COMING YOUR WAY

Shrewsbury Folk Festival

THE Shrewsbury Folk festival kicks of towards the end of the month from August 23 to 26 and among those who will be playing is the raconteur and witty musician from the North East Jez Lowe.

Fay Hield and the Hurricane Party are definitely one not to miss and will be appearing on August 25. There are the winners of Radio2's Young Folk Award 2012 Moore, Moss and Rutter who launched the 2013 contest with Mark Radcliffe on the Radio2 Folk Show recently.

Dancers in The Square, Shewsbury,
picture courtesy of Shrewsbury festival website

Also on stage are the fantastically talented and original Carolina Chocolate Drops, if you have never seen them, then take this opportunity you will not be disappointed plus there are the veterans of the folk world Oysterband who will be playing three days at the festival 24th, 25th and 26th.
Look out too for Scottish band Capercaille fresh from the Cambridge Folk Festival and with their particular blend of Celtic music. The band is enjoying its 30th anniversary and have a new album out At the Heart of it All.
Well worth checking out are the relatively new ladies on the block Lady Maisery. They have an incredibly original sound and will be playing two sets on August 25. They may even throw in some clog dancing if you are lucky.

Lady Maisery - Hannah James,
Rowan Rheingans and Hazel Askew.
Picture courtesy of Ladymaisery.com

There will be a song and dance parade through Shrewsbury town centre on Saturday August 24. Musicians and singers will gather at the castle at 12.30pm and an hour later the parade is due to assemble before moving off at 1.45pm, it will head down Castle Street and Pride Hill then on to the High Street and stop at The Square for a music show.

SUPERBLY talented singer/songwriter Gren Bartley will be bringing his band to The Woodman Folk Club in Kingswinford, Dudley on September 27. He will be accompanied by his wife, fiddle player and singer Julia Disney, also Sarah Smout and Karen Jones. If you want to get a good idea of just how good he is then it's worth listening to his latest album Winter Fires. Entry is £6 for members and £7 for non members.

IF it's legends of folk you are looking for then you need look no further than The Red Lion Folk Club in Birmingham. On September 25, it plays host to a folk duo that goes back 40 years and that's Martin Carthy and Dave "Swarb" Swarbrick of Fairport Convention. Tickets are £12.

Show of Hands will be
playing in Derbyshire

YOU can find the bigger sounds of folk in the form of Show of Hands who will be playing The Winding Wheel, Hollywell Street, Chesterfield S41 7SA on October 19. Tickets are £18.50 or £17.50 with concessions. In the same month, Show of hands have a new album out, Wake the Union. You can contact the box office on 01246 345222 or 01773 853428. In the same venue will be the massive sound of Bellowhead on November 22. Tickets are £19.50 standing or if you want to be more comfortable then it will cost you £24.50 for a seat. For more information visit www.prpromotions.org.uk.

THE cosy venue of The Kitchen Garden, York Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 7SA will be playing host to the distinctive sound of Kris Drever who is teamed up with Eamon Coyne on September 22. Tickets are £12 and on October 7 you can enjoy the great sound of influential Irish singer/songwriter Luka Bloom. Tickets are £15 and for more information log on to www.kitchengardencafe.co.uk.

TWO Black Country musicians Sunjay Brayne, strictly speaking he is adopted from Derby, and Julia Disney  are playing at the Warwick Arms Hotel, High Street, Warwick. CV34 4AT on September 9. Tickets are £4 and for more information log on to www.warwickfolkclub.co.uk.

Superb guitarist and
 songwriter Sunjay brayne

Sunjay will also be playing the Stourbridge Folk Festival which starts on September 8 and where the Bushbury Mountain Daredevils will be playing a special 20th anniversary concert. Some of the other acts lined up include Nizlopi of the hit JCB song. Former circus performer Rory McLeod is also on the bill along with Nick Harper, Jimmy Davis and Kim Lowings and The Greenwood. It will be worth checking back occasionally too because there are more acts to be announced.

WHEN it comes to legends of folk music then Andy Irvine is up there with the biggest and best and he is coming to Wolverhampton on October 4. Former Planxty musician Irvine will be playing at the Newhampton Arts Centre, Dunkley Street, Wolverhampton.