PAST EVENTS 2018
January 2018
3 New Year Session Come along and welcome in the New Year with some fine music and song, and a wee drink in the warmth of the fire at the Firestation. All welcome. A collection will be taken for the club.
10 Ian Bruce Ian is one of the finest singers of Scottish songs, and many fine songs of his own. He has performed at festivals and clubs all over Scotland, America, Canada, and mainland Europe. This will be a night to savour. See https://www.ianbruce.org. £8.00.
17 Club Night Come and enjoy the local talent. Songs and tunes from the regular performers at Dunfermline Folk Club - let Gifford know if you want a spot. A collection will be taken for the artists.
24 The Bowhill Players The Bowhill Players were formed by Willie Hershaw in 2011, as part of a project to celebrate the plays and poetry of Joe Corrie. Their music and lyrics focuses on Fife's mining tradition, history and culture - featuring a diverse range of musical styles and influences. They will be appearing at DFC in their three piece line up of Willie Hershaw (vocals, mandolin), David Hershaw (vocals, guitar) and Erik Knussen (double bass)". See www.facebook.com/bowhillplayers/. A collection will be taken for the band.
31 Session Sing a song, play a tune, tell us a story or listen and celebrate in style. Free.
February
7 Zetor in the Kailyard is a Scottish folk duo. The band features Roddy Johnston on fiddle, pipes, vocals, guitar and percussion, and Kate Badcock on flute, piano, alto sax and backing vocals. Since 2014, Zetor in the Kailyard has been playing regularly to audiences across Scotland, and touring in the wider UK as well as Europe. Zetor in the Kailyard is known for their performances that combine traditional music with live looping, creating a full and energetic sound. With a highly-eclectic repertoire, richly-textured harmonies and rhythm, they have reinterpreted tunes and ballads from Scotland, Ireland and North America. Whilst the duo is rooted in traditional music, they frequently draw inspiration from other genres alongside an undying desire to defy convention. These are two multi-instrumentalists passionate about both the music they play and the world they live in. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5HDYG7_v70 and www.zetorinthekailyard.com. A collection will be taken for the band.
14 The Quiggs Valentines Day event with this husband and wife duo. Stephen Quigg is a long established folksinger and former member of the legendary band “The McCalmans” and Pernille Quigg, originally from Denmark, is a folksinger and songwriter. Stephen and Pernille share a common feeling for the tradition of folksong and both know a good song when they hear it. The combination of songs both old and new interspersed with anecdotes and a touch of humour has received much praise from the audiences and organisers. A concert with The Quiggs is a chance to hear folksong in its simple, yet highly expressive form, including beautiful harmonies and songs that seek the audience's participation.see www.facebook.com/pernillequigg.singer, www.stephenquigg.com and www.pernillequigg.com. £8.00.
21 Dave Gibb Dave makes a welcome return to the club where he started his itinerant folk singing career. A singer of songs and a teller of tales from the hills of Dumfries & Galloway who happily fingerpicks his way through life’s travails. Songs funny or sad, happy or grim, meaningful or meaningless played fast or slow (sometimes both at the same time)…….He likes a giggle. “ Great guitarist, excellent singer and a wide variety of superb material in many styles…….from poignant to witty, from hard-hitting to gentle ballads, traditional to contemporary, songs that grab your attention and songs that tell a story. What’s not to like?” The Wivenhoe Folk Club. See http://www.davegibb.force9.co.uk.
28 Session Sing a song, play a tune, tell us a story or listen and celebrate in style. Free.
March
7 Milldew This duo stunned us at a session a wee while back, and now return to take centre stage. Guitarist Ronnie Miller has had a broad experience of various musical genres, while Maggie, former member of Wired to the Moon, brings her exceptional skills on fiddle and voice. A collection will be taken for the artists. At The Glen Tavern
14 Johnston and Gordon Euan Johnston and Andrew Gordon have been friends from the Scottish music scene for 15 years. Finally getting together as a duo in early 2016, Euan and Andrew have worked on a set that shows their passion for Scottish and Irish Music. Never taking themselves to seriously, they switch from the serious to the surreal, from syphilis to seals. Their accompanying guitar and bodhran rhythms could be considered “robust” and when both bodhrans are out… Mighty!
