ON A gloriously dry and warm September Saturday evening, the Bad Shepherds came to Whimple... and what a fantastic evening it was!

{Article originally written by Sally Wilde, and printed in Express and Echo 28th September 2010 - somewhat abridged! I have added a little detail which was missed out from the printed version, such as my own involvement!}

As a result of a joint effort between Mister Fixer, Handsome Dicks Records, Whimple Cricket Club and so many helpers (it is impossible to list them all), the village enjoyed an almost 'mini Glastonbury' experience, combining great music from Ade Edmonson's (he of The Young Ones/Bottom fame) band, real ale, take away food and even 'festival toilets'!

The evening started with singer/songwriter Richard James, who provided a mellow sound while we all settled in. After Richard, Ella Edmondson performed a great set with her joint songwriting partner and livened things up a little more, in readiness for the main event.

John Griffiths, of Hansome Dicks, then took to the stage to announce the Bad Shepherds.

The band are a four-piece with Ade on lead vocals and, as he puts it, 'thrash mandolin', backed by a mesmerising fiddle player, Andy Dinan, plus percussion back up from Troy Donockley on Uillean pipes, cittern, whistles and vocals.

I suppose the only way to begin to describe it is take any Seventies or Eighties groundbreaking rock/punk anthem and turn it into folk metal!

We all recognised the originals: Model by Kraftwerk, Ace of Spades by Motorhead, Down at the Tube Station by The Jam and even The Smiths' Panic, but played on a fiddle and mandolin? Somehow, though, it was amazing!

SALLY WILDE

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