23 January 2012
With a full audience in the Samuel Fox room, Saturday night proved just how good Chris and Kellie While are. Two distinct voices, able to flow and blend together to give brilliant harmonies, which superbly emphasised the words of a great selection of songs. The audience were spellbound! Many thanks to both Chris and Kellie for giving a master class of close harmony singing supplemented by seemingly effortless guitar playing. We all sincerely hope that they will be back at the club very soon.
A great start to a year of first class folk music was started by our excellent floor singers, Felicity, Pete & Dave and Lou who, naturally, all set the high standard we have grown accustomed to, many thank. Also, thanks to Dave Lomas for setting up and controlling the nights' sound system.
Further bookings for later this year have been confirmed, with details shown on the 'Programme' page. Please also note that the date when QuickSilver will be our guests has changed, due to room availability at the Venue.
WRP
20th December
Further to my message regarding Johnny Silvo in last months' 'Notes', unfortunately I have to confirm that Johnny died in his sleep, peacefully and pain free, on Sunday night (20th Dec). We all considered Johnny a friend and greatly admired his easy going performances and superb singing voice. Our deeply felt condolences go to his wife Berit and his son Patrick. His UK agent has details of a condolence massage page, available via www.perrottsfolly.com
As usual, Saturday's 'Carols and Christmas songs' concert by our floor artistes was a great seasonal entertainment night. For a change, the evening starting with Felicity, Maria and Marianne (other commitments demanded the sisters later attention) and beautiful harmonies by the sisters gave a terrific start to the night. Dave Kidman continued the evening followed by Pete and Dave, Garth, Steve then Lou, all confirming how lucky the club is to have such a talented pool of musicians and singers available. Following very welcome light refreshments (many thanks to Margaret for all her work), a multi prize raffle proved very popular. Nearly everyone went home with a prize (sorry Gary!) and the small surplus from the takings have been added to the all important kitty. As Dave explained, as a non profit making operation, we occasionally rely on the kitty to cover the costs of putting on the club nights. Many thanks to everyone, especially our regulars, who not only pay to see the high quality performers who appear at the club (they're not cheap, but worth it), but also buy raffle tickets every club night.
The second half continued the most enjoyable entertainment by our floor artistes, culminating in everyone joining in carol singing led by Felicity and Maria.
We look forward to seeing you enjoy the wondrous programme of first class artistes booked for next year and wish you all a very happy Christmas and New Year.
Finally, congratulations and our very best wishes to Maz for her wedding on Boxing Day, (at least they will easily remember when the anniversaries are!).
WRP
5th December
Prior to last weekend, I extolled the excellence of St Agnes Fountain. Friday night's performance fully justified my praise of this extraordinary group. Captivating singing, fabulous instrumental work, enthralling stories and anecdotes, all flowed together with the result that the evening was over far too quickly. A full Main Auditorium in the Venue sat enchanted as Chris While, Julie Matthews, David Hughes and Chris Leslie delivered a master class in seasonal entertainment. Many thanks to these supreme artistes for truly starting the Christmas countdown, I'm sure everyone present will still be smiling from memories of a remarkable night. I know I'm already looking forward to next years concert!
Although we don't have a 'big name' artist appearing at our Christmas concert on the 17th December (at least we don't think so!), we can guarantee an enjoyable night of Christmas carols and songs performed by our excellent floor singers, supplemented by additional singers and musicians specifically for the occasion. With a nominal entry charge and light refreshments provided, this is the ideal opportunity to introduce friends (or relatives) to the very high quality of music presented by the club every month.
27th November
Although last Saturday's concert by Flossie Malavaille & Paul Donnelly was terrific, there was a twinge of sadness prior to their performance when David confirmed to the audience that an old friend of the club, Johnny Silvo, is seriously ill. Johnny has cancer in a kidney and it has spread to one of his lungs. As a result, he has been given just a few months to live. Over the years, Johnny has appeared many times at our club and, inevitably, his manner and performance created more and more followers, eager to listen to his gentle guitar playing and golden but, when required, wonderfully powerful voice, particularly when singing 'the blues'. Our heart felt thanks go to Johnny for the pleasure he has given to audiences and for his personal friendship to Dave & Margaret and Barbara & myself. I understand that although he does not feel able to take any phone calls, if you use Facebook you can CLICK HERE to go to a Facebook page to leave a message.
