Watford Folk Club Supports FarmFest…

This just in from Watford Folk Club:

FarmFest is an annual music festival hosted at The Catholic Worker Farm. We have back to back musicians performing Rock, Pop, Blues, Country, Folk, Gospel and World Music.

FarmFest 2019 is going to be bigger and better than ever before! Our new stage is three times bigger with a whopping 6kW sound system, a dedicated food and drinks tent and a larger camping area.

As always, we’ll be serving our famous BBQ grill but now introducing The Burrito Bar, The Crêperie, and Mrs. Miggins’ Pie Shoppe… but the most important thing is our Real Ale!

The entry fee is £35 for the whole bank holiday weekend or £10 for day entry – under 16s pay half price, and under 5s enter for free. There will be camping space available so bring your tent!

The goal of our festival is to bring artists together with those who love music.  Why do we do this? To build up the beloved community, to foster the arts and to support the work of The Catholic Worker Farm.

As in previous years, Watford Folk Club are pleased to support FarmFest on Sunday 25th August and our regulars, Julian Mount , Tom Lavin, Jill Waterson & Ady Shaw, Linda Birmingham and Pete Nutkins will be joined by Lizzy Hardingham for the first time.

Linda will also be leading a Circle Dance Workshop.

Do come along and enjoy the great music, the wonderful atmosphere while supporting this really worthy cause.

Hope to see you there!

 

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Change Of Day For Redbourn Folk Club

This just in from Redbourn Folk Club:

CHANGE OF DAY FOR REDBOURN FOLK CLUB

After many years of being held on Thursday nights, the Redbourn Folk club will be moving to Wednesday nights from September 4^th onwards. Luckily most of the guests already booked for the Autumn season could switch to the new day except for Irish singer and musician, Colum Sands who will be visiting the club on Thursday September 19^th, the gig to be held at the cricket pavilion on Redbourn Common. All other evenings will continue to be held at their regular venue: The Old School Room at the Hollybush Pub, Church lane, Redbourn.

Guests for the Autumn include Reg Meuross; na mara; Kim Lowings & The Greenwood; Cathryn Criag & Brian Willoughby and many others.

Watford Folk Club welcome Martin Carthy on 13th September 2019

This just in from Watford Folk Club:

Watford Folk Club are pleased to welcome Martin Carthy on 13th September 2019.

TICKETS ARE NOW   AVAILABLE FROM WEGOTTICKETS http://www.wegottickets.com/event/478032 

(£15.00 +£1.50 BOOKING FEE) OR ON FRIDAYS 26TH JULY AND 6TH SEPTEMBER IN PERSON AT THE CLUB. (WE ARE CLOSED DURING AUGUST).

For more than 50 years Martin Carthy has been one of folk music’s greatest innovators, one of its best loved, most enthusiastic and, at times, most quietly controversial of figures. His skill, stage presence and natural charm have won him many admirers, not only from within the folk scene, but also far beyond it. //He’s a ballad singer, a ground-breaking acoustic and electric-guitarist and an authoritative interpreter of newly composed material. He always prefers to follow an insatiable musical curiosity rather than cash in on his unrivalled position. Perhaps, most significant of all, are his settings of traditional songs with guitar, which have influenced a generation of artists, including Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, on both sides of the Atlantic.

Look forward to seeing you for a great night with Martin!

Email: WatfordFolkClub@outlook.com
Website: WatfordFolkClub.co.uk

The Watford Folk Club meets every Friday, 8-11 pm in the Colne River Room at The Pumphouse, Local Board Road, Watford, Hertfordshire WD17 2JP.

Folk LPs for sale…

This just in from the Oxfam shop in Bedford:

They have had a large amount of Folk LPs donated to them – would anyone be interested? Please contact them as below:

• Telephone Number: 01234 213768
• Email: oxfamshopf3401@oxfam.org.uk

Unicorn Magazine Issue 147 is now out…

Just to say that Issue 147 of Unicorn Magazine (July, August & September 2019) is now out! It is instantly available online as a downloadable / readable PDF from the usual places (our website, ISSUU etc), and the hard copies should be being distributed now.

Please note that for the best and most reliable user experience, we recommend that when possible you download the PDF to your machine and view it that way, rather than trying to view it directly online via a browser etc.

Download Issue 147 here >>

Please also remember to sign up to our mailing list and read this blog for amends in between issues…

Watford Folk Club welcomes Paul Downes on Friday June 21st (today!)

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This just in:

Watford Folk Club welcomes Paul Downes on Friday June 21st.

