2012

rolled in with that familiar mix of bold ideas, big names, and the brilliant, ever-loyal crowd that makes it all worthwhile. We’ve never been ones to sit neatly inside the lines, and this year was no different – from Echo & the Bunnymen to Roy Harper and Julian Cope, we stretched the broad church of folk (a little too much for some) and welcomed the artists who inspire us, challenge us, and keep the festival spirit alive.

Of course, hosting such an eclectic bunch comes with its own set of hurdles. Acoustic sets need space to breathe, and keeping the chatter down isn’t always easy. Enter the “Shush Police” – our tongue-in-cheek but much-needed guardians of quiet, ensuring every pin-drop moment could truly land. It’s all part of creating the atmosphere Moseley Folk is loved for: respectful, intimate, and fiercely appreciative of the craft onstage.

Behind the scenes, we continued the delicate dance of securing exclusive bookings without blowing the budget – a juggling act for any independent festival. But with a bit of persistence (and some very patient agents), we made it work, proving once again that passion can go a long way when resources can’t. Each year we do punch well above our weight – in any other city our line-up would fill a venue 3 times the size.

For whatever reason, promoters have to work all that much harder in Birmingham. One thing that has kept Moseley so special is that we can never grow it beyond its current size – it has made us value every square foot we have available and inspires us to use it as creatively as possible.

Julian Cope’s Saturday afternoon ‘Folk’ set was a memorable one, and I’d recommend reading Carl’s interview with Julian in this year’s programme.

Note the programme also has a review of the first ‘Pilot’ of Lunar Festival over a soggy double Jubilee Bank Holiday at Umberlsade Estate.

Goodnight Lenin made their festival debut, and a very young John Fell joins our team, later to forge a successful career in artist management with Katherine Priddy and programming all our events (this year adding Cambridge Folk Festival to his client list!)

This was the first year we struck a deal with our friends at Chantry Tennis to hire the junior courts, which became ‘Centre Court’ and the home to Ben Calvert’s ‘Bohemian Jukebox Stage’. Ben had for a long time championed local music talent, and his stage showcased some excellent new acts as our third stage.

And as always, the beating heart of the weekend came from closer to home. Our commitment to spotlighting local heroes and emerging talent remained front and centre, giving new artists the same stage glow as the legends. That mix – the unexpected, the iconic, the just-getting-started – is what keeps Moseley Folk moving forward year after year.