Forthcoming Guest
Nights 2012
(Unless otherwise stated entrance = (£6 Members / £7
Non-Members)
PLEASE NOTE:- New Start Time of 7:30 |
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| 23 May | Happy Trails (£7 / £8) |
Well, It's about time we had Trevor Stephenson, Al Clarke and Ian Balchin - AKA - Happy Trails Trevor, Ian and Al have been playing together in various Cajun, Zydeco, Country and Blues bands for in excess of twenty years. |
| 6 June | Mary Humpherys & Anahata | Mary Humphreys and Anahata are established on the British folk scene as enthusiastic and entertaining performers of traditional material. With extensive research, skilled musicianship and a huge variety of instruments they have unearthed and brought back to vivid life some rare gems of English song and music. They are continually busy at festivals and folk clubs, with concert performances, workshops and presentations, playing for dancers such as Pig Dyke Molly and collaborating with other artists from time to time. They have made four albums of their music, the latest, "Cold Fen" released in March 2009. Mary (who has her own web site) sings traditional songs, mostly in English and a few in her native Welsh, and plays banjo and concertina. Anahata accompanies with melodeons, concertina and cello, and they play instrumental arrangements, mostly of English traditional music. |
| 20 June | Kieth Pearson's Coup de Grass (£8 / £9) |
Few artists can regale an audience with a tirade of hilarious, curmudgeonly banter, then bring them almost to tears with a self-penned song featuring the acoustic guitar, and then go on to amaze them with lightning-fast fusillades of spangling banjo-rolls. But one such is Keith Pearson, award-winning prolific writer of world-class songs, and one of Britain's best banjo players. Even as a solo performer Keith can hold an audience enthralled for an entire evening with his humour, voice, songs and virtuoso guitar playing and has achieved near-legendary status in Australia, where he has worked regularly during the last fifteen years or so, as front man of Treacle Line.
Keith Pearson first learnt his craft during the classic Folk renaissance of the mid-60s. Throughout the 70s, he toured, and performed on radio as a solo singer/songwriter, both abroad and on the Folk circuit, as well as fronting the original Treacle Line and the Right Hand Band. Choosing to stay with music, rather than Variety Entertainment, Keith resisted the temptation taken by some of his Folk contemporaries to abandon his instrument in order to become a stand-up comic or TV presenter. |
| 4 July | Anthony John Clarke (£7 / £8) |
Anthony John Clarke was born in Belfast on 18th October 1956. He started songwriting at the age of nine inspired by the sixties but it was only when he left Ireland and came to England that he pursued his passion for writing with any vigour. Lacking belief in his work he languished in the shadow of others for too long but the creator of "Irish Eyes" and the beautiful "Seven In Ireland" was destined to make a mark on the British contemporary music scene. Living in Liverpool and being managed superbly by Sheelagh McGovern for many years afforded Anthony John the opportunity of performing his songs far and wide. Seven tours of the East Coast of the USA ensured him a small but loyal following there which remains loyal to him to this day. Bookings at clubs up and down the UK and recent developments including the vocal collaboration with Elizabeth van de Waal increased his popularity and made him an established folk name.
