The Ham main stage may have temporarily closed on Saturday afternoon due to high winds, but music fans had other options around town.
Riley Baugus – an old-time guitarist, banjoist, singer and instrument maker from North Carolina – was appearing at the Cellar Bar at Kennaway House.
With his distinctive gravelly voice and simple, effective delivery, his succinct set took us from the pain of “False Hearted Lover Blues” to an exhilarating “Tops of the Pines”.
Most memorable of all was his acapella take on “Amazing Grace”, with additional ad libs and enthusiastic audience participation.
Once repairs had been made to the Ham marquee and the weather had improved, the evening concert swung into action.
Topette!! – a collaboration between five musicians from France and England – offered a sublime set of powerful modern folk blended with traditional.
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Featuring Julien Cartonnet (bagpipes/banjo), James Delarre (fiddle), Andy Cutting (accordion), Tania Buisse (bodhrán) and Barn Stradling (bass), the quintet performed jigs, polkas and moody instrumentals with great aplomb.
“Just Heavy” – a brooding piece with a Bretton beat and heavy bass lines pulsing through it – was exceptionally evocative.
The French connection continued as headliners – and long-time Sidmouth Folk Festival favourites – Le Vent Du Nord bounded on stage.
A leading force in Quebec’s francophone folk movement, the Canadian quintet plays irresistible, hard-driving, soulful songs and instrumentals with Celtic overtones, blended with global influences.
All five members – Nicolas Boulerice (vocals, hurdy-gurdy, keyboards), Réjean Brunet (vocals, accordion, bass guitar, keyboards), Simon Beaudry (vocals, guitar, bouzouki), Olivier Demers (vocals, fiddle, guitar) and André Brunet (vocals, fiddle) – are superb musicians, and on Saturday night they gave it everything.
There was a poignant moment towards the end of their blistering set when all five musicians gathered closely together to toast the final night of their 20th anniversary tour and to thank the rapturous crowd for their support.
A respect for tradition lies at the heart of even the most contemporary folk music, and those seeking to connect with folk's roots head for the nightly traditional sessions at the Arts Centre, where some of the most venerated performers gather to share chat, songs and tunes in an informal setting.
Among those appearing on Saturday night were the multi-talented McCarthy Family from Ireland, young Scottish balladeer Scott Gardiner and Peter and Barbara Snape performing songs from the North West.
Participation is always a major part of the Sidmouth experience, with workshops for beginners and improvers running all week alongside informal sessions.
The Loose Knit Band Sessions – held each night at the Rugby Club – are led by melodeonist Bob Ellis with Martin Hughes and Jacqueline Land.
Saturday's session was busy with players of all standards who had come together to share tunes and techniques in a relaxed atmosphere.
Sitting back to enjoy the music – with a well-deserved cider to hand – was a fitting end to an extremely busy day.
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