In 1996 half a dozen friends went to spend the night at “the auld Cameron” place, a somewhat ramshackle tin house near the village of Dalmally. They had some trouble finding the entrance in the rain. Drink was drunk, music was played, Lucky Dog fell through a chair, and the consensus was that “we should come back and do this again sometime”. The term “Dalmallyfest” was bandied about in jest.
Later that same year, the newly formed, “Lucky Dog and the Tone Pigs” returned to do a dress rehearsal for their first gig. A none too solid platform was erected outside the house (stage would be too grand a term). In order to test the safety of this “performance area” Lucky dog was encouraged to go on first and do a couple of numbers while bouncing about in his inimitable way. Ultimately there were more folk “on stage ” than off (including a dog{canine variety} – which ran away), and everyone was fed round a table in the kitchen. In deference to the previous meeting with many of the same people, this became (still very much as a running joke) Dalmallyfest 2.
MY memory is that we came back in 1997 with about 20 folk, all by invitation, and- because it was a nice day, we did a small barbeque. I don’t remember if anyone else got up on “stage” that year (but maybe you do?). I do remember that when we came back the fourth time (1998) we asked everyone to chip in a fiver to cover the BBQ – evryone wanted to bring a friend – and we made a loss (might have been £50 but we were poorer then). There were certainly other bands at number 4, was it you? Can anyone remeber? My first digital camera was still 5 years in the future, so I have no photos to share from these early days. I do have some tickets….
1999 to 2002 these were the halcyon days of Dalmallyfest at the house. Bands bands bands. An increasingly competent stage, parking problems, toilet problems, water problems, generator problems, Ally and Fireworks (from 5?) , Bonfire, Graham (and Val) running the BBQ. Eventually we had picked up enough musicains and enough guests that we started putting on some music on Friday night, since the Saturday start had already been pushed gradually back to lunchtime. We had people camping in the field at the front, in the garden, under the trees.
I recall the year we overran till 3 am (in the pouring rain), the year the boys from Newcastle turned up without warning (Stan? could be no.8). Somewhere in there we started the website, which at the time was new and unusual, the Monkey Butlers stickers that would not come off. Peter with his own personal generator and huge technical acumen, the building of the “impossible” drum pedal, the arrival of Mr Colin Campbell (7?) who finally overcame his dislike of camping to instantly become the voice, face and front man for the entire event .
I remember 4 of us sitting on a half dismantled stage one Sunday, so tired that our coffee cups were filling up in rain because no-one wanted to stand back up and move. The short wheel base transit van (mistake) that brought everything in the worlds best piece of repacking ever, and another year where the vehicle was so full that Neal and Iain had to make the entire journey lying prone on top of the “stage timber” squeezed in under the roof. The list of anecdotes goes on and on, and I can barely scratch the list of the friends that joined us.
2003 number 9, the Dalmallyfest that never was.
We believed we would go on forever, but we had – in truth – already outgrown our location. There had even been some initial negociation about the use of an adjacent field or moving the event into Dalmally. These all foundered on the same difficulty – money. No-one outside our community could accept that we might be a non money making venture (we were barely, despite my best efforts, a non money losing venture!) . However that is not what sank us.
The local Dalmally Bobby, ever a friend and accomodating, was scheduled to be away on holiday for Dfest 9, and , as a purely precautionary measure, left word at Oban HQ re the expected influx of people and cars. They unfortunately passed this along to the local council , who in turn found our “festival webpage” . Next thing I’m on the phone being asked for public event licenses, fire inspections, toilet provision, food health and safety….
I think it was only about two weeks before, so we had no choice but to cancel and spread the word. One car load of people went, really just in case anyone turned up who had not gotten word. Lucky dog played.
Dalmallyfest in Exile (the Wiston years)
coming soon
Dalmallyfest the Asylum 