NEWS & COMING YOUR WAY

Coming Your Way

Husband and wife team Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman have a full touring schedule this month beginning on April 7 at The Beehive Folk Club, 16 Union Street, Harthill, Sheffield S26 7YH. Show starts 8.15pm. 

Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman

The following night, April 8, you can see them at The Old Fire Station, Peter Street, Carlisle, Cumbria. CA3 8QP. Doors open 7pm and show starts 8pm. Tickets are £12 and available at OFS, Carlisle Old Town Hall & Online.
Then on April 9 you can see the duo at Glassel Hall, Wester Campfield, Glassel, Banchory. AB31 4DS. Contact the venue for ticket information.
On April 10 you can see them perform at Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh. EH1 2ED. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £11.
Then it's on to Inchyra Arts Club on April 11. The Inchyra Arts Club is in a refurbished cattle barn on the Inchyra Estate, Glencarse, near Perth. PLEASE NOTE THE CLUB IS IN GLENCARSE VILLAGE AND NOT INCHYRA. Doors open 7pm and show starts 8pm. Tickets are £16 plus booking fee.
On April 12 they will be playing at the Hippodrome, Harbour Road, Eyemouth. TD14 5HS. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £13.50. Then on April 13 they bring their show to St Cuthbert’s House, 192 Main Street, Seahouses, Northumberland. NE68 7UB. Doors open 7pm and show starts approx 7.45pm. Tickets are £12.50.
They head to Doncaster on April 14 to play The Roots Music Club, Beckett Road. DN2 4AD. Support is from Carrie Martin. Doors open 7.30pm. Tickets are £12 and £10. On April 15 they will be playing Ropery Hall at The Ropewalk, Maltkiln Road, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire. DN18 5JT. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £14, £5 children and students. Next it's on to The David Hall, Roundwell Street, South Petherton. Somerset. TA13 5AA on April 20. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £15.

The following night, April 21, their show moves to The Lights, West Street, Andover, Hampshire. SP10 1AH. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £13.50 plus £2.50 booking fee. Usual concessions are available. Next, on April 22, the duo play St John’s Church, St John's Street, Farncombe, Godalming, GU7 3EJ. Show starts 7.45 pm and tickets are £14.
They then move on to Dorchester Arts, Corn Exchange, High East Street, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1HF on April 23. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £14 or £12 with concessions. If you are between 14 and 25 then sign up for the Live For 5 scheme which offers tickets for £5.
The following night, April 26, you can see them at The Red Lion Folk Club, Vicarage Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham. B14 7LY. Doors open approx 7.15pm and show starts around 7.45pm. Tickets are £14.30 including booking fee. Alice Dillon is supporting.
On April 27 it's on to Pontardawe Arts Centre, Herbert Street, Pontardawe. SA8 4ED. Show starts 7.30pm. Tickets are £12.90 or £10.75 with concessions. The duo then go on to play Rhosygilwen, Cilgerran, Pembrokeshire, SA43 2TW,  on April 28. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £12. To finish the month off, on April 29, they will play Chapel Arts Centre, St.James' Memorial Hall, Lower Borough Walls, Bath. BA1 1QR. Doors open 7.30pm and show starts 8pm. Tickets are £13 in advance or £15 on the night.

Three Daft Monkeys who are Richard Mulryne, Athene Roberts, Tim Ashton and Jamie Graham will be promoting their new album, Year of the Clown released this month, while touring kicking off on April 6 at Queen's Hall, 75-77 Queens Road, Nuneaton, Warwickshire. CV11 5LA. Doors open 8pm and show starts 8.30pm. Tickets are £13.75. Then on April 7 you can see them at The Trades Club, Holme Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorks. HX7 8EE. Doors open 8pm and tickets are £13 and £10 plus booking fee or £11 for club members.
The following night, April 8, they will perform for a SolidariTea Fundraiser at Kingsmead School, Wiveliscombe. Show starts 7pm no ticket information was available at time of publishing. Then on April 21 the band move on to Kingskerswell Parish Church, St Mary's, Kingskerswell, Newton Abbot, Devon. TQ12 5LD. Show starts 7pm and tickets are £11 including booking fee.
On April 22 you can see them play at Porthleven Food & Beer Festival, Cornwall. Show starts 7pm. Tickets are £12.50 plus booking fee.
Next, April 29, they move on to Princess Pavilion, 41 Melvill Road, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 4AR. Doors open 7.30pm and show starts 8pm. Tickets are £9.72.
There is an album launch party on April 30 at Smugglers Pie and Ale Festy, The Smugglers' Den Inn, Trebellan, Cubert, Newquay, Cornwall. TR8 5PY. TDM will be on stage around 9.30pm.

