Saturday 11 November 2023

 NEWS & WHAT'S ON

Folk veterans Jon Boden and Eliza Carthy have teamed up to produce a new album, Glad Christmas Comes, which is released on November 28 but can be pre-ordered on this link. On the back of the album they are setting off on a Wassailing tour, details below.

November

22 Huntington Hall, Worcester. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £25 not including an insurance fee.

23 St George's, Bristol. Please note this concert is sold out.

24 The Haymarket, Basingstoke. Show starts 7.30pm. Tickets are £24 and for under-25s £20 including a £4 booking fee.

25 Revelation, Ashford. Doors open 7.30pm and the show runs from 8-10.30pm. Tickets are earlybird adult £20, earlybird U16 £16, on the door adult £24, on the door U16 £20 and booking fees apply.

26 The Stables, Milton Keynes. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £27.50 inclusive of booking fees.

For this venue, tickets up to and including £10, a fee of £1 per ticket will be charged. For tickets between £10.01 and £15, a fee of £1.50 per ticket will be charged. For tickets between £15.01 and £25, a fee of £2.50 per ticket will be charged. For tickets over £25, a fee of £3.50 per ticket will be charged. Should an event be cancelled, or rescheduled to a new date that you cannot attend, The Stables will refund the ticket price portion of the amount originally paid only.

27 The Apex, Bury St Edmunds. Show starts 8pm and tickets are £21.50 including booking fee.

December

7 Brewery Arts, Kendal. Doors open 7.30pm and tickets are £23 including booking fee.

8 The Stoller Hall, Manchester. Show starts 8pm. Tickets range from £13 to £22.

9 The Music Room, Liverpool. There are two shows a matinee at 3pm and an evening show at 8pm. Tickets range from £20 to £25. A nine percent administrative fee applies for online and telephone orders and a £2.50 postage fee is applicable on all orders via the post.

10 Pavilion Theatre, Whitby. Doors open 7.30pm and the show starts 8pm. Tickets are £22 plus booking fee.

11 Minster, Halifax. The show runs from 7.30 to 11pm and tickets are £25.

12 Cadogan Hall, London. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets range from £21 to and for under-18s: all seats £15 but they are not available online.

21 The Fire Station, Sunderland. The show starts 7.30pm and tickets range from £19 to £25.

Jaywalkers are breaking their duck with Sheffield's Cafe #9 on November 19. Doors open 7pm for a 7:30pm start. Tickets are £12.50 and you are allowed to bring your own drinks but the venue does offer food and drinks.

Tickets are available on this link as well as from the cafe itself although it should be noted the venue is cash only.

Further south you can catch up with James Delarre & Saul Rose who will be playing the Newhampton Arts Centre on November 18 starting at 8pm. Tickets are £14.


2024

As you would expect there are some real heavyweights and veterans of folk who have been lined up in the eclectic mix which is next year’s Shrewsbury Folk Festival.

Shrewsbury Folk Festival

Billy Bragg, Breabach, Capercaillie, EFDSS Ceilidh Band, Gigspanner Big Band, Leveret, Maddy Prior & The Forgotten Lands, O'Hooley & Tidow, Spiers & Boden, Steve Knightley, The Sharon Shannon Trio, Whapweasel are on the bill to name but a few. There is a vast array of ticket prices covering most eventualities from individual days to family and camping tickets.

The website also lists a selection of accommodations for those less hardy than the tented brigade.

The festival runs from August 23 to 26 August at The West Midlands Showground, (The Agricultural Showground), Berwick Road, Shrewsbury.


Not long after if you have not fully topped up your folk tank you can enjoy the Moseley Folk and Arts Festival. Earlybird tickets are on sale now for the event which runs from August 30 to September 1. The line up has yet to be announced.


Friday 6 October 2023

UNANSWERED

 ALBUM REVIEW

Unanswered – Ward, Knútur and Townes

Unanswered is a product of our times as, during the great pestilence of Covid, three musicians pooled their resources, employed technology and produced this collection which reflects their English, Icelandic and Canadian roots respectively.


