May is music month here in Dartmouth, and


this year it’s the town’s 20th Music Festival. steph Woolvin met a few of the people involved….


PAM BRAAKENBURG – Chairman This is my 10th, and last year as chairman of the music festival. I have seen some fantastic artists over the years and have loved meeting new people and getting to know all the pub and hotel owners. It’s my job to ensure the festival runs smoothly. Beforehand, I arrange the meetings, make sure each department is on top of things and also take the lead with organising sponsorship and fundraising. On the festival days I’ll be out collecting and on the phone dealing with issues like bands not turning up on time! I have seen quite a few changes over the years. The festival hasn’t got much big- ger, we only have a certain number of venues but the sound and lighting technology has really improved and the number of artists who’re interested in performing has rocketed. We used to go around asking bands to come; now we have a waiting list. This year 600 applied for 150 places. I couldn’t do my role without the support of my marvellous committee - everyone works hard to make sure there’s something for everyone with jazz, folk, pop, classical, opera, sea shanties….and everything in between!


BEN MALLEY – Sound Engineer In the run up to the festival I make sure all the technical aspects for each stage are in place. During the weekend itself I supply the live sound equipment for the Market Square and Bayard’s Cove whilst acting as venue manager for the Market Square. In previous years I’ve engineered acts on both stages but recently we’ve been helped out by students - it’s an opportunity for them to get some real world experience. Each day we are there well before and after the bands and audiences have visited our venues. The stages I manage are packed away every evening and set up from scratch the following morning - so some early starts and late nights to look forward to! I enjoy the atmosphere that fills the town on the weekend – so much to see and hear. Everything comes to life. I have seen a whole host of fantastic acts over the years and I’m still enjoying some of the CDs I’ve got from them.


KIERA OSMENT - Solo performer from Barnstaple This is the first time I have performed at Dartmouth Music Festival and I’m very excited. It’s just me, (although my dad, who’s an honorary roadie, often gets mistaken as a band member) and I play the piano and occasionally break out the guitar. I write all my own songs and they can be inspired by anything - my own emotions, experiences and struggles, a book I’ve read or whatever is going on in the news. I travel quite far for gigs – from Cornwall to London and the journeys have inspired some lyrics! I enjoy live gigs. It doesn’t happen every time but occasionally you will get this supernatural moment in which everything falls silent into this dream like sequence. It’s almost as if someone else is playing the song and I feel this emotional connection with the audience. I’m looking forward to ex- ploring the festival and soaking in the atmosphere. Seeing new musicians perform is always inspiring. I’m known for wearing hats and I’ll be getting out my summer hats for the festival!


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