The concert was held in the Steel Room which is bigger than our normal venue in the Samuel Fox Suite. This gave us more room to layout the seating and tables which was appreciated by the larger audience on the night. Following first-class support from our great resident singers, Flossie & Paul gave us a marvellous performance. With songs from Flossie covering the whole spectrum of music ~ in English, in French, gentle ballads, songs with her famous 'Vavavoom !!! ' and everything in between. Flossie was able to relax and concentrate on her singing as Paul provided amazing accompaniments with his, apparently, effortless guitar playing. Listening to Paul, it is easy to understand why he is in such demand as a top quality musician. Together, they give a spell binding performance. Little wonder that at the end of the evening, the audience were on their feet clamouring for more. A great night of music.
Please remember that the next concert is the special St Agnes Fountain event on Friday 2nd December. This introduction to the Christmas season is keenly anticipated and is guaranteed to be a great night. Look forward to seeing you in the Main Auditorium of the Venue.
WRP
17th October 2011
Following the Bernard Wrigley concert, we went on holiday to Turkey (well it is nearly Christmas!) hence the delay in confirming that, on the strength of his performance, Bernard is truly the consummate entertainer. Be it the singing and recital of his amusing poetry, his singing of self penned silly songs or his observations on life, Bernard's unique voice and delivery captivated the audience and had us all wanting more. You don't have to take my word for it, excerpts of the concert may be seen on the local internet television station s36.tv which has a chapter dedicated to the folk club. I would like to thank members of the audience for their patience as I endeavoured to film a representative sample of the night. The guys at s36.tv then edited it into a 15 minute sampler of the concert. However, you will have to be quick to view the result as it will be replaced by a sampler of the Billy Mitchell in the next week or so. I understand you may be able to access a library of these samplers at a later date, I will let you know.
Mentioning Billy Mitchell brings me to the weekends concert. Although Billy has been to Wortley Folk Club several times, he never fails to enchant the audience with a great mixture of newer and traditional songs superbly, yet seemingly effortlessly, accompanied by beautiful guitar work. It is indicative of an artistes quality when some members of the audience have travelled a long distance just to attend the concert and by the number of requests for favourite songs. Suffice it to say we had another great night of top quality entertainment, again captured on video (I hope!) which can be watched on the s36.tv web site.
WRP
18th July 2011
Whenever Chris While and Julie Matthews appear at Wortley Folk club, or indeed at any concert they give, at the end the audience is always crying out for more. Such is the talent and appeal of this gifted pair of singer songwriters. True to form, they gave an exceptional performance on Saturday night to a spellbound crowd with people coming from as far as New Zealand to see them (OK the people from NZ came with Chris & Julie � but they could have come on their own!). With the set list having been decided by committee, the first half included such classic songs as 'The light in my Mother's Eye', 'The coldest winds do blow' and 'The Devil in me' and the second half included 'Westward', 'Walk the line' and one of my own favourites 'White water running'. From the audience response, it was obvious that everyone thoroughly enjoyed the night, including Chris and Julie who were appearing on their doorstep, having recently moved to Penistone � welcome home! Thanks also to Felicity for introducing a superb night of singing.
Can I also repeat the Happy Birthday greeting to Brian Down and Margaret Atkin, and thank everyone who delayed going home to help clear the hall before we locked up.
Don't forget that the club is on holiday next month then returns to the Venue on 17th September, with the unmistakable Bernard Wrigley, for a night of laughter, stories and songs. Dave has also confirmed more bookings for next year which are shown on the 'Programme' page on the web site. The simple A5 size programme and the more detailed A4 size programme, which can be downloaded and printed from the 'Programme' page on the web site have also been updated. The sharp eyed amongst you will notice that the admission prices for next year have been very slightly increased. Although the club is still run as a non-profit making operation, costs have increased and, for some reason, Dave can't afford to subsidise too many times � mardy bum!
Finally, tickets for the shows later this year, especially Billy Mitchell and St Agnes Fountain, were selling well on Saturday night so 'phone Dave to reserve yours to avoid being locked out!! See you in September..
WRP
20th June 2011
Saturday night saw Vin Garbutt at his very best, enthralling and entertaining a full house with his easy going yet captivating style. As a member of the audience who had travelled a long way to see Vin told me, his performance was one of the best she had seen and I most certainly would not argue with that opinion. I'm not sure how Vin keeps a straight face whilst leaving everyone else laughing or giggling uncontrollably then, in a moment, spellbinds the audience with beautiful, captivating songs - a wonderful troubadour of his own and carefully selected other writers songs. Vin is an artist who is guaranteed to entertain!
Due to the numbers attending, the show took place in the theatre at the Venue which we laid out as an arrangement of tables and chairs to give a more relaxed atmosphere. Judging by the response from the audience, fortunately, the ambiance was appreciated. Also much appreciated was the terrific opening session by Felicity and Steve, many thanks for a great selection of songs, beautifully sung and accompanied. Many thanks also to Steve for solving the problems encountered with the PA system immediately prior to the show starting and thanks for the patience of the audience, whilst waiting the few minutes more for the sound check to be finished.
