Across The Pond #1, October 1999
by Paul Castle
[Paul Castle is a songwriter and journalist from London, England and has generously offered to keep us up to date on the folkscene there - the intent is to help connect the US and UK scenes and to enable both visiting folk fans and artists to travel more readily between the two countries. This letter and resource listing from across the Atlantic will be a semi-regular feature at this site. Enjoy. -HB]
I thought I'd start this column by asking myself what
information would be most valuable to a folk/acoustic performer
planning either a UK tour or, perhaps, a vacation and wanting
to see some live folk/acoustic gigs; and maybe even do some 'open
mics' along the way. I'd welcome as much input as possible from
the folkmusic.about.com readers on this. I treasure the interchange
between our musical cultures - in fact, I think it is essential
if the scene is to blossom and grow here.
The UK seems to be on a bit of a roll at the moment - acoustic guitar sales going through the roof, I'm told, and more and more young people showing up to do floor-spots (what you call 'open mics') all over the country. As someone who can remember coming up to London as a teenager in the late 1960's to go to sessions at Les Cousins in Greek Street, Bunjies off the Charing Cross Road and the Troubadour Coffee House over on the Old Brompton Road, I sense the emergence of a very similar musical climate once again.
You know something is happening when more and more really talented young musicians start turning up at places like Cecil Sharp House in search of their musical roots. You really know something is happening when you look across a packed festival field and realize that you're the oldest person for miles!
My starting point is a list of London gigs (since I live here) for this month, October, followed by other notable one-nighters around the UK and full UK/Irish tour dates for as many relevant visiting acts as I can find.
I also hope to be able to do a regular 'American Connection' feature concentrating on an English player working and touring over here with an American - this month it's Dave Mattacks, the now ex-Fairport Convention drummer working with Mary Chapin Carpenter.
October '99 looks like the perfect month to kick things off - some of my all time personal favourites are coming to London - Rory Block, Richard Thompson, Paul Brady, Bruce Cockburn - it is hard to name but four this month!!
Below the concert listings on Page 2 are the beginnings of an index of on-line resources for folk music in the UK. They include:
UK Venue Directory
UK Online Resources
UK Periodicals
I also intend to start building up databases on:
UK Folk Music Agencies
UK Folk Radio
UK Media Contacts
Please send feedback to me Paul Castle at pdcmusic@freeuk.com or direct to Hugh Blumenfeld at www.folkmusic.about.com if you know additional (or better) sites and links for these artists. I would like the database at folkmusic.about.com to be as comprehensive and up-to-date as possible.
LONDON
1st : CANCELLED Lyle Lovett (Royal Albert Hall)
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/1192/lyleb2.htm
Sadly Lyle's UK tour has had to be cancelled due to the death
of his father.
2nd : John Fahey http://www.johnfahey.com/
and
Derek Bailey http://www.shef.ac.uk/misc/rec/ps/efi/mbailey.html
(Queen Elizabeth Hall)
Legendary guitar instrumentalists, doing solo and duet sets.
2nd : Flook!
http://www.flook.co.uk
(Cecil Sharp House) see UK tour dates below
"..the most magical of experiences." Irish Post,
London
3rd : Oysterband
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/Users/kcci1/Oysterband/
(Blackheath Halls) see UK tour details below.
5th : Paul Brady
http://www.paulbrady.com/
(Royal Festival Hall) see other UK dates below
Nobody Knows: The Best Of Paul Brady 1970's-1990's (Rykodisc RCD
10491) was released in the UK & USA/Canda in September. For
details of each track go to
http://www.paulbrady.com/bestof.html
8th : Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain
http://www.efdss.org/ukelele.htm
(Cecil Sharp House)
Funk, swing, rock and roll, classical warhorses and even diabolical
folk music. Impossible to describe, but if you've been once, you'll
go again.
