East Lothian Courier | News | Sea you all in 2009, everyong

Thursday, 20th November, 2008

Published: Thursday, 21st August, 2008 08:40

Sea you all in 2009, everyong

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THE organisers of the inaugural Fringe by the Sea music festival are set to repeat the project in 2009.

Tantallon Road residents Eric Wales and John Shaw and Stenton-based concert promoter Jane Thomson have been taken aback by the success of the four-day festival, which ended on Saturday.

Sell-out crowds attended concerts by the Dougie MacLean Acoustic Band, Giveaway, Seaside Skiffle, Mike and Ali Vass, Fischy Music and Fat Sam’s Swing Band. And it was standing room only for a night of stand-up comedy as rising stars Kevin Bridges, Maeve Higgins and Jarlath Regan joined the groups making a temporary detour to North Berwick from the main Edinburgh Fringe.

Performances from the Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra, Opera East, local rock band Taking Chase, Rab Knoakes and Georgi Heron and Becky Mills were also well supported, as was children’s entertainer Mr Boom.

The four venues used were the Masonic Hall (80 seats), a marquee on Harbour Green (150), Abbey Church (280) and St Andrew Blackadder Church (340).

Festival director Mr Wales hopes to be able to add a fifth town centre venue to next year’s line-up.

Mr Wales, a guitarist with Edinburgh-based Fat Sam’s Band, said: “We’re absolutely delighted with how things went. The level of support has exceeded all expectations. Fringe by the Sea really seems to have caught the imagination of locals and visitors.

“Everyone I’ve met in the street has told me what a great idea it is, so we’ll almost certainly be doing it again next year.”

A key part of the local festival’s winning formula has been the early timing of events, to allow Edinburgh Festival-goers to catch the last train back to the city.

Fringe by the Sea opened in spectacular style last Wednesday afternoon when rail passengers on the 1.37pm Edinburgh Waverley to North Berwick service were treated to a free onboard concert by Orkestra del Sol.

The colourful 10-piece group then paraded along High Street, in front of very large crowds, gave a performance at the festival marquee and even found time to take a boat trip round the Bass Rock.

Said Mr Wales: “We’d like to thank our main sponsors East Lothian Council, Old Pulteney Whisky, Ocean Terminal and Summerhill Press for helping to make the festival possible. Special thanks to Greens & Blues on High Street for handling the ticket sales.”

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