Don't forget that the next show, on the 16th July, is Chris While and Julie Matthews performing at St Ann's Church, Deepcar. Tickets are available from Dave and a map can be downloading from the 'How to find us' web page for those who have not been to this hall before. After this show, the club has a holiday before returning to the Venue in September with the inimitable 'Bolton Bullfrog' (see the 'Programme' web page).
Finally, a personal thanks to Brian and co for helping Dave and Margaret clear the room, thus covering my and Barbara's rapid exit after Vin finished. Why is it that you don't do anything for ages than there are several events to attend on the same day!
WRP
22nd May 2011
Last night was one of those concerts which didn't live up to expectations - it went way beyond them! I cannot remember being told by so many audience members as they reluctantly left that it had been the best show they had ever attended. Tom McConville was on sparkling form, very ably supported by David Newey. Their humorous asides complimenting a master-class in violin playing and acoustic guitar accompaniment, not to mention great vocal work. With a set which combined both well known and seldom heard traditional and more contemporary songs, it was not surprising that there was such a good audience participation on the night. Truly memorable for everyone there on the night.
As mentioned by Dave, due to circumstances beyond our control, the upcoming show on 16th July by Chris While and Julie Matthews will be moved to another venue. As soon as I have confirmation of the new location, I will email details to everyone on our mailing list and post a note here in the 'Notes' page of the web site (to be added to the email list, please send your name and email address to wortley.bill@gmail.com ).
Dave also mentioned a fund-raising event for a local 10 year old competitive figure skater (the son of local lady - Louise Barter) who is aiming to compete in a competition in Milan later this year. If you want to get a flavour of what he does, then his website is: www.dominicbarter.co.uk. The family is based in Deepcar, Sheffield and, along with the support of the local pub The Royal Oak, do a lot of fund-raising events to support him. The next event will be an evening with Ray Hearne in the Royal Oak Function Room, 32 Manchester Road, Deepcar S36 2QX on Saturday 11th June at 7.30pm. Ray is well known for his blend of Irish and South Yorkshire traditional music which often show the reality of community life with 'steel and coal' and he regularly appears on BBC radio. Tickets are 5 quid (a quid for under 16's) and are available from behind the bar or from Louise Barter, tel: 0114 2830326 - a great chance to enjoy an evening of music and wit whilst supporting a local lad.
Finally, the 'Programme' page has been updated with details of the new bookings for early next year, as have both the A4 and A5 pdf files which you can download and print to pin up in the kitchen!
WRP
18th April 2011
I previously described Kevin Dempsey as 'a great guitarist' and Joe Broughton as 'a trained violinist'. My apologies to them for greatly understating not only their terrific individual ability, but also t
he natural way that they work off each musically and their spontaneous banter between tunes. Their show on Saturday was a master class for the guitar or violin players in the audience and a great concert for the rest of us who wish we were! Many thanks also to Garth for his solo start to the night, it was really good to hear many of the old favourites again, especially with Garth's soft, lilting voice.
Extract from email to the mailing list:
Now a favour for a friend - on Saturday 30th April, Jez Lowe and The Bad Pennies will be performing at Hepworthlive in the Hepworth Village Hall, Hepworth, Holmfirth, West Yorks supported by Barron Brady. Tickets are 12 pounds and can be booked by contacting Paul or Di on 07845 921527 or via the www.hepworthlive.com web site. Hepworthlive is a smashing club, really friendly and in the middle of the lovely West Yorks countryside. A drive in the country, maybe a meal in the village pub then a night of great music or sit at home watching re-runs of a wedding on telly - your choice!
If you cannot make it to Hepworth, Jez will be at our club next year. Hopefully we will soon have confirmations for the booking of other guests at Wortley Folk Club so that I can update the list of artistes appearing at the club into next year. I've seen who is coming and we are going to have another great year of entertainment, please keep checking our 'Programme' page for details.
WRP
12th April 2011
On Saturday morning, we went up to Morpeth to help old friends celebrate their Ruby Wedding, so I have not previously had the opportunity to describe the absolute pleasure of listening to the While and Matthews Band last Friday night. On every visit to our club, Chris and Julie prove their skills as musicians, singers and songwriters but with Howard, Neil and Bryan complementing these abilities, we were treated to an evening of superb music. The band moved easily between Chris and Julie's songs from older albums to songs from the new 'Hitting the ground running' album, with amusing comments in-between. Not quite sure how they managed to move around without knocking over the multitude of instruments and mike stands which seemed to sprout from every part of the stage, but that is all part of the truly professional presentation guaranteed with a While and Matthews concert.
