Set in the heart of rural Suffolk, the Maverick Festival is fast establishing itself as a major small gathering event for fans and musicians of country, roots and Americana music. In the four years since its inception in 2008, the glowing praise for this unique event far exceeds the scale of the operation but the preservation of a small time feel is essential to the unique standing of the festival.
Despite incorporating a Friday evening and Sunday lunchtime session, the festival is essentially a one day event that presents a wide variety of acts all performing music under the umbrella of a genre, that while fairly low key, has a very diverse feel about it. Around 2000 fans of this genre, happily within the organiser's budget, attended the Saturday of this year's Maverick Festival that saw artists primarily performing from three locations within the setting of Easton Farm Park.
A unique feature of the festival is that the main outdoor arena, known as the Maverick Stage, only hosts acts from 11.00 to 6.00. While proving a very pleasant spot to enjoy the music on what proved to be a warm and sunny afternoon, the artists appearing on this stage were not necessarily the main attractions. However the exception this year was Canadian country rock band, Blue Rodeo who closed the proceedings in the late afternoon sunshine. From a personal perspective, a decision was made to miss their set and observe acts elsewhere but prior to their appearance, two sets from other artists were watched and enjoyed in full. First up were a four piece all girl, Canadian, old time/bluegrass group from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Oh My Darlin' represent quite an extensive trend of new younger artists getting involved in music originally generated many decades ago. This is especially prevalent in Canada where two similar acts, Po Girl and Wailin' Jennys are active on both sides of the Atlantic. Oh My Darlin' were immediately followed by a more authentic U.K. act, The Travelling Band from Manchester. This group had a rock feel about them tinged with a psychedelic sound emanating from the country movement that evolved in California in the late sixties. Both artists contributed to an enjoyable hour and half soaking up the rays.
Probably the soul of the Maverick Festival exists within The Barn, a small covered music arena that, in its other life is, well.. a barn! Starting at 11.45, The Barn is brimming with a wide variety of acts right up to the midnight hour. This unique venue is quite at home housing solitary singer songwriters as it is raucous country honky tonk bands, depending on the time of day of course.
The first artist caught here this year were the last few songs by Sadie and the Hot Heads. This band fronted by UK based US actress, Elizabeth McGovern play a gentle brand of country music with a British feel about it. Generally you can say that it is what the festival is all about. The next two artists in The Barn were acts of personal interest. While the albums of Danny Schmidt have never left any personal resonance, his fourty minute live set was the complete opposite. A compelling performance of Texan folk music delivered in a captivating manner. This guy's stock was elevated ten fold and proved to be one of the highlights of the day. No sooner had Danny Schmidt left the stage, the mood gravitated from the Lone Star state to the sounds of Appalachia and an appearance by Nashville based duo, Jeni and Billy. Currently on their second tour of the UK, they blend a traditional old time sound with tales of West Virginian mining heritage all interwoven with personal tales of both a secular and faith based nature.
Following an interlude enjoying the outdoor acts, a return was made to The Barn late afternoon to catch two more artists featuring within the personal music collection. Kacey Cubero has recently delivered an impressive country rock and Americana album titled 'Fill Your Cup' and her set was eagerly awaited. However while festivals can throw up pleasant surprises there can also be the odd disappointment. Kacey's set initially suffered from technical difficulties, that was one blot on the The Barn this year, and unfortunately it never really got going. It is hoped that her current UK tour is successful and that she will return in the future as it is believed she has more to offer. The next artist on was Brigitte DeMeyer who was returning to the festival to play Saturday this year after featuring on Friday evening in 2010. Flanked by members of British alt-country outfit, Two Fingers of Firewater, Brigitte proceeded to give a performance in line with her respected standing within Nashville's country music community.
After a short break catching music elsewhere, two more contrasting artists were enjoyed in The Barn. In 2010, The Orbitsuns had to pull out of the festival due to family bereavements but they duly kept their commitment to return by playing a storming, crowd pleasing interactive set. Their brand of honky tonk cowpunk country raised the roof of The Barn and set the scene for the interesting follow on act of Otis Lee Crenshaw. A creation of Deep South born comic, Rich Hall, he delivered a somewhat risky style of humour interspersed with country songs that while an intriguing booking for an Americana music festival, went down extremely well with the packed audience. He proved to be the final act enjoyed in The Barn as interest turned to the quaint sounding Peacock Cafe.
This converted farm building comes to life in the early evening and provides an excellent setting for a continual stream of solo acoustic acts. The opening performer in the Peacock Cafe this year was British country singer-songwriter, Danni Nicholls who gave an accomplished performance that led you wanting to discover her music a little more. Definitely the rising star of this year's Maverick. Before the festival's headline act graced the Peacock Cafe's stage at 10.00, an anticipated set from country blues performer Will Scott was watched with intent. Proving that roots music can cross many musical boundaries, this New York based, Indiana born musician lived up to prior expectation and left a desire to further seek out while he visited these shores.
While the Maverick Festival generally runs on a modest budget and aims to promote mainly below the mainstream radar artists, this year they grasped the opportunity to book a US folk legend, currently in the country to commemorate fourty years of Glastonbury. Melanie Safka only needed to be known by her first name in the world of music in the late sixties and early seventies, and in 2011 she proved during her hour and a half set that talent can last a lifetime. Several main chart hits from both sides of the Atlantic were vociferously received by the Peacock Cafe crowd and the Woodstock veteran repaid the investment in her by delivering a performance in line with her standing in the industry.
The good news in the aftermath of the festival is the confirmation that Maverick 2012 has been preserved and once again 2000 committed music fans can navigate the twisting lanes of rural Suffolk to return to Easton Farm. This quaint gathering of roots, country and Americana fans is set to become a permanent summer feature and secure its own special place in the festival scene
