Meet Jeanette Lynes, a Colchester musician who sings with Sound Mirrors and The Significant Others. Jeanette is also the promoter who has been running Acoustic Bull on the 2nd Thursday of each month for four years, and Bullstock Music Festival for three years, at The Bull in Colchester.
Each month I am going to write about acoustic, covers and original acts that have impressed me and I’m going to begin with my highlights from Cosmic Puffin 8.
Well, what a great musical start to this month! Local legend, Jamie Anderson, started organising Cosmic Puffin music festivals on Mersea Island 8 years ago and each year they go from strength to strength. Raising thousands of pounds for charity, the festival is a big draw for musicians and festival-goers, with six stages accommodating more than 100 acts and providing something for just about everyone… no matter how weird! I had the great pleasure of performing there a few years ago with Lady Bird & The Larks and then again this year with Sound Mirrors on The River Stage. The whole festival appeared to be run like a well-oiled machine, but with just the right amount of laid-back hippy-appeal that you would expect and want from a small(ish) music event run entirely by volunteers.
Acoustic
‘Fishclaw’ are a six-piece instrumental group who play a mix of up-tempo beats and melodies with traditional folk influences and immersive ‘soundscapes’. With double bass, violin, whistle/flute & accordion amongst their armoury they had the place enthralled – it’s impossible to not dance… or at least tap your foot!
Give them a listen:
Covers
I don’t get to see many cover bands but this one could also be in the Acoustic section of my article… ‘The Bijoux Toots’, also affectionately known as ‘The Toots’. They say they are ‘Americana Popfolk Nugrass’ and if you like shanties, reels and unexpected pop songs played by some great folk musicians then this will be right up your street. Using condenser microphones, the ones that pick up all surrounding sound, they stood in two groups leaning in and out blending their voices and instruments to great effect.
A video taste of The River Stage:
Originals
‘Mouthful Of Ashtrays’ played on The Cosmic Stage and my word they filled it with some jaw-droppingly good old-fashioned rock with a hint of country! They had everything going on… the music, the vibe, the harmonies and, of course, the stance. Centre stage in dark glasses, one foot on the monitor and wielding his bass guitar like a machine gun, Mark Shillaker played up brilliantly to the exuberant crowd.
See them in action on The Cosmic Stage:
Jeanette Lynes