Collection for the artists. At The Glen Tavern.
21 Ian Walker Band This comprises Moe Walker, Jimmy Scott and Ian. The band's album called “JUST ONE MORE CHORUS” was released in late 2017 has received warm reviews including “Album of the Week” status on radio. See http://www.ianwalkeronline.com Collection for the artists. At The Glen Tavern.
28 Session Sing a song, play a tune, tell us a story or listen and celebrate in style. Free. At The Glen Tavern.
April
4 John Graham and Jim Jack John started playing Folk Music in the sixties co-founding ‘The Clydesiders’ in 1968 with Sandy Kelso and remaining a member till they became inactive in 2000. They played on many TV and Radio shows as well as making 8 albums. Jim’s introduction to Folk Music was in the Edinburgh Folk scene in the sixties and he went on to play with ‘Carterhall’ for a number of years.John plays a number of instruments including Fiddle, Mandolin and Guitar while Jim is on Guitar. They both share the vocal duties.Their act invokes much of the spirit of the folk revival with ample opportunities to join in choruses and a fair smattering of humour. https://www.facebook.com/folkandfiddle/ Collection for the artists.
11 Tarneybackle Welcome return for this excellent band. Tarneybackle was formed in the year 2000 in the village of Blackford, Perthshire. The group’s material is mostly from the Scottish tradition and is a blend of strong vocal harmonies with a wide range of instruments and they have issued six albums to date. See www.tarneybackle.co.uk . Collection for the artists.
18 Tannahill Weavers 50th anniversary tour. One of Scotland's premier traditional bands, their diverse repertoire spans the centuries with fire-driven instrumentals, topical songs, and original ballads and lullabies. Their music demonstrates to old and young alike the rich and varied musical heritage of the Celtic people. These versatile musicians have received worldwide accolades consistently over the years for their exuberant and humorous performances and outstanding recording efforts that seemingly can't get better...yet continue to do just that. See http://www.tannahillweavers.com £10.00 ** At Fire Station Creative **
25 Session Sing a song, play a tune, tell us a story or listen and celebrate in style. Free.
May
2 Cathal McConnell Trio Cathal McConnell is one of traditional music’s true legends. As a founder of Boys of the Lough he has taken Irish music round the world, touring the US countless times and entertaining audiences with his sweetly sung ballads, his lightly worn tin whistle and flute virtuosity and his inimitable drolleries.
A one-man carrying stream of tradition, McConnell has music and song in his blood and he is particularly in his element when accompanied by his superbly talented friends, Kathryn Nicoll, former Glenfiddich champion on fiddle and viola, and harper Karen Marshalsay, who taught and developed the harp course and grade exam syllabus at the traditional music centre of excellence at Plockton, delivering the ‘pure drop’ and roguish charm that won him a Herald Angel award at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2015.
An evening with Cathal McConnell in any situation is time well spent and this evening with the Cathal McConnell Trio is sure to be musically enriching, hugely rewarding and a whole lot of fun. £10.00. ** At Fire Station Creative **
9 Sadie and Jay from Brisbane, Australia sing captivating songs accompanied by intricate finger style playing. Their contemporary and original folk music styles have leanings to the alternative with a tinge of blues and roots. Blending vocals of rare calibre with an evocative back-drop of traditional folk instruments this duo perform intimate, expressive and resonant music. See www.sadieandjaymusic.com. Collection for the artists.
