Muddy mischief at 'Welsh Woodstock'

Bryn Terfel's festival is now in its third year

By Tom Bourton BBC News Online

A muddy north Wales field may not be your first choice of venue for a Saturday night, but it was a recipe for entertainment at the Faenol Festival.

On stage, a procession of Welsh bands provided the soundtrack as a selection of unfortunate inebriates served up a slippery sideshow.

A fireworks festival closed the show

On Sunday, the field dried up for the finale, as Welsh opera star - and festival founder - Bryn Terfel welcomed Martine McCutcheon, Claire Sweeney and David Shannon to the party.

Whoever was performing though, the atmosphere at event, was pretty unique.

Despite the afternoon's rain, spirits remained high and dry as the bus from Caernarfon struggled up the slopes due to the weight of beer onboard.

At the evening, called Tân y Ddraig (Dragon's Fire), Caryl Parry Jones epitomised the revival theme of bands from the 70s and 80s by belting out a string of classic tunes - ending with Chwarae'n Troi'n Chwerw.

Martine McCutcheon closed the show

And the crowd really began squelching their feet and singing along as the entertaining Y Tebot Piws stole the show with a vintage performance including old favourites Lleucu Llwyd and Mawredd Mawr.

It was about then that the cocktail of mud and alcohol combined to turn some walkways into slideshows for the not-so-sober - as the rest of us tried not to laugh.

Crys and Geraint Jarman completed the night in enthusiastic style, before a mud-encrusted audience slithered off the car park to scramble onto buses home.

Showtime

On Sunday, it was the turn of the showgirls.

A sunny day and a smattering of straw firmed up the ground, and the crowd swelled as dusk approached.

Terfel perfomed on both Friday and Sunday nights

Fresh from his opera show on Friday night, in which he teamed up with soprano Renée Fleming, Bryn Terfel opened the evening and used home advantage to good effect,

The multi-talented Claire Sweeney also stood out, especially with her rendition of All That Jazz from Chicago.

After a solo stint, West End star David Shannon also dueted with both Terfel and Sweeney, before popular ex-Eastender Martine McCutcheon took her bow.

All four shared the last word, and the strains of You'll Never Walk Alone rebounded from stage to audience and back again.

And as the last notes echoed around the estate, a stunning firework display finished another enjoyable weekend.

Come rain or shine, the Faenol was fine.