Newport, August 28th, 1999, Summer in the Square
Homegrown
words Mike Plumbley with help from Vic King  *  photographs Vic King
Thirty years ago today Bob Dylan was on the Isle of Wight with the Band determined to avoid the banana skin of Woodstock which was rescued by media hype. Thirty years on and just a few weeks ago Rik Danko of the Band, mustered fifty people to hear him in a scuzzy New York state bar while the helicopters roared overhead flying into Woodstock 99.
   Bob Dylan's visit to the Isle of Wight in 1969 has been forgotten. Forgotten in the scuffle for Millennium funds and the gravy train of art grants that continue to give us gaily painted ice cream cons and other mismatched art for the people (who never get asked anyway).
    However all is not lost. Bob Dylan and the 1969 festival got remembered on Saturday night in a scuzzy Gurnard bar. Prior to that Zarah Smith helped by Vaguely Sunny Promotions brought art, music and dance to the people in St. Thomas Square, Newport. And it cost a lot less than it takes to dip a dead sheep in formaldehyde.
   Zarah Smith's been putting her heart and soul into this project since the first square event in the winter of 96. This was followed by Summer in the Square's 97, 98 and now 99. Summer in the Square is now sponsored by a Council grant and it is money well spent. Each year Zara, Vic King and Pete Turner get their heads together and decide a bill of homegrown talent. No need to look further than the shores of this diamond Wight island for talent because we have it by the cartload.
    Today the cafe tables and seats around the Church are starting to fill. Summer in the Square, an important thoroughfare between the glistening supermarkets and old Newport, is testimony to Zara's original idea to revive it as a gathering place for people.

Gary Cramp, classical instrumentals on steel strings
The music begins at 10.30 with Gary Cramp, onetime member of Copper Clock in Freshwater in the heady days when beer was like bananas, 3 pence a skinful . . . Gary Cramp has an uncanny resemblance to Lawrence Durrell and plays a beautiful set of Spanish flavoured classical instrumentals on a steel strung guitar. Perfect sunshine music.

There are also a selection of stalls here to fit the idea of independent art and charity. Pieter Boudewijn has set up a selection of books from the teachings of Bhagavad Gita and is offering free oatmeal crunchies and advice on 'self realisation'. The Youth Charity Trust has set up a bric-a-brac stall and a lady has a small display of bone jewellery.
Children are wandering freely and safely and busily engaged in the painting and bubble blowing bucket. Later the Punch and Judy show would be in full swing with as many adults as children clustered around.
JC and Angelina Grimshaw, acoustic folk, blues 'n' roots
JC and Angelina continue on the main stage with another of their perfect sets for sunny days. The duo begin with Angelina's song Nightingales and end with a dedication to their father John Rufus called appropriately Old Jack Lightning.
    In between come a couple of songs from the new JC Grimshaw solo album that was being played at the Cambridge Folk Festival between the acts a few weeks back. Great songs like Hey Hey Hey and a blistering Honeyman, JC's fingers just a blur as they cascade up and down the fretboard.
    There's also a sultry, beautiful rendition of Angelina's Train A Comin'. Angelina's quiet soulful burr on this one just fits the baking sun of the day. A new JC song Jenny Don't You Remember is another classic. The combination of brother and sister harmonies, JC's mandolin and lyrics that speak of old juke boxes and bohemian lifestyles to fit JC to a T. As in 'Coffee and Django on the jazzbox'.
Unipsycho, trick pyschlist
Just by the Church a young guy known as Unipsycho, performed with a couple of trick bikes. His act involved skipping ropes and he got deserved appreciation for his artistry. Pete Turner went up to ask him: 'How long will it take you to get back to Ventnor on that?'
A late addition to the bill took the main stage next Simon the busker and his mate (James), on a couple of guitars. Simon regularly busks in the square and it had been felt he should have the chance of playing here today. Pete Turner introduced them as 'Simon and his mate, well what's your name then?' Musicians sometimes think we are mindreaders . . . Good set of covers, strongly sung, I think they were all covers. Each successive act was bringing an altogether different style of music to the stage.
The Punch and Judy booth
Then the action shifted to the Punch and Judy stand. This was street theatre at its best. Word was that the folding booth and all the characters had been made by Russ Wendes of Chiz and Russ. Children were packed around the base of the booth and a large crowd of adults ringed the show. My son Robert and I missed the first show the traditional Punch and Judy but we caught the Three Little Pigs.
    It was a madcap mayhem take on a timeless story brilliantly performed by Russ and the Ferret aka Graham MacFarlane The characters were paper mache with sticks up their bums, all brilliantly painted and conceived. The wolf met his end not down the chimney this time but stoned by red bricks . . . Children laughed their socks off and adults had tears rolling down their faces . . .
