Cambridge Folk Festival contains multitudes. Fancy hearing a drag queen performing Christian country music with a singer/songwriter sobriety? Step right up Flamy Grant. A classically trained queer singer/pianist digging down into his native American heritage? That will be Jeremy Dutcher. Or what about a bonkers Berlin-based ensemble rocking out on traditional Japanese instruments? Mitsune were a delight and a highlight for many. Or would you just like to hear a trad take on the folk music of Britain and Ireland? There was plenty of that on offer from the likes of Capercaillie and Ralph McTell.
Elsewhere across its three-and-half days, there were weird, wired and wonderful performances from funk soul brother Fantastic Negrito, soulful South Asian sage Raghu Dixit, the Lizzo-meets-Beth Ditto powerhouse that is Rhioghnach Connolly and her elemental band Honeyfeet and the festival’s first ever Korean act, Sangjaru, introducing a rich armoury of instruments unfamiliar to western audiences.
There were also high energy workouts from beloved Quebecois group Genticorum, the raucous Langan Band and Scottish trio Talisk who managed to conjure a Friday folk rave from concertina, fiddle and acoustic guitar. At the more thoughtful end of the scale, Northern Irish singer/songwriter Dani Larkin sounded like a future star while multi-instrumentalist Leyla McCalla warmed up with some seductive Haitian vibes.
Like Glastonbury, Cambridge has a Sunday Legends slot, one for each side of the Atlantic. US folk titan Peggy Seeger charmed in the company of her sons Neill and Calum MacColl, while vibrant veteran English folk rockers The Oysterband intimated possible retirement while demonstrating their ongoing vitality.
However, for many in attendance, there was one legend who was the must-see draw. Robert Plant showcased his penchant for exploring psychedelic roots music from around the world in an understated yet powerful Friday night set with the band Saving Grace and singer Suzy Dian, whipping up a quiet storm before bidding farewell with a country gospel a cappella.
