Tell us what you thought

[Paul Kingsnorth]

A I suggested on my blog post today, we would love to hear thoughts on the festival. What worked, what didn't, what could improve, change, be lost, be gained. Bear in mind it was our first time, an experiment in form and content, and much doubtless slipped between the cracks. I already have some thoughts about how things could progress and would really like to hear others. I'd also like to hear suggestions for who could talk next year, and about what, and in what format ... and much more.

Let us know what you think - post on this thread, or on one of the other threads that's been put up here today (thanks people for starting those) or, if you'd prefer, send us an email: [e-mail]. Dougald and I are both going to be pretty much off-duty for a fortnight or so, but after that we can rejoin the conversation.

Thanks everyone. I've loved it.

[PHIL FOGGITT]

Hi Dougald, Paul and all Mountaineers out there-- firstly I want to say thank you so much D and P for making this event happen in th first place. Of course some things could have been better but there is such a desperate need for folk like us to re-connect every so often- if only to reassure ourselves that there are still pockets of sanity out there. Living in the country as I do, it can be a lonely feeling having post-civilisation thoughts- so its great to be able to share them.
One of my thoughts over the weekend was how interesting it would have been to know where people were coming from- figureratively. This would also help the organisers to target topics likely to be of interest. Many of those at the festival had clearly trodden a long path to Llangollen and would have found some of the workshops somewhat "dated".
Other observations: the venue was very "civilised" for uncivilised folk like us. A more rustic venue with wholefood cuisine and ale would create a better "ambience". However Llangollen otherwise is a very nice little place- and the campsite is in a fine location
A couple of the guests in the main hall would have been better in a workshop format and the general feel was somewhat top-down- not enough opportunity for folk to participate. But no doubt these are things that will improve next time round.
I will now try and think of some guest speakers I would like to see at another event--

[Paul Kingsnorth]

Very glad it connected with you Phil and thanks for these comments - very helpful and we'll take them on board. And yes, please do let us know of anyone you'd like to see in the future, and ways you'd like to see them.

[Darren Beale]

Hi Paul,

It was a really great event and everyone I talked to was having a great and stimulating time; thanks so much to you and Dougald for putting it on and for doing such a good job on the first attempt.

I think wholefood and real beer would have been a great addition. As would have the ability to be camping in or very near to the venue as we were for the DM Camp. The ability to have fires when camping would have made a huge difference as people were getting back to their tents and immediately going to bed becuase it was dark and cold.

Finally, I'm really glad I didn't bring the kids as I would have missed so much. I wonder whether a festival big tent approach might have given the event a less civilised feel and would have meant people with kids were more comfortable hanging out at the periphery.

Thanks again

db

[Dave Watton]

Hi Dark Mountaineers

I just wanted to sincerely congratulate Paul, Dougald and everyone else involved in the festival on a really superb event - by turns, moving, thought-provoking, entertaining and most of all INSPIRING! I met some great people, heard some fabulous music & poetry and generally recharged my artistic, intellectual and spiritual batteries. I thought the Llangollen location was a pretty good compromise between accessibility and remoteness - a brisk 30-minute hike up to Dinas Bran Castle was enough to be (almost) alone with the sheep! I loved the small-scale, DIY, independent feel of the festival - no Oxfam or Friends of the Earth stalls, no advertising, no designer DM T-shirts... Having read a few other comments, I would agree about the 'top-down' feel of some of the events in the main hall. More wholefood and real ale would also be good. But hey, this was a first shot at a hugely ambitious event, so hats off to everyone for their efforts and commitment! I, for one, will be urging friends to grab their tickets for the next festival while they still can...

