What’s On at…

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October 9, 2019: Phoebe Rees (Wales / Scotland)

Originally from Oswestry, Phoebe grew up in Scotland – and it was in the North West Highlands where she began learning the fiddle. After going on to study as a classical viola player in Edinburgh and London, she is now living back in Oswestry. She is exploring a new sound by combining fiddle, viola and voice and getting back to her roots in Scottish and other traditional music. Over the past year, Wales has heard her performing, from the Cwlwm Celtaidd festival to the North Welsh coast – please watch a video of Phoebe playing and singing the Joan Baez composition ‘Prison Trilogy’ at Rhyl Folk Club – and another video of Phoebe’s amalgamation of the Fred Morrison/Bob Dylan tune-ballad ‘The Aird Ranters’/ ‘Seven Curses’.

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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October 30, 2019: Hallowe’en Special with Andrew McKay & Carole Etherton (Wales)

From the wilds of Gower, Andrew and Carole present their spooky Special, featuring seasonal songs, sketches, costumed characters and shadow puppets….a little bit of theatre!

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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November 6, 2019: Dan McKinnon (Canada)

A big welcome back for Dan! Folk music enthusiasts just cannot mistake this

native Nova Scotian for his wonderful

deep-brown baritone voice, the flowing liquidity of his guitar, his prolific songwriting, his inspired storytelling and his larger-than-life personality that keeps his audiences transfixed and thoroughly fascinated thoughout his performing career. Playing French horn in various youth orchestras helped to form Dan’s love of music, but it was two defining influences that showed him a new direction. During a summer break at the Nova Scotia Teachers’ Training College, Dan picked up his sister’s seldom-used 100-dollar guitar – and he was smitten. And hitching a ride to a folk festival, he was introduced to the magic of Stan Rogers’ songwriting; hearing Stan’s performance would never leave him, and in the midst of a history degree he decided to take the plunge and go on the road. Dan has played concerts, festivals and folk clubs around the world, and he has released six albums: Just Another Day, Fields Of Dreams And Glory, Minstrel In The Rain,  Songs From The Hearth, Chasing Sunsets and Between Wind And Water.

Watch this video of Dan singing ‘Wandering Days’ at the Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival on America’s East Coast in 2014.

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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November 20: Tommy Sands (Ireland)

Tommy was born in Mayobridge, County Down in 1945 – and this singer, songwriter and social activist has achieved something akin to legendary status in his own lifetime. From the pioneering days with the highly influential Sands Family, bringing Irish Music from New York’s Carnegie Hall to Moscow’s Olympic Stadium, he has developed into one of the most powerful songwriters and enchanting solo performers in Ireland today. His songwriting, which draws the admiration of Nobel Poet Laureate Seamus Heaney and father of folk music Pete Seeger, prompts respected US magazine Sing Out to regard him as “the most powerful songwriter in Ireland, if not the rest of the world”.

His songs, such as  ‘There Were Roses’ and ‘Daughters And Sons’, have been recorded by Joan Baez, Kathy Matthea, Dolores Keane, Sean Keane, Frank Patterson, Dick Gaughan, The Dubliners and many others. His verses have been translated into many languages and are currently included in the English language syllabus in German secondary schools.

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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December 11, 2019: Christmas Party no. 1

(£3 admission)

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December 18, 2019: Christmas Party no. 2: Carolling & Crumpets with John Kirkpatrick

Taking its title from John’s unforgettable song telling the Nativity story from the point of view of the animals in the stable, this show is a heart-warming look at the timeless rituals found in the folklore and folk music at Midwinter. John peels away the commercial gloss of modern Christmas to reveal the powerful pagan urges that race through us all at this time of year, and the life and death struggle that is symbolised in so many traditional songs and customs.

And if that all sounds just a little too intense, then rest assured that the mysterious and murky goings-on in these magical songs of wassailing, wren-hunting, stirring the fire, and incessant feasting, all come dressed up in a glittering finery of toe-tapping tunes and cracking choruses. Add to the mixture a light-hearted smattering of hilarious original songs, a sprinkling of carols both familiar and unfamiliar, all stirred up with John’s usual panache and energy, and supported by his scintillating skill on a variety of squeeze-boxes, and you have an unbeatable recipe for having a rattling good sing, guaranteed to keep the spirits cheery and the cold at bay.