16 Hungrytown Folk duo Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson--otherwise known as Hungrytown--have earned a reputation for the quality and authenticity of their songwriting. Lyricist Rebecca Hall is credited with compositions “that sound as timeless as any traditional songs” (Northern Sky, UK) while producer/multi-instrumentalist/husband Ken Anderson is lauded for his “remarkable affinity for instrumental embellishment” (No Depression) and for crafting Hungrytown’s “gorgeous vocal harmonies” (Folk and Roots, UK). see http://hungrytown.net and http://facebook.com/hungrytown Collection for the artists.
23 Malcolm Bushby Scottish based fiddle, bouzouki player and singer Malcolm Bushby is considered to be one of the UK’s finest musicians. Originally from Tasmania, Australia, his family roots lie in Scotland with his forebears coming from Kirkhill near Inverness, Caithness, Kyle of Lochalsh, Ayrshire and Dumfries. Malcolm has devoted his life developing his unique style, drawing high acclaim from established artists across the UK and beyond. see http://www.malcolmbushby.com/ Collection for the artist. Malcolm will be supported by Colm O'Rourke, Deirdre Watson, Robin McLean and Susan Kirkwood.
30 7 pm AGM of the club. All members invited. 8 pm -ish Session Sing a song, play a tune, tell us a story or listen and celebrate in style. Free.
June
6 Huroosh. Huroosh brings together the diverse talents of Ian Miller, Roz McCulloch and Stuart Miller to create a sound rich in harmony, drawing inspiration from the traditional songs of Scotland and beyond. Spanning three generations and blending fiddle/guitar/mandola/melodeon and vocal harmonies, they bring an entertaining repertoire of songs and stories from haunting ballad to rollickin' chorus. See their Facebook page. Collection for the band.
13 Curmudgeon are a Lothian based folk music band comprising three members. Donald Gorman is an Edinburgh-based fiddle player specialising in traditional Scottish music. Donald also plays mandola and mandolin and adds accompanying vocals. Laurie Brett - based in Port Seton, East Lothian is lead singer for the band and is a fine guitar player from Essex, although having been in Scotland since 1979 he is considered by some to be an adopted Scot! Laurie also occasionally plays whistle. Andrew Macintyre is a familiar figure on the Edinburgh folk session scene. He plays Scottish small pipes and various whistles as well as providing vocals.- See http://curmudgeonfolk.co.uk A collection will be taken for the band.
20 Gifford Lind. Following on from having songs included in the weaving display’s in Dunfermline’s new museum, Gifford Lind and Alex Black have been inspired to bring together a collection of Dunfermline weaving songs which will be included in the forthcoming album ‘Weave Trust with Truth’. Dunfermline has a fascinating history of weaving, and much of its prosperity in relatively recent years was achieved through this. Gifford and Alex will be joined by Guy Burgess on fiddle and mandolin to present a programme of songs about Dunfermline and its weaving heritage. A collection will be taken for the musicians.
27 Session Sing a song, play a tune, tell us a story or listen and celebrate in style. Free.
July
4 Hahnemann's Pills Edinburgh based band playing transatlantic folk, swing, originals and choice cover versions. https://www.facebook.com/Hahnemannspills/ Collection for the performers.
11 Donald Anderson is a singer and songwriter who lives in Shetland. He has released two cds, Waterhead Sky and In Passing and has performed regularly in Shetland (and less regularly outside Shetland) over the last twenty years or so, both as a solo performer and with his band. Donald’s folk club sets combine original material, traditional ballads and contemporary songs, with some humour thrown in for good measure, all accompanied by his own acoustic guitar playing. You can find recordings of some of Donald’s songs here…http://www.makingwaves.uk.com/ and here… http://www.thedonaldandersonband.com/music.html Collection for the artist.