Thanks again

Dave Watton

[phil]

dear dougald & paul (and other dm'ers),

thanks so much for the festival, your hard work, and making it happen. there was a great selection of music and many interesting speakers making for a really stimulating weekend. i really enjoyed the wild food session as well as the dialogues on stage. alastair mcintosh and chris wood were highlights for me.

i think some of the events would have been better served as workshops; an attempt at a participatory and 'horizontal' approach perhaps. on that note, more practical sessions would also have been welcome. i would have liked to seen a dedicated and more varied film programme too.

as you, and others have said, it was the first dark mountain festival so no doubts they'll be improvements and changes.

once again, thanks so much!

phil

[Joe Banks]

Congratulations Paul and Dougald on creating a fantastic event this weekend and heartfelt thanks for all the work you've put in over the last year to give this project such immediate and powerful lift-off. DMP has come as a welcome blast of sanity and spiritedness in a world that often feels overrun with cynicism and illusion. We’ve been badly in need of something like this. I don't think I'm overstating the case to say that the main hall on Saturday afternoon felt like it was the most important place to be in Britain at that moment and the start of something very fresh and vital. Vinay Gupta’s straight-talking oratory and Alastair McIntosh’s shamanic invocation (fucking hell!) were particular highlights for me and the fact that they existed side-by-side so naturally seemed to me to encapsulate the spirit of open enquiry that ran through the whole festival. The humour, the absence of ego, the absence of New Age fuzziness and dogmatic posturing, the frank assessment of ugly realities, the combining of the practical and the spiritual - all this seems to me to bode well for a counter-cultural movement that can genuinely open up new paths to understanding the reality of our lives and what we have to do with them in this century. Pictures in the paper today of the literary schmooze at Hay seemed even more ludicrous than they usually do!

As for the next one, I was wondering if Iain Sinclair might be someone who could speak. I’ve heard him do a great lecture on John Clare as a man for our times, which would seem to be a good topic for a DM festival, but he’s a mesmerising and inspiring speaker whatever he’s talking about and he’s someone who could certainly be classified as an ‘uncivilised’ writer. Another contemporary writer I thought might have something to add is Robert Macfarlane who wrote that brilliant book The Wild Places about our island. And though I know John Gray misinterpreted certain aspects of the manifesto in his New Statesman review, it seems to me a lot of his thinking is deeply compatible with what you’re doing and he could be a very interesting contributor to the conversation. He’s a big fan of John Cowper Powys too - has spoken on him and his brothers in the past - and perhaps that’s another figure worth looking at as a Dark Mountaineer of old.

On a practical note, I definitely agree with others who’ve spoken about the importance of being able to have fires at the campsite - I’d say that’s essential next time round. And I would also echo the view that it would be great to have people at the festival from other countries to tell us about their local experiences of our global crisis. Finally, I really hope you’re going to keep up the momentum this has started and organise smaller events in the meantime - readings, workshops, screenings etc. The thought of doing more organising probably make you feel sick at the moment, but keep at it - you’re doing important work!

[Leeroy]

Thanks to everyone who made it such a great event, and hats off to Paul and Dougald who gave it a (damned good) go.

I can't understand the complainers - there's too many in the world, and they really should just chill out.

I agree with Joe Banks: John Gray would be an excellent addition to the speakers next time round. In line with Gray's conclusion to Straw Dogs, DM shouldn't necessarily be about doing something, but simply to see. I also thought Joe's comments were spot on and very positive. That's what we need.

[Paul Kingsnorth]

Thanks everyone for all this - I am about to run out of the door for a week off, so this is a great note to go out on. Some very good suggestions here for speakers and approaches for next time (God, I'm talking about next time already!)

One thing I would say is: please help keep up the momentum, if you're so inclined, with local DM events or anything that seems to work that springs out of the weekend. We'll certainly try and do so too. My head is fizzing with possibilities.

Cheers
Paul

[Bridget McKenzie]

Thank you very much indeed to Dougald and Paul for making this happen. I know from experience how such events can take it out of you and know you haven't done this for anything except love. Although the cafe could have been better staffed, open all day, serving more wholefood, I didn't go hungry so it's no matter. My main comments are on the scheduling. Some sessions were overrun when little else was going on and others (e.g. the artists whose session was moved to be during George Monbiot) had not a single participant. Maybe simplify it to one main strand (and make those events more participatory) and one alternative choice (which might be more active e.g. workshopping/walks) then increase the facility for ongoing showing of films/artwork/writing in more fluid sharing spaces. The music at lunchtime was great but I missed most of it as I was queuing for food, so maybe you can have more informal music in the cafe and/or outside. These aren't complaints at all, as I loved the whole thing, just suggestions for making it better next time, and really hope there is a next time.

