Clifftop 2008 [1/2 hour Documentary]

A documentary look at the Appalachian String Band Music Festival - aka Clifftop - a unique festival in that a very large percentage of the participants are musicians. Each night at any given moment, there are literally a hundred jam sessions going on. The doc also explores the evolving concepts behind Old Time. Also featured are interviews and performances of legendary West Virginia fiddler Lester McCumbers.

[@surreypasty]

Thanks for the inspiration; this film was responsible for our near spontaneous decision that 'Clifftop had to be done'. We (Russell Hawkes, Paul Bennett & Edward Bennett) recently returned to the UK from what can only be described as the finest old-time experience we have enjoyed to date. We met many friendly folk and got involved in jams, dancing, competition and general camaraderie. To our friends old and new and to the organisers, thanks for making Clifftop a truly fantastic festival!

[@mirkozimmermann4682]

It so nice to see it. I hope to came there in my life. I live in germany in near of dortmund town. My town is remblinghausen.... its an nice feeling.

[@carolinewilson9484]

8:00 my dad and grandpa playing. Miss my grandfather so much. My childhood was filled with so much music and joy because of him

[@TheLifeMidwife]

Wow, so special!! ❤

[@stephaniesmith7317]

Sweet memories of Grandpa music & joy! Thank you for sharing that. Made this more personal and I felt a little of that joy knowing you were blessed having him in your life.

[@stephenhenion8304]

In 1980 i went to Morgantown WV...I'm from Connecticut and i was 23. I was just learning to play guitar. We went to a local joint that had a Bluegrass Open Mike.... i fumbled my way thru a couple of tunes. As the night progressed, i couldn't believe how good the music got, and how talented the musicians became. Then at age 50 i went to Clifftop, 2008.... i was camping by the water tower, with friends. But by the end of the week i discovered the Morgantown Tent at the bottom of the hill. It felt like coming home. I was so amazed to hear and play with all those folks, after so many years... I hope this helps communicate the magic of Bluegrass Music...

[@bernie6956]

Beautiful

[@robertcalamusso4218]

Beautiful WV and the Folk 🍀

[@robertcalamusso4218]

Beautiful WV and the Folk

[@byan70]

just got back from clifftop for the 2010 fest..thank you lester for your time and conversations

[@Martinlvr753]

The young man @ 17:45 on the mouth harp.......OMG. Don't ever let this music die.....(*U*)

[@AlaniSugar]

I'm going for the first time this year, I'm soooo excited!!!!!!

[@fractuss]

Nicely done.

[@stephenhenion8304]

I was at this one... great time...11:44 Jake Krack..such a great fiddler

[@MrHarryt8]

Thank you for such an interesting documentary on such a superb festival.

[@dputs]

Thank you. I enjoyed this very much so.

[@SteveGoldfield]

I remember that Lester McCumbers workshop vividly. I was sitting near the front. Kim broke a string on her banjo. I lent her mine, and she finished the workshop with it.

[@brodank]

here i am watching this again..wonderin if i can make it happen in 2010. it is a 15+ hour drive from oklahoma

[@brodank]

another missed clifftop festival... i just started planning for next year! the whole band is planning on making the trek from Oklahoma to West Virginia! cant wait to see all of ya

[@xamaranto]

Love this!!!

[@phillacey878]

Hypnotic music when you delve right into it very spiritual every instrument is magic the fiddles are something else especially when there's quite a few of them singing the melodies over the top of the rhythm instruments love it.

[@fractuss]

I love the trance like aspect to much of this music.

[@surreypasty]

Awesome and inspirational stuff! I'm hoping to travel from England with friends for our first visit this year. I love the way there are so many young people into old-time in the states, we have so few here. Good to see our very own Mr Banks in this film too!

[@BanjoR549]

Ever been to Uncle Dave Macon Days? The festival, located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is the home of the official National Championships in Old-Time banjo, Old-Time buckdancing, and Old-Time clogging. Its a different atmosphere from Clifftop, but there's a lot of dancing and music, Old-Time and Bluegrass.

[@123Shel12]

Inspiring!

[@MandoMafia]

I've been to every Clifftop since it started, & have taken my kids from a very early age & love the festival. This documentary is a good as far as it goes, but a couple of quibbles: it was very fiddle-centric...hardly any mention of the banjo & how integral it is to this music & how IT fits into the Clifftop experience, and also no mention of the fiddle, banjo, band & dance competitions, drawing the best players in the genre from all over the country (& other countries too).

[@avron44]

Looks like fun !

[@ArkRed1]

Unfortunately the Ozark Mountain old time music has been lost in the northwest part of Arkansas. Wish we had an old time music festival like Clifftop, but hardly no one around that area cares about their mountain musical heritage. What a shame.

[@jasonlawrence2143]

My step dad grew up in Elkins VW.

[@jgkovac]

Clifftop is the best musical festival in the world. period.

[@bigal25938]

Next string band festival of Clifftop is July 31 through August 4. There is also a website for Camp Carver.

[@stalstonestacy4316]

bigal25938 Camp Washington Carver if anybody is doing a Google search

[@relmsgn]

watchin this for school 2020 lol

[@CadillacL]

LOVE the dancing. Looks SO fun to.

[@ibassnote]

It’s definitely a good three days before you get to the place where the music totally takes over your body

[@brucec1993]

Just good listening. Certainly a good time with good people.

[@bobalessio6339]

I had the pleasure to attend Clifftop 2008 with my fraternity brother. Met some great folks there including the "Friends of Banjo" folks. Not been back since. Maybe this year! What is the tune that plays from 0:50 - 2:10? In Key of G. Sounds a bit like the "Skillet Lickers" 'Pretty Little Wider' which is played in Key of A.

