I’ve just come back from the most fantastic ukulele-oriented weekend of my life (yes it was better than the time I accidentally got shut in a ukulele shop armed with nothing but a song book and a torch, it was all I could do to play ‘Wagon wheel’ loudly until someone came to rescue/silence me…*)
I’m talking about the Ukulele Festival of Great Britain which takes place each year in a little town known as Cheltenham in the Cotswolds. I’d not been to a uke festival before and so when we finally rolled up to the pub late on Friday night, I wasn’t prepared for the sheer uke-ness of it all. Never before had I seen so many awesome people squeezed into the same space. Dotted around were groups of people just jamming to themselves, which gave the amazing effect of the world’s most interesting mash-up. (I’m sure I heard a mixture Fat-Bottomed Girls and Bach’s Cello Suite No.1 at one point…) But the absolute best part was that everyone was having such a great time, loads of people had dressed up as fairies and everyone was being just generally very Jolly.
But the best was yet to come. Saturday was the day of the main gig itself in the town hall. There were so many performers on and off the stage that it would take all day to list them all so here are some of my personal favourites:

  • Ben Rouse– A player of ferocious speed and skill with his roots in rock. Does a lovely cover of ‘Highway to Hell’.
  • Zoe Bestel- A singer-songwriter with the kind of voice that makes you want to cry in a good way.
  • Les Poupees Gonflees– Cheeky humour with a vintage French sound and amazingly inventive percussion
  • Tobias Elof– A master of both Danish folk music and dreadlocks. A strong combination
  • Ryo Natoyama– Pure virtuoso genius.
  • Hot Potato Syncopators– Like the March Hare at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Only British-er.
  • Barada Street– Ukulele playing acrobats. Yes, actual acrobats!
  • Ukulele Bartt– An eccentric writer of witty songs and an awesome fingerstyle player. Has lots of friends.
  • James Hill– One of the biggest names in the ukulele world, who found fame playing Billie Jean on one uke.

The sunday was pretty laid back with a massive busk (over 600 people at once!) and then lunch at the pub with an open mic. A perfect end to a great weekend. Will take the train next time though…
Looking back at the line-up we come to the title question, is it the Ukulele Festival of Great Britain? I would argue not, but in a good way. Whilst some of the very best of our home-grown talent were represented, there were also performers from Japan, Canada, USA, Denmark, France, Spain and even Kyrgyzstan! I think that actually it represents some of the best of the world’s uke players. Maybe they should go for International Ukulele Festival next year? I’m pretty sure that there isn’t one of those yet- at least in name.
Anyway, if you’re fairly new to the uke and and sure where to start apart from Formby and the UOGB** this is sort of like my own recommended listening list for you. These guys are awesome and it was great to hear them live. I thoroughly recommend it!
Oh, and I bought a Banjolele. Grand Southern Festival anyone?
Peace and love,
James
*True story. Probably.
**Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain