What’s On at…

Dr-Price-and-Folk-Club

 

THE MUSIC DIARY…

Welcome to our wonderful Folk Club, which is staging live shows every Wednesday in Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club, Castan Road/Palalwyf Avenue CF72 9EH, at 8.30pm. 

Our Zoomaround sessions are held on the first Tuesday of each month (8.15pm for 8.30pm) – https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89787380016 Meeting ID: 897 8738 0016 – no password. We hope to see you there.

Wednesdays when no guest is listed are S&M (Song and Music) nights, where everyone is welcome.  £3 entry – come along and join us. (Remember to pay ONLY IN CASH – thank you!)

November 5, 2025: Showcase: Mickey & Michelle

Mickey & Michelle are an Australian harp and violin duo who seamlessly blend contemporary folk and jazz in a rich, unique style of their own. Their debut album A Walking Pace showcases the duo’s intricate sound and unusual combination of styles.

2019 was a big year for Michelle Doyle and Michael O’Donnell. They formed a duo, wrote an original set of music, recorded their debut album and planned a musical tour on foot across New Zealand, all while raising money for osteoporosis research. This ambitious plan saw them hiking 3,000km along Te Araroa trail (The Long Pathway), and performing 20 concerts in halls, living rooms, churches, folk festivals and on a ferry. They’re in the UK on tour, and a late  gig just got briefly cancelled – so Llantrisant Folk Club jumped right in and gave them a booking! 

Entry: £3

November 12, 2025: Will Finn & Rosie Calvert 

Will Finn and Rosie Calvert are an award-winning husband-and-wife duo who came together through their love of music. First coming to prominence with their acapella quartet The Teacups, the pair perform traditional and contemporary folk music with variety and flair – intricate harmonies; the rousing instrumentation of piano, steel pan and ukulele; and joyful, warm stage presence.

Graduates of Newcastle University Folk and Traditional Music degree, Rosie and Will’s music combines influences ranging from old English ballads to gothic Americana, but they are most defined by their spell-binding harmonies. With only two voices, their arrangements have been described as “deceptively full”, and their joy in singing is infectious – chorus songs abound and singing along is encouraged! Audiences are immediately put at their ease by the pair’s inviting stage presence and warm banter, and anticipation for the duo’s second album, Fallow Alchemy, is deservedly high. 

Please watch Will and Rosie’s two videos; first, they’re performing ‘Blue’, and second, they’re singing ‘Paddy’s Lamentation’ live in the famous Bridge Club in Newcastle.

(£8 entry, £5 members)

November 26, 2025: Tim Edey

You MUST see him! Absolutely stunning Tim Edey is one of the finest guitarists and melodeon wizards who holds his audiences spellbound with his fabulous music, energy and engaging personality. Tim and the legendary Manchester-Irish genius Michael MacGoldrick have recorded an album, Jamland, and Tim’s Christmas album – A Celtic Christmas – should be on sale in future. 

Please watch an incredible video of Tim’s melodeon and his guitar recording ‘Foxhunters Reel’ – duetting with himself!   

(£8 entry, £5 members)

December 10, 2025: Christmas party #1

Please bring warmth, laughter, peace and goodwill – and please bring some food! What’s more, there’s an extra-special Christmas raffle…

(£3 entry) 

December 17, 2025: Christmas Party #2 with  Jackie Oates & John Spiers 

Ho, Ho, Ho! Jackie and John tour  their Christmas Show, an idea which was born in the dismal and uncertain 2020 lockdown and has developed into a strong tradition. They have brought out their wonderful album, A Midwinter’s Night; FolkWales Online Magazine awarded it five stars and called it “an utterly heartwarming and entrancing album; it’s a joyous celebration of the festive season and the New Year, a festival of light to cheer us and help us through the colder dark days.” John and Jackie devised a Christmas show during the 2020 lockdown when everyone stayed firmly housebound, and realised that it would be the perfect opportunity to raise a little warmth by making a homemade TV programme-style concert, filmed in Jackie’s living room and in rural locations around Wallingford, Wootton and Headington Quarry. The first Christmas at Home online concert was born,  and was such a success that a second concert, featuring new material, was produced in the following year. Once the covid restrictions were lifted, the duo took their Christmas Show the arts centres and folk clubs across the country – and the show has become an annual well-loved event.