One advantage of being based at the Venue is that we have a choice of room size, depending on the performer. Consequently, the Steel room proved perfect on the night as it proved ideal for the much bigger audience Chris and Julie attract but still allowed us to arrange the seats around tables for comfort. Many thanks to everyone who helped to clear the room after the show, it saved us having a very late night (or early morning!).
Please don't forget that the While and Matthews Band show was a special night, our normal club night this coming Saturday (26thApril) features Kevin Dempsey and Joe Broughton, so is also guaranteed to be an entertaining night of first class music and anecdotes.
WRP
20th March 2011
For me it was a great show last night but then I knew it would be when I found out that Felicity, M
aria, Marianne and Steve would be repeating part of their St Patrick's night songs before our guest Anthony John Clarke, who is one of my favourite guests. The 
'Felicity Choir' did an excellent job of creating a suitably Irish atmosphere to the night prior to Anthony John Clarke's superb set. With such a gentle singing voice, a totally understated guitar style and a cracking sense of humour, AJC quite simply captivates his audiences. He gets almost everyone joining in the choruses, sometimes without them realizing and then gets them laughing at his observations, stories or daft, throw away jokes. Without doubt, everyone at last night's show will agree that Anthony John Clarke is always welcome at our club.
It was nice to see some more new faces, obviously moving to the Venue has made the club available to an even bigger audience. Also, a big thank you to all the people who have renewed, or joined, our membership scheme. Obviously it is nice to feel that our running of the club is appreciated and that, in true Yorkshire fashion, the admission fee savings are rewarding! It is not too late to join the Membership Scheme which can still give appreciable savings, please let me know as soon as possible then I can prepare the membership card to be collected at the next show.
Speaking of the next show, it is a very extraordinary event. Firstly it is on a Friday night (8th April) and secondly it is a specially formed band, led by Chris While and Julie Matthews, on a very limited tour and our club has been chosen as the venue for this area!!! (no pun intended that the Venue is the venue - honest). Due to demand, this show will be held in a bigger room in the Venue (it will be well signposted in the reception area on the night). If you don't already have tickets, please phone Dave to book them which can then be picked up on the night or, we recommend, turn up early.
Please also note that Sheffield Folk Chorale will be performing a concert of traditional folk music and newly written songs from other countries, times and cultures sung in four part harmony as part of the Peal Appeal Fund Raising Events at St Mary's Church, Ecclesfield on 9th April. Tickets are �8 and �6 concession, refreshments included. For details leave a voice-mail message on 07977 694069 or email toecclesfieldtower@hotmail.co.uk
Finally, thanks for the words of encouragement, observations and sarcasm regarding my restricted movement following Knee replacement. It was bad enough having to drag money out of the audience for the raffle wearing a silly hat and beard without being called a 'Limprechaun'!
WRP
20th February 2011
It is acknowledged that Dave Swarbrick is the standard that modern fiddle players are still judged against and that he has been largely responsible for shaping the sound of fiddle playing in both folk and, the so called, rock folk. Last night, Swarby proved that not only is the above correct, but that he can still effortlessly captivate an audience with his playing, reminiscences and amusing anecdotes. The audience remained beguiled by his seemingly effortless yet superb performance, if you read these notes Swarby, thanks!
Fitting Swarby's deserved reputation, we had a good audience and it was nice to see several new faces. We hope everyone enjoyed the evening and will return to relish the amazing programme of artistes planned for the rest of the year. To help you enjoy the best of folk music, our membership scheme means that you get a price reduction at all our concerts, even the more expensive special events. As Dave mentioned last night, memberships are due for renewal next month (March). I will send an email before the end of this month with details on how to renew an existing membership, how to apply for membership and, obviously, details on how to pay. Simply reading the new programme which is available in both A4 and A5 format at the bottom of the 'Programme' page will give you an idea on how much you will save over a year.
Next Sunday (27th February) the Venue will be housing a 'Community get together' and we have been asked to put on a desk with details etc. on Wortley Folk Club. We hope to have a video presentation,details and even, possibly, free CD's to give away! Please come along to support the event and make a point of visiting our stand which, we think, will be in the Bar area (what a surprise!).
Finally, many thanks personally to everyone who offered advise and best wishes regarding my knee replacement. I should be fully fit before the next club night so beware if you took advantage of my absence to avoid buying lots of raffle tickets!