9th - 17th The New Acoustic Music Week
http://www.windbob.demon.co.uk/lineup10.htm
Interesting and varied line ups all over town and up and down
the country for a celebration of this currently blossoming scene
- including Eddi Reader at the Spitz (9th), Stacey Earle at the
Borderline (10th), John Renbourn at the King's Head, Merton (10th)
12th : Sharon Shannon
http://www.ceolas.org/artists/Sharon_Shannon.html
(Queen Elizabeth Hall)
13th : Anam
http://www.anam.co.uk/anam/
(Blackheath Halls) see UK tour dates below
Thur 14 : David Hughes
http://www.folkcorp.co.uk/dhughes/welcome.htm
with Gerry Conway, Jacqui McShee & Spencer Cozens
(The Spitz)
http://www.spitz.co.uk
Described by Dirty Linen magazine as "an English Loudon Wainwright",
here launching his new album "This Other Eden"
15th : Richard Thompson
http://www.amug.org/~deeg1225/
( Royal Festival Hall) see UK tour dates below
Richard's new album Mock Tudor has been getting rave reviews
everywhere
17th : Rory Block
http://www.roryblock.com
(Cecil Sharp House) see full UK tour dates
For those who don't know her, Rory is widely regarded as the top
female interpreter and authority on tradional country blues. A
brilliant acoustic guitarist with a voice to die for.
17th : Clive Gregson
http://www.compassrecords.com/gregson.htm
(Waterman's Arts Centre)
Clive has been playing in both the Richard Thompson band and with
Iain Matthews in Plainsong recently.
17th : Tom Russell
http://www.tomrussell.com/
(Borderline)
Touring the UK promoting his latest album 'The Man from God Knows
Where'. (see full UK tour dates below)
18th : Kim Richey
http://www.geocities.com/nashville/3235
(The Borderline)
20th : Tom Paxton
http://imusic.com/showcase/contemporary/tompaxton.html
(Cecil Sharp House)
Recently Tom has recorded more children's music and penned books
for children as well. The retrospective album 'I Can't Help Wonder
Where I'm Bound: The Elektra Years' was released recently. Touring
the UK with English guitarist and regular sideman Jez Luton, who
until recently had also been a member of Jez Lowe's 'Bad Pennies'.
23rd : Jack Hardy
http://www.wing.net/jhardy/index.html
(12 Bar Club)
"One of the most influential figures in defining the American
folk song." The Boston Globe
24th : Robin Williamson & Clive Palmer
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/ac455/index.htm
Two of the original members of The Incredible String Band team
up for a new album, 'At The Pure Fountain'.
(Cecil Sharp House) see UK tour dates below
25th : Joan Baez
http://www.baez.woz.org/
+ Eliza Carthy
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/members/martin.nail/artists.htm
(Fairfield Halls, Croydon)
With a touring band including Adam Kirk on guitar, Mark Peterson
on bass, Joshua Segal on violin/mandolin/sax and Carol Steele
on percussion, Joan will be supported by Eliza Carthy throughout
the UK tour.
See full dates below.
26th : Shirley Collins
http://imusic.com/showcase/contemporary/shirleycollins.html
(Cecil Sharp House)
A pivotal figure in the 60's & 70's English folk song revival,
Shirley's beautiful singing style has earned her accolades such
as "the first lady of folk".
28th : Bruce Cockburn
http://users.bart.nl/~douwe/
(for the European BC Homepage) or
if it's lyrics/guitar tabs your after, try
http://www.netspace.net.au/~angelb/cockburn/tab/BCTab.html
(Union Chapel) see UK tour dates below
Candadian Bruce Cockburn promoting a brand new album, 'Breakfast
in New Orleans, Dinner in Timbuktu' on Rykodisc
28th : Karen Bates + Debbie Cassell +
John Peacock + Doug Smith
(The Spitz)
http://www.spitz.co.uk/
Box Office: 0171 392 9032
A Judith Silvers 'Among Friends' session with some of the UK's
best singer songwriters. Karen and Debbie on the same bill is
always a treat.