Cara Dillon will be playing a limited amount of dates this month starting on April 8 at The Main House, New Theatre Royal, 20-24 Guildhall Walk, Portsmouth. PO1 2DD. She will be with a full band and show starts 7.30pm. Tickets are £20, £18 with concessions and £17 for friends of the theatre, prices include booking fee. Her gig on April 21 at The Victoria Rooms, Milverton is SOLD OUT.  On April 23 she plays Tithe Barn, Cheltenham Road, Bishop's Cleve. GL52 8LU. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £24.

Steve Tilston kicks his touring off this month on April 1 with Jez Lowe at David Hall Arts Centre, Roundwell Street, South Petherton. TA13 5AA. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £16. Then on April 2 they perform at Hitchin Folk Club, The Sun Hotel, Sun Street, Hitchin SG5 1AF. Doors open 7.30pm and the show starts 8.15pm. Tickets are £14 or £12 for members.
On April 4 they are off to Roses Theatre, Sun Street, Tewkesbury GL20 5NX. Show starts 8.30pm and tickets are £15. Then on April 6 you can see the duo at The Exchange Arts Centre, Corner House, Russell Street, Keighley BD21 2LE. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £11.21 including fees.
On April 7 they play Bishop Auckland Town Hall, Market Place, Bishop Auckland, County Durham DL14 7NP. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £15 or £12 with concessions. Then on April 8 it's off to Etal Live Music, Etal Village Hall, Etal, Cornhill on Tweed TD12 4TL. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £12.
This is followed on April 9 by a show at 39th Glenfarg Folk Feast, Backstage at the Green Hotel, 2 The Muirs, Kinross, Perthshire KY13 8AS. The festival runs from April 7 to 9. There are a range of tickets on offer but to see Tilston and Lowe, along with two other acts between 6.30pm and 10.00pm, tickets are £25.
Tilston performs solo on April 29 at Upton upon Severn Folk Festival.
There is a wide range of ticket options including camping costs so check the website for the offer which best suits you.
Tilston finishes the month with Lowe on April 30 at Raunds Music Festival, The Saxon Hall, Thorpe Street, Raunds NN9 6LT. The festival runs from April 27 to April 30 and Tilston and Lowe will be on stage some time between 7.30pm and £10.30. Tickets for the show only are £18.

Another husband and wife duo, Megson, will be on the road this month starting on April 6 at The Met, Market Street, Bury. BL9 0BW. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £12. The following night, April 7, they move on to Wadsworth Community Centre, Billy Lane, Old Town, Hebden Bridge. Doors open 6.45pm and show starts 8pm. Tickets are £15.40 including fees.
On April 8 they were due to play Wigan Parish Church, which hosts Acoustic Roots but this show has been postponed.
Their next gig is on April 21 at  St Helen's Church, Gloucester Road, Alveston, Bristol. BS35 3QT. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £15.40 including fees. The following night, April 22, you can see them at St Stephen's Church, Pangbourne Road, Upper Basildon, Reading. RG8 8LS. Doors and bar open 7pm and the show starts 8pm. Tickets are £12 or £10 if you are aged 14-17.
Then on April 28 it's off to United Reform Church, High Sreet, Highworth, Wiltshire. SN6 7AG. Show starts 7.15pm and tickets are £14.30 including fees. They finish the month on April 29 at Tuppenny Barn, Main Road, Southbourne, West Sussex. PO10 8EZ. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £14.

Noted folk academic and prolific musician Fay Hield and the Hurricane Party has a handful of gigs this month starting on April Fool's Day at The Theatre, 2 Spring Street, Chipping Norton. OX7 5NL. Show starts at 7.45pm and tickets are £16.50.
The following night, April 2, you can see them perform at The Stables, Stockwell Lane Wavendon, Milton Keynes. MK17 8LU.
They will in the Jim Marshall Auditorim where the show starts 8pm and tickets are £17.50. Then on April 3 Hield plays a warm up special at Yellow Arch, 30-36 Burton Road, Sheffield. S3 8BX. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £11 or £8.80 including booking fees.
Please note no under-18s are allowed. The finally on April 4 you can see them perform at The Lights, West Street, Andover, Hampshire. SP10 1AH. Show starts 7.45pm and tickets range from £11.50 to £13.50.

Louise Jordan continues her tour promoting her new album No Petticoats Here starting on April 2 at The Bristol Folk House, 40a Park Street, Bristol. BS1 5JG. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £8.50 including fees. Then on April 3 she is off to the Crescent Theatre, 20 Sheepcote Street, Brindleyplace, Birmingham. B16 8AE. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £10.50.
You can catch her performance on April 6 at Redbourn Folk Club, Old School Room at the Hollybush PH, Church End, Redbourn. AL3 7DU. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £8.
Then on April 7 it's off to First Friday Club which is held at West Heaton Bowling, Tennis & Squash Club, Princes Road, Heaton Moor, Stockport. SK4 3NQ. Show starts 8pm no ticket information was available at time of publishing.
On April 10 you can see her perform at Boston Folk Club, The Eagle, West Street, Boston, Lincolnshire. PE21 8RE. Show starts 8pm and there was no ticket information at time of publication. On April 13 she is off to Bromsgrove Folk Club, Catshill Club, 13 Meadow Road, Catshill, Bromsgrove. B61 0JJ. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £7 if you are a member, £9 standard or £3.50 if you are under 25 ( conditions apply).
To finish off the month on April 22 she will play Saturday Folk Club, Elephant and Castle, White Hill, Lewes. BN7 2DJ. Show, which is at the The Dorset Arms, 22 Malling Street, Lewes. BN7 2RD, starts 8pm and tickets are £6.

