The Bare Foot Folk Live tour... how great was that!
Sitting in the beautiful town of Glastonbury with friends and fans I had met on twitter who had travelled all the way from Leicester for three and a half hours to see me play at the Glastonbury Assembly Rooms the evening before was a very surreal moment. It was also a moment which very much summed up the Bare Foot Folk album and tour experience for me.
I remember sitting in a theatre years ago watching Kate Rusby play and leaning over to my husband saying “I'm never going to get to play on stages like that!”... well, it turns out I was wrong (don't let my husband hear me say that!).
The Regal Theatre was the first time I'd stepped onto a theatre stage as the main performer. It was a huge old cinema and the stage big enough for a full ballet production, with little old me stood in a single spot. I had wondered if it were possible for me to fill that stage and then as I started to sing (acoustically at this point) my voice was lifted through the arena and seamed to hang in the air like little stars for an eternity. Immediately I was at home. I took my shoes off, sat on the stage and ate my tea (sushi) so that by the time the theatre was full and I was ready to go on stage it was like walking into my kitchen and singing from the kitchen table as I do at home. I didn't think it possible for a room like that to be so very intimate. But it was. I fell in love with theatre stages that night.
During the Bare Foot Folk tour I played in small village halls to audiences of twenty people and I played in theatres to hundreds... that's the joy of folk music. It is so versatile and it completely merges community and music in a way that means it works anywhere that there are people who share the love of it.
I would like to thank everyone involved in the tour. Babysitters (these have been priceless, and mainly come in the form of a grandparent), venue managers, staff, volunteers, lighting, sound, catering staff, local papers, online promoters, and all those local community members who posted flyers on foot to help spread the word. I'd especially like to thank Rob, a man of many hats: Manager, Promoter, Booking Agent, Producer, Artistic director, Sound Engineer, Driver, Roadie, and many more, but most of all Husband. He is the reason I do what I do. Without him I would simply not be able to do it. Thank you.
I'd also like you thank everyone who came to see me and to those of you who signed my drum! Throughout the tour I asked everyone to leave little notes, pictures, signatures or marks on my drum so that I could take away a memory of this tour. I've popped a photo of it here and below are a few of the notes that were left behind. What a beautiful keepsake this will be for me; a legacy that you were all part of. Thank you!
Ange x
“The queen of 'beautiful talking'! I adore you – Emma”
(Emma Britton BBC Somerset)
“Love your tunes Ange – Lucas Drinkwater”
(someone whose path I am honoured to cross, what an incredible musician he is)
“My 11 year old sister loved you and so did my 50 year old mum! - Anon”
(One of my favourite comments)
“Great voice, Great musician, keep it up beautiful Goddess Ange. Love and blessings from – Nathan”
(from the wonderful Glastonbury Assembly Rooms, a MUST goto venue)
“Your music and sound is inspires! Thank you for your spirit and folk music in roots. Love you, from a lifelong fan! - Susie”
(She was there at the start of my journey at one of my very first concerts and was there at the end of 'the Bare foot folk' tour, a beautiful lady and loyal fan)
“Ange, you have no idea how much I enjoy and love the album and your voice! Thank you – Zarla”
(A twitter fan who has become a close friend)
“You are Amazing, It was awesome to meet you! - Jemima Farey”
(A beautiful talented young lady...one to watch out for on the folk scene)
Posted by Ange Hardy on October 28th 2013
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