A voice came over the tannoy in the bar; “ladies and gentleman, please be aware that there will be flashing lights and smoke effects this evening”. Eh? This might not be your regular Folk gig then. Maybe you’ve seen a band with a fiddle, guitar and concertina before. Maybe you think that you know whatContinue reading “Talisk – St George’s – May 2022”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Ellie Gowers – Wardrobe Theatre – May 2022
Picture this. You’re pulling an old box of photos out of an Attic. Blowing the dust off of it, gently taking a few of them out. As you flip through them you notice faces of years gone by, you see people doing jobs that no longer exist, you see those that you’ve lost, places almostContinue reading “Ellie Gowers – Wardrobe Theatre – May 2022”
Bristol Folk Festival
Oh Bristol Folk Festival, you lovely, friendly, eclectic thing! It’s so good to have you back, we’ve missed you! Look at all the people you’ve reeled in too – there are little kids with massive ear defenders, grizzled warriors from the great folk rock wars of the 70s, floaty folk princesses with flowers in theirContinue reading “Bristol Folk Festival”
Calan – The Folk House – April 2022
Have you read Richard King’s latest book? It’s called Brittle With Relics and brilliantly tells the story of modern Wales using oral history and storytelling to explore a rich and vital culture. Welsh Folk superheroes, Calan, do something similar. They’re rooted in tradition, use instruments that their Mam-gu would know but feel so modern, soContinue reading “Calan – The Folk House – April 2022”
Sam Amidon – The Folk House – March 2022
You can probably tell quite a lot about a Folk gig by the audience. Some are a sea of grey hairs and sensible sweaters. Some are a bit more hipster beards and plaid shirts. The (sizeable and wildly enthusiastic) crowd for Sam Amidon were very firmly the later. You’d almost call him the future ofContinue reading “Sam Amidon – The Folk House – March 2022”
Breabach – The Folk House – March 2022
Out on the streets of Bristol there is a real sense of excitement and fun this weekend. Everywhere you look smiles spread across faces as illuminated birds flutter overhead, or coloured blinds dance in an office block. The Bristol Light festival is spreading joy. Much the same can be said of Scottish folk fellas BreabachContinue reading “Breabach – The Folk House – March 2022”
A Winter Union – December 2021
So here it is, a Downend Folk Christmas, and everybody’s starting to have fun. In this very strange end to a(nother) very strange year Christ Church is hung with lanterns, lights twinkle on various trees and familiar faces gather to sing and smile, to exchange greetings and catch up with end-of-year chat and to listenContinue reading “A Winter Union – December 2021”
Carrivick Sisters – November 2021
Before the show began the queue wound its way through the graveyard of Christ Church. A decent amount of people still masked and keeping a polite distance. One woman turned to another – “Have you read Where the Crawdads Sing” yet?”. The utterly delightful Carrivick Sisters hadn’t so much as plucked a string yet hereContinue reading “Carrivick Sisters – November 2021”
Sam Carter – October 2021
It must be nearly Harvest Festival time, mustn’t it? In Christ Church, just next to the altar, is an offering of food. A collection of gifts. A cornucopia. A bounty. This evening, just in front of that altar, is Sam Carter. Delivering gifts, laying out an overflowing cornucopia, bringing us his bounty of glorious songsContinue reading “Sam Carter – October 2021”
The Magpies – September 2021
If there’s one bird that folklore is full of it’s the Magpie. A bringer of good news in Korea, a symbol of happiness in China and the favoured transport for witches in Germany. They are supposed to have a drop of the devil’s blood on their tongues and are steeped in magic and intelligence. SomeContinue reading “The Magpies – September 2021”
TallFolk 