WRP
18th January 2011
Just a short supplement to the Notes shown below for the last club night. During the night, Felicity, one of our super floor singers, passed around an up-to-date photograph of young Reuben. Unfortunately, some people did not see the photo', so Steve has sent me a copy which I have shown alongside so that you can all say 'Ahhhhhhh'.
WRP
17th January 2011
If you are reading this and I have not emailed or spoken to you this year then, on behalf of Dave, Margaret, Barbara and myself, we wish you a happy and prosperous New Year.
Certainly the first concert of the year was a great success with a terrific performance (as usual) by Scuppered. The one thing that can be guaranteed from Scuppered is that Andy, Dave, John and Pete will always give their very best, even when suffering the after effects of the flu bug which seems to be everywhere at the moment. As a result they did a great set with songs covering the whole spectrum from Jez's 'The Bonnie Barque The Bergan' to the Killers 'Are We Human' with a cracking selection in between
It was also nice to see new faces swelling the numbers in our audience on the night. Obviously the quality and variety of guests booked this year and our new home in the Venue is both attracting new members and tempting back previous visitors, every one is very welcome. Although we can use larger rooms within the Venue when necessary, with the larger audience sizes, it is even more advisable to reserve tickets for the very popular guests. Just ring Dave to reserve the tickets you need, this also helps us to judge the likely audience size as we will hate to turn anyone away should the room be full.
Finally, you may have noticed that the 'Programme' page has been updated. The Chris While and Julie Matthews concert in April has been renamed the 'While and Matthews Band' and will feature songs from their new album 'Hitting the ground running' and a selection from their incredible repertoire. I can now also confirm the booking of St Agnes Fountain in December which is a real catch for the club, more details to follow later in the week.
This year will be a great one for the club. We hope you will join us and enjoy a selection of guests who highlight the very best in Folk music.
WRP
19th December 2010
Ho-ho-ho, last night was the Christmas sing-along night for the club at the Venue and, as usual, was a superb introduction to the Christmas festivities, despite the bad weather! Many thanks to our regular floor singers for proving, once again, just how good they are. The evening started with Dave and Pete in their usual sparkling form, followed by Steve singing solo with his usual endearing acoustic guitar accompaniment, then Lou (using Pete and Dave's PA system to great effect). Felicity gave a great rendition of 'Christmas in the trenches' before being joined by her sisters, Maria and Marianne, for a selection of seasonal songs. Thanks to Barbara and Margaret for preparing the buffet during the interval whilst I extorted raffle ticket money from everyone. The plethora of prizes were all donated, many thanks to Roger and Ann, Vera and Dot. The second half was started in fine form by Pete and Dave then Lou was joined by his wife (Chris) for a beautiful performance of 'Red is the Rose' (please sing for us again Chris!) and Lou's own version of 'Fairytale of New York' before Felicity, Maria and Marianne sang a selection of carols, including 'Sweet chiming bells' (much better than Miss Rusby's version, in my opinion) and 'Silent night' which had everyone's rapt attention. Altogether, the night verified our opinion that we have the best floor singers around who can ably support any of the big name guests our club attracts.
Speaking of big name guests, I can reveal that David has confirmed booking Chris While and Julie Matthews (twice!) and Bernard Wrigley to complete next year's calender (how Dave does it I am not sure). So next year you can see top entertainers including Swarbrick, Garbutt, Flossie, Wrigley and While & Matthews, all at the Venue. The 'Programme' page of the web site shows full details, including both A5 and A4 versions you can download and print, before you deciding on your holiday dates thus stopping you missing your favourite singers.
It was nice to welcome some new faces to our audience, we hope that the audience size will further increase as people recognise the quality of our guests. At least at the Venue we can move to a larger room should it become too cramped in the Samuel Fox suite.
A very important note: Apparently there is still a problem with the emails not being delivered when using the contact@wortleyfolkclub.info address. Please re-send and/or address all emails to
wortley.bill@gmail.com
Pete Shaw (of South Yorkshire Folk fame) has invited everyone to his birthday/Christmas bash at the Princess Royal, Crookes, Sheffield S101NW on Tuesday Dec 21st from 7.30pm onwards. Please pass on the invitation to anyone else who might be interested, the club is upstairs with live music downstairs on the night.
Finally, everyone at the club and at the Venue wish you all a happy Christmas and New Year and look forward to seeing you on 15th January for another entertaining night with our special guests - Scuppered.
21st November 2010
My apologies for not having updated these notes last month, due to a collection of difficulties!