The Keston Cobblers Club are on tour in the second half of the month starting on April 18 at RNCM, 124, Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9RD. Show starts 7pm and tickets are £15. The following night, April 19, you can see them at Komedia, 44-47 Gardner Street, Brighton. BN1 1UN. Doors open 7.30pm and tickets are £15. Then on April 20 they play the Wedgewood Rooms, 147b Albert Road, Southsea, Portsmouth. PO4 0JW. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £15.
On april 21 they are off to Union Chapel, Compton Terrace, London. N1 2UN. Show starts 7pm and tickets are £16 in advance plus booking fee.
 If you want to see them on April 22 then you need to get to St Mary the Virgin, Ashford, Kent, Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £16.88. The following night, April 23, they will play Phoenix, Bradninch Place, Gandy Street, Exeter. EX4 3LS. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £16.
From there, on April 25, it's off to The Stables, Stockwell Lane Wavendon, Milton Keynes. MK17 8LU. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £15, booking fees of £1.80 per ticket plus a transaction fee of £2.80 apply.
Then on April 26 they perform at the Rescue Rooms, 25 Goldsmith Street, Nottingham. NG1 5LB. Doors open 7.30pm and tickets are £16.50 including booking fee. Support is from Jack Carty. From there it's off to the Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal on April 27. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £15 plus booking fee.
On April 28 they move on to the Gala Theatre, Millennium Place, Durham. DH1 1WA. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £15 plus booking fee. Discounts apply for members. The following night, April 29, they move on to Greystones, Greystones Road, Sheffield. S11 7BS. There are two shows a matinee and evening. Early show starts at £3pm and tickets are £15.40. The evening show starts 8 o'clock and tickets are as above.
They finish the month on April 30 at The Lantern, Colston Hall, Colston Street, Bristol. BS1 5AR. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £16.13 including fees.

York-based concert and ceilidh band Blackbeard's Tea Party will be playing a handful of gigs this month kicking off on April 14 at Bristol Folk House, 40A Park Street, Bristol. BS1 5JG. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £12.50 in advance or £14.50 on the night, including booking fee. On April 21 the will perform at The Crescent, 8 The Crescent, York. YO24 1AW. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £5 in advance or £7 on the night. Finally on April 28 they are on stage at The Big Session, Buxton Opera House, Water Street, Buxton, Derbyshire. SK17 6XN. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £15.

Cecil Sharp House is staging several big folk events this month kicking off with Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham on April 1. Show starts 7.30pm. Tickets are £18 or £10 for under-26.
The National Youth Folk Ensemble will perform it's first full length concert there on April 12. The show which is in Kennedy Hall starts at 7.30pm and tickets are £10, £6 for under-26. If you buy tickets online there will be a £2 booking fee. 

The following night you can enjoy the return of Greg Russell & Ciaran Algar. The show on April 13 starts at 7.30pm and tickets are £12 or £10 for youths.

Former BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards nominees Rant which is Bethany Reid, Jenna Reid, Sarah-Jane Summers and Lauren MacColl will be performing on April 29. Doors open 7pm and show starts 7.30pm. Tickets are £12.

Veterans The Fureys have a handful of concerts lined up for this month starting on April 1 at Princes Theatre, Clacton on Sea. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £19 or £18 with concessions. Then on April 2 they are off to Maddermarket Theatre, St. John's Alley, Norwich, NR2 1DR. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £20.
The following night, April 3, you can catch their show at The Cresset, Rightwell, Bretton, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. PE3 8DX. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £21.50 including fees. The next gig is on April 25 at Theatr Mwldan, Bath House Road, Cardigan,
Ceredigion. SA43 1JY. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £19.50 or 318.50 concessions.
The following night, April 26 you can catch them at Theatr Brycheiniog, Canal Wharf, Brecon, Powys. LD3 7EW. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £20 or £19 concessions. On April 27 they will perform at Savoy Theatre, Church Street, Monmouth, Monmouthshire. NP25 3BU. Doors open 7pm and show starts 7.30pm. Tickets are £20.
Then on April 28 it's off to Gwyn Hall, Orchard Street, Neath, West Glamorgan. SA11 1DU. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £21.50. On April 29 you can catch their show at Playhouse Theatre, 126-130 High Street, Weston-super-Mare. BS23 1HP.
They finish the month on April 30 at Regal Theatre, 10-16 The Avenue, Minehead, Somerset. TA24 5AY. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £19, £18.50 for friends of the theatre and £12 concessions.