29th : Tori Amos
http://www.toriamos.org/
(for 'Really Deep Thoughts' fanzine site)
(Royal Festival Hall)
29th : Beth Orton
http://homepages.enterprise.net/jbromley/BethOrton/Resources.html#cat2
(Shepherds Bush Empire)
30th : Show of Hands
http://www.showofhands.co.uk
(Cecil Sharp House)
31st : Christine Collister
http://www.thebeesknees.com/bk-cc-nw.html
(Waterman's Arts Centre)
New 'enhanced CD 'Songbird' (Fledg'ling FLED 3025) just released
in the UK.
See October'99 tour dates below
31st : Raul Malo (of The Mavericks)
http://www.themavericks.com
+ Kim Richey
http://www.geocities.com/nashville/3235
(Her Majesty's Theatre)
Kim's new album 'Glimmer' has just been released in the UK.
31st: Pete Morton
http://www.rootsworld.com/harbourtown/morton.html
(Cabbage Patch, Twickenham)
__________________________________________________
1st - Tenterden Folk Festival
3rd http://www.btinternet.com/~folkspots/tfdt.htm
1st June Tabor (Community College Theatre, Peterlee)
2nd June Tabor (The Arts Centre, Salisbury)
http://members.aol.com/cynthiafta/jt.htm
"One of the most stunning solo voices in folkdom." -
The Times
9th John Renbourn (The Pit, Farnham, Surrey)
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/x.dll?p=amg&sql=B42718#BIO
14th Bert Jansch (The Zodiac, Oxford)
http://www.execpc.com/~henkle/fbindex/j/jansch_bert.html
16th Martin Simpson (The Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham, Hants)
http://www.watershed-arts.com/msimpson.html
23rd Frances Black (Lichfield Arts Centre)
http://house-of-music.com/frances/index.shtml
details of October UK tour with Cathy Bonner from
rideout@stayfree.co.uk
_________________________________________
In addition to drumming on tracks on both Richard Thompson's new Mock Tudor album and Paul McCartney's Run Devil Run, Dave has been touring the States with Mary Chapin Carpenter, supported by Solas. The now ex-Fairport drummer will be out and about in the UK this October (see dates below)
On the news section of his website at http://www.folkcorp.co.uk/dm/news.htm he says:
"The Mary Chapin Carpenter US tour was wonderful : The band - Chapin singing & playing acoustic & electric guitars, John Jennings on bass, Jon Carroll on keyboards & Duke Levine on guitars - was just terrific players & people. The crew - great folks too - & band totaled 15 people ; we played some forty five dates & covered approx. 22,000 miles! The Chicago date where Chapin drew some 13,000 + fans was an especially good gig. There were some very enjoyable special times - playing the encore tunes each evening when opening band " Solas " would join us on stage was a regular highlight; I also got to meet & back-up Shawn Colvin, Emmylou Harris, Jerry Douglas, Tim O'Brien & Carole King when they guested!"
