Performers

Act One

Act Two

Compère
Bob Cairns

Sound Engineer
Pete O'Hara

So we came to the final day of the 5th Jolly Brewer Lincolnshire Music and Beer Festival. It had been a quite 'heavy' but entirely enjoyable weekend with Detonal State and Dean Foxx's Knock Out Kaine opening a jam-packed Friday night, the promising local band, Dead Baby Parade, impressing with a muched improved performance on Saturday and the Rugkutta disco making the tills chirp until they squalled on Sunday.

Monday's Open Mic Day is traditionally a celebration of the best of those good souls who have entertained us throughout the year at the Wednesday evening JBOM but with a cursory glance around the well-populated beergarden picturing so many familiar faces, it may well be just as aptly described as the Jolly Brewer Community Day.

This day had been blighted in the previous two years by heavy rain, forcing the event to be held indoors, and with the local weather forecasters predicting rain for the late afternoon and evening once again, things weren't looking too good. However, everytime the dark clouds, which frequently menaced above our heads, threaten to spoil the day, our good weather fairy at last awoke from her slumbers to blow them all away.

The real ales had been well and truly ravished and pillaged by the thirsty hoardes over the weekend but happily there was enough left to satisfy the real ale connoisseurs amongst us, suggesting that bar commander-in-chief, Stephany Chapman, had got it just about spot on with her beer orders.

So many Open Mic Day regulars have gone on to the pastures new now that it was hard to predict what the day would bring but, knowing Bob, the smart money was on him conjuring up something pretty cute....and so it proved to be.

Act One
It's good to see the promising singer/songwriter Arnie Weavers back on the scene and, after a couple of numbers from Bob, he got the day off on the right note with three originals and a cover

Dave Wade doesn't write his own material as yet so he gave us four covers, ironically beginning directly in front of St Hughs church with "What If God Was One Of Us?" and being accompanied his friend Tom on electric guitar for the last two.

The Nightingales gave a solid performance followed by Mablethorpe's Tom Knott.

Sandfly are a 'festival band' if there ever was one and they took the 'show' to a whole new level with their uplifting harmonies.

Despite a few technical difficulties, Alford's Dan Hickin made a good impression before local favourite Andrea Ferguson, who was also in good form, took us to the break with four of her own worthy compositions.

It was time now to get some 'solids' fom Rachel & Damien's delightful BBQ and there was plenty to talk about, not least that spot from Sandfly.

Act Two
The second half got off to a flyer as Dex recited a remarkable piece of prose punctuated by tape effects.

Ben Smith's Shell Suits and Cowboy Boots followed with four covers before a welcome appearance from Milly and Ralph gave us a drop of the Irish and Andrew Santon and Sam White treated us to four of Andrew's own compositions.

The opportunity to appear on a proper stage in lovely surroundings with a professionally engineered sound seemed to inspire Viv Murrell and she all but 'stole the show' with a sublime and professional set showcasing her silky vocals and well-constructed songs.

Leon Ford and Josh Jackson kept the spirits high with some fine reggae.

Jim Manser and Debbie Hudson had been rehearsing really hard for this and the hard work paid off as they gave another progressive performance featuring four of Jim's compositions which suggests that they have a bright future.

That just left time for young Sam Harrison's The Satisfaction to round off an excellent day.

Many thanks to all the performers who during six hours treated us to a fascinating mix of musical entertainment. There was loads of compliments about the sound quality flying around and Pete O'Hara deserves full credit for that. Special plaudits must also go to Bob Cairns, who put an awful lot of time and effort into organizing the event, and who proved yet again that, when he's on the top of his game, he truly remains Lincoln's compère without compare. Thanks also go to Stephie Chapman and the Jolly Brew Crew who, despite being almost out on their feet, just kept pulling the pints with a smile and last but by no means least to Emma Chapman, the lady who makes it all possible