Devon singer and songwriter, John Smith made a big impact with his Great Lakes album and his new disc, Headlong, is due out in May. He will no doubt be playing tracks from the album on his upcoming tour which starts on April 1 Upper Chapel, Norfolk Street, Sheffield. S1 2JD. Show starts 7pm and tickets are £16.50 including fees.
On April 2 you can find him in the Second City where he plays The Glee Club, The Arcadian Centre, 70 Hurst Street, Birmingham. B5 4TD. Doors open 7pm and tickets are £16.50 including fees. On April 3 he plays Phoenix, Bradninch Place, Gandy Street, Exeter. EX4 3LS. Show starts 7pm and tickets are £15 and £13 plus booking fee.
Then on April 4 you can see his show at The Lantern, Colston Hall, Colston Street, Bristol. BS1 5AR. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £16.50 including fee. You can see him perform on April 6 at Union Chapel, Compton Terrace, London. N1 2UN. Show starts 7pm and tickets are £19.25 including fees.
Following on from this on April 7 he will play with Brooke Bentham Dancehouse, 10 Oxford Road, Manchester. M1 5QA. Doors open 7.30 pm and show starts 8pm. Tickets are £15.
Smith heads for foreign shores on April 9 when he will perform at Paradiso, Weteringschans 6-8, 1017 SG Amsterdam, Netherlands. Doors open 7.30pm and show starts 8pm. Tickets are €10. His tour of mainland Europe continues on April 19 at Theater am Saumarkt, Mühletorplatz 1, 6800 Feldkirch, Austria. Show starts 7pm and tickets are usually €19 and there is a discount for club members as well as concessions.
The following night, April 20, he plays Haus der Musik, Seilerstätte 30, A-1010, Vienna, Austria. Show starts 8pm and tickets are €16.50. On April 21 he is off to Theater der Wohngemeinschaft, Richard-Wagner-Straße 39, 50674, Cologne, Germany. Doors open 8.15 and show starts 8.30pm. Tickets are €15. On April 22 he plays Hanse Song Festival, Stade, Germany. Smith is due on stage at 5.30pm and tickets for the festival are €32.
Then on April 23 he will perform at Grüner Salon, Berlin, Germany. Doors open 7pm and show starts 8pm. Tickets are €15. On April 24 you can catch Smith at Pension Schmidt,  Münster, Germany. Doors open 7.30pm and show starts 8pm. Tickets are €16 or €13. It's a change of country on April 26 where he will be playing Dexter, Odense, Denmark. Show starts 8pm and tickets are 80kr.
On April 27 you can see his show at Beta Øresundsvej 6, Copenhagen, Denmark. Show starts 9pm and tickets are 105kr. His penultimate gig of the month is on April 29 at Parterre, Klybeckstrasse 1b, Basel City, Switzerland. Doors open 7.30pm and show starts 8.30pm. Tickets are 25 Swiss francs with a three course meal option for 75 Swiss francs.
Smith ends the month on April 30 at Albani Music Club, Hotel Albani, Steinberggasse 16, 8400 Winterthur, Switzerland. Show starts 8.30pm and tickets are £22 Swiss francs.

Winter Mountain, who is Cornish singer-songwriter Joe Francis will be touring the UK this month in support of his new album I Swear I Flew. On April 1 he plays The Jericho Tavern, 56 Walton St,
Oxford. OX2 6AE. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £10.88.
The following night, April 2, you can see him, with the full band, at The Prince Albert, 48 Trafalgar Street, Brighton. BN1 4ED. Show starts 7pm and tickets are £10.88. Then on April 4 it's off to Greystones, Greystones Road, Sheffield. S11 7BS. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £10.
He will play the Kitchen Garden Cafe, 17 York Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham. B14 7SA, on April 5. Doors open 7.30pm and show starts 8pm. Tickets are £11 including fee. Then on April 6 it's further south to 229 The Venue, 229 Great Portland Street, London.
W1W 5PN. Show starts 7pm and tickets are £11.15.
You can see him perform on April 7 at The Lantern, Colston Hall, Colston Street, Bristol. BS1 5AR, where he shares the billing with Brook Sharkey. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £10.75 including fees. On April 8 he plays The Junction, 6 Mutley Plain, Plymouth PL4 6LA. Doors open 8pm and the show starts 8.30pm. Tickets are £9.90.
Then to finish off the month you can see him at The Voodoo Lounge, Phoenix, Bradninch Place, Gandy Street, Exeter. EX4 3LS. Show starts 7pm and tickets are £10 plus transaction fee.