There are very few places in the UK and Ireland that Anthony John has not played. His supporters are loyal and many, and the tributes he receives from his peers bear witness to the talent and hard work of one of the folk scene's nicest guys. He retains his reputation as one of the top songwriters on the scene and his hard work and dedication to his craft are a credit to him. For him, songwriting is indeed a craft. |
| 18 July | The Carrivick Sisters (£7 / £8) |
The Carrivick Sisters are one of the UK's top young bluegrass and folk acts. Twins Laura and Charlotte perform their original songs and instrumentals along with a few carefully chosen covers on guitar, mandolin, fiddle, dobro, and clawhammer banjo. Their busy touring schedule is rapidly building them a reputation for engaging and entertaining live performances with tight sibling vocal harmonies and multi-instrumental virtuosity. Having grown up in South Devon, an area rich in folk lore and legends, much of their original material is inspired by their local surroundings and history. |
| 5 September | Ian Bruce (£7 / £8) |
I work solo mainly. Although I dabble with other instruments in the studio my solo performances are generally Vocal (some unaccompanied) and Guitar. I’ll sing you some Scots’ Trad & Robert Burns but, in the main, I’ll be singing a 60% self-penned programme. Many of those might be collaborations with Ian Walker or Charlie Milne. The best way to find out about the songs is to navigate your way through this site. It’s difficult for me to give you a personal brief on my songwriting styles. Best I can say is that they are generally written with an emphasis on audience participation. .....And are sung BIG. We’ll probably have a bit of a giggle too. I love to play Folk Clubs, Folk Festivals and House Concerts. |
| 12 September | Crownstreet | Crownstreet came into being when Val decided she would like to form a girl band, an idea which very quickly shrunk to a girl duo of Val and Bobby. They enlisted the help of their two compatriots Simon and Stuart and the band was born. These North Essex musicians have a wealth of experience on the local and national folk scene and in Crownstreet, they perform songs and tunes, old and new, on 4 voices and 12 different instruments which they strum, strike, squeeze and blow. |
| 3 October | 2 ish (£7 / £8) |
A welcome return of Saskia Tompkins and her new musical partner Brandon Scott Besharah There are over 50 years of combined musical experience between them. The music of 2ish has been described as a " living film score", or as the style often referred to as "Heavy Wood". Purely instrumental, their original compositions often remind the listener of music once created by the artists Michael Hedges, Oliver Schroer, Stephane |
| 10 October | Dave Swarbrick (£10) |
Well what can we say about Dave that has not already been said!! A musical legend indeed makes a welcome return to Faversham after 2 recent sell out concerts here. We can promise an excellent night of virtuoso music so book early to avoid disappointment. |
| 24 October | Dick Miles | For over 30 years Dick has been singing at Maritime festivals all over the UK and Ireland. A concertina player of some virtuosity, he has written two concertina tutorials and has recorded many albums including collaborations with Tim Laycock and John Kirkpatrick. |
| 14 November | Maggie Boyle & Paul Downes (£8 / £9) |
A first time for this duo, who have however been to the club as a part of other bands and duo's many times before. Maggie Boyle is a traditional singer. Through her ballads, old and new, she continues the tradition of music and storytelling passed on by her Irish family. Now living in Yorkshire, she was born in London where she sang and played from an early age. Reared in the musically vibrant London-Irish community of the 60s and 70s, she and her brothers got the music from their father. Paddy Boyle was a native speaker from the Donegal Gaeltacht townland of Derryloughan , Nr Glenties . Her other main tutor was Oliver Mulligan, a great singer from Co. Monaghan, resident in London . Maggie has accrued an impressive catalogue of live and recorded work including film soundtracks, theatre and folk circuit appearances worldwide. Her vocals adorned Patriot Games and Legends of the Fall and have also been used for corporate advertising campaigns. Maggie's voice and flute are an integral part of Christopher Bruce's folk ballet, Sergeant Early's Dream . Created for Rambert Dance Company in 1984, this production has also been staged by many other prestigious companies around the world. From the age of 12, Paul's best friend was Steve Knightley; then at 16, they met Phil Beer. However, despite these drawbacks, Paul was reasonably well-balanced until, after giving up a promising academic career, he went on the road as a professional muso. "Was it the women or the curry houses?", Paul was once heard to rhetoricise. A few years touring as Downes and Beer, all around Europe and the UK, playing sessions on hundreds of albums, four records of their own and two solo sets for Paul... and they met Bill Zorn and formed the now legendary Arizona Smoke Revue. A meteoric rise into TV, radio, major European festivals, world tours and four albums... that was enough! Paul was asked to stand in on a Joyce Gang gig (their first!) and the rest, as they say, is mystery. Paul Downes now still gigs extensively in the UK and USA as a solo artist, made his third album, enjoys shopping and cooking, supporting Exeter Rugby Club and getting a suntan. |
| All Wednesdays without guests. |
Singers Nights. Admission £1 for everyone. |
Bring your instruments, poems, stories and particularly your favourite songs and join in - or just listen or sing the choruses. |
Contact Mary on 01795 534368 or 07980 203992 to book seats or for information