2020 Reports

When I arrived at the Folk Club on Thursday 6th March, Pete & Liz were already busy as they expected many visitors.  They reduced the ‘stage’ by 50% so that more chairs could be added – good job they did.  Doug should have been the MC but wasn’t feeling well.  Fortunately, Steve & Maureen kindly came to my rescue.  

Foremost, I’d like to give many thanks to:  Pete & Liz for sorting out the stage and chairs ready to receive the audience; Steve & Maureen for doing a great job taking over as MCs; the Performers (16 acts, from soloists to a group of 5 Pete’s with guitars, piano and a beautiful flute) and a wonderfully enthusiastic audience.      

The highlight of the evening, I think, must be Phil & Jem who performed 2 Cosmotheka songs.  We were glued to our seats, concentrating on keeping up with so many words to listen to and the speed at which they were delivered.  I would also like to mention the wonderful couple Steve & Julie, who came all the way from Derby to entertain us with self-penned songs.  They promised us to come back.

The best surprise of the evening?  Sue picking the winning raffle ticket for Ian’s birthday. Thank you everyone for a brilliant evening. The raffle in aid of Harbury Church heating repairs raised £120.  

Unfortunately, Harbury Folk Club has closed until further notice, but it will rise again on the first Thursday of the first available month.

Janny Freeman

I recall back in the sixties being asked to run Stratford Folk Club because the resident group had a booking elsewhere that night.  We turned up expecting the usual crop of floor singers to come and fill the evening.  Imagine the panic when not one turned up.  My singing partner and I had to do the whole evening unassisted, and a wearing task it was too.  I was reminded of this as Sue and I struggled with the job of trying to fit NINETEEN acts into the evening at February’s club.  It turned out to be a fabulous display of talent throughout.

Sue and I started proceedings with “Dance with a Dragon” from our friend Anne Lister, followed by “January brings the Snow” from Flanders and Swann.  Janny and Maureen gave us “Horncastle Fair” and were joined by Ian and Sue for “Roseville Fair”.  Bob Clucas introduced his partner as the Floosie, which probably earned him a thick ear later on since the floosie in question was his wife Anne!  They gave us “Winter Light” and “1976”, the second being a self-penned number from Bob.  Anne played synth on both songs, and very effective it was too.  Laura followed with R Herrick’s song “Candlemas Eve” to a tune by Kate Rusby, and “Brandling Ball”, describing how a new seam at Gosforth colliery opened up into a cave big enough to hold a dance in.  Which they promptly did!  Peter Scott gave us “Green grow the Rushes O”, followed by the Watersons' version of “Byker Hill”, which prompted an outbreak of harmony from the audience.  Pete Grassby sang “Daisy Lady” from the much-missed Dave Bennett, followed by “The Star of the County Down”, a song normally thrashed out by Irish ceilidh bands, but here sung beautifully by Pete as the gentle love song it is.  Rik was asked by persons unknown to sing one of his keynote numbers, “I Love You with the Simple Understanding that you’re Mine”, followed by the Bernard Cribbins hit, “Right said Fred”.  Peter McDonald sang the Leon Rosselson song “That’s the Way the Wheels Turn”, followed by Sid Kipper’s maritime epic “Combing the Mane”.  Rumble-o brought the first half to a fitting conclusion with the Fisherman’s Friends song “Keep Hauling” and their own excellent version of “The Fox”.  As a band, they just get better and better.

Following the break (during which Sue and her band of trained extortionists relieved the audience of £120 in raffle money), Dave Fry got the second half off to a rollicking start with “It doesn’t Matter Any More” from Buddy Holly, and “Daydream Believer” from the Monkees.  Don took the stage and gave us the traditional song “Martin Said to his Man” to a brilliantly conceived guitar accompaniment, and followed with an instrumental called “Mixed Bag Rag” which caused all the other guitarists in the room to melt in admiration.  Pete and Liz had the unenviable task of following Don, but did so with aplomb, singing “Valentine’s Song” and Pete's own reworking of a Seekers' song, “The Carnivore is Over”.   Pete Mason sang Maggie Holland’s powerful ballad “A Place Called England”, and “Slow Down”, a song from the singing of Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman promoting the wisdom of standing still occasionally.  Keith sang a short and highly amusing song about a romance between a kangaroo and a crab, and then led what appeared to be a senior’s exercise session with our audience swaying to his sung instructions.  Sue Harris recalled the wit and humour of Joyce Grenfell in her recitation of “The Raffle Ticket”, and was joined on stage by Robin who sang ”Jambalaya” and Neil Diamond’s version of “I’m a Believer”.  Ian and Sue took us over the pond with “Make me a pallet on your floor” and “I’ll Fly Away”, both featuring Sue on banjo.  Martin turned to Les Barker and gave us “The Great Folk Club Disaster” and “The Ballad of Cosmo McGrew”.  Your scribe then returned to the stage in company with his fellow Somerville Gentlemen to finish the evening with the Louvin Brothers' “Are you wasting my time” and John Doyle’s powerful ballad “Liberty’s Sweet Shore”.

This month’s raffle money has gone to Cancer Relief.  Next month’s theme will be 'Harmony'.  See you there!

Ted Crum

The theme for the January Folk Club Number 422 was “New Beginnings”.

After a Happy New Year greeting to everyone, Ian and Sue sang “Someday Soon” and “Garden Party”. Bob was next with “Teach Your Children Well” and “4 + 20”. Janny and Maureen followed singing “Hedger & Ditcher/Sorry” and then a very funny song called “Hot Water Bottle Cover”. It was good to see Peter Mason return to the Club and he sang an old favourite “Kilkenny Ireland” followed by “January Man”. I think everyone joined in with Rik singing “A Farmer’s Boy” and he followed this with the Jake Thackray classic, “The Widow of Brid”. A new trio called “The 3 Ps” (not really new, it was Peter McDonald, Pete Grassby and Peter Mason) closed the first half with a lovely version of the carol “The King”.

The Harbury Folk Club Choir kicked off the second half with the carols they had sung in the Christmas Eve church service, “Follow That Star” and “Mary Did You Know”. Sue Harris was next with “The Month of January” and “Another Train”. Robin made a welcome return to the Club singing “The Blue Cockade” and “Innocent New Year”. Peter Scott sang “Cawsand Bay” and then a particularly fine version of “Shenandoah”. Pete Grassby followed with “A Gift of a Brand New Day” and a “Mail Order Annie”. Don performed “Hill Climbing for Beginners” and “Clearwater”. Peter McDonald entertained us with “We’ll Sing Hallelujah” and “Struck It Right This Time”. Keith Donnelly closed the evening with “Plagiarism Blues” which was hilarious! Then he persuaded Ursula to sing “New Lang Syne” and invited performers to join him. It was a super end to the New Year Folk Club.

A big thank you to everyone who contributed to the raffle which raised £86 for Cancer Research. Thank you to all the performers and thank you to the enthusiastic audience!

Next month the theme is “Cheer Up February” and Ted and Sue will host the evening.

 Sue Hartland