Martinez, Flamenco meets Spaghetti Western . . .
On the main stage Martinez were grouping. Another change of style. The superb classical guitar on steel strings duo of Paul Athey and SG expanded by the congas and wind chimes of Dave Pontin and Mick Cuffe on electric bass.
    Imagine Flamenco meets Spaghetti Western and you have the spread of where the music goes this afternoon. It just flies, Cuffe underpinning it with handfuls of fluid bass lines, the thud of Pontin's congas and zing of the chimes in the wind. Right centre stage two of the very best guitarists this diamond Wight Island has to offer showing how its done. With passion and the crowd loves it.
Shamrock and Thistle, Irish and Scottish dancing troupe
Next up the Shamrock and Thistle Dancers, Vic says they are called this because they do Irish and Scottish dancing. They are well received. A group of young girls in sparkling hand embroidered Irish dresses dancing jigs and reels over swords and on the stone pavement. The comments from the crowd standing sunning themselves is full of praise for the variety this afternoon. And no less for these very young ladies giving their all to entertain.
Wet Paint, drumming on the edge of magic . . .
Wet Paint filled the stage with congas and digeridoos manned by folks like the Spencer Bros, Rafe and Mark, Dominic and lots of people I don't know names for and the Square started to sound to Vic King like it was Golden Gate Park, San Francisco on a Sunday afternoon, drumming on the edge of magic . . .
Newport Ghost Walk, hooded figures and ghoulish tales . . .
Newport Ghost Walk was always going to be one to surprise us. How would these folks bring ghosts to the square on a sunny afternoon. Short answer is they did. Mark Tuckey dressed as a jester fronted a group of five musicians, two violinists including Becky Haydock, a recorder player and a bodhran player with a sack over his head. Amongst the crowd roamed hooded figures and Mark regaled the audience with ghost stories of the Wight beginning with a marvellous tale from Gatcombe Church. Superb as we say around here.
Coochy then Chiz, Newport's gutsy songwriters
Next came two fine sets from Newport troubadours known for being passionate and gritty as Newport Quay in their performances. First Mick Cooch (left) with a great set of covers including the Stereophonics A Thousand Trees and songs by his influence Paul Weller. Gutsy and real as usual.
    Then Chiz, (below) about 7ft tall, stripped to the waist, when it got too hot, and giving like he always does every inch of himself into the microphone. Mostly covers again I think, one quite brilliant song by some bloke called Ian McNabb.
     This was a favourite of the bloke he asked up on stage to perform harmonica, Simon whatisname who used to work at Quay Arts. Simon does the wailing harmonica stuff and Chiz sings about rivers and death and stuff. Atmospheric song.
Tzigane, Gypsy jazz for Cossacks and campfires
Tzigane shift the emphasis Eastwards with their gypsy campfire jazz, John Mansell on guitar, Irish vet and fiddle player Donal O'Riain and on double bass the cool dude in the sunglasses and Bermudan shirt, Paul Armfield. Tzigane play Cossack music, gypsy jazz full of cries and thigh slapping, mostly from the audience this afternoon who get into Donals delightful way of pulling at your heart strings.
Paul Armfields father, Colin, a great supporter of local talent, is unsure what to expect from the final act, two young girls from the Isle of Wight Youth Orchestra playing 'recorders'. 'I told Paul he could come home with any instrument except a recorder,' laughs Colin 'so he came home with a French horn . . .' For some of us recorders conjure up the smell of school dinners and the horrors of squeaky violins.
Catherine Snell and Liz Courtney, Mozart on recorders
However Catherine Snell and Liz Courtney are on tune and in key and their gentle set of Mozart and Greensleeves, and at least one tune I've heard on Postman Pat I'm sure, made a great ending to the day. Sublime.
   Summer in the Square 1999 comes to an end. Pete and Sue Byrne are among those who have come with sandwiches and cake and enjoyed the entire day. The big smiles and empty glasses speak for themselves. The Square has been vibrant with people passing through or staying to catch some music. Just like Zarah Smith originally intended.
    For some the music never stops. Pete Turner gathers his record collection together and departs for the Portland in Gurnard where the music of the 1969 Wootton Festival will fill the tiny pub. Like Danko in New York he'll probably muster a few folks in there only the Who's helicopter buzzing overhead will be missing.
    And to the question 'Is Bob Dylan coming?' Chris Colley will answer 'Of course he is mate, I'm his chauffeur . . .'
Mike Plumbley
ps: Darrin Cooper videoed the entire event so more footage for the archives . . .