Convention Review
Contabile 35
The 35th Annual UK Filk Music Convention
7th - 9th February, 2025.
The Wensum Valley Hotel, Golf and Country Club, Norwich.
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The choice of venue was a little unusual in that it was not in a town centre, being more in the countryside and with a good view over the Wensum Valley (a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation). The hotel is on the western edge of Taverham, which is to the northwest of Norwich, and about six and half miles from the city’s railway station (which is why the convention arranged a taxi service for train users). The local roads are also a bit interesting, though following the convention’s route instructions provided a better route than the country lanes that some satnavs and navigation software suggested. Apart from the minor travel irritations, it proved to be a very good venue.
Wensum Valley Nature Reserve.
The Wensum Valley Hotel, Golf and Country Club, as its name suggests, is also home to a golf club; it has two courses, each of which attracts many local players as well as golf parties from afar. It is also a popular local venue for social events, both organised events and simple things like family meals, and is particularly popular for weddings. However, there were no weddings that weekend and the layout of the hotel and its bar and lounge was such that the convention folk mixed readily with the other customers, with neither really noticing that the other was there.
Wensum Valley Hotel, Golf and Country Club.
The Filkcon was held in the Valley Suite, which afforded a large room for the main concert: the convention has a single programme stream. It also included an outer room which was used for socialising, sales and auctions desks, workshops, and the late night circles. The bar and lounge, immediately outside the Valley Suite, formed a large area with many tables and seats, arranged in specific areas that naturally made for an overall quiet area where socialising was very pleasant. The bar was open from first thing until there was nobody left (the night porter being there if needed) and the bar meals, which were from a large and varied menu, were available from an impressive 7 am until 9:30 pm. In addition, the restaurant, with a great view out over the golf course and the valley, provided breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including a very good carvery lunch on the Sunday.
The convention's programme room.
The hotel has ninety rooms over two floors. Though as there is no lift, priority was given to those with special needs who requested the ground floor. Apart from those with rooms on the first floor, the convention was all on one level, which some found particularly advantageous (we are all getting older). My room was upstairs but easy to get to. For once in a hotel, it was not overheated; the radiator had a radstat that worked and the window opened - very civilised. The room was not large but it was adequate and comfortable enough. There was a kettle and a small but neat ensuite bathroom. It might sound like faint praise but it was totally adequate - it provided all that I needed though no more and the price was very reasonable!
The car park had space for two hundred cars, more than enough for the convention! However, with many golfers, a gym and pool on site (both included in the hotel rate), and the popularity of the Sunday carvery, it could look quite full (though in fact there were always spaces).
It was often commented on that the staff were very friendly and always helpful - we could not have asked for better service. And the food was good - I especially recommend the Sunday carvery and would also warn that the bar meals were hardly small (think twice before adding a bowl of fries ‘just in case’).
So much for the hotel, now for the Filkcon itself. This kicked off with the opening ceremony at 7:30 on the Friday evening; we were welcomed, the parish notices were read out, and introductions were made. Our International Guest of Honour was Michael ‘Moonwulf’ Longcor, the UK Guest of Honour was Edwin Brady, and the Filker Emerita was Valerie Housden. The music then started and first up was Tim Griffin, an American with a good, clear voice and interesting, often educational, songs. Teaching, he explained, is something he does by profession and he has found that songs can make it easier. Next came Gavran, a Frenchman with a very traditional folk style of singing. He was followed by Chantelle, who’s sweet voice and harp made a most enjoyable combination. Finishing the evening were Via Bella (Rand & Erin Bellavia), stalwarts of the American filk scene. Then, as all evenings, came the open circle as people sang into the early hours (and later than my bedtime).
Saturday morning started with workshops; Mike Whitaker lead a session on running Filkcons, Tim Griffin talked about song writing, and Michael Longcor demonstrated performance tricks. Unfortunately it proved that running workshops in the outer room resulted in a natural conflict with the socialising also taking place in the room and so produced many ‘shush’s. Bill & Brenda Sutton gave us the only concert of the morning, to their usual high standard, which was followed by the convention’s business meeting (basically the finances are in good order).