As you will be aware, we moved to our new home at the Venue last month and what a success it has been. A nearly new building, a warm, spacious room with comfortable seating, good acoustics, decent beer and very friendly staff. On top of that, there is a good car park and it's on the ground floor, so no climbing narrow staircases, especially with guests PA systems !!! I think the revised floor plan we used last night proved even more suitable, but will appreciate the observations of the audience (please keep it clean) to contact@wortleyfolkclub.info
The inaugural night at the Venue featured Kevin Dempsey & Peter Knight and what a night it proved to be. Although Kevin appeared at the club recently with Rosie Carson, this club night allowed us to fully appreciate what an amazing guitar player he really is and he can sing. In addition, Peter Knight played the fiddle. Well, he didn't actually play the fiddle, he almost made it talk! A truly awesome performance which held the audience spellbound throughout their set. I cannot remember another act which has resulted in so many messages and emails saying how much they had enjoyed the night and expressing amazement at the calibre of these two master musicians.
As a result, Kieran Halpin had to be good to maintain the club's reputation for first rate folk nights, - he was! Kieran is a renowned songwriter, whose songs are performed and have been recorded by a list of famous names as long as your arm. To make it worse for mere mortals such as myself, he is also a great singer and guitar player � life's not fair! Consequently, he gave a great performance, with a top-notch selection of new and more well known songs, each with an entertaining introduction and some very funny anecdotes, particularly regarding his recent circumnavigation of Australia.
It was nice to see some old friends who had particularly come to see Kieran, together with some new faces at the club. Our next club night, on the 18th December, is our annual Christmas sing-along. This night gives our floor singers more time each to show how good they really are, I must admit that I look forward to hearing Felicity and her sisters singing Christmas carols (I hope!). Also, special guest singers may also come along on the night, who knows? We can guarantee that it will be a welcome start to the Christmas festivities, with light refreshments provided, all with a nominal entry fee leaving you more money to buy raffle tickets (with a multitude of prizes � well it is Christmas).
Finally, please note that the guest list has been extended almost to the end of next year as shown in the 'Programme' page and in the two downloadable PDF files (A5 and A4 sizes) which you can pin up in your kitchen (or where ever). Additional names have been added to the 'Links' web page so that you can sample the additional guests. Also, I hope by the middle of the week to extend the 'History' web page to give a little background on the Venue and the local area.
WRP
3rd October 2010
Extract from email sent to mailing list on 3rd October:
As you know from previous email messages, Wortley Folk Club was recently compelled to move from its home in Ecclesfield when the landlord of the pub was instructed to start Karaoke nights on the same nights as club meetings. Unfortunately, although the club room was fairly well sound insulated from the normal pub noise, it is almost impossible to mix Karaoke and melodic folk music, so the last meeting was held at a different trial venue, The Travellers at Kimberworth. Although our floor singers and special guest, Reg Meuross, gave a great night's entertainment, we had a few difficulties, particularly regarding seating, not to mention the pole dancing apparatus! Although we have worked to rearrange seating into a more comfortable configuration, we were not altogether happy with the room. The general feedback (thanks for all the messages!) was congenial to the holding the club at the Travellers but before committing to the change, we have been visiting many more of the suggested alternative venues to check on suitability and availability. Consequently we have now decided to change the club base to a new location altogether!
Please note:
In future the Wortley Folk Club will meet in:
the Samuel Fox Suite, the Venue in Stocksbridge.
Yes, I know, being at the Venue means that having the venue at the Venue provides a convenient venue for everyone local to the venue, but the Venue is still a lovely venue. For those of you who do not know where the Venue is, a fully detailed map will be available on the 'How to find us' page of the web site from tomorrow night (Monday 4th October) after I have checked the accuracy.
If you have not previously visited the Venue, it is a clean modern building with a full range of comfortable chairs and tables in the club room. It also has full bar facilities adjacent to the club room with lower than pub beer prices. We have also checked and, even on a Saturday, there should not be any problem from outside noise.
So, roll on Saturday week, when we can celebrate our inaugural night at our new home in style with the fabulous Kevin Dempsey & Peter Knight on the 16th October. This is a great opportunity to bring along a friend (or friends) to introduce them to the pleasures of great folk entertainment and see if we can fill the room! By the way, admission prices will be the same as usual with our usual Members discount.
WRP
19th September 2010
Last night proved to be a satisfactory night at The Travellers, both from the venue and the performance by our guest Reg Meuross. Many thanks for all of you who turned up on the night, especially Felicity and Steve, David and Lou who all gave a great introduction to the night. Obviously, particularly regarding the seating arrangements, there were a few teething problems but, in our defence, we did have to transfer gear from the Black Bull and set up in rather a rush. We will be measuring up and making arrangements for a more comfortable seating layout, with better lighting, before the next club night. This plainly will depend on the feedback from the audience regarding the suitability of the room as our home venue.