(£10 entry, £7 members)

December 24, 2025: Club CLOSED for Christmas Eve…

…but if you do come to the Athletic Club bar, you can enjoy Christmas at the Ath. 

December 31, 2025: Sorry, NO Folk Club…

It’s New Year’s Eve – but we’ll all be too busy first footing, chinking our glasses merrily and singing Auld Lang Syne!

January 7, 2026: The Burning Question… 

Not a song and music night, but in keeping with the spirit of the holiday season! A nostalgic interactive evening with Andy Coleman, from 1950s to 1960s, from wireless to records. Let’s step back in time… 

(£5 Entry)

January 14, 2026: The Guild Hall Players: A Child’s Summer in Wales (Showcase) 

(£3 Entry)

February 11, 2026: John Alderslade

John Alderslade has a has a wealth of experience in organising the Village Pump festivals in Trowbridge, Wiltshire for many years; he retired and moved to the beauty of Wales,  settling in Aberystwyth. John started performing in folk clubs in 1968, also fronting the well-travelled group Stonegallows during the 70s. He plays music in his own inimitable fashion and continues to captivate his audience in folk clubs and festivals with songs collected from friends over the years, side-splitting humour and a nearly 50-year rich fund of stories.

.(£8 entry, £5 members)

March 4, 2026: Geoff Lakeman plus celebrating St David’s Day

Llantrisant Folk Club welcomes our guest, Cornishman Geoff Lakeman, patriarch of a folk dynasty – as dad of mighty musicians Seth, Sean and Sam and father-in-law of Cara Dillon and Kathryn Roberts. Geoff teases English and Irish folk, Americana and jazz songs out of his vintage duet concertina, and is guaranteed to have a wonderful evening. Geoff has released a new album, After All These Years. 

… Plus – Llantrisant Folk Club celebrates March 1, the day of our patron saint, St David – Dydd Dewi Sant; we’ll also be celebrating the Cornish saint, St Piran.

(£8 entry, £5 members)

March 25, 2026: Dana Robinson

A number of years ago, Llantrisant Folk Club just soaked up the authentic sounds of Americans Dana and Sue Robinson – and from Vermont, USA, Dana is back again. He’s a songwriter, guitarist and old-time fiddler who combines a warm, open-hearted singing style, with wry humour and astute observations about community and place. For over 30 years, Dana has been a fixture on the folk and acoustic music scene in the United States and the UK, playing his unique blend of songwriting with traditional influences.

Dana’s guitar playing combines British fingerstyle and Appalachian flat-picking to create his own distinctive style. His lyrics delve deep into the natural world with wonder, hope and connection earned through his years of travel and exploration across America’s rural landscapes. His new recording, The Sound of the Word, is due for an autumn 2026 release. Please enjoy his latest video, Cotton Eyed Joe, and another oldie: Shady Grove.

“Dana is a master storyteller, spinning his yarns with the precise skill of an artisan loom weaver.” (Seven Days)

“Rural America explored with elegant simplicity, his music and cleanly poetic song-writing bring to mind the great folksingers of our times.” (Asheville Citizen-Times)

(£8 entry, £5 members)

April 8, 2026:  Steve Turner

Steve Turner comes from Manchester and – is one of those artists who have been the backbone of the British folk scene but he has been out of circulation as a professional musician for many years. He was tempted back recently, but as he said: “folk music seems to get into your blood!” – and he started doing a few gigs again and came gradually back on to folkdom.

Although Steve is generally modest with his understated talent with the concertina, he is more self-confident: “All that I can do is what comes within my remit, but I would like people to be able to say: ‘If you want a concertina accompanist, Steve Turner is your man!’”

Pete Heywood, director of The Living Tradition series, said of Steve: “Although there is a common thread of tradition within the body of recordings, each singer brings their own distinctive interpretation to any song. I consider Steve to be one of a few in any generation who also takes an instrument to another level. There is depth in these songs and in these performances, and I hope that they will bring you pleasure with each listening.”