Paul’s sensitive and yet fun approach to his live performances puts him among the most respected artists on the British acoustic music scene today.

He has been introduced (much to his embarrassment) as one of the greatest acoustic guitarists in the world. It is easy to see why when you see the dazzling array of styles he performs with effortless brilliance, but at the same time he considers himself as a singer of songs, rather than a guitar technician.

Paul has a rich musical background that has progressed through working with Phil Beer, The Arizona Smoke Revue, Pete Seeger and, currently, The Joyce Gang.

Eight albums with bands, three highly acclaimed solo albums and over one hundred and fifty session credits have still left time for Paul to tour every concert venue, theatre and festival in Britain, plus many tours in the USA and Europe. Cabaret in the West Indies and newsreading on US radio are but two other strings to his guitar.

A great performance guaranteed! Catch him live.

Paul spent his youth playing classical guitar, rugby, soccer, cricket, the field and looking at maps. He played a solo recital in Westminster Abbey at the age of sixteen and subsequently took up folk music.

From the age of 12, Paul’s best friend was Steve Knightley; then at 16, they met Phil Beer. However, despite these drawbacks, Paul was reasonably well-balanced until, after giving up a promising academic career, he went on the road as a professional muso. “Was it the women or the curry houses?”, Paul was once heard to rhetoricise.

A few years touring as Downes and Beer, all around Europe and the UK, playing sessions on hundreds of albums, four records of their own and two solo sets for Paul… and they met Bill Zorn and formed the now legendary Arizona Smoke Revue. A meteoric rise into TV, radio, major European festivals, world tours and four albums… that was enough! Paul was asked to stand in on a Joyce Gang gig (their first!) and the rest, as they say, is mystery.

Paul Downes now still gigs extensively in the UK and USA as a solo artist, made his third album, enjoys shopping and cooking, supporting Exeter Rugby Club and getting a suntan.

(One of the most able and talented, yet underrated singer/guitarists on the folk scene. The Folk Diary)

Watford Folk Club meets Fridays 8pm – 11pm  at

The Colne River Room

The Pump House,

Local Board Road,

Watford WD17 2JP

(entry by £10 minimum donation)

Website : watfordfolkclub.co.uk

Email::WatfordFolkClub@outlook.com

Facebook::Watford Folk Club

See you there!!!”

Saturday 25th May gig at The Higgins Museum Bedford

This just in from the Invisible Folk Club:

On Saturday 25^th May some of the finest folksingers in the region are performing at The Higgins Museum Bedford. The event runs from 11am – 4pm and is part of an open day the museum is holding for its Brickworks exhibition. Invisible Folk are proud to be collaborating with The Higgins Bedford by contributing a film to the exhibition, hosting a public discussion and interview and staging this mini festival. For someone who runs a folk club this could be all of next year’s bookings in one hit. For a reviewer ten artists of this standard in one place is special.

• 11.00 Jack in a Barrel
• 11.30 Nigel Moorcroft
• 12.00 Cris Lawley
• 12.30 Jon Bickley
• 1.00 Petrichor
• 1.30 Lizzy Hardingham
• 2.00 Ragged Staff
• 2.30 Catherine Earnshaw
• 3.00 Marisa Jack and Davy
• 3.30 Pete Castle

To support this event The Invisible Folk Club has compiled an album of performances by these artists recorded live at The Invisible Folk Club. The album is downloadable from

https://ifcmusic.bandcamp.com/album/higgins-bedford-brickworks-day

Www.invisiblefolkclub.com

From Watford Folk Club: review and gigs to come…

This just in from Watford Folk Club:

On FRIDAY 26 April 2019, we welcomed Martin Olyett as our guest. He’s a Luton lad who knows his way round a tune. If you like sensitive singer-songwriter stuff, with subdued lighting, a melted candle stuck in an old Chianti bottle, and some self-penned songs that will make you sing, laugh, cry etc. you should have been there!  He  had some of his his highly reviewed CDs for sale too (he may have a few left!)

Local performer and regular visitor to the Folk Club, Martin writes unique modern Folk Songs and the packed room was testament to the high regard in which he is held.

Martin played two superb 45-minute sets and received a much-deserved encore at the end.

It was a great night with a very high standard of floor singers too.

Audience reaction:

“Delighted to see such a stellar turnout at Martin Olyett’s Watford Folk Club showcase. Martin delivered two beautifully paced and programmed sets with his trademark humility, grace and charm. Top drawer stuff.”( Mark Blanchard)

“Great guy, great music and a great night out! “(Vernon Stanbridge)

“Thanks Martin for a fantastic night . You were really on top form, our floor singers were great as usual and our audience were warm, appreciative and enthusiastic. Well done – it was a pleasure and a privilege to be compere for the evening.” (Pete Nutkins)

This is what makes the Watford Folk Club. Wonderful music and oodles of talent!  Many thanks to everyone who was there!

