HITCHIN FOLKUS

Monthly Newsletter - Hitchin Folkus

"New Programme & Download a concert"

Hi Folks

Please find below the new Hitchin Folk Club programme, for you to cut, paste & print off or forward to an unsuspecting friend.

HITCHIN FOLK CLUB PROGRAMME 2023

**NEW VENUE** THE CRICKET PAVILION, LUCAS LANE, HITCHIN, HERTS, SG5 2JA (Go to our website for narrative directions and map, some of the roads nearby are not advised by car!)

ORGANISER – MAUREEN JONES. TEL – 01462 812391

Email – goodmusic@hitchinfolkclub.co.uk

Web – www.hitchinfolkclub.co.uk

**New times**   Doors open 6.45pm. Concert starts at 7.30pm

SEPTEMBER 10TH    JOHN TAMS – Described by Mojo as ‘one of the ultimate British songwriters’ he has a career spanning five decades in every medium.  A onetime member of the Albion Band and Home Service, he is perhaps best known outside music for his work at the National Theatre, and as Rifleman Daniel Hagman in the Sharpe TV series.  5 times winner of the BBC Folk Awards, he was the original Songmaker for Warhorse, a member of the original creative team and has toured the world with the production. YouTube    Members £16/non- members £18 

 

SEPTEMBER 24TH    DAPHNE’S FLIGHT – This quintet was formed from a collaboration between five of the finest female vocalists, songwriters and musicians of their generation on the British folk and roots music scene.  Their music is a unique and magical blend of their individual styles, completely captivating audiences with their complex harmony arrangements, unbridled energy and infectious joy of performing together.  Miranda Sykes, Melanie Harrold, Julie Matthews, Helen Watson and Chris While, ‘Individually they are classy performers, together they are utterly sublime’ FRUK.  YouTube     TICKET ONLY   Members £18/non-members £20  

 

OCTOBER 8TH     LUKE JACKSON TRIO - 2022 turned out to be one of Luke's most successful years yet, starting with a prestigious support, opening for Fairport Convention on their Winter Tour, followed by a dream run of openers for Richard Thompson. Next he was off for two weeks songwriting and performing in Nashville, including a show at the iconic Bluebird Café. Then there was a run of shows supporting the legendary Marillion, and to finish off the year, several openers with the wonderful Jools Holland.  As if this wasn't enough, Luke also found time to record, and release on Bandcamp, the '10 year anniversary' version of his very first album, 'More Than Boys'.  Luke is joined on this visit to Hitchin, by Sam Mummery on bass and Elliot Norris on drums. YouTube  YouTube     

Members £16/non-members £18 

 

OCTOBER 22ND     JACQUI McSHEE & KEVIN DEMPSEY plus special guest support, 

 PETE MORTON – here we have two giants of the English folk scene returning to our stage, but for the first time together. Jacqui was the iconic, ethereal singer with Pentangle and latterly with John Renbourn.  Kev first played at Hitchin in the Talisman days with Dando Shaft, then Whippersnapper and latterly in a string of duos with fiddlers Dave Swarbrick, Joe Broughton. And Chris Leslie.  Individually they are brilliant, together they are magic. YouTube   

Pete is regarded as one of the best performers on the contemporary roots music scene today.  Often referred to as an old-time troubadour, he has a compelling stage presence and approachable style that delivers an unruly mix of humanism, politics, love, social commentary and humour, all wrapping its way round the folk tradition. YouTube     Members £16/non-members £18 

 

NOVEMBER 12TH     NANCY KERR & JAMES FAGAN – Husband and wife duo, Nancy and James, are one of the most revered acts in British Folk music, playing together since 1995. They have twice won "Best Duo" at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards (2003, 2011). Both highly regarded singers, and teachers, they are also acknowledged as masterful players of their respective primary instruments of fiddle and bouzouki. YouTube YouTube   Members £16/non-members £18   

 

NOVEMBER 26TH     MEGSON - Three times nominated in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and double winners of the Spiral Earth Awards, husband and wife duo, Deb and Stu Hannah, draw heavily on their Teesside heritage to create a truly unique brand of folk music. They have gained fame on the British folk scene, not only for their arresting & intelligent song writing, but for their exquisite musicianship and North-Eastern humour. YouTube    Members £16/non-members £18 

 

DECEMBER 10TH    ST AGNES FOUNTAIN   - Christmas would not be Christmas without St Agnes Fountain Chris Leslie (Fairport Convention) and BBC Folk Award Winners Chris While and Julie Matthews.  They have brought joy, laughter, a few tears, sparkling musicianship and heartfelt renditions of your favourite Christmas tunes to the club for the past 21 years. YouTube  TICKET ONLY   Members £18/non-members £20  

 

