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Gigs, Fests, Pubs?
So the Government announcement on 22 Feb has given us a loose timetable for the reopening of indoor venues, outdoor events and the pub. Not that we’re counting the days or anything.
When does indoor entertainment open?*
Day(s)
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Hour(s)
:
Minute(s)
:
Second(s)
and the pub!
NEWS
Edward II new video from forthcoming album ‘Dancing Tunes’
Edward II have a brand new album, ‘Dancing Tunes’ due for release on 12 March 2021 - they have released the video below to the track Hold 'Em Joe....
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Down to Earth ‘Alchemic’ English Duo Ninebarrow Prepare to Plant ‘A Pocket Full of Acorns’
Celebrated Dorset duo Ninebarrow (Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere) will release their first album in three years next week. The arboreal-titled album A Pocket Full of Acorns is the pair’s fourth release and, if proof were needed, shows how they have further honed...
Blowing His Own Whistle
Brian Finnegan has fronted Flook for nigh on a quarter of a century yet steadfastly refuses to be defined by any genre or stereo typing. He may play flute and whistle, splendidly with a deft lightness and atmosphere in every tune, but you'd be doing him a dis-service...
Top Scottish and International Folk Talent to Feature at new Online Folk Festival
Some of the most renowned names in Scottish folk music will return to the stage this weekend, February 26-28, as part of CCM Live - a brand new, three-day event being broadcast live from Glasgow. The festival’s bumper line-up features Blazin’ Fiddles, Talisk, Siobhan...
REVIEWS
Just Beyond The Shine – Peach and Quiet
This is a quality CD that comfortably straddles the line between country and Americana. Peach and Quiet are Heather Read and Jonny Miller. They have an established reputation on the Canadian roots scene and judging by this it’s well deserved. They offer up songs with strong narratives in a warm folksy setting aided by a variety of session...
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Temperature’s Rising – Milton Hide
This should be called Country and Wilmington music. Let me explain. Milton Hide are Jim and Josie Tipler from Wilmington, Sussex and they take their name from a patch of woodland near their home. They are a folk duo that do what good folksingers do. They wander...
Beeswing by Richard Thompson
One of the benefits of career longevity is the amassed treasure of past recordings that can be compiled, reworked or repackaged. Inevitably, there is plenty to write about too. That's how we end up with Richard Thompson's first autobiography, 'Beeswing'. It...
Sounds Like Knockengorroch – Various Artists
Double CD as diverse as the Knockengorroch gathering itself – hopefully Covid clear, held this coming September – which was laid over due to circumstances and replaced by a digital event. Most of this eclectic roster have become firm festival favourites, whilst...
FEATURES
When You Can’t See The Wood For The Trees
Mysterious and enigmatic the music of Trees has historically been hard to find and expensive, yet has become the stuff of legend. A new 50th Anniversary box set from Earth Records, creatively titled ‘Trees,’ collects everything worth hearing by this iconic band. Folk rock might have taken a different path if they’d endured thinks Simon Jones as...
Shiny Things, The Magpie Arc bring back sunnier times
Just when you were thinking these strange times had wiped out all the decent things about music, along come a band to flip your wig. The Magpie Arc are exactly what’s needed to bring back sunnier days. Simon Jones checks out their fine feathers. “Alex is the biggest...
Robert Jon: Wreckless!
With a terrific new album ‘Last Light on the Highway’ ROBERT JON & THE WRECK have realised their potential and left rivals to the Southern Roots Rock crown in their slipstream. On the line from California ROBERT JON BURRISON talks to Lyndon Noon about his latest...
Rory Block Interview
What did a young girl find in the blues which makes it a lifelong passion? The music was filled with intense passion and spoke directly to what was in my heart. Your guitar style is pretty unique how has that been shaped and changed over time? I started out with folk...
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Kirsty Merryn Interview – One Bright Star
Kirsty Merryn arrives with a woozily gorgeous second album tucked under her arm, a steadily growing reputation for creating atmospheric and meaningful songs as well as totally refitting traditional material with contemporary relevance. She’s earning plaudits from...
Jonathan Kelly: 8th July 1948 – May 2nd 2020
It’s 2008 and the clock’s ticking, Jonathan Kelly has been on stage for well over three and a half hours and he shows no sign of stopping. In the end just shy of four hours, with midnight close at hand he finally waves his acoustic guitar to acknowledge a full house...
Pete Mortons Top Protest Songs Of All Time!
Here troubadour/singer and commentator Pete Morton takes us through his list of the most effective ‘finger pointing songs’ as a certain Robert Zimmerman used to call material of social commentary. “Most of them are folk - the list could have been a hundred or more. I...
THIS WEEKS CHARTS
FOLK
Glastonbury '92 is a fir favourite in the charts for Levellers
Americana
Evermore by Taylor Swift stands rightly at Number 1
Jazz & Blues
Celebrate the Decca Years of Peggy Lee's formidable career on Black Coffee at No 3
FESTIVALS
Top Scottish and International Folk Talent to Feature at new Online Folk Festival
Some of the most renowned names in Scottish folk music will return to the stage this weekend, February 26-28, as part of CCM Live - a brand new, three-day event being broadcast live from Glasgow. The festival’s bumper line-up features Blazin’ Fiddles, Talisk, Siobhan Miller, Rura, Ímar, Jenna Reid and Gnoss - all of whom will stream live, full...
All Festivals
What do the four steps to lockdown lifting mean for gigs and festivals?
On the 22nd February the government announced its roadmap to lifting lockdown, with a potential complete lifting of restrictions for theatres, venues and large outside events by late June - so we seem to be on course to be enjoying gigs and festivals across the summer...
Folk on Foot Signs Top Artists for Valentines ‘Festival of LOVE’
In these dark and challenging times, we all need love. And the award-winning podcast Folk on Foot has signed up over twenty of the UK and Ireland’s leading folk artists to provide it on Valentine’s Day (Sunday February 14th 2021). For the Folk on Foot Festival of...
Celtic Connections 2021, the digital one…
Celtic Connections 2021 has drawn to a close, and the organisers have issued this press release: With audiences from over 60 countries and over 27,000 tickets and passes sold, the first ever digital Celtic Connections has been a huge success. Over 10.5 million minutes...
The AFO virtual conference 2021
The Association of Festival Orgnisers annual conference generally takes place over a weekend in November. Obviously that kind of face to face social interaction is a thing of the past, so it is now coming to you on Saturday 20 February 2021 from 10am to 10pm as an...
New Festival Launched by Costa del Folk Team
A new music festival has been launched this month by the team who operate the highly successful Costa Del Folk. The Aviemore Festival will take place between 6 – 10 December 2021 in the Cairngorms in Scotland. ‘We knew that there was a lot of pent-up demand from our...
Celtic Connections Programme Announcement
The Celtic Connections online festival will begin next week, across 19 days, the festival will present over 30 online performances between Friday 15th January and Tuesday 2nd February 2021. World class concerts will be available to view online with some of the...
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