The highly lauded skills of Lucy Ward, Svavar Knútur and Adyn Townes have created songs with qualities of other-worldliness, serenity and poignancy that are well worth dipping into with all your senses.

Ward’s vocals and harmonies blend beautifully with Towne’s distinctive singing style which, if pinned down to a description, seems to be a fusion of Sam Kelly with a hint of Cat Stevens. 

The album gestated over two years in its cyber incubator that is Zoom finally being given life in Iceland.

Aside from their voices, Townes plays guitars, Ward adds sansula, (a plucked handheld instrument) and Knútur brings guitars, keys and synths. They are more than ably assisted by Sarah Matthews on violin and viola and Evan McCosham on bass. Steve MacLachlan produced the album as well as adding the drums.

Opening with Astronaut, Ward and Downes could be accused of whispering the lyrics almost as if they want the listener to lean in and experience the creation more intimately.

The harmonies on Paper Plane are smoother than the fur on a rabbit’s paw and carried along by the sound of Matthew’s spectre-like violin tones.

A much stronger tempo brings in the travelling beat of Work It Out where the under-drumming carries the song along at a canter. The structure has more than a twang of the fabulous First Aid Kit.

Seasons is a ballad about legend Johnny Cash and wife June Carter where, after 35 years married, they died within a few months of each other. The gentleness of Townes’ tones feel as if you are eavesdropping on the outpourings of someone trying to make sense of life. Ward’s harmonies are sympathetic and surround the main lyrics almost like a hug from a friend.

The deeper and sleepier tones of Knútur can lull you into a false sense of security as Isn’t It Funny turns out to be sprawling song with all the hallmarks of something lifted out of a West End musical.

Adyn Townes, Svavar Knutur
 and Lucy Ward

Everything has ambitions of being a social commentary but doesn’t quite pull it off. While the intentions are good, the lyrics feel lethargic and the music lacks any edge to make you sit up and take notice.

Ward comes with a much edgier sound to her voice for Aurora where there are definite shades of the late great Sinead O’Connor in her delivery.

Your Love Was Death To Me is an incredible title and Townes sings the song with all the pathos of a wounded and defeated man.

Knútur takes over for Medusa, his soft Donovan-sounding tones riding slowly in on a pulsating yet wonderfully understated keyboard.

The title track, inspired by Icelandic folklore about an old phone box which, although disconnected for years, allegedly still rings. Locals claim it has mystical powers and can even bring misfortune! This said Ward’s silky voice is a blend of gentleness with a real edge and the ethereal refrain is almost chant-like.

If you want to indulge in the translations of Orgar Brim then feel free but it’s best enjoyed as the mesmerising piece of music it is. The language of music is universal and this almost tribal song has a way of sinking into your emotions.

Unanswered is an album of styles that could so easily have misconnected like badly aligned cogwheels, instead the layers each musician brings creates a collection that is ethereal, luxurious and indulgent.

Unanswered is available from wardknuturtownes.com the trio are also touring over the coming months opening with a chance to invite them into your living room.

 

OCTOBER

Friday 13 - Deda - Derby/Live To Your Living Room - online

Saturday 14 - Newhampton Arts Centre, Dunkley Street, Wolverhampton. WV1 4AN

Sunday 15 - Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre, Manor Road, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. KT12 2PF

Tuesday 17 - Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Altwood Road, Maidenhead. SL6 4PF

Wednesday 18 - Green Note, 106 Parkway, London. NW1 7AN

Thursday 19 - The Greystones, Greystones Road, Sheffield. S11 7BS (PLEASE NOTE THIS VENUE IS A CASHLESS SITE)

Friday 20 - Manchester Folk Festival, 25 Swan Street Northern Quarter Manchester. M4 5JZ

Saturday 21 - Chapel Arts, St.James's Memorial Hall, Lower Borough Walls, Bath. BA1 1QR

Sunday 22 - Calstock Arts, The Old Chapel, Sand Lane, Calstock. PL18 9QX

 

NOVEMBER

Friday 17 - Downend Folk & Roots, Christ Church, North Street, Downend, Bristol. BS16 5SG

Saturday 18 - The Silver Street Sessions. For all concerts please park in Croft Way Car Park, adjacent to Wiveliscombe Community Centre and a short walk from St. Andrew's Church.