October
With 'SeptPiece'
Tue 5th Cambridge Boat Race 0122 350333
Thur 7th Nottingham Bonnington Theatre0115 956 1571
Sun 17th. Bristol The Albert Hole0117 966 1968
Sun 24th London Royal Festival Hall Foyer (NB : Lunchtime )
With 'Mary Chapin Carpenter' http://www.marychapincarpenter.com/
Fri 22nd Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen
Sat 23rd Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow
Mon 25th Philharmonic, Liverpool
Wed 27th Corn Exchange, Cambridge
Thur 28th Symphony Hall, Birmingham
Fri 29th Apollo, Manchester
Sat 30th Colston Hall, Bristol
OCTOBER UK TOURS
The Albion Band
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/sjsheldon/albion.htm
October '99 UK tour
Fri. 1st Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury 01684 290734
Sat. 2nd Blaxton Village Hall 01302 771354
Wed. 6th The Ridings, Winterbourne, nr. Bristol 01454 228350
Thurs. 7th Theatr Brycheniog, Brecon 01874 611622
Fri. 8th Theatr Harfen, Newtown 01686 625447
Sun. 10th Guildhall, Lichfield 01543 262223
Wed. 13th Bewdley Festival 01299 403355
Thurs. 14th Salisbury Arts Centre 01722 321744
Fri. 15th Bowen West Theatre, Bedford 01234 219333
________________________________________________
Anam
http://www.anam.co.uk/anam/
October '99 Tine Gheal - Bright Fire UK Tour
Fri 1st Salisbury Folk Festival 01722 321744
Sat 2nd Fairfield Arts, Basingstoke 01256 321621
Wed 6th Blackfriars Arts Centre, Boston 01205 363108
Thur 7th Brewery Arts, Cirencester 01285 655522
Fri 8th Arts Centre, Dorchester 01305 266926
Sat 9th The Hawth, Crawley 01293 553636
Sun 10th The Mill Arts, Banbury 01295 279002
Mon 11th White Hill Centre, Chesham 01494 872859
Tue 12th MAC, Birmingham 0121 440 3838
Wed 13th Blackheath Halls, London 0181 463 0100
Fri 15th Theatr Ardudwy, Harlech 01766 780667
Sun 17th The Guildhall, Lichfield 01543 262223
Wed 20th Arts Centre, Falmouth 01872 262466
Thurs 21st Tower Arts, Winchester 01962 867986
Fri 22nd Forest Arts, New Milton 01425 612393
Sat 23rd Arts Centre, Bridgwater 01278 422700
Sun 24th Wharf Arts Centre, Tavistock 01822 613928
________________________________________________
Joan Baez
http://www.baez.woz.org/
+ Eliza Carthy
Sat 16th Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
Sun 17th St. Davids Hall, Cardiff, South Wales
Tue 19th Guildhall, Portsmouth
Thur 21st His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen
Fri 22nd Royal Concert Hall,Glasgow
Sun 24th Apollo, Oxford
Mon 25th Fairfield Halls, Croydon
Tue 26th Royal Centre, Nottingham
Wed 28th North Wales Theatre, Llandudno, North Wales
Thur 29th Colston Hall, Bristol
Fri 30th Symphony Hall, Birmingham
Sat 31st Corn Exchange, Cambridge
_________________________________
THE BATTLEFIELD BAND
http://www.battlefieldband.co.uk
e-mail bband@templerecords.co.uk
Thur 7th MacRoberts arts Centre, Stirling
Fri 8th Volunteer Hall, Galashiels
Sat 9th Lochside Theatre, Castle Douglas
Wed 13th Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
Fri 15th Queen's Hall Edinburgh
______________________________________________
Rory Block
http://www.roryblock.com
October '99 UK Tour
Fri 15th Sallis Benny Theatre, Brighton
Sat 16th Alma Tavern Theatre, Bristol
Sun 17th Cecil Sharp House, London
Mon 18th Malt Cross Music Hall, Nottingham
Tue 19th City Varieties, Leeds
Wed 20th Renfrew Ferry, Glasgow
Thur 21st Alternative Festival, Aberdeen
Fri 22nd Brewary Arts Centre, Kendal
Sat 23rd Live Theatre, Newcastle
Sun 24th Band on the Wall, Manchester
Tue 26th The Anvil, Basingstoke
Wed 27th The Pit, Farnham
Thur 28th Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale
