2007

the spark that lit Moseley Folk’s very first summer grew into something brighter, bolder, and beautifully our own. Building on the magic of that inaugural weekend, the festival blossomed into a more ambitious gathering, still full of heart, still proudly independent, but with a little extra polish and a whole lot more confidence.

Mission Print was working with some of the UK’s best graphic artists, and Suzy Wood and Martin McGrath agreed to take on the festival’s design work. London-based, they travelled up to the Park one day and gathered leaves, took photos and made sketches from which they developed textured background panels. Printed with striking fluorescent and metallic inks, we produced beautiful, eye-catching posters and flyers.

Our site creative team, led by Shan and Gordon, helped shape that evolution, weaving natural textures, handcrafted touches, and a hint of the avant-garde throughout the park. Moon block lettering, floral stage dressing and helium balloons; the result was a festival space that felt both familiar and wonderfully unexpected, Moseley Village charm meeting a bold new artistic vision.

Musically, we took inspiration and guidance from our friends: Geoff Dolman (Static Caravan), Andy Votel (Twisted Nerve), Mike & Gareth (Swordfish), Steve (Polar Bear), Pete Hellicar, to name only a few. Together, we built a programme that welcomed the traditional, contemporary, and downright experimental!

That spirit, curious, progressive, a little mischievous, set us apart early on. While we shared the same love of music and community as festivals like Green Man, Moseley had its own rhythm, its own quirks, its own willingness to wander off the beaten path.

Possibly the most memorable performance of 2007 was sadly one of the last by technically brilliant guitarist Davy Graham, pioneer of the DADGAD tuning.

Through all this hard work and with help from our friends, we were lucky to break-even in our second year, which gave us the confidence to step things up a little in 2008.