Considered one of the finest banjo players in the UK Dan Walsh will be touring on the back of his new album release Verging On The Perpendicular kicking things off on April 19 at Dog Gone Roots, Sheppey Way, Bobbing. nr Sittingbourne, Kent. ME9 8QP. No information on times or ticket prices were available at time of publishing.
On April 20 Walsh takes his playing to the Ritz Acoustic Club, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset. (beneath the Ritz Cinema). Show starts 10pm but not ticket information was available at time of publishing. 

The following night, April 21, you can catch him at Deal Folk Club, at the Royal Marines Association (RMA Club), 37 The Strand, Walmer, Deal, Kent, CT14 7DX. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £5. Then on April 22 he performs at Folk Weekend Oxford which runs from April 21 to 23. There is a wide range of tickets on offer to check the event's website for the options which best suit your needs. On April 23 it's off to Nailsea Folk Club. Walsh will play in the Tithe Barn at 8pm and tickets are £10. On April 27 he will back in his native Midlands to play Katie Fitzgerald's, 187 Enville Street, Stourbridge. DY 8 3TB. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £11 including fees. He is playing Brewtown Folk Club, The Old Cottage Tavern, 36 Byrkley Street,
Burton upon Trent, DE14 2EG on April 28. Doors open 7pm and show starts 8pm. Tickets are £8. Then on April 29 it's off to Bromyard Conquest Theatre, Bromyard. HR7 4LL. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £8. To finish the month on April 30 he will play The Sunny Sailor, 1 Fullbridge, Maldon, Essex. CM9 4LE. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £13.20 including fees. 

News

It may not exactly have the boffins at the Guinness Book of Records hastily dusting off their clipboards but a folk band, well honestly a folk duo, are looking at selling out the Royal Albert Hall for a fifth time which is pretty impressive by anyone's standards. 

The Show of Hands Book

The impending feat is even more laudable when you consider Show of Hands, who are Steve Knightley and Phil Beer, with some serious input from Miranda Sykes, have been described as “the most famous unknown band in Britain”.
The duo are marking 25 years in the folk world on Easter Sunday, April 16.
All this, of course, means that for those who are still desperate to see them should be in panic mode now as tickets are close to being a sell out. They can be booked on 0207 589 8212 or 0845 401 5034.
The big event will start at 8pm where Knightley and Beer will be joined by the aforementioned Sykes.
Also on the guest list will be Sykes' long time musical partner Rex Preston along with Phillip Henry & Hannah Martin, Canadian duo Matt Gordon & Leonard Podolak, Devon’s 30-strong Lost Sound Chorus, Matt Clifford, Chris Hoban, who has written some of Show of Hands’ more recent songs including Katrina, Hallows’ Eve and The Old Lych Way.
A hard-backed souvenir book, No Secrets - a Visual History of Show of Hands, marking the band’s anniversary, will be on sale on the night featuring rare and exclusive photos as well as interviews with Steve and Phil. The book can be pre-ordered here https://www.thefloodgallery.com/

Tying in with this, Knightley's single No Secrets will be released on April 21 through Amazon and iTunes. 

Just like most folk gatherings the band will honour the tradition of a raffle only this time someone can win a cello mandolin made by Devon instrument makers, Oddy Luthiers. There will be a runner-up prize of the No Secrets book. Also Knightley will be announcing a significant crowdfunding appeal to bring an extensive Shrouds of the Somme art installation to London. shroudsofthesomme.com.

Seth Lakeman have been confirmed as one of the headline acts of the inaugural Selby Arts Festival, North Yorkshire, due to take place in the town this summer.

Lakeman will play a special concert with his band at Selby Abbey, performing songs from his new album, to open the festival on July 22.
David Edmunds, festival director, said he was thrilled with the lineup and believed it featured something for all tastes and ages, with many free events also on offer.
He said: "To be able to bring the calibre of artists like Seth Lakeman to the first year of the festival clearly sets out our statement of intent for the town not just for this year but for many years to come as we look to cement SAF’s place firmly on the UK festival map."
Also performing at the festival are fourteen-piece ukulele band The Grand Old Uke of York, who recently played at Radio 2’s Carfest and sold out shows at York's Great Yorkshire Fringe.
To find out more about the festival, which runs between July 22 and 30, go to the Selby Arts Festival Facebook page, or the festival's official website selbyartsfestival.co.uk.

Arguably the biggest event in the folk calendar, the Radio2 Folk Awards, got a little bigger with the announcement that guitar legend Ry Cooder and the recently returned Shirley Collins will be part of the impressive line up at the ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall on April 5 starting at 7.30pm. Listeners will also be able to watch the ceremony live on the BBC Radio2 website with highlights of the awards broadcast on BBC iPlayer after the event and on Red Button.
This year’s awards also feature a good dose of the craic with Irish acts nominated for awards across a wide range of categories.
Dubliner Daoiri Farrell, who is up for Folk Singer of the Year, the Horizon Award, and Best Traditional Track for his Van Diemen’s Land. Jarlath Henderson’s Hearts Broken, Heads Turned is nominated for Album of the Year. The Gloaming and O’Hooley & Tidow are also in the running for awards. Belinda O’Hooley is Leeds-born but comes from a long-line of Sligo musicians including her cousin Tommy Fleming.

