Have to listen to the new song through the chatter; it’s familiar in style and theme but different enough to charm, and I reckon it’s going to become a popular one in the collected Ellis Collective stable of songs

Re the rest of the night, reckon I might just transcribe my increasingly inebriated notes…….

Mr Fibby, I adore and admire you, the genius/genii, breathtaking even though my enthusiasm makes me want to apologise for the fulsome fulsomeness of it all…. Shut the F**k up you audience, this is a Moment, you’re missing it, and that one…..

Mr Fibby @ The Phoenix

The Scarecrow tale didn’t really capture these punters. Ah, the brother and sister violin story, that’s got them in the palm of Hadley’s flinging hand. I’m so There, privately fervent with thrilledness, that I’m getting embarrassed about how my body jerks and jolts and leans along with Hadley’s, along with the instruments and musicians perfect movement/soundtrack, I want to throw all my worldly goods at their feet. It’s so much more than theatrical and brilliant with divine musical accompaniment. Do these people have any idea how lucky we all are to experience this, please get it anyone for whom this is your virgin Mr Fibby time.

It’s so intense for me, maybe two stories are enough? But no, then there’s the funnier one, preceded by Hadley’s exhortation to new arrivals to please buy their tickets by sign language – it didn’t work. Merry Muse is usually so quiet but this night the socialisers in the shut off bar area are still noisy– you expect it at the Phoenix, harder to be tolerant here. So, the Gadjo story sometimes has the storyteller riding long fast distances on his ‘bicycle’, but there’s no space. He tries to contain himself but just can’t resist, finally pedaling outside and reentering the other door – the crowd loves it, and the release of the humor – ahhh, so satisfying, the newbies Do love it, look at those enthralled faces! I’m exhausted by it all, and thirsty.

Hiya Crooked Fiddle here you are again, really looking forward to this! Although the room is full I’m surprised not to see more Corinbankers here, cos that night of dance (Andi & George Band followed by these guys) was one of the most talked about couple of hours of the festival. CF so good at what they do, a treat for us all, lively dance tunes mostly, Too many Zyweicsz??? (spelling?) now for me to write much, also too much dancing really ….. happy glances with known souls on the dancefloor and swinging lively meetings with unknown souls, we’re all whirling and smiling. Long songs – they announce a break… Aargh !! we all shout, not ready to stop so there’s one more before we get to rest our rapidly beating hearts and slake our thirst.

Crooked Fiddle Band @ Phoenix

Second half, more of everything and I’m taken by how effortlessly it appears that they are masters and mistresses of the mood, playing with and for dancers as if we are flexible puppets – willing eager recipients of the ebbs and flows…. They are so totally in charge of the audience in the most generous way. ….hey I can’t read the rest of my notes……. I assure you it was great, and we all tidied up like the Muse crew asked.

Icing on the cake of an excellent night was following the Rat Patrol bikes n dudes out the back to the ‘forest’ where they lit the small front wheel of one bike , someone rode it round a bit and then returned to do a wheelie to light the Rat’lympic cauldron bike, before their own special festivities the next day. You guys are loopily inspiringly eccentric.  It was cold and it was worth it and thanks heaps to the archaeologist with the green ginger wine!

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