Sunday 19th - The Tolmen Centre, Tolmen Centre, Fore Street, Constantine, Cornwall. TR11 5AA

Tuesday 21 - Hermon Arts,  Hermon Chapel, Chapel Street, Oswestry. SY11 1LF. Parking is available at the nearby Horsemarket Car park

Wednesday 22 - The Witham, The Witham, 3 Horse Market, Barnard Castle, DL12 8LY.

Thursday 23 - Ropery Hall - The Ropewalk, Maltkiln Road, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5JT.

Friday 24 - The Stables, Stockwell Lane, Wavendon, Milton Keynes, MK17 8LU.

Saturday 25 – The Courthouse - Otley Courthouse, Courthouse Street, Otley, LS21 3AN.

Sunday 26 - Folk at The Froize – The Street, Chillesford, Woodbridge, Suffolk. IP12 3PU.






Wednesday 6 September 2023

Young 'Uns

 

THE YOUNG ‘UNS

The Young 'Uns: David Eagle,
Sean Cooney, Michael Hughes
The Northern songsters, The Young ‘Uns are offering an early Christmas present to anyone who likes an evening of fun, banter, questionable jokes, catchy stories and fine singing.

The Durhamite trio, who are Sean Cooney, Michael Hughes and David Eagle, have announced a series of winter gigs for December.

Kicking off in the Midlands with two nights at the Warwick Arts Centre before heading back up North for three more dates and finally whizzing well down south for a pre-festive gig in London.

If you can’t wait that long then they are dashing up and down the country giving as many people as possible a chance to enjoy their catchy, insightful and thought-provoking song and stories. 

They even find time to nip off to Germany before returning to Blighty for their December run.


 SEPTEMBER

9 Bromyard Folk Festival they have the late spot on Saturday night. Tickets are available either directly from the Bromyard website or through a link on the trio’s site.

16 Moonbeams Festival, The Wolds, East Yorkshire. Tickets are available either from the festival’s facebook page or the link on the band’s website.

22 The Globe, Stockton on Tees. They will be filling the late spot as part of the Tees Folk 2023.

 

OCTOBER

5 St Mary’s Church, Church Lane, Portbury, Bristol. BS20 7TR. They will be performing their Ballad of Johnny Longstaff at 7.30pm.

28 Kulturhaus Lüdenscheid, Freiherr-vom-Stein-Straße 9, 58511 Lüdenscheid. They are playing the Theater Hall 7.30pm.

 

DECEMBER

9/10 Warwick Arts Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry. CV4 7AL. The trio are playing The Studio on Saturday at 7.45pm and Sunday at 15.00pm. The shows will be nearly two hours long and tickets are £22.50.

16 All Saints Church, Pocklington, East Yorkshire, YO42 2AX. Doors open 6.45pm and show starts 7.30pm. Tickets are £21.50 + booking fee.

17 The Old Woollen, Sunny Bank Mills, 83-85 Town Street, Farsley, Leeds, LS28 5UJ. Doors open 7pm and the show starts at 8pm. Tickets are £24 including booking fee.

22 Elvet Methodist Church, Durham, DH1 3HL. Doors open 7pm and the show starts 7.30pm. Tickets range from £10 to £21.50 + booking fee.

23 Cecil Sharp House, Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regents Park Road, London, NW1 7AY. Show starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are £10 for U-30s and £22 for adults, both subject to a £2 booking fee.

 











Thursday 31 August 2023

NEWS & WHAT'S ON

NEWS & WHAT’S ON 

Martin Simpson may be in his sixth decade of performing but he’s showing no signs of wear and tear with his new tour kicked off and his latest album, in collaboration with Thomm Jutz, due out at the end of this month.
Martin Simpson
copyright Folkall

Nothing But Green Willow: The Songs of Mary Sands and Jane Gentry is available September 29 on Topic Records.