18 John Conolly Acclaimed Singer/Songwriter with guitar and melodeon accompaniment. Writer of " Fiddlers' Green", "The Trawling Trade"," Punch and Judy an"and many more.See https://www.facebook.com/johnconollymusician. Entry £7.00
25 Session Sing a song, play a tune, tell us a story or listen and celebrate in style. Free.
August
1 Bob Knight is a folk/traditional singer based in Aberdeen, Scotland. As well as traditional songs, he also writes new songs in traditional Scottish style, using Scots and Doric. Through his mother he is related to all the great Scottish traditional singers of traveller origin. Namely, Jeannie Robertson, Lizzie Higgins, Stanley Robertson,
The Stewarts of Blair, Lucy Stewart and Elizabeth Stewart and has recently published a book "Faerie Trails and Traveller Tales" . His CD “Meet Me On The Moor" issued in August 2017 contains 12 original songs, You can hear clips from it at www.knightfolk.com. Entry £8 (£6 for members)
8 Raging Twilight. A band, playing original material by Jack Law - influenced by blues, rock, soul and americana. See review at http://folking.com/raging-twilight-raging-twilight-artee-records/ Entry £8 (£6 for members)
15 Shamblestone Joanna Stark and Elisabeth Flett first started playing together in 2008 as part of folk trio Three’s A Crowd (Cambridge Folk Festival 2013 Youth Hub Band Artists) and have performed across the UK ever since. Notable performances include Eden Festival 2016, Verdant Works Lunchtime Concerts, Music At The Mill 2017, Edinburgh Fringe 2017, Simple Sounds Sessions, Bone Deep Book Launch at Hospitalfield House and competing as Semi-Finalists in the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards 2017. Their innovative blend of different musical styles, eclectic arrangements and sparky live performances makes Shamblestone an unusual and exciting duo. https://www.facebook.com/shamblestone/ Live @ Verdant Works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4ndJDQnfpg. Entry £8 (£6 for members)
22 The Duncan McCrone Band Duncan McCrone is a Glasgow-born singer-songwriter with over thirty-five years experience of live performance both solo and with a variety of traditional bands.See duncanmccrone.com Entry £8 (£6 for members)
29 Session. Sing a song, play a tune, tell us a story or listen and celebrate in style. Collection for the club.
September
5 Katarina Juvancic and Dejan Lapanja Katarina Juvančič and Dejan Lapanja first appeared on the Slovenian music scene in 2009. Their music is often described as alt-folk, bridging modern trends and ancient folk influences and sensibilities. Their music has twice won awards at the Slovenian songwriting competition. Katarina and Dejan released three albums of original and traditional songs in Slovenian and English that won them high praises - Selivke (Migratory Birds, 2012), Hope’s Beautiful Daughters (feat. 17 artists from Scotland and Slovenia, incl. Karine Polwart, 2014) and Vmesje (Betweenings, 2017). The duo has performed in Europe, the Balkans and Asia. This is their fourth Scottish tour and they will be accompanied by Paul Tasker of Doghouse Roses and other bands. See http://katarina-dejan.com/en Entry £8 (£6 for members)
12 Mark and Cindy Lemaire Mark's unique guitar style incorporates fingerpicking, slap-and-tap harmonics. The solo guitar pieces are complete statements, and Mark’s harmonies with Cindy Lemaire are perfectly matched - they seem like two people with one voice.With four albums released and an exemplary stage presence, Mark and Cindy are a pleasure to listen to and fun to just be with. See http://marklemaire.com Entry £8 (£6 for members)
19 The Cognac Twins The Cognac Twins are Craig Anderson, and Paul Connelly who hail from historic Dunfermline Town. The songs on their stunning new album tell tales of life, humanity, hopes and fears. Described as playing "authentic guid folk for authentic guid folk" The Cognac Twins debut brings Scottish Folk Music back to the fore. Influences range from John Martyn and Townes Van Zandt through to The Humblebums, CSNY and Elvis Costello. The album is released on deluxe heavyweight vinyl and digital on the new Dunfermline label, Loopmaniac, and is also available from all major digital platforms. see https://www.facebook.com/Thecognactwins/ Entry £8 (£6 for members)