DECEMBER 17TH    AN ALBION CHRISTMAS    - Specially formed for the festive period and featuring the combined talents of Simon Nicol (Fairport Convention), Kellie While (Albion Band) Simon Care (Edward II) and the Guvnor himself, Ashley Hutchings. this show takes you on a guided tour through the Christmas customs of Britain, music, dancing and celebration. 'The perfect antidote to the corporate Christmas' (The Guardian) 'The Albion Christmas Band take the audience deep into Britain's winter festival with visions of frosty mornings, a rejoicing Earth, burning logs and berries'. YouTube   TICKET ONLY   Members £18/non-members £20 

 

2024

JANUARY 14TH      JOE TOPPING AND SAM CARTER (DOUBLE HEADER)

JANUARY 28TH      EDWINA HAYES AND EMILY SLADE (DOUBLE HEADER)

FEBRUARY 11TH    STEVE KNIGHTLEY

FEBRUARY 25TH    MIRANDA SYKES & HANNAH MARTIN

MARCH 3RD            CHURCHFITTERS

MARCH 24TH          ALY BAIN & PHIL CUNNINGHAM

 


Keep enjoying the music, wherever you find it.


Keiron & Maureen Jones

 

 

Concert downloads

With most of our venues now open again, things are getting back to normal, albeit often with reduced audiences.  Most acts have a fee against a percentage of the door take.  With reduced bums on seats, the door take is down and, therefore, the act's income is lower than would be expected in normal times. Because of this we have decided to continue the 'download a concert' offer, adding a little more to the artist's income. 

Since the late 80’s I have been recording concerts at Hitchin Folk Club, and we thought that, if we were to offer whole concerts to download for a suggested donation of £5, it could take a meal out of the equation for our beleaguered musician friends. It could be as basic as that. So far I have received donations of around £6200 to send back to the artistes.

If you would like to have a concert, or lots of concerts, let me know what you fancy, I’ll ask you for a donation, suggest £5 per concert, and send you a link to the concert held on Google Drive or Dropbox for you to download. Here is a sample of 30 concerts that are available to try out the procedure. Just click on the link and you will have the choice, to listen to it where it is, or download it and listen at your leisure.  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I_AZsZdebV80-2GQqkHQcdR03jnxCm0b/view?usp=sharing  Out of interest, nobody has yet correctly identified all 30 artistes!

At the foot of this page is a list of all the concerts that are available now, ready to go in one of the "Boxes" or ready to upload.  The recordings are limited to the concerts I did the sound for so nobody who did their own sound.  It does, however, include most of 20 years doing the sound at The EntShed in Bedford, three Kimpton Festivals and three Mayfests.  Of course, the beauty of these concert recordings is that, unlike most live CDs, you get the lot, the banter, the jokes, the occasional heckles and even sometimes, heaven forbid, the mistakes. You get the feeling of being there, maybe you were!

 Take a look at the Who played when? page on our website from about 1989, the concerts with recording have R in the right hand column.  This doesn't necessarily mean that we have permission to share but, for the most part, we do.

Please send your requests by email, not Facebook or Messenger please.  I am going to have to keep close track of who has asked for what etc and I think I can do that best with emails that I can shuffle into folders, goodmusic@hitchinfolkclub.co.uk

I will try to keep the list of what is available with permission below up to date, the rest is up to you to request!  

All downloads are offered on the strict understanding that they are for the downloader's personal use, that they will not copy it or share it, or any part of it on the web.

Available and uploaded, ready to go.