If that wasn’t enough to keep all you Simpsonites stimulated, he also has a solo album due to be released next year to coincide with the 85th anniversary of Topic Records.

Sky Dancers is almost ready to come out of the oven and will be two CDs – a 10-track studio album and an eight-track live album, containing two additional tracks recorded live in the studio.

"I am very excited to say my solo album is within an ace of being completed. The album is an extraordinary and accurate representation of my relationship with the material I perform, and with the influences which continue to make themselves felt after 58 years of playing,” said Simpson.

Thomm Jutz
Due for release in March 2024 the album features Andy Cutting on button accordion, Liz hanks on cello, Ben Nicholls on string bass, and two new musical companions. Young guitar wizard Louis Campbell and pedal steel player Greg Leisz.

It's due for release in March of 2024 to coincide with Topic’s anniversary celebrations. Fans can get a taster at his forthcoming concerts, listed below.

Those of you who want to improve your musical skills should keep an eye on his website as the online workshops will be making a return and, hopefully, in-person sessions could be in the pipeline, to find out more email: info@martinsimpson.com

Mary Sands
Jane Gentry

Jutz is an award-winning guitarist who has brought to the table his deep interest in Cecil Sharp’s 1916 and 1918 collection: English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, particularly those tunes from singers, Mary Sands and Jane Gentry.

"The stories and messages in these songs are as important today as they were hundreds of years ago. The reason is they deal with archetypes, and archetypes and the problems related to them transcend time and place,” said Jutz.



 SEPTEMBER 2023

01 Cumbernauld Folk Club, Lanternhouse, South Kildrum Ring Road Cumbernauld North Lanarkshire G67 2UF

02 Kelso Folk Festival, Old Parish Church, Kelso, TD5 7BJ

03 CatStrand, New Galloway, DG7 3RN

06 Broadford Hall, Isle of Skye IV49 9AE

07 An Lanntair, Stornoway, Kenneth Street Stornoway Isle of Lewis HS1 2DS

08 St Peter's Scottish Episcopal Church, 153 High Street, Linlithgow EH49 7AB

09 The Masonic Hall, 152 Brook Street, Broughty Ferry Dundee DD5 1DT

15 Rye Arts Festival, Rye Community Centre, TN31 7LE

24 Topsham Folk Club, Matthews Hall, Fore Street, Topsham, Devon, EX3 0HF

 

OCTOBER 2023

08 Hartlepool Folk Festival, various town venues

19 Cambridge Junction, Clifton Way, Cambridge CB1 7GX

21 Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton Union Street, Burton upon Trent, DE14 1AA

22 Hellens Manor, Great Barn, Herefordshire, HR8 2LY

24 Wrecking Ball Music & Books, 15 Whitefriargate Hull, HU1 2ER

26 Arnside Sailing Club, The Old Customs House, 17, The Promenade, Arnside, Carnforth LA5 0HD

27 Alnwick Playhouse, Bondgate Without, Alnwick, Northumberland NE66 1PQ

 

NOVEMBER 2023

01 Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Aberystwyth University, Penglais Campus, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3DE

02 Chapel Arts Centre, St James Memorial Hall, Lower Borough Walls, Bath, BA1 1QR

03 The Flavel Arts Centre, Dartmouth Flavel Place, Dartmouth TQ6 9ND

05 Temperance Bar, 33 Bath Street, Leamington Spa CV31 3AF

17 St Edith Folk, Memorial Hall High St, Otford, Sevenoaks TN14 5PQ

18 St Mary's Church Hall, 7 Oxford St, Marlborough SN8 1AP

19 Moth Club, London Old Trades Hall, Valette Street, London E9 6NU

 

MARCH 2024

23 Plowright Theatre, Laneham St, Scunthorpe DN15 6JT

 

APRIL 2024

27 St Mary's Church, Twyford, Winchester SO21 1NS