Bromyard Folk Festival, which is celebrating it's half century, has named a good chunk of its line up for this year's event and it includes Le Vent du Nord, Jamie Smith's Mabon, The Mighty Doonans, Goitse, Rusty Shackle, Granny's Attic, Northern Company, Jeff Warner, Georgia Lewis Band, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, Rowan Piggott, The Falconers, Worcester Ukulele Club, Mrs Midnights, Rhodri Davies, The Night Before and Tickled Pink just to whet your appetite for the festival which runs from September 8 to 10.

From April 21-23 Folk Weekend Oxford returns for its sixth event. Once again Oxford city centre will come alive with music, dance, songs, concerts, ceilidhs, workshops and family fun.
On April 21 you can enjoy the talents of Nancy Kerr and James Fagan who will headline the main evening concert, supported by Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith, and local trio The Skeptics.
On the same day patron Jackie Oates will perform alongside Megan Henwood, Dan Walsh, Jack Rutter, Molly Evans, Jess & Richard Arrowsmith, Dave Shepherd & Anna Pack and many more.
There is a wide range of tickets options available so check out the festival website and remember that children under 12 are free when accompanied by an adult with a season ticket.

Young Texas family band the 4 Proches, who are Beecher, Ezra, Liza and Asa Proch, have decided upon a name change and henceforth will be known as Willow City. They haven't really made an impact in Europe yet but their music is pretty cool nonetheless.
They explain the reasons for the change which include 4 Proches apparently being difficult to pronounce; they may not always have four band members, whether adding someone or a band member retiring in 20 years. Having a number in the name is limiting. Finally, Willow City is where they grew up and where they have created and written their music.

If you have news about you or your band or wish to be included in the next Coming Your Way & News then please contact Folkall with your details on danfare60@gmail.com or via facebook at https://www.facebook.com/folkall/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel or through twitter on https://twitter.com/DannyFarragher.

All information and links were deemed correct at time of publishing. Folkall is not responsible for broken or unresponsive links.

OKA VANGA

CD Review

Dance of the Copper Trail

One remarkable thing about the music of Oka Vanga is that it’s not like listening to an album, it’s more akin to reading a book because Angela Meyer and William Cox are such good storytellers. Their previous disc and EP are testament to that.

Angela Meyer and William Cox

Once again Dance of the Copper Trail is based around folklore, tales, myth and the journey of life. Opening with The Wicken Tree, straight away you are thrown into a world of myth, magic and mystery. The duo creates the suitable mood with their music and the lovely clear voice of Meyer.

This gives way to a real toe tapper which crosses the borders of bluegrass, jug band and Celtfolk.
Capercaille has the pleasing up and down melody with Meyer’s gentle voice really pleasing on the ear and where Cox takes it out with speed and you can almost see Luke and Bo Duke being chased by the sheriff.

Ashes to the Wind, with its deep meaning about motherhood, has a real brooding melody and even Meyer’s voice takes on a slightly harsher, raspier tone with Patsy Reid’s fiddle adding a strong and almost broken undertone.

Meyer takes a brave step by recording She Moves Through The fair. It’s well-known and well-recorded staple of many female singers. This makes it all the more difficult to bring a new slant on it but she manages admirably.

She takes her singing higher up the scale and over the simple chords of Cox’s strings and Reid’s gentle fiddle playing. This makes it a seamless combination where it takes you a while to realise what a familiar tune it is.

With Don’t Let The Clouds Roll In the duo go back to their beginnings as an acoustic duo with a very personal instrumental track. The lack of words on the gentle but complex tune is a good thing here because it keeps it open for the listener.

Anne Bonny by Jun-Sik Ahn 

The Devil’s Tide is a “tribute” to the fiery Irish pirate Annie Bonnie (Anne Bonny). There is undoubtedly a brooding admiration for the Cork woman in Meyer’s travelling and face-paced tune. The throbbing guitar of Cox provides the percussion to push it along with once again Reid providing the musical gems on the fiddle.

The duo slow things down for the thoughtful and languorous Song of the River where Meyer’s voice is hypnotic almost siren-like and at times she seems to mirror sunlight dancing on the moving water.

Cox, dusting off his mandolin skills, adds a shimmering strand like the ripples of the water and Reid’s gentle undertone on the fiddle gives this a really lazy, sunny day feel where you almost drift into a gentle sleep, providing it’s not by a willow tree.