_________________________________________________
Paul Brady
http://www.paulbrady.com/
Sat 2nd Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow
Sun 3rd Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
Tue 5th Royal Festival Hall, London
_________________________________________________
Bruce Cockburn
http://www.stealing-fire.com/bruce/humans2.htm
October '99 UK Tour
Sat 23rd Fruitmarket,Glasgow
Mon 25th Irish Centre Leeds, (+44) (0)113 242 5019
Tue 26th The Stables, Wavendon Milton Keynes(+44) (0)1908 583928
Wed 27th Ronnie Scott's Birmingham (+44) (0)121 643 4525
Thur 28th Union Chapel, London Stargreen (+44) (0)171 734 8932
Fri 29th University, Manchester(+44) (0) 0161 832 1111
____________________________________________________
Christine Collister
http://www.thebeesknees.com/bk-cc-nw.html
October '99 UK/Irish tour
Fri1st Roisin Dubh, Galway, Ireland 00353 1 456 9569
Sat 2nd The Waterfront BT Hall, Belfast 01232 334 455
Sun 3rd The HQ, Dublin 00353 1 878 3345
Tue 5th The Queens Theatre, Barnstable 01271 324242
Fri 8th The Pheasant, Sheffield 01142 467031
Sun 10th Hop & Grape, Manchester 0161 832 1111
Tue 12th Custom House, South Shields 0191 454 1234
Wed 13th Town Hall, Paisley 0141 887 1007
Sun 17th New Vic Studio Theatre, Bristol 0117 987 7877
Wed 20th The Picture House, Beverley 01482 868033
Thur 21st The Mechanics Institute, Burnley 01282 430055
Sun 24th The Ferry, Glasgow 0141 287 5511
Tue 26th Prince of Wales Centre, Cannock 01543 578762
Wed 27th The Music Hall, Shrewsbury 01743 244255
Sun 31st Watermans Arts Centre, Brentford 0181 568 1176
__________________________________________________
Flook!
http://www.flook.co.uk
October '99 Uk tour dates
Fri 1st Tower Arts Centre, Winchester, Hants
Sat 2nd Cecil Sharp House, Camden Town, London
Sun 3rd The Crucible, Sheffield, South Yorks
Mon 4th Colchester Arts Centre, Essex
Tue 5th Pheonix Arts Centre, Exeter, Devon
Wed 6th Trinity Arts Centre,Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Thur 7th The Platform, Morcambe, Lancs.
Frid 8th Feis ne Mara, Mallaig Festival, Scotland
_____________________________________________________
David Hughes
http://www.folkcorp.co.uk/dhughes/welcome.htm
October '99 UK Tour
Sun 10th Huntingdon Hall, Worcester (double bill with Anna
Ryder)
Thur 14th The Spitz, London E1 http://www.spitz.co.uk
(with Gerry Conway, Jacqui McShee and Spencer Cozens)
Fri 15th The Town Hall Maldon, Essex
(with Gerry Conway, Jacqui McShee and Spencer Cozens)
Sat 16th Spilsby Theatre, Spilsby, Lincs (with Jacqui McShee)
Wed 20th The Limelight, Crewe
_________________________________________
Raul Malo (of the Mavericks)
http://www.themavericks.com
+ Kim Richey
http://www.geocities.com/nashville/3235
October '99 UK Tour
Mon 18th The Borderline, London
Tue 19th ??? Aberdeen
Thur 21st Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow
Sat 23rd Corn Exchange, Cambridge
Sun 24th St. David's Hall, Cardiff
Mon 25th Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry
Wed 27th Cheltenham Town Hall, Cheltenham
Thur 28th Anvil, Basingstroke
Fri 29th Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
Sun 31st Her Majesty Theatre, London
____________________________________________________
Oysterband
October '99 UK Tour
http://www.oysterband.co.uk/
Fri 1st Town Hall, Cheltenham B/O 01242 227979
Sat 2nd Anvil, Basingstoke B/O 01256 844244
Sun 3rd Concert Halls, Blackheath, London B/O 0181 463 0100
Mon 4th Waterfront, Norwich B/O 01603 764764
Wed 6th Arts Centre, Aberystwyth B/O 01970 623232
Thu 7th Buttermarket, Shrewsbury B/O 01743 365913