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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December 25, 2019: Nadolig – Christmas Day – Club closed

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January 1, 2020: Survivors’ Night…

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January 22, 2020: Showcase with Dragons Breath (Wales)

(£3 admission)

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February 5, 2020: Whiskey River Trio

The Whiskey River Landing is located in the swamps of Cajun Country, right next to the Gulf of Mexico – and Herefordshire guitarist / singer Martin Blake and Cwmbran Cajun accordionist / harmonica player Aidan Sheehan decided to name the band when they toured the US state of Louisiana many years ago. ​However, on July 24, 2019, Whiskey River’s fiery fiddle player, Dave Wood, was lost to cancer. Martin and Aidan say that Dave was a mainstay of the band and had been a friend and colleague for over thirty years and will be very sorely missed. However, the band will go on – and Martin and Aidan will fulfil his gig commitments with the help of fiddler Rob Strawson, from the original Blake’s Three.

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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February 26, 2020: Tim Edey

Tim is an utterly jaw-dropping guitarist, button-box player and composer who grew up in Broadstairs, Kent, and is now living in Ardara, County Donegal. He won two awards (Musician of the Year and Best Duo with New Zealand harmonica player Brendan Power) at the BBC Radio 2 2012 Folk Awards, and he has been nominated again for February, 2018. He toured with stunning Scottish bagpiper Ross Ainslie. and in Canada too – he was  invited to perform at the Celtic Colours Festival in Nova Scotia and the Gatineu Hills Fiddle Festival in Ontario. Please watch this video of Tim’s brilliant guitar work at Australia’s Illawarra Folk Festival in New South Wales – his diatonic accordion mastery is really not bad either, as you can see in another video of Tim playing Bach.

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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March 11, 2020: Kit Hawes & Aaron Catlow

Best known as the virtuoso guitar and fiddle players from the band Sheelanagig, Kit and Aaron have a combined 30 years of live touring with many acts under their belt such as the Carnyvillans, Elephant Talk and Mad Dog McCrea, to name a few. They have played many traditional styles from across the British Isles and beyond, but what unites them is a passion for folk music.

They draw on their many influences to create unique arrangements of traditional music, as well as their own compositions. The live show is a musical journey through Europe, America and beyond; combining dazzling playing with a fine sense of musicality and showmanship.

“Rip-roaring violin, guitar and vocals” – Larmer Tree Festival
“Not just any old violin and acoustic guitar duo… THE violin and acoustic guitar duo” – The Bristol Post

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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March 18, 2020: Mike & Dylan James (Bzh)

Live from Brittany – father and son singers and musicians Mike and Dylan are back on the road again with a concert repertoire of ballads, tunes, songs of love and of unhappy affairs – many of them real ‘photographs’ of past life in the British Isles, but sometimes with surprising echoes of the contemporary world.

Accordionist and singer Mike, one of the founders of Pontardawe Festival and for many years a pillar of the Valley Folk Club in Pontardawe, has played all over Europe over the last 40 years, with groups such as the Anglo-Welsh band Swansea Jack, Quilty (Irish), Priodas and Twm Twp (Welsh dance music), and Breton music, fest-noz and song, such as a duo with Yves Leblanc, Jacal, and Glaou. Dylan, who has developed a strong reputation for his double bass playing, also plays percussion and sings close harmonies; he is an eclectic musician who never stops searching and learning, while keeping an anchor in the traditional repertoire. He sings and plays for fest noz in contemporary Breton music groups An Tri Dipop and Planchée; explores sounds and songs around the East Brittany repertoire with fiddler Emmanuelle Bouthillier (L’Abrasive) and also develops different styles of improvised music (Thomas James Folks, Luge). He is a loyal sideman for indie folk artist Vince Lahay, and often accompanies other artists from the traditional music circuit (Calum Stewart, Hervé Dréan, Yoann An Nedeleg). He has also developed a solo set, and is the lead singer and bass player in brass-rock-bass-jazz ensemble Moger.

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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April 8, 2020: Jackie Oates and John Spiers

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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May 6, 2020: Anthony John Clarke

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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May 20, 2020: Nick & Mally Dow

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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June 17, 2020:  Hannah James and Toby Kuhn (England / France)

Accordionist and singer Hannah and French post-classical cellist Toby met in the summer of 2018 at the Floating Castle festival in Slovenia. After seeing Hannah perform one of her solo pieces, Toby suggested she should keep him in mind if she ever needed a cellist. After a short jam in the Slovenian sunshine, it was clear that the two musicians shared a common approach to music-making and a real artistic chemistry. Toby joined Hannah at a solo gig a few days later – and a new duo was born.

Their music is soulful, original and conversational. The combination of accordion and cello allows for a huge palette of sounds and textures which lift Hannah’s pure voice and deeply honest songwriting. In the next breath, they switch to choppy rhythms and joyful interplay between cello and percussive dance in a diverse, playful and hugely original performance. Watch a video of Hannah and Toby in concert, delivering ‘Hush Now’ and ‘Dayspring’.