Although a separate track Rose of the Hill seems almost a segue as the transition is almost seamless. A lovely traditional tale of lovers being torn apart set around the coal mining industry is sung by Meyer in a seemingly matter of fact way. Her gentle, almost hushed tones add a real softness yet depth to the tale.

Meyer has a fantastic voice and the travelling beat of My Sweet Guitar carriers her along as she seems to jump in and out of the tune, slapping down her lyrics wherever she chooses. There is a strong jazz/bluesy feel to it.

There is also a playful and sexually sultry element to her singing which is given and throbbing beat by Oliver Copeland slapping the double bass.

Out of the Fire is another personal song with Meyer relating it to a point of disillusionment in her life and you get a slight undertone of anger in her performance.

The guitar playing, at times, comes across with a feeling of anxiety and it’s the mandolin of Cox which seems to earth things for her.

The new album

The final track, This Train, is Meyer’s version of a traditional gospel song. It sounds remarkably like Little Walter’s My Babe however, Oka Vanga’s version never seems to get let off the leash.

The guitar gets into the limelight but Meyer’s trembling voice always seems to be somewhat reserved to where you expect the big ending but it never comes.

Oka Vanga is an incredibly talented duo. The combination of Meyer’s voice, which has the quality, clarity and strength of a fine, single malt and Cox’s skill on his strings produces some absolutely magical songs and music which open hidden worlds and new adventures to all who listen to them.
They are storytellers who illustrate their tales with wonderful music.

Dance of the Copper trail is released on March 31 by Crazy Bird Records

You can catch the duo live on April 2 at Readifolkclub,  the Community Hall, Watlington House, 44 Watlington Street, Reading. RG1 4RJ. Show starts 8pm and entry is £6. Unfortunately the gig on the following night, April 3, at Devizes Folk Club is SOLD OUT. On April 4 they play Bradford upon Avon Folk Club at the cellar bar of the The Swan Hotel, 1 Church Street, Bradford on Avon. BA151LN. Show starts 8pm and there is no entry fee but a voluntary contribution is asked for. On April 6 you can hear them live on BBC Somerset at 10am. You can catch them at Shammick Acoustic  at The Pack O' Cards, High Street, Combe Martin, North Devon on April 8. Tickets are £7 in advance or £8 on the door and if you are a member then tickets are £7 and £6 respectively. Then on April 12 they will perform at Bradninch Acoustic Club held at The Baptist Hall is in Millway, Bradninch (next to the Guildhall). Please note the venue has no parking facilities. Show starts 7.45pm and tickets are £4. Then again you can hear them live on the radio through BBC Kent at 9pm

GARY INNES

CD Review

ERA

If you wanted proof that Scottish accordionist Gary Innes has been busy then bear in mind it's been twelve years since his last solo album. During that time he has been involved in myriad projects, not least of which is Mànran who recently released their new album An Dà Là - The Two Days.

Gary Innes

On this, his second solo album, he brings together self-composed tunes and songs and enlists the skills of musicians such as Hamish Napier, Duncan Lyall - of Treacherous Orchestra fame, Jarlath Henderson - whose album is in the running for one of the Radio2 Folk Awards and Ali Hutton who seems to be playing everywhere you look and who produced the album.
Kicking off with a triplet, Yarra Wine Valley/The V1P Party/The Herring, the opening of the first part sounds remarkably like that of Foreigner's Cold as Ice, which comes in with a strong strumming beat before Innes' accordion lifts the whole thing.
The opener is a complex piece with Innes putting his accordion skills on show very early in the album and like many a good Celtic tune it was inspired by the grapes of the valley.
The second part is slightly more sedate before he picks up the pace for the final third of the track.
Innes' solo composition The Road to Lochaber is a musical vision of the scenery which passes by during his many journeys home and while, unless you have driven the same road, it may be difficult to visualise all he is trying to capture in his music, you do get a sense of the sweeping majesty which characterises many of the Scottish landscapes.
There is a laid-back feeling to his playing as though he is replaying each stage of the journey in his mind through his bellows. It does give the feel of a sprawling vista opening slowly as the trip continues.
Innes was, to say the least, enamoured of the Scottish game shinty from which he retired because of work commitments. With Caman Man it's obvious Innes sees it as much more than a game but as very much part of his Scottish makeup and a microcosm of Scotland itself. Robert Robertson lets rip with his deep, resonant yet wonderfully lyrical voice.
The thumping beat and drumming cadence of the tune gives is a jingoistic feel and there is real passion both in the music and the words.
This is followed by a doublet of Crazy Street/An Aird. The light dancing tune, which was inspired by a festival in Brittany, does have a manic element about it and Innes admits it was so crazy that he almost got pregnant there, so make of that what you will.
The second half harks back to his youthful days of playing shinty where An Aird was his home ground and he recognises that while his love of the game has not diminished the march of time cannot be ignored.
May Life Always Be Peachy is a very personal tune, written for his brother "Goose's" wedding and the "Peachy" referred to in the title was his brother's affection name for his bride.
The gentle waltz was specially written as their first dance as a married couple and if it was played with the pipes and full sound you get here, then the newlyweds' first dance must have been a real belter of an occasion.

