MEET ME ON THE CORNER - LINDISFARNE AT MIDDLEWICH 25

by Dave Roberts

I always have to chuckle whenever I look at this video of members of  Lindisfarne performing one of their greatest hits at the 25th Middlewich FAB Festival back in 2015.

The members of the band  are showing their age -  aren't we all? - but the the music sounds as good as ever, and this classic folk-rock band still has a goodly amount of 'street cred', particularly among those of us who are past the first flush of youth.

But what always makes me laugh is that 'Middlewich FAB 25' logo which floats onto the screen at the start of the video.

Those who follow these things, and surely there must be a few FAB obsessives about, will realise that it's not an 'official' MFAB design, but a typical cobbled together Middlewich Diary creation.

It's before the days of stock photos of girls in sunglasses and people being exhorted to 'come to their senses' at Middlewich (which, to me, always had all the makings of a classic 'contradiction in terms').

With  2015 being the long-awaited 25th anniversary of the festival, I was anxious to start publicising it  as soon as possible.
I looked around for an official 'Middlewich 25' logo but could find nothing.

So in traditional Middlewich Diary make do and mend style, I cobbled together my own logo, using the festival's then current logo and a bit of lettering.

All done, fact fans, with Page Plus 10 and Professor Franklin's Magic Photo Effects - both venerable, not to say almost obsolete, bits of computer software from many years ago. The whole thing took me about ten minutes to put together.

When the festival's own FAB 25 logo appeared it was a lot more professional looking and we used it on the Middlewich Diary very enthusiastically. Well, that's a bit of an understatement, really...

So it came as a bit of surprise when, after the festival, Lindisfarne issued this video featuring our hastily assembled 'temporary' FAB 25 logo, obviously gleaned from a quick Google search.

Fame at last!

Enjoy the video!

MEET ME ON THE CORNER

Lindisfarne at FAB 25

(YouTube link)

MIDDLEWICH ROCK 'n' ROLL DANCERS AT MFAB 25! (ARCHIVED)

ARCHIVED

Organisers Derek and Julie Millington show 'em how it's done at the FAB Festival

Over the years the Middlewich FAB Festival has always provided a wide range of entertainment above and beyond what is normally found at traditional folk festivals; the aim being to cater for the general public and those not necessarily too interested in the folk world.
The Middlewich Rock 'n' Roll Dancers are a case in point. They're hugely popular with the crowds, and rightly so.
They present their version of authentic 1950s Rock 'n' Roll with enthusiasm and style and they always look immaculate in period dress. -Ed (from the Middlewich Diary, 2013)

Derek and Julie Millington write:

Once again,  and for the 14th consecutive year, we are  organising the Rock'n'Roll dancing at the Middlewich FAB Festival.

Watch out for us on Sunday 21st June.

There will be dancers from many parts of the surrounding areas including the Potteries, Manchester, Wilmslow, Chester, North Wales and Liverpool as well as  local dancers from  Middlewich, Sandbach, Crewe and other towns and villages in the area.

The dancers will be dressed in their colourful 1950's Rock 'n' Roll costumes  and will be dancing to authentic 1950's and 60's Rock'n'Roll music and bringing you an impressive display of design, colour and movement.

Outside dance music will provided by our very own Jiving Jim's'  mobile disco.

We will be dancing on the Kinderton House Hotel front car park from  12 noon  until approximately 12.40.p.m., after which we'll move on to the Amphitheatre,   where we'll dance from 1.00.p.m. until 2.00.p.m.

After that we'll be back at the Kinderton House Hotel, where dancing will continue to the group Night Flight.

We look forward to a great afternoon's dancing and a good audience. See you there!

'Just let me hear some of that Rock and Roll music...

'...any old way you choose it....'

.....gotta be Rock and Roll Music....

'...if you wanna dance with me!'

Photographs taken at the 2009 and 2010 FAB Festivals by CLIFF ASTLES

Rock 'n' Roll with style at the 2011 FAB Festival

One of our special M-FAB25 commemorative Mastheads, featuring six rock 'n' roll ladies and one rock 'n' roll gent!