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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July 8, 2020:  Boo Hewerdine and Brooks Williams

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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August 12, 2020: Sadie and Jay (Australia)

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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September 2, 2020: Hungrytown (USA)

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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September 16, 2020: Findlay Napier & Megan Henwood: The Story Song Scientists

Megan Henwood is an artist who calls on the elements in her songwriting. The distinguished Oxford singer-songwriter is far too self-deprecating to describe herself as a force of nature – but her third album, River, reaffirms her unique ability to create roots music of beguiling purity from what’s around her. Findlay Napier is one of the finest songwriters and storytellers of the contemporary Scottish folk scene and has an insurgent talent that comes on like a Caledonian Loudon Wainwright. His most recent album, Glasgow, captures the timeless essence of one of the world’s great cities, distilled to artful acoustic guitar and Findlay’s remarkable voice.
Megan and Findlay released the album called The Story Song Scientists in March, 2019.

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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October 7, 2020: The Jigantics

The Jigantics roared down to Llantrisant Folk Club some years ago and received a rapturous encore. They have slimmed down to four musicians and vocalists – Keith Thompson (guitar, bass guitar, who has sold over 100,000 albums); songwriter Sarah Kelly (ukulele and bass guitar, winner of the Musicians’ Union instrumentalist award); front man Mark Cole (squeezebox, harmonica, mandolin and guitar, an in-demand international session player); and percussionist Marty Fitzgibbon, who has performed with (and in front of) some of the biggest names in the world of popular music, including Mick Jagger, David Bowie and Lou Reed – but says the Jigantics are the most exciting project with whom he’s ever been involved.

They frequently swap instruments and share lead vocals, interpersed with stunning four-part harmonies. Never afraid to mix musical styles, but always with a touch of class, they combine original material with their own interpretation of Steve Earl and Tom Waites. Their foot-tapping, feel-good music, plus totally convincing tear-jerkers, makes for a remarkable  eveningsʼ entertainment. Here’s what the critics say:

“One of roots music’s supergroups and must-see live acts” – Daily Telegraph;

“An awesome band, genuine, easy-going and very skilled musicians” – Ken Brown, Square Roots promoter;

“You can’t go wrong with a band that has two standing ovations”
– Koen Hottentot, Roots aan de Zaan, The Netherlands

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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October 21, 2020: Winter Wilson

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(£8 admission, £5 members)

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Oct 28, 2020: Daoirí Farrell (Ireland) 

Daoirí (pronounced Derry) is a former electrician who decided to become a musician after seeing Christy Moore perform on Irish TV. The Dublin-born traditional singer and bouzouki player has been described by some of the biggest names in Irish folk music as one of most important artists to come out of Ireland in recent years.

After a promising debut album, The First Turn, back in 2009, Daoirí spent several years studying traditional music and performance at colleges across Ireland. While at the University of Limerick, Fintan Vallely introduced him to the singing of the late Liam Weldon, an encounter that was to prove formative to his sound and his approach to folk song.

Daoirí had cut his teeth as a singer in Dublin’s famous Góilin Singers Club and at other sessions across the city, many of which he still visits regularly. His follow-up album, True Born Irishman, was released in October 2016. The following spring his won two BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards – Best Traditional Track and Best Newcomer – and performed with a six-piece line-up at the awards ceremony at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

He has since performed in Australia, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, The Czech Republic, USA and Portugal, and played Cambridge Folk Festival, Milwaukee Irish Festival, Vancouver Island Folk Festival, the National Folk Festival of Australia and many more. In 2018 he toured the UK with Transatlantic Sessions and recorded his new album with Dónal Lunny in the producer’s chair.

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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November 11, 2020: Jody Kruskal (USA)

Jody flew in from the USA last year for a UK tour and played an very entertaining Showcase for the Club, and we booked him without question! He was born in Chicago, but he’s lived in Brooklyn, New York City, for 30 years. He is a performer, composer, educator, dance caller and instrument designer,  expert dance musician and he sings and plays an anglo-concertina which he fashioned himself. Please watch a video of Jody singing ‘Ghost Riders In The Sky’ in Brooklyn – and a video of him playing his anglo-concertina in the open air, luring a herd of adoring cows. Finally, you must watch a video of Jody and his dancing companion, Henry, performing ‘Cluck Old Hen’ – it’s totally fascinating!

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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DON’T FORGET: All other Wednesdays are S&M (Song And Music!) Nights, starting at 8.30pm

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For past guests, click here

For booking Information & general enquiries…

Pat Smith			Mick Tems
Telephone	01443 226892		Telephone	01443 201634
Mobile	07989 209824		Mobile	07531 812400
Email (click)	Pat Smith		Email (click)	Mick Tems