Reg gave us a great performance with his silky voice and superb guitar work. I particularly enjoyed his accompaniment using the tenor guitar, with it's distinctive sound. Small wonder that Reg has been nominated for so many music awards! He writes great lyrics and has the ability to both captivate the audience and encourage audience participation without apparent effort.
I would ask that audience members email their opinions on The Travellers as a venue as soon as possible. We greatly value your opinions so please let me know both your likes and dislikes and if you will be happy to use the pub as our new base. Whatever your response and comments, I guarantee we will not be annoyed and will not make them public. Your opinions are important to us as they will be the basis of our decision on whether to use The Travellers as our future home and what changes to make (if possible). Again, thanks for your support and we look forward to reading your observations.
WRP
15th September 2010
Email messages have been sent to our mailing list explaining that we have have received a great response to our request for help in locating a new location for the club. Further to last night's email concerning our move to The Travellers, Kimberworth for the Reg Meuross evening, I am pleased to confirm that details of the location of 'The Travellers' is now available on our web site in the 'How to find us' web page. It will be interesting to hear the views of the audience on the location which, if favourable, we hope to confirm as our new home. If not, then Dave and I will have to visit lots more pubs to check the function rooms and beer (pity Dave has to drive!). Look forward to seeing you on Saturday.
12th September 2010
Extract from email sent to mailing list on 11th Sept:
Due to circumstances beyond our control, it will be necessary to move the club meetings to a new venue. We will hold our next meeting (Saturday 18th September with Reg Meuross) at a different venue, which we hope to confirm on Tuesday, whilst frantically searching for a new home! We will be grateful if you will pass this information on to anyone you know who planned to come to next week's club.
The reason for the move has been made necessary as the management company of the Black Bull have decided that, to make more money, the pub will hold a Karaoke night every Friday and Saturday night. If you attended the concert by Dave Burland, you will appreciate that a folk club and Karaoke do not mix and makes it almost impossible for the artist to give a worthy performance. However, it is difficult to find a room suitable for a monthly folk music night which is also very cheap to rent (or preferably free! - we are a non profit making organisation) and either has an adjacent bar or allows Bring Your Own. We will be grateful if you can suggest any possible venues within 6 or 8 miles radius of Ecclesfield (Sheffield) so that we can investigate them.
Also it has been suggested that we change the Club night to a Sunday as more venues may be available (Saturday is a favourite night for Weddings, Anniversaries, Birthdays etc. so are more profitable for the Pub or Hall). This may cause some problems regarding re-arranging guest bookings, but may prove necessary.
Please email me your opinion on moving the Club night to a Sunday and any suggestions for alternative venues as soon as possible to:wortley.bill@gmail.com
26th July 2010
My apologies for the delay in updating the web site, particularly this Notes page. As mentioned by Dave during the Club night, last Sunday was our (Barbara and myself) Ruby wedding anniversary and we went for a family meal to celebrate. Consequently, I did not feel like updating or writing (intelligently!) late Sunday night. Incidentally, thanks to everyone for their congratulations, or was it commiserations? Then on Monday, one of my fingers had an argument with a lump of concrete which the concrete won. Unfortunately my other finger cannot spell so it has taken until now to sit down to compose these rambling observations.
Last weekend's guest was Mike Silver, to whom I owe an apology. Although I tried to give him a glowing introduction in the 'Programme' web page, on the night it quickly became obvious that I had not done him justice, he was terrific. Great singing and superb guitar work truly captivated an appreciative audience. Certainly a guest we will have to get back to fully appreciate his easy presentation and outstanding performance.
Please note that Dave has not only confirmed 'Scuppered' as the January guests but also Vin Garbutt as the June guest, details are shown on the 'Programme' page. As we know that Vin will attract a large audience, his concert will be at St. Annes Church Hall, Deepcar and tickets will be available later in the year so that you can guarantee a seat on the night.
As you can see, a few messages for the 'Feedback' page have trickled in and been published. It is very comforting to see they have been positive about the web site and club nights but it is a little disconcerting that we have not yet received a critical message. We know we are not perfect and need the feedback to improve the web site and gauge the type of guests most appreciated on club nights, so please send your feedback, without author's credit if preferred.
Don't forget that there is no club night in August, too many people on holiday, so look forward to seeing you at the Black Bull on 18th September for Reg Meuross, another exceptional performer!