Fri 8th Queens Hall, Narberth B/O 01834 861212
Sat. 9th Coal Exchange, Cardiff B/O 01222 230120
Sun 10th Stables, Wavendon B/O 01908 583928
Wed 20th Phoenix, Exeter B/O 01392 667080
Thu 21st Arts Centre, Warwick B/O 01203 524524
Fri 22nd City Hall, Salisbury B/O 01722 327020
Sat 23rd Dolphin Leisure Centre, Haywards Heath B/O 01444 455440
Sun 24th Medina Theatre, Newport, Isle of Wight B/O 01983 527020
_________________________________________________________
THE POOZIES
http://www.cutting-tweed.demon.co.uk/poozies.htm
OCTOBER '99 UK dates
1st Guildhall Lichfield, 01543 262223
2nd Accrington Town Hall 01254 380293
3rd Midland Arts Centre, Birmingham 0121 440 3838
IAN CARR & KAREN TWEEED WITH
KATE RUSBY AND ROGER WILSON
OCTOBER '99 Concert Party tour of Britain:
Pure Records 01226 790536
Sat 23rd Rushcliffe Leisure Centre,Nottingham
Sun 24th Town Hall, Accrington 01254 380239
Mon 25th Leckhampton Inn, Cheltenham
Tue 26th Checkermeade Arts Centre, East Grinstead
Wed 27th The Lawns, Lincoln 01482 869033
Thur 28th The Picture Playhouse, Beverley 01482 869033
Fri 29th George Lawton Hall, Mosley
Sat 30th Regal Arts, Carlton Road,Worksop01909 482896
Sun 31st Phoenix Arts Centre, Leicester 0116 255 4845
___________________________________________________
Tom Russell
http://www.tomrussell.com/
"The Man From God Knows Where"
October '99 UK/Irish Tour
Sun 10th Hen and Chicken,Bristol
Mon 11th Lazy Acre, Shrewsbury
Tue 12th Black Horse, Lincoln
Wed 13th Mirage Hotel, Castleford
Fri 15th Houghton Folk Club, Bolton
Sun 17th Brook, Southampton
Tue 19th Borderline, London
Wed 20th Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
Thur 21st Adelphi, Preston
Fri 22dnd County Hotel, Perth
Sat 23rd Chambers Bar, Glasgow
Mon 25th Telford's Warehouse, Chester
Wed 27th D'Jango's, Aughnacloy
Thur 28th Errigle Inn, Belfast
Fri 29th Rugby Club, Roscrea
Sat 30th Central Hotel, Mallow
Sun 31st Gobblestones, Dublin
____________________________________________________
Martin Simpson
http://www.watershed-arts.com/msimpson.html
Sat 9th The Guildhall, Lichfield, Staffs 01543 262223
Sun 17th Halfpenny Folk Club, Gower, Wales 01792 850803
Thur 21st Folk at the Bluebell, Driffield, East Yorks 01262 420591
Sat 30th Holywell Music Room, Oxford 01865 249194
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Richard Thompson
October '99 UK Tour
http://www.amug.org/~deeg1225/
Wed13th Anvil, Basingstoke 01256 844244
Thur14th Colston Hall, Bristol 0117 922 3683 / 3682
Fri 15th Royal Festival Hall, London 0171 960 4242
Sat 16th Royal Concert Hall Nottingham 0115 989 5555
Sun 17th Corn Exchange, Cambridge 01223 357851
Mon 18th Symphony Hall Birmingham 0121 212 3333
Wed 20th Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow 0141 287 5511
Thur 21st Irish Centre, Leeds 0113 245 5570 / 248 0887
Fri 22nd Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool 0151 709 3789
Sat 23rd Bridgewater Hall, Manchester 0161 907 9000
____________________________________________________
Robin Williamson & Clive Palmer
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/ac455/index.htm
October '99 UK Tour
22nd: Old Fruit Market, Glasgow (0141 287 5511)
23rd: The Town Hall, Congleton (01782 514896)
24th: Cecil Sharp House, London (0171 485 2206)
25th: City Varieties, Leeds (0113 243 0808)
26th: Dance House Theatre, Manchester (0161 237 1413)
27th: Irish Centre, Birmingham (0121 624 4444)
29th: Bier Keller, Bristol (0117 926 8514)
31st: Sallis Benney Theatre, London (01273 709709)
_____________________________________________________
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