Richard & Izzy Marsherder opened the afternoon’s activities with a good set, being followed by the first part of the Filk Fund auction, run as usual by Roger Robinson. Then came (Filker Emerita) Valerie Housden, giving another of her very good performances of interesting and sometimes touching songs. The afternoon finished with the main concert, ninety minutes where all performers were limited to just two songs or ten minutes. Of particular note were Playing Rapunzel and William Bains.
The evening saw the first concerts from our Guests of Honour. Edwin Brady (UK GoH) opened and entertained us with songs often based on technology and games. Michael ‘Moonwulf’ Longcor (International GoH) closed the evening with songs on a variety of subjects, sung in a strong and clear voice and accompanied by good guitar work. And so to the open circle, for those still wanting to sing.
After breakfast on Sunday I noticed a bunch of people singing outside in the courtyard; Piers Cawley had found a good resonance under an overhanging roof and it was being taken advantage of. I am not sure what the passing golfers thought!
The morning programme opened with workshops: melody writing with Valerie followed by Edwin leading folks in writing a song there and then. The second part of the auction came next and, between the two, a fair sum was raised towards next year’s expenses. The morning ended with a set from Fey; I only caught the very end but he sounded good.
I had missed most of this having spent much of the morning at the City of Norwich Aviation Museum in the company of Moonwulf. Like many Americans, he had lost a family member during WWII, in this case flying a bomber out of Horsham St. Faith’s Airfield (now Norwich International Airport). If you are in Norwich and have the time, it is a small but interesting museum, with many displays and a number of aircraft (my favourite was the Avro Vulcan, which you can sometimes climb aboard).
The Sams Awards.
Returning to the event, the afternoon started with Edwin’s second set, followed by the presentation of the Sams Awards. This was followed by Tom Nanson, with his usual strong voice and dramatic presentation, and then came Moonwulf’s second, excellent set. The Sams concert followed, where the award-winning songs were performed, and then it was time for the closing ceremony. Apart from the Dead Dog open circle after dinner, that was it for another year.
The Sams, by the way, went to:
Best at-con Performance: Adventurer’s Waltz - Fey & Bryn
Best Serious: Something In The Water - Richard Marsherder
Best Silly: Adventurer’s Waltz - Fey
Filk Gold: Lucy On The Line - Tim Griffin
Everything had gone very well, people had had a good time, and it was agreed that we had found a good hotel. Bar meals could be a little slow at peak times, though using the pre-order system worked well. A few people had niggles over a perceived lack of facilities in the ‘accessible’ rooms, though in fact such rooms were never offered, and there were also a few gripes over special dietary requirements. The hotel had said upfront that they could assign rooms with certain features (such as wider doors for mobility scooters) and add temporary fittings (grab handles and rails, etc.) on request and, similarly, could oblige most dietary requirements if asked. The hotel booking form therefore had a box for such requests though the onus was on the members to ensure that they made the necessary requests and had provided enough details, as well as discussing any dietary needs with the hotel at the time. In future the booking form will make this more obvious in order to ensure that detailed needs are indeed properly defined so that the hotel can be made fully aware and so can oblige as requested.
Next year’s Filkcon will be Contabile 36 and will be held in the same hotel. The convention committee and the hotel are keen to iron out any niggles discovered this year and ensure that next year will be even better. It will be one week earlier than usual (due to an already existing wedding booking), the dates being 30th January to 1st February. The guests will be Tim Griffin (International GoH) and Richard & Izzy Marsherder (UK GoHs). For further information, info[at]contabile[dot]org[dot]uk
There is a rumour that the 2027 event (which has yet to be announced) will also be at this hotel - I told you folks liked it!
Peter Tyers
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