[@6357281]

That would be Waldorf Reel.

[@dfmontgomery91]

I'd prefer a weekend in the rain with this stuff to a good many fancy classical concerts...unless of a great violinist playing an old fiddle.....lol

[@robertcalamusso4218]

Wow 🔥🇺🇸🍀

[@suimeikai]

sounds good, chad :) we're famous. the money's gonna start rollin in any minute...

[@dbadagna]

Great documentary! Thanks to West Virginia Public Broadcasting for documenting this wonderful festival, of which the state of West Virginia should be proud. What is with the trumpet and trombone (?) sitting in on the nighttime jam starting at about 24:30? That's very unusual, and cool.

[@wvmountaineer1]

I love charlie's words at 19:18

[@user-xw8xe3hf4g]

Does anyone know the tune around 13:00? Very catchy 😃

[@jimlong2685]

I saw my buddy Steve Mayo there.

[@williamboyle5041]

We try to get to Clifftop at least every other year. Just look for us at the "Bates Motel"! :-)

[@CowHampshireFolk]

Hey now and whoa nelly, this is cool.

[@TBCSS]

can august be tomorrow??

[@HilarieBurhans]

gee, we're all like, mainstream now and stuff!

[@brodank]

i care! i am in oklahoma, i would like to see ozark mnt. festival start happening again!!

[@Banjo362]

Don Borchelt is the King of Old Three Finger Banjo. He knows about Double D Tuning

[@chadashworth252]

That's Melvin Wine's Cold Frosty Morning

[@scottbookman]

at 4:36 ----lancaster pa.'s finest...the old time liberation front !! people love the front !!

[@brodank]

@cashwowv Soundin good bro!!

[@Rowanriver]

I NEED to go here. When's this run? I can't play anything decently enough to jam, unfortunately, but would love to be here. Half my family's from Kentucky, but we're up in Michigan where it's hard to find a big get together like this.

[@AndreaVergaMusic]

tune list of the video?

[@ericmorton6974]

i totally agree, im a guitarist, im not all that great but im decent. it seems like a wonderfull place to be, i love the sounds of all the intruments together, we really dont have anything like that down here where im at in north carolina but i have friends up in west virginia and im going to try my dangdest to get up to the next one!

[@stalstonestacy4316]

Eric Morton did you ever make it up here? Fixin to have another one August 1-5 2018. Grab your guitar and come on up!

[@TBCSS]

Last two tunes.... Tammlin(Traditional Irish Reel), and the very last one is... Blue Eyed Gal, Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss, Western Country, Suzannah Gal(all the same tune depending on where youre from)

[@riverdalepark]

Is it time to go yet???!!

[@ArkRed1]

What's the name of the tune they are doing at the first of the video?

[@MrStevo635]

Anyone know the name of the tune she is playing at 5:28?

[@keefersfiddle]

I want time travel right now and get get straight to august

[@grassandrogers]

17:00 Lol that's my papaw in the background.

[@stalstonestacy4316]

17:50 makes me realize I've wasted my life

[@HEADSUPBERKELEY]

please pull off tunes like 5:27-6:26 "Here's a tune I learned from Melvine Wine" Great Documentary!

[@ihateyoda]

At 17:40 is a harp player that even Del McCoury would like :-)

[@johnwalker4642]

Yeah. This spiritual experience is a cultural thing, ya know.

[@dbfkjmatt]

man, i feel lyk a wannabe and an outsider for loving this music considering i come from wales,uk-but i suppose this musics roots are from celtic music!:)

[@josephchristopher4347]

i realize it's pretty randomly asking but do anybody know of a good place to watch new movies online ?

[@imranleonidas580]

@Joseph Christopher Lately I have been using flixzone. You can find it by googling =)

[@colbybenton1988]

@Imran Leonidas yea, I have been watching on FlixZone for months myself :)

[@josephchristopher4347]

@Imran Leonidas Thanks, I went there and it seems like they got a lot of movies there =) I really appreciate it!

[@imranleonidas580]

@Joseph Christopher happy to help :D

[@jgkovac]

sorry, you're right

[@jasonlawrence2143]

How much for tickets?

[@stalstonestacy4316]

Jason Lawrence it's free Hon, just bring a lawn chair 😉

[@bigal25938]

not free but like $15 a day.

[@TBCSS]

Georgia Railroad. Skillet Lickers tune.

[@jimmyglitch]

(Shhhhhhhh...don't tell anybody.)

[@poonpiratex420]

old dude at 15:48 is trying to hit record lmao

[@grassandrogers]

I don't think you understand that just because some people think differently and act differently than you doesn't mean that they are below you, or that they are boring. It would be wonderful if you could respect the culture of the people in Appalachia ON ALL SIDES!

[@Dabs222]

Hand me down my fiddle looks like as much fun as you can have with your clothes on!

[@PalaKalola]

You'd think with such a FINE documentary that someone would frickin' bother to add some light to the shots. Very bad filming/editing. Nice work otherwise.

[@WabiNaka]

Once the sun sets, Clifftop takes place in the dark. Often you find people playing in complete darkness. Our lights, especially back then, were totally disruptive.

[@bryankeller3492]

With the scamdemic having desimated the overproduced, overscommercialized, and definately OVERPRICED festies, I'm hearing these kinda' festivals are what's coming back in 2021!

[@TheLifeMidwife]

bring 'em on!!!

[@iceaxe56]

lots of earth mothers--and such--a whiff of weed every now and then but otherwise pretty lame