(Main copy courtesy Julian Mount)

 Watford Folk Club meets every Friday at 8pm in
The Colne River Room
The Pump House
Local Board Road
Lower  High Street
Watford, WD17 2JP UK
Email:WatfordFolkClub@outlook.com

Website:watfordfolkclub.co.uk

Re May 17^th

Watford Folk Club was shocked and saddened to hear about the sudden death of Vicky Martin of The Delta Ladies.

Vicky sang and played guitar, banjo, Kandela and Irish Bouzouki. She was the writer of many the Delta Ladies’ original tunes. Vicky was interested in music right through the sixties and seventies and was initially influenced by the great players who were around throughout that period, Clapton, Hendrix whom she met, The Stones, and the music of Miles Davis and Bob Dylan remained her constant favourites.

She will be greatly missed.

Of course, the gig has been cancelled for the moment.

Delta Ladies plan to carry on which was very much in accord with Vicky’s thinking. They had discussed what we would do if either one of them had to leave the building, though we had not expected it to be quite so sudden. The plan such as it is to take a very short break, whilst we work out the practicalities of rearranging some of the songs. The line-up will be as before a duo, trio or 4/5 piece, though also on occasion possibly solo as well.
A new date will be arranged and we will keep you advised.

Clive Carey has kindly stepped in to play for us that evening.

Clive ‘Two Capos’ Carey, a regular performer at Chesham Folk club, is an accomplished guitarist and singer well known in the Three Counties, formerly with “The Romany”, and still occasionally performing with “Heartwood”.

Clive has a great voice and understated guitar style. An exponent of the “double capo technique”, his diverse repertoire guarantees an excellent set and a great evening.

https://youtu.be/LaGklvMMfGI

Watford Folk Club welcomes Martin Olyett

This just in from Watford Folk Club:

On FRIDAY 26 April 2019, we re-open after the Easter break with Martin Olyett as our guest. 

If you like sensitive singer-songwriter stuff, with subdued lighting, a melted candle stuck in an old Chianti bottle, and some self-penned songs that will make you sing, laugh, cry etc., come to Martin’s gig at The Pump House Watford, Friday 26 April @ 8.00pm. 

CDs for sale too! (Favourably reviewed in previous Unicorn issues.

Martin is a Luton lad who knows his way round a tune and one of the original founder members of the club. 

Don’t miss him…or you’ll miss him!

£8 to get in -suggested minimum contribution.

Watford Folk Club meets at:

• The Colne River Room
• The Pump House Theatre & Arts Centre
• Local Board Road
• Lower Watford High Street
• Watford
• WD17 2JP
• Fridays 8pm – 11pm
• Email:WatfordFolkClub@outlook.com
• Website:watfordfolkclub.co.uk “

Also:

“Watford Folk Club is shocked and saddened to hear about the sudden death of Vicky Martin of The Delta Ladies last week.

Vicky sang and played guitar, banjo, Kandela and Irish Bouzouki. She was the writer of many the Delta Ladies’ original tunes. Vicky was interested in music right through the sixties and seventies and was initially influenced by the great players who were around throughout that period, Clapton, Hendrix whom she met, The Stones, and the music of Miles Davis and Bob Dylan remained her constant favourites.

She will be greatly missed.

The Delta Ladies were booked to play at Watford on 17th May and we were really excited to welcome them. It is with great regret and sadness that we advise that the gig will not now go ahead.

Clive Carey from Chesham Folk Club has kindly agreed to perform for us on that night. More details to follow…

Gig at Four Rivers Folk Club, Wednesday, 10th April

This just in from Four Rivers Folk Club…

Hi Folkies, This coming Wednesday, 10th April, we have as our headline act the wonderful Odette Michell. We’ve had Odette at the club on a few occasions and she has always wowed us. Odette is “the real deal” a consummate and passionate folk singer with wonderful self penned songs and a great collection of traditional material. Superb singing and guitar playing for us so the floor spots better shape up…including little old me. We had too many floor spots last week so I’ll be more restrictive on the number of songs allocated. The floor spot playing order is as the request to play comes in not when you turn up at the club. I try my best. The second and fourth Wednesday outings are supposed to be more “folky” , I’m sure you can work that out. On the third Wednesday the material can be more contemptible..oops sorry, I mean contemporary.