26 Session. Sing a song, play a tune, tell us a story or listen and celebrate in style. Collection for the club.
October
3 Wildwood Jack Wildwood Jack are husband and wife Adam Piggott and Jayne Freeman - a unique acoustic guitar and ukulele duo from Kent in the UK. Their melodic songs blend the acoustic guitar and ukulele with outstanding fingerstyle playing drawing influences from folk, country and world music. They embrace the troubadour lifestyle and spend large parts of the year touring across the UK, Europe and New Zealand. 'Wildwood Jack' is their name for the independent spirit of music that knows no boundaries. Their wide repertoire draws from an eclectic songbook as well as instrumentals and heartwarming original songs.http://www.wildwoodjack.com/ Entry £8 (£6 for members)
10 Rachel Harrington. Rachel is an American singer-songwriter out of Oregon. She released her highly anticipated 5th studio album in August 2018. See www.sonicbids.com/band/rachelharrington/ Entry £8 (£6 for members)
17 Fil Campbell and Tom McFarlane Irish singer Fil Campbell and her percussionist husband Tom McFarland, have been playing as a duo since the early 90s. Their combination of vocals, guitar and percussion and mixture of original, contemporary and traditional Irish music have gained them a loyal following for their fun approach to both new and old songs. See www.filcampbell.com, www.facebook.com/filcampbell, www.fil-campbell.blogspot.co.uk, www.youtube.com/user/filcampbell. Entry £8 (£6 for members)
24 Graham Carter performs a mixture of English, Irish, Scottish ( & occasionally American) traditional songs with his own accompaniment on Acoustic Guitar, Banjo & Harmonica. See him at https://youtu.be/Oe6g5YEmHp8 Entry £8 (£6 for members)
26 - 28 Dunfermline Folk Weekend see separate page
31 Session. Sing a song, play a tune, tell us a story or listen and celebrate in style. Collection for the club.
November
7 Iona Grace Fyfe and Luc McNally Aberdeenshire folksinger Iona Fyfe is a fine young ballad singer, rooted deeply in the singing traditions of the North East of Scotland. She was nominated as Scots Singer of the Year at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2017 and has been a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year. see https://ionafyfemusic.wordpress.com. Club Singer: Deirdre Watson. Entry £8 (£6 for members)
14 Blueflint The sound of Blueflint is defined by the close harmonies of Deborah Arnott and Clare Neilson whose voices are accompanied by intertwining banjos, in beautifully-crafted songs. See blueflint.org.uk Club singers/performers Ena and Alec Robertson Entry £8 (£6 for members)
21 Alan Reid folksinger, musician and songwriter presenting the very best in modern and traditional Scottish song and music https://www.alansongsreid.com/ Club Singer: Alex Black. Entry £8 (£6 for members)
28 Session. Sing a song, play a tune, tell us a story or listen and celebrate in style. Collection for the club.
December
5 Bill Adair is a prize-winning poet and songwriter. He is equally at home singing a traditional Scottish ballad, playing blues from the Mississippi Delta or performing one of his own songs, and his performances are complemented by a natural story-telling. http://www.billadair.net/ Club Singer: Rob Griffith. Entry £8 (£6 for members).
12 Ashcroft is made up of brothers Euan and Lewis McLaughlin from Edinburgh. As Ashcroft they have spent a lot of time playing round Scotland opening for established acts such as Skipinnish, Fara, Martin Carthy and Top Floor Taivers among others as well as their own gigs and festivals such as The Scots Fiddle Festival and Folkest in Italy. https://ashcroftduo.weebly.com/ Club Singer: Jim Wardell. Entry £8 (£6 for members)
19 Christmas Party & hot/cold buffet. Pay for your ticket now please. You are asked to bring a small gift (value between £5 and £10). Performance sets are sought for the evening as well as individual contributions to the session. SORRY NO MORE TICKETS AVAILABLE. Ticket price £8.