(£8 entry, £5 members)

April 22, 2026: Sarah McQuaid

Sarah is a talented singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who is known for her rich voice, captivating composing and diverse musical influences, blending folk, blues and storytelling. She was born in Spain to an American mother and a Spanish father and was raised in Chicago, Illinois. Her musical journey began early, inspired by her folk-singing mother and her distant cousin, the celebrated singer-songwriter, folk musician and storyteller Gamble Rogers. She toured with the Chicago Children’s Choir from a young age, which helped shape her musical career.

She has recorded seven solo albums: When Two Lovers Meet (1997), I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning (2008), The Plum Tree And The Rose (2012), Walking into White (2015), If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous (2018), The St Buryan Sessions (2021) and Walking into White Live in Rapid City (self-released on Bandcamp, 2025). Please watch her video: Sarah McQuaid – A Brief  Introduction.

(£8 entry, £5 members)

May 6, 2026: Ruth & Ken Powell

Ruth and Ken hail from North Wales; they provide a superb combination of songs from the 1930s to the traditional folk song and English/American contemporary music. Giving concerts that appeal to almost every audience, Ruth and Ken engage with an eclectic programme of songs with the fulsome sound of handmade instruments, made and played superbly by Ken, with dynamic lead vocals from Ruth. Not only has Ruth got an amazingly clear pitch-perfect voice, but she also has that natural ability to communicate with an audience; with the added extra of subtle harmonies from Ken, they make a great sound. They have a rich yet casual approach, giving you a feeling that you’ve known them forever.

May 27, 2026: Over the Moon

They’re back at Llantrisant Folk Club again! Canadian married couple Over The Moon are award-winning vocal and multi-instrumentalists Suzanne Levesque and Craig Bignell, who hail from Southern Alberta – and they’re extremely good! Their first CD, Moondancer, was released in 2017, and it reflects the beautiful seamless harmony style that they are known for and the wide array of acoustic instruments that they play, including guitar, fiddle, accordion, double bass and steel. Most of the songs are original and tell stories of life lived in Southern Alberta’s ranching country, and their lovely repertoire ranges from Appalachian old-time music to Cowboy blues to Western Swing. Over The Moon’s second album, Chinook Waltz, contains ten memorable tracks – including Steve Gillette’s lovely classic ‘Darcy Farrow’. Please watch a video of Craig and Suzanne performing their song ‘Over The Moon’ on Radio Western 

(£8 entry, £5 members)

June 17, 2026: Lynne Heraud & Pat Turner

Llantrisant Folk Club warmly welcomes the sirens of song! Lynne and Pat are firm folk festival favourites with their entertaining spot-on harmonies, friendly chat, beautiful repertoire and their wry and comic observations. Folk fans know and love them for their tried-and-trusted material, enhanced with Lynne’s soprano voice and Pat’s alto, mixed with a cappella, recorder and acoustic guitar; both Lynne and Pat are guaranteed to deliver a fantastic evening.

They have recorded a clutch of albums, including Far Distant Stars, Watching for Winkles, The Moon Shines Bright, September Days, Tickled Pink and Parallel; Lynne has also recorded a CD album with Keith Kendrick, Stars in My Crown. Please watch two videos: Lynne and Pat performing ‘Moth’, by Anne Lister of Pontypool, and singing ‘A Windy Song!‘

(£8 entry, £5 members)

June 24, 2026: Kenny Speirs

(£8 entry, £5 members)

July 22, 2026: Mark Dowding

(£8 entry, £5 members)

August 12, 2026: Sherburn Bartley Sanders

(£8 entry, £5 members)

August 26, 2026: We Mavericks

(£8 entry, £5 members)

September 16, 2026:  Bob Wood

(£8 entry, £5 members)

October 7, 2026: Cathryn Craig & Brian Willoughby

(£8 entry, £5 members)

October 21, 2026: Winter Wilson

(£8 entry, £5 members)

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