The traditional Scottish sport of shinty

Innes has put a lot of his personal life into the music on this album and two examples are The Highland Obama and Duffy's Bench.
The duo of tunes begins with one inspired by a painting of Innes on the wall of an Inverness music venue where people claim he looks like the former US president. There is not hint of this faux American connection in the tune but it is a light and likeable offering which is kept dancing by the expert touch of Innes on his keys.
The second part refers to the bench where he proposed to his fiancee Hannah, whom he says cried so much that it was three days before the fact she had said yes had sunk in.
There is a gentle and romantic feel to the first part of the tune but you then get a definite dance of joy as the pace quickens and you can almost pinpoint in the track when he popped the question.
Siobhan Miller, who herself has just released a solo album Strata, provides the slightly smoky and gritty voice for this song of Innes' niece Zara who inspired the family during a stressful and worrying time.
One thing you notice about Innes he never holds back and even though the track was about a four month old child, the tune gives her plenty of room to grow into it.
Talking of going big, Innes packs in four songs into the next track and really lets rip with his accordion skills. If there was ever any doubt about his competence and ability to squeeze every ounce of sound out of his bellows then this track should dispense with them.
When you listen to the pace and complexity of the playing you almost feel he has more than one pair of hands. The precision and accuracy of the notes mixed with the speed reminds of Sam Pirt of The Hut People who plays most of his tunes like the devil is chasing him.
Grace and Pride was inspired both by the chance for Scotland to gain independence and Innes' disappointment when the vote wasn't the result he wanted.
Alec Dalglish's voice sings of the history and feeling which went into the push for the break of ties, with Innes' accordion carrying along the lyrics underneath.

The new album

The final track on the album, Our Heroes, is a charity single inspired by Lance Corporal Donald Patterson who died in France fighting in World War One. He was shot while marching into battle playing the bagpipes and poignantly those same pipes are played on the track by Duncan McGillivray.
It is a rousing and emotive tune and once you know the story behind it, even more so. Monies raise by the tune went to Erskine, Scotland's veterans charity.
There is no two ways about it Era can be seen as a potted map of Scotland seen through the eyes of Innes, but more than that the music is very personal.
What he has translated into his music is the crossing over from one era in his life to another, while bringing together the changes in his life as well as his sense of being a proud Scot. As one era of his shinty playing youth and working in the rescue service comes to an end so his new era, exemplified by his niece, his new life as a husband and the full time concentration on his music begins.

Era is available now from the artist's website, www.birnamcd.com and download sites

You can see Innes on the German leg of  Mànran's tour throughout this month where on March 9 they play Leverkusen Scala, Uhlandstraße 9, Germany. Doors open 7pm and show starts 7.30pm. Tickets are €26 or €28. The following night, March 10, you can see them at Falkensee Stadthalle, Scharenbergstraße 15. Show starts 8pm and tickets range from €17.50 to €28.50. On March 11 they are off to Torgau Kulturhaus, Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz 16. Show starts 8pm and tickets are €24.50 or €18.50 with concessions.
Their next gig is on March 12 at Arnstadt Theatre am Schloß. Show starts 7pm. Then on March 13 the gig at Kulturwerk MSH., Eisleben is sold out. Their next show is on March 15 when they play Hapaghalle, Cuxhaven. Show starts 8pm and tickets start from €26.40. The following night, March 16, they will be performing at Kleines Theater, Bargteheide. Show starts 7.30pm.
On St Patrick's Day, March 17, you can catch them at Pumpwerk, Wilhelmshaven. Show starts 8pm and tickets range from €27.40 to €19. On March 18 you can see them at Lindenpark
Potsdam. Show starts 8pm and tickets range from €18 to €28. Unfortunately the gig on March 19 at Werner Richard Saal, Herdecke is SOLD OUT. The next gig is on March 21 at Park Theater, Kurhaus, Göggingen. Show starts 8pm and tickets ranger from €29 to €36 plus fees.
Then on March 22 it's a show at  franz.K, Unter den Linden 23. Show starts 8pm and tickets are €24.15 in advance, €26 on the night and €21 with concessions. Next on March 23 it's on to Scala, Königsallee 43, Ludwigsburg. Doors open 7pm and show starts 8pm. Tickets are  €22 and €27. The following night, March 24, they move on to Löwensaal, Hohenems, Austria. Show starts 8pm. Then on March 25 the band play Garching bei München, Bürgerpl. 9, Bürgerhaus. Show starts 8pm and tickets start from €26.40. To end the month on March 26 they play K1, Munastraße 1, Traunreut. Show starts 8pm.