20th June 2010
Last night was a real treat for lovers of the fiddle and guitar combination. Dave and Pete giving a great introduction to the night then, later, the guests for the night proving how the two identifiable sounds coalesce so well with each distinctive, yet combining perfectly. Obviously with two acknowledged experts, at times the results were astounding yet captivating. Rosie Carson coaxed melodies from her fiddle which defies her youth. Little wonder that she has won so many awards and is in such demand to accompany other great musicians. Similarly, Kevin Dempsey apparently effortlessly produced intricate guitar playing either for a solo or to compliment Rosie's fiddle playing. On top of that, they are both great singers! For poor mortals like me, life's not fair.
Many thanks also to our other floor singers, Garth, Felicity, Steve Moxon and Dave Kidman for complementing a great night of music.
As the observant amongst you will have noticed, we have had to change the Vin Garbutt date back until next summer. Unfortunately Vinny cannot fly back from Australia for a one night stand during his tour 'down under', understandable I suppose! We have been fortunate in booking Scuppered as a replacement for the January club night which means an alternative night of humour and music to look forward to.
Many thanks to the contributors to the 'Feedback' page (at last!). Very pleased that they are complimentary and I promise I have not censored any uncomplimentary messages. Please feel free to send a message, then I know I am writing these comments for others to read rather than to pass time on a Sunday evening.
25th May 2010
Before enthusing about Johnny Silvo's superb performance on Saturday night, my apologies to everyone who has tried to contact our 'Feedback' website page using the contact@wortleyfolkclub.info link. Unfortunately there has been a problem at the host computer where the email messages have not been forwarded for inclusion. Do not use the above email link until we sort out the problem, please use your normal email program to send all messages for our website directly to me at wortley.bill@googlemail.com
We were very pleased that so many people ignored the first good barbecue weekend of the year, but then, they knew who was the guest! What can I say about Johnny Silvo which has not already been said by every review writer who has every enjoyed an evening listening to a brilliant entertainer? His opening number, 'Cornbread' immediately confirmed that Johnny's voice has not faded in any way. Like the good whisky he enjoys, his voice seems to age beautifully, becoming stronger, with more depth and tone, captivating his audience as he guides them through part of his vast repertoire of songs. Standing at the back of the room allows me to watch the audience as well as listen to the guest. Although David always books the best artistes who obviously entertain the audience, when Johnny starts to sing, people sit back in their seats with a smile on their face as they almost absorb the quality and clarity of his singing. With so many requests, the variety of songs ranged from 'Black and Blue' to 'Freight Train' with everything from Dylan to Irish in between. In my opinion, his performance of 'Rock Island Line' was the best I have heard and went down a storm on the night. It apparently reminded him of when he sang it on Playschool so his memory has not faded either! Just how Johnny remembers a truly incredible repertoire of songs, including impressive accompanying guitar work, is beyond understanding, please come back soon.
We are are blessed by having fine floor singers and Steve gave a great set to start the night. It was also a pleasure to see and listen to Garth again, many thanks to both for opening a terrific night.
WRP
18th April 2010
If you read my short description for Pete Coe, my apologies. He was even better than I forecast! Pete put on a show which highlighted his skill as the consummate entertainer. Moving with ease between melodeon, banjo, dulcimer and bouzouki, the instrument selected to ideally match the song, made the evening pass far too quickly. A great singer, an accomplished musician and even a dancer (all you who doubted the stage would stand up to the dancing hold your heads in shame!) it is obvious why he is always welcome at the club.
Not forgetting the floor singers Felicity and Steve, Raymond and David who, as usual, provided a fine start to the night.
The observant will already have noticed that we have confirmed (with one exception) guest bookings up to next summer. Take a look at the 'Programme' page to see who will be coming and be amazed! Dave Swarbrick, Vin Garbutt and more ...... Don't ask me how Dave does it, I don't know. We may not always get a full audience, but we do get the very best guests available to entertain you.
WRP
28th March 2010
Copy of email sent to the Mailing List:
Special Messages
We have updated the web site in a couple of ways. Firstly, the 'Links' page has been rearranged so that artist names are now in alphabetical order � I think! Secondly, we have included a new page for you to air your views on the web site, club nights, artists or any other 'folk' matter. Being impartial, I promise to include critical as well as general and praising comments, as long as they are clean and not libellous. To include a comment, simply send an email to contact@wortleyfolkclub.info marking the subject as Feedback and I will include your message as soon as practical, shortening only when necessary, so please treat this page as a a Guestbook rather than a soap box. What are you waiting for? Get writing !!!
We have received an email regarding a special concert which you may be interested in as it is for a worthy cause, details are: 'To raise funds for the Ecclesfield Peal Appeal, which aims to raise enough money to carry out essential maintenance to the Church bells of St Mary�s Ecