The normal attractions were still operating too with the Sci-fi zone, the car boot sale and the Old Kiln Steam Railway providing alternatives to the music and other festival focussed entertainment. It was pretty bizarre to see Darth Vader, a Jedi Knight and a Stormtrooper (wearing an I Love Weyfest’ T-shirt) strolling amongst the audience though! Every time I turned a corner, there was a new attraction, the cafe provided good food, there was plenty of space for everyone, prices were reasonable and the ambience was very laid back. The seating area outside the bar and cafe was lit by lanterns strung through the trees and it provided an excellent area to chill and watch the world go by.

So, it was approaching evening, I’d sussed out the prime location, watched some amazing acts including RODNEY BRANIGAN and LEATHERAT, met up with some fellow MUNGO fans and settled under a tree to await the bands arrival. Still no news on whether Paul was playing then I spotted him by the side of the stage – he was the first one to arrive and was just checking things out. I think I mailed Alan and Derek with the news there and then (thank goodness for iPhones) and felt a growing sense of excitement at seeing two of the men who have influenced my musical tastes and given me so much joy over the last 40 years with their music making, actually together on stage at last. A fan of very long standing QUINTIN DRAKE was there, the gig was his 350th time of seeing MUNGO JERRY and we had this picture taken in front of the stage as the band was setting up. I’ve since interviewed Quintin for MUNGOMANIA and that interview will be coming soon. On my hat is a 1970’s that I had acquired from eBay that week, it is a heart shaped sticker and has the words I LOVE MUNGO JERRY written on it – well, if you’re going to be a fan, you might as well proclaim it to the world. The skull-on-a-beribboned-stick is my attempt at making a zobstick out of stuff I had at home. It makes a pretty good noise! Quintin knew Ray and Paul because of the many gigs he has attended and we wandered backstage to say hello. We saw JON PLAYLE who recognised me from GUILFEST and also from this site. He mentioned that he liked my piece on GUILFEST and it was one of those ‘eeep’ moments for me. I love writing these articles but kinda forget that the guys actually read them..... Ah well! A quick hi to Ray, a nod to Paul and then we retook our places in front of the stage in readiness for the gig.

The crowds thickened. The anticipation rose and I was primed to boogie in my favourite spot right in front of the stage. We were off...... Extracts from the opening commentary by the Weyfest organiser Colin Webb. “Last year, JETHRO TULL refused to go on last, they just don’t like doing it. I asked Ray – sorry ‘MUNGO’ – if he wouldn’t mind going on last (the audience were calling DORSET DORSET DORSET DORSET). He said he didn’t care and, if you recall, he blew the place apart. OK. Tonight we’ve got a first with the original MUNGO JERRY BAND, this man Mr RAY DORSET (pointing to Ray) and this man – go on, say it, say your name” (pointing to a man on the stage wearing a striped tunic, jeans and a broad smile) The man introduced himself, not with his name but with a long and drawn out wailing note on his harmonica (to yells of KING KING KING KING from the audience). "Mr PAUL KING". "Ladies and Gentlemen, raise your hands for some of my greatest friends – MUNGO JERRY!"

The party had commenced! 'OPEN UP', 'LET'S ROLL BABY', Lets Roll Baby blasted into a lively start with Ray on guitar and Paul playing a mean harp. Ray made introductions to the band members and mini intro solos took place all round. Keyboards Mr TOBY HOUNSHAM, guitar Mr AL JOHNSON, backing vocals and guitar Mr PHIL SWAN, bass Mr JON PLAYLE, percussion Mr MARK DAVID. Then, for the first time on stage together in 30 years – Mr PAUL KING. Good solid rhythm and blues is guaranteed to get any audience moving and this opening song did exactly that. I looked back behind me to see hundreds of people jumping and dancing, some MUNGO JERRY fans that I recognised from previous gigs, other fans that I’d not seen before and everyone intent on having a good time on the first night of Weyfest. The weather had been kind to us, it was a balmy night and we were all set for a fun weekend. Halfway through this first track, Ray beckoned Paul to share his mic'and it was so good to see them together after all these years, taking turns on the single mic and Ray with his arm draped across Paul’s shoulders, Paul extracting every last ounce of emotion from his harmonica whilst Ray was using that powerful rasping voice of his that is so well suited to R n’ B.

Having listened to Ray for the last 40 years on record, whilst thoroughly enjoying everything he has recorded, I can honestly say that live, his voice is even better and that he really comes into his own in front of an audience. He is a consummate showman, I’ve seen a few in my time and he is up there with the best. Yes, I know I am biased because I’ve liked MUNGO JERRY and RAY DORSET since teenhood but I’ve also seen thousands of bands and indeed, have also worked in the music industry so I do recognise a natural front man when I see one, and Ray certainly ticks all the boxes. On to 'ROCK ME MAMA', a good solid rocking number and one to dance to. Ray’s take on the start of 'THE BANANA BOAT SONG' next. “Day oh, day oh, daylight come and we want to go home” “DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY OH” (that was ten seconds of a steady, powerfully sung drawn out single note – try it for yourself and see if you don’t go blue in the face!). 'DUST PNEUMONIA BLUES' – the B-side of the very first maxi-single in the world – a rocked up version of the old WOODY GUTHRIE song and one I had played into such dullness over 40 years that it is hardly discernable, so hearing the live version has been such a refreshing bonus this 40th anniversary summer. Even the various live versions have been quite different, it just shows how versatile Ray can be with either the full band or the more acoustic set that I had seen at Guilfest.