3 Boxes (Clive Gregson, Andy Roberts & Mark Griffiths), Acoustic Gathering (Ray Jackson, Jerry Donahue & Doug Morter), Albion Christmas 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, Alden, Patterson & Dashwood from Kimpton 2018, Allan Taylor 1998, 2010, 2016, 2018 & with Steve Tilston 2014, Amy Wadge 2010,2018, 2019, Amy Wadge & Luke Jackson 2019, Anna Massie & Mairearad Green 2014, 2015, Bernard Wrigley 1997(see below), Blair Dunlop 2013, 2015, 2018, Blair Dunlop & Lucy Ward split night 2012, Bob Fox solo 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, Bob Fox & Stu Luckley 1997, Boo Hewerdine 2010, 2015, Brooks Williams 1994, 2006, 2016, 2018, Brooks Williams & Emily Slade 2015, Brooks Williams & Steve Tilston 2005, Brooks Williams & P.J. Wright, Calan 2017, Cathryn Craig & Brian Willoughby 2005, 2009, 2011, Chris & Kellie While 2006, 2015, 2018, Chris While & Julie Matthews with opener from Helen Watson 2001, Chris While & Julie Matthews 1998, Chris Leslie 2015 & @Shutlanger 2015, Christine Collister 2004, Christine Collister & Michael Fix 2019, Christine Collister & Rob Cross 2010, 2011, Clive Carroll 2012, 2015, 2018, Clive Carroll & Johnny Dickinson 2004, Clive Gregson 1996, 1997, 1999, 2012, 2013, 2019, Clive Gregson & Liz Simcock 2017 and revisit Collister & Gregson 2015, Coope, Boyes & Simpson 2005, Coup de Grass 2011(Keith Pearson's bluegrass band), Craobh Rua 2018, Daoiri Farrell 2018, 2019, Daria Kulesh 2019, Dave Swarbrick 2010, Demon Barbers 2013, Derek Brimstone 2000, Edgelarks (Phil Henry & Hannah Martin) 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018, Edwina Hayes 2013, 2019, 2016(with Emily Slade), Ember 2010, Emily Slade 2009, 2013(entshed compilation), 2017, Emily Smith & Jamie McClennan 2010, 2017, 2018, Fay Hield Trio 2012, Fred's House 2014, Gilmore & Roberts 2014, 2019, Greg Russell & Ciaran Algar 2015, 2018, 2019, 2016/7(half night combination), Harvey Andrews farewell concert 2012, 2000, Hattie Briggs Trio 2019, Helen Watson 1998, Jackie Oats & Mike Cosgrave 2018(Kimpton Festival), 2018, 2019, Jackie Oates & Tristam Seume 2014, 2015, James Brothers 2015, 2018,  Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, Jez Lowe solo 2009, 2011, Jez Lowe & Steve Tilston 2017, Jim Causley 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, Joe Topping compilation, John Kirkpatrick 2013, 14, 16, 17, 18, Johnny Dickinson 2009, Johnny Dickinson & Clive Carroll 2004, John Tams & Barry Coope 2004, 2005, 2006, 2015, 2018, 2009, Johnny Silvo with Diz Disley 1997, Julie Matthews Olympic Ballads 2013, Karine Polwart, Annie Grace & Corrina Hewat 2008, Karine Polwart Trio 2012, Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, Kathryn Tickell 1990, Kathryn Tickell & Alistair Anderson 1988, Keith Pearson's Coup de Grass 2011, Kelly Oliver 2016, 2018, Kerr, Simpson & Cutting 2014, Knight & Spiers 2018, 2019, Les Barker & Lesley Davies 1990, Les Barker 2001, Les Barker 2014, Liam O'Flynn 1991, Liz Simcock Kimpton 2017, Liz Simcock and Dave Ellis & Boo Howard 2016, Lucy Ward 2013, Lucy Ward & Blair Dunlop split night 2012, Lucy Ward Band 2014, Luke Jackson 2017, 2021(at Moggerhanger), Martin Simpson 2005, 2008, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, Martin Simpson, Andy Cutting & Andy Seward 2009, Maureen's 40th Anniversary concert with Chris & Kellie While, Julie Matthews, Helen Watson, Christine Collister and surprise intro by Jasper Carrott 2007, Mawkin/Causley 2009, Megson 2017, 2018 and many more available, Mel Harrold 1998, Melrose Quartet 2018, 2019, Mike Silver 2013, Mike Silver & Johnny Coppin 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, Miranda Sykes 2017, Miranda Sykes & Rex Preston 2012, 2013, Nancy Kerr & James Fagan 2005, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, Nancy Kerr solo 2019, Niamh Parsons & Graham Dunne 2008, 2009, O'Hooley & Tidow 2015, Paul Downes 1997, 2000, Paul Downes & Phil Beer 2015, Phil Beer solo 2012, Phil Beer & Miranda Sykes 2010, 2011, P.J. Wright & Dave Pegg, Richard Digance 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, Robin Williamson & John Renbourn 2009, 2010, Sam Carter 2017, 2019, Sam Kelly & Jamie Francis 2019, 4 piece Sam Kelly and the Lost Boys 2018, Saskia Griffiths Moore 2018, Slaid Cleaves 2005, 2013, 2015, 2017, Songwriters' Circle with Boo Hewerdine, Brooks Williams & Emily Slade 2011, State of the Union 2014, 2022, Steve Knightly with Jim Causley 2011, Steve Tilston 2012, 2016, Steve Tilston & Allan Taylor 2014, Steve Tilston & Brooks Williams 2005, Steve Tilston & Jez Lowe 2017, Suntrap 2010, Three generations of guitarists 2007(Gareth Pearson, Clive Carroll & Wild Willy Barrett), Tinderbox compilation, Vikki Clayton 1998, 1999, 2005, Vin Garbutt 1991, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, Wild Willy Barrett @ Mayfest 2001, Wild Willy Barrett's French Connection 2014, 2016, Wild Willy Barrett's Sleeping Dogz 2011, 2012,, Wild Willy Barrett's Roaring Touring 2019, Young'uns 2012, 2014, 2015. Zoe Wren compilation from 2016,17,18,19.

Bernard Wrigley has made a very generous offer. For every download of his concert he will chuck in a download of one of his CDs.  If you don't know already, Bernard is a very funny man, nick named the Bolton Bullfrog due to his voice sounding like gravel under a steam roller!

We have permission from various other artistes that I haven't actually uploaded anything for yet, some great concerts. 

IF YOU DON'T SEE IT, JUST ASK!

Check out the past artistes at Kimpton Festivals, I have recordings of all the acts that have appeared in the Church venue.

Check out some of the artistes who have appeared at The Entshed in this quotes section, recordings of most of these are available.

Keiron & Maureen Jones

 

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