NEWS

Coming your Way

As we slowly head into spring, yes it is out there somewhere, so the folk and acoustic artists are waking up and setting out for another year of tours, concerts and festivals.

Suzanne Vega

Suzanne Vega will be promoting her new album Beauty & Crime in the ornate surroundings of the Town Hall, Birmingham on Monday February 3. The show starts at 7.30pm and tickets are £27.50 and £37.50 for gold circle tickets. These are all subject to booking fees except where bought directly from the venue or Symphony Hall in person. Vega will also be playing Nottingham Royal Concert Hall on February 6. Again the show starts at 7.30pm and tickets range from £31.50 to £42.

Supporting Vega on the German and Australian legs of her tour is Seth Lakeman who releases his new album Word of Mouth on Monday February 3. If you can't wait to see him in concert he will be signing copies at Fopp in Nottingham, on Thursday February 6 at 1pm. He will then be playing a launch show later in the day at Lichfield Cathedral at 7.30pm. Tickets range from £13 to £23 although the venue has released some extra seating in the rear of the nave where the choir stalls are. Tickets for these are £16.50 + £1 booking fee. Lakeman will also be playing Shrewsbury Folk Festival on Sunday, August 24.

Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman, who has just celebrated his 40th birthday, are also coming out of hibernation this month with a couple of dates in the Midlands, on Thursday 13 they are playing Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury. Show starts 7.30pm and tickets are £15 plus booking fee. They change venue on Thursday 27 and play Gloucester Cathedral, tickets are £12. The box office number is 0845 652 1823.

Shawn Colvin

There is a star-studded line up coming to Birmingham Symphony Hall on Thursday February 6 with the incredible Transatlantic Sessions. The bill of musicians is of the highest calibre and includes not only founders Aly Bain  and Jerry Douglas but Shawn Colvin, Tim O’Brien, Julie Fowlis, Kris Drever, Mike McGoldrick and John McCusker to name but a few. Tickets are £27.50 + a transaction fee unless bought in person from the venue. Call the box office on 0121 780 4949.

Seen as the fathers of folk rock, Fairport Convention will be playing Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury on Thursday February 6, the show starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are £21 + £1.50 booking fee.

Later in the month on Wednesday 26 the greatly talented and engaging Martyn Joseph, plays the Walker Theatre at Theatre Severn. The show starts at 8pm and tickets are £15 and MAY be subject to a booking fee except where bought in person or in cash.

If you want your folk for free then pop over to the Symphony Hall, Birmingham which will be hosting another of its Folk for Free shows in partnership with Moseley Folk Festival. On Thursday February 6 Boat to Row will be playing the Cafe Bar from 5.30pm. Boat to Row is a collective of musicians who will be launching their single Tightrope, at the Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham on February 28. They appear with special guest Kitten and Bear and tickets are £10. Doors open at 7.30 and bear in mind, no pun intended, the theatre is a small venue. As part of the Tightrope tour the collective will also be playing the Guitar Bar, Nottingham on Thursday February 13 and Henry Tudor House, Shrewsbury on the 17th.

Also as part of the Folk For Free,  on Thursday 27 Abie's Miracle Tonic take the same spot from 5.30pm. The band offer an eclectic mix of ragtime, blues, jazz, spirituals and novelty songs on guitar, washboard and vocal harmonies.

The trio from Teesside, The Young'uns are coming to Wolverhampton on February 8 when they will be hosted by The Newhampton Folk Club, in the upper room of the Newhampton Pub, Riches Street. The show starts at 8.30pm and tickets are £10 in advance or £12 on the night. The band have a new album on the way called Never Forget which is due out on March 10.

Also from the North, Fiddle player Tom McConville will be heading south to play at the Newhampton Arts Centre, Dunkley Street, Wolverhampton on Saturday February 15. Doors open at 7.30pm and tickets are £12.50.

Luke Jackson is promoting his second album

If you're a Show of Hands fan then you should get yourself off to The Red Lion Folk Club on February 12 where Steve Knightley will be doing a rare gig in an intimate venue. Also coming there on the 26th is Luke Jackson. He is a 19-year-old singer/songwriter who is making some serious ripples in the folk and acoustic world. By the time he does the gig he will have released his second album Fumes and Faith which is excellent. The Red Lion is on Vicarage Road, Kings Heath and is open Wednesdays from 7.15pm for a 7.45pm start. Tickets can be bought on the door.

It may be a small venue but The Kitchen Garden attracts some big acts and on Saturday February 1 they are hosting Hank Wangford who is arguably the foremost name in British Country music. Tickets are £13 in advance or £15 on the door. On Monday February 10 the legend Martin Carthy will play the venue. Tickets are £10 in advance or £12 on the night. For more information use the link above or call 0121 443 4725.

If you have a concert, news or CD release then contact Folkall either through the comments or email Danny Farragher at dannyfarragher@hotmail.co.uk or danfare60@gmail.com. I am also on twitter @dannyfarragher.