(5 / 5)
Burning Lantern Fayre was the heritage attraction’s first large scale music event. Over 8,000 people descended on the country fayre styled event set in the picturesque grounds of St Fagan’s National Museum of History, Cardiff one of Europe’s leading open air-museum on a sunny albeit chilly evening.
With big names live on the main stage from the moment the gates opened, street food (Cavavan, The Grazing Shed, Taste of Spice and Dusty Knuckle), a crafts and activities tent, storytelling, a children’s entertainer, circus skills, pony rides and a vintage funfair. It is safe to say that no one was bored or hungry at the inaugural Burning Lantern Fayre!
Performances came from headliner Brit and Ivor Novell award winner Tom Odell, who gave an electrifying and charismatic performance, which featured a mesmerising light show. His unique show featured a number of hits but it was the songs ‘Still Getting Used To Being On My Own’, ‘Concrete’, ‘Hold Me’ that captivated the audience and really demonstrated why Odell is being touted as one of the country’s finest singer songwriter.
Whilst the UK first country music act to chart in the Top 10 Album Charts, The Shires, livened up the billing. Their 45-minute stellar set included a string of their biggest hits including: ‘Daddy’s Little Girl’, ‘Nashville Grey Skies’ and ‘Friday Night’, thoroughly entertained the 8,000 strong crowd and signed off their set with a promise to return to Cardiff soon.
Whereas top Motown act, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, despite not being everyone cup tea where given a true warm Welsh welcome. However, it was hot act of the moment Jack Savoretti that brought the biggest cheers of the evening and his set went down a storm. His live set included performances of his many hits including; ‘When We Were Lovers’, ‘I’m Yours’ and ‘Tie Me Down’, certainly got the crowd in the festival mood as the sun set on the stunning location.
The first even Burning Lantern Fayre was a huge success with the 8,000 strong-crowd enjoying a variety of music, entertainment and food under the sunset skies. Here hoping that the buzz of Wales’ newest music event hopefully ensures it was the first of many Burning Lantern Fayres to come!
It does not sound like you were at the same festival that I attended!! No mention in your review of 2 hour queues for food and drink and terrible sound if you were not close to the stage. Even the organisers are admitting they “underestimated” demand!! Orchard should not bother in future….
Thank you for your comments on my most recent review, I welcome feedback.
My reasoning for not commenting on the queues for food and drink, sound issues, and on Orchard are as follows;
I did not purchase food and drink at the event and was therefore unaware of the problem until I read about it just now in the Wales Online news story on the fayre. I therefore feel it would be wrong for me to review about/mention something I myself did not experience.
In regards to sound I was positioned close to the front of the stage along with other press members and was therefore unaware of any issues occurring if one was standing near the back. Yet again I therefore feel it would be wrong for me to review about/mention something I myself did not experience.
As for the organisers Orchard in my mind they achieved their objective of creating a country fair styled event which was the first of its kind to be held at the venue. From what other people have said, the organisers encountered at times some difficulities but none that I bore witness to on the night and therefore feel it would be wrong of me to criticise them on such matters.
I have to agree with the previous comment. It certainly does not sound like the event I attended. I find it difficult to believe you did not notice the gigantic queue cutting its way through the crowd.
We were banned from taking in any food or drinks into the event so from 4pm to 11.30pm when the event ended there was no option but to buy food and drink at the event. My sister and myself queued for 3 and a half hours in total and missed 3 of the bands!
How you managed to attend the event for such a long time and didn’t eat or drink anything is very surprising indeed!
I have requested a refund by Orchard Entertainment but have so far been given excuse after excuse.
A very misleading review I’m afraid!
Hi Mrs Parry
Thanks you for your comments on the review by Eloise.
As she mentioned she was unaware of any problems on the site on the day.
Barbara one of our other GTC team members also reviewed the event and raised some of your concerns in her review.
Thanks for reading the work of the GTC team.
Best Guy O’Donnell
Director
Get the Chance