It will soon be Christmas and most of the local folk clubs have had their Christmas parties and wound down for the festive season, including Royston Live where we had an excellent evening with a great story from Chris Walls and songs from Mark Gamon who are both stepping back after 10 years organising the club with help from partners Lesley and Becky amongst others. Many thanks to all of them for all their efforts in providing so many enjoyable evenings at the club! The evening was topped off with an appearance from Black Scarr who, as usual, left the audience demanding more before we all departed in a thoroughly festive mood!
There is still some music to catch before the new year though you will have to look sharp! The Bishops Stortford Acoustic Club have their Christmas Party tonight (Thursday 21st) when they stage their Annual Retune Fundraiser starting at 8.30. They have a double headline with JONO and the Kazans (along with Greg Camburn) as well as 3 supporting players. Retune is a charity that inspires young people to improve their mental wellbeing through creative outlets such as music and the arts and this evening will help them to continue to give their invaluable help to youngsters at difficult times in their lives.
On Friday December 22nd you can catch the Churchfitters at St Andrew’s Church, Hertford where I’m sure that you will enjoy a wonderful evening. The Churchfitter’s Christmas Cracker is a joyous blend of traditional and original festive songs as well as well-known carols and there are still a very few tickets left which you can purchase using this LINK. Heading North instead, on the same night, Cambridge Folk Club have Christmas Music as part of a Victorian Parlour Evening with The Threebys, David Savage and Hugh Boyde.
If you are still looking for that elusive Christmas present, or perhaps a stocking filler for a luxury stocking, do read my review of A Winter Union’s new album Sooner After Solstice on the main Unicorn Folk website under CD Reviews and you may find the answer. You will be able listen to a track from the album on ‘Filby’s Folk’at 6pm on Christmas Eve when I have a selection of brilliant Christmas Folk songs and again at the same time on New Year’s Eve when I am selecting my best new albums of 2023 and if you are a die hard folk rock fan then you will enjoy my show that went out on Royston Radio on Sunday 17th December, now on a podcast listed under Filby’s Folk.
Over the next few days I will be updating the details in the Unicorn Diary in The Listings on the main Unicorn Folk website for the next 3 months or so, though some clubs are yet to finalise their programme. In the meantime, it only remains for me to wish you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year in 2024.
Unicorn Folk News 