Going to 1971, the next song was 'LADY ROSE', maybe one of my favourites (although which actually is my fave is always a hard question to answer). As melodic as ever with Ray taking the lead vocals and Paul playing acoustic guitar just as he did on the original version. Remember that video from the time with the guys motoring along the river in an open launch? Such a happy and carefree image and it epitomised what MUNGO JERRY were all about for me – guys having fun, loving and respecting their ladies and being in harmony with each other. A track from Paul next, 'GOING UP THE COUNTRY/MIDNIGHT SPECIAL', previously played at the last festival that JIMI HENDRIX ever appeared at before he died. Some sweet bluesy harmonica playing from Paul then he launched into his version of the songs, quite different to the 'MIDNIGHT SPECIAL' that I’d known from the B-side of 'BABY JUMP' but familiar to me from his own gigs and recordings. Lovely and lively – lots of dancing there for sure. Another track from 1970, taken from the first album MUNGO JERRY and originally sung by ELVIS PRESLEY – 'BABY LET'S PLAY HOUSE'. Good traditional rock and roll, Ray was joined by Phil on vocals and again, Phil showed how good a rock and roll voice he has. After his impromptu lead at Guilfest (see the TALE OF THREE MUNGO JERRYS), Phil again came into his own as a fine singer alongside Ray. The 1973 'ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT' got the audience bouncing. A happy song but also reflective if you listen to the lyrics. 'LONG LEGGED WOMAN DRESSED IN BLACK' from 1974 saw Ray doing his famous high kicks and the audience in full rocking mode and mood with jumps and air punches. 'NO MORE WOMAN BLUES', taken from the album just recorded in Vienna. Everyone wants to know, 'WHY I SING THE BLUES' – a solid traditional blues song with the joy of Ray and Paul as two fine and complementary harmonica players playing together, some showcasing of the individual musical talents of the MUNGO JERRY band members, Ray’s rich voice and a steady driving beat to keep the audience rolling and swaying, going into a medley – the driving melange of 'PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE/I JUST WANNA MAKE LOVE TO YOU/LAST NIGHT A DJ SAVED MY LIFE', some more snippets of 'IN THE SUMMERTIME' with another couple of solos on the harmonica from Paul.

I was dancing with my companions, this is the music I love, the music I dance to so I did! So did Ray, his guitar was on its stand, his shirt was unbuttoned and his rather impressive six pack was gleaming under the lights (ok, I’m allowed to look......!!!!). Exactly how old are you again RAY? 64 or 29.... It’s been viersig jahren (40 years) said Ray – then he played that distinctive opening riff from 'IN THE SUMMERTIME' as a teaser. A big cheer went up when Ray thanked Paul again, I think that there were a lot of people in the audience who had been waiting just as long as I had for this particular gig. Then there was the audience engagement over which parts of the song should be sung by the boys and which by the girls and finally the launch into 'IN THE SUMMERTIME'. Paul was playing the banjo and for the first time in all the MUNGO JERRY and PAUL KING gigs I’ve been to, I heard the live version played nearer to the original than I’ve ever heard before. Into the partytime version of 'IN THE SUMMERTIME', 'reggae-fied' and infectiously danceable. “We love MUNGO” by Ray doing his shout and call with the audience and the whole audience was jigging, swaying and jumping about right back as far as I could see into the darkness under the trees.

COLIN WEBB rejoined the band on stage and danced around to 'ROADHOUSE BLUES/NUTBUSH CITY LIMITS' which MUNGO JERRY live gig fans will know is one of their regular finale songs. Closing credits to the band members, the lighting and sound crew, the organisers and finally to Paul again. Colin somehow played Phil’s guitar whilst Phil was still wearing it, a final blast of Roadhouse/Nutbush then it was over, the set had overrun by ten minutes and everyone had to go home. Colin thanked Ray for a brilliant show and it was over....... People seeped away, I packed up my gear, wandered back to my tent and drifted off to sleep, contented that I had finally seen Ray and Paul together on the same stage after 40 years of playing their music. Happy days indeed and an evening I will never, ever forget. Thank you, all of you for putting the biggest grin on my face since I don’t know when...

What would I like to see next? Maybe RAY DORSET and PAUL KING having an informal jam, just the two of them away from the spotlight in a smallish gig – that would really be a session and a half....perhaps with some of the musicians from both of the current bands – a kind of MUNGO CREW. If it was all the previous MUNGO JERRY musicians though it would be a MUNGO CREW MASSIVE – they’d need the Albert Hall! As for the future, I’m waiting to see what Ray and MUNGO JERRY have planned for gigs next year but in the meantime, if you’re in a pub somewhere in North Devon that holds an open mic night, you might just see me sometime this winter with my talented guitar playing cousin and my sweet voiced, ukulele playing young niece doing our version of 'IN THE SUMMERTIME' – I’ll be the one blowing the jug and stomping the floor... *That unruly octopus that caused me so much trouble at Guilfest, it beat me again so I tied it up firmly with rope, bundled it roughly back into the car, and went back to the shop yet again for another lesson in how to un-pop the pop-up tent– they remembered me from the previous time and burst out laughing...oh the shame! (I have since mastered the octopus, its eversoeasywhenyouknowhow!)

MUNGO JERRY's set list at Weyfest was; OPEN UP LET'S ROLL BABY ROCK ME MAMA DUST PNEUMONIA BLUES LADY ROSE GOING UP THE COUNTRY/MIDNIGHT SPECIAL BABY LET'S PLAY HOUSE ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT LONG LEGGED WOMAN DRESSED IN BLACK NO MORE WOMAN BLUES WHY I SING THE BLUES IN THE SUMMERTIME ROADHOUSE BLUES/NUTBUSH CITY LIMITS