Finally, myself & another photographer, Catherine, would like to propose that we set up a Flickr group to share photography (and other visual stuff) in response to Dark Mountain. Would you mind if we administered it? (Or is there already similar?)

[John Gower]

Paul, big thanks to you and Dougald for getting this up and running.

Personal minor points,

Some better beer, (Scrumpy!) and food for next year. I will be happy to help supply if its useful!

All the best conversations seem to come when breaking some tasty bread together at these events.

Generally fascinating talks, (a few duff ones but hey!) but better interaction with audience would provoke a more organic and less 'civilised' feel.

More (much more) practical stuff, change is ready and waiting to be made so some examples of who and how this is already underway might be good. Tools for conviviality sessions?

Campsite thats more 'drinking and singing round the fire' friendly.

There are other issues to tackle over the whole DM thing, but not here or now, so just these practical suggestions.

Overall great start though and well done again!

Every Blessing

John

[Laurence Shelley]

I guess many who have just returned from the Festival may feel the same as me: exhilarated but bemused. I sense that something momentous has taken place. I can't quite put my finger on exactly what but i sure hope that I can hang on to that feeling!

The Festival was a triumph. Paul and Dougald, and all the merry men and women in support, have staged an event which has touched many chords and set of strings of harmonics. I cannot remember when I have felt so at home in a gathering, with a spirit that ran through the meetings, talks and the incredible music! Spellbinding comes to mind.

Yes, there were frustrations. A pity that so many sessions clashed and one had to make invidious choices. That may be inevitable but perhaps the choice could be narrowed to 2, or a more sensitive fine tuning so that 'mass appeal' sessions don't impact on those of more selective interest. In my case, the literary meetings/poetry readings/workshops suffered because I wanted to take in more of the climate change 'stop pretending' agenda.

My main reservation is that there was too little time for participation. The Open Mic session was one opportunity to hear creative contributions from the 'grass roots'. I wanted to know what paths other people had trod that brought them there, to exchange ideas thrown up by the many thought-provoking sessions and generally engage more with the incredibly interesting people all round! There' was a world of questing people out there I wanted to meet.

All this is not to take away from the profoundly moving occasion that my wife and I cannot stop talking about. We hadn't camped for years and a deflated lilo even added to the pioneering spirit that we felt permeated the whole event. We have come away with thoughts and feelings that won't be silenced. Heartfelt thanks for that. And the music lives on inside us.

Laurence Shelley

[Laurence Shelley]

I guess like many who have just returned from the Festival, I'm exhilarated but also bemused. I feel as though something momentous has happened. I can't quite put my finger on what, but I sure hope I can hang on to that feeling!

The Festival was simply a triumph. Paul and Dougald and all the merry men and women in support have staged an event which has touched deep chords and set off strings of harmonics. I cannot remember when I last felt so at home in a gathering, with a spirit that ran through the meetings, talks and the incredible music. Spellbinding comes to mind.

Yes, there were frustrations. A pity that so many sessions clashed and one had to make invidious choices. I know that may be inevitable but perhaps the choice could be narrowed down to two, or there could be a little more fine tuning as to which sessions do or do not coincide. In my case the literarymeetings/poetry readings/workshops suffered because I wanted to take in more of the climate change 'stop pretending' agenda .

My main reservation is that there was too little time for participation. The open mic session organised by Jess was the one opportunity to hear creative contributions from the 'grass roots'. Also I wanted to know what paths other people had trod that brought them there, to follow up some of the ideas thrown up by many of the thought-provoking sessions in a free exchange of views and engage as much as I could with the incredibly interesting people all around! There's a world of questing people out there that I want to meet.

All this in no way takes away from what has been a profoundly moving occasion that my wife and I cannot stop talking about. We hadn't camped together for years and a deflated lilo even added to the pioneering spirit that we felt permeated the whole event! We have come away with thoughts and feelings that won't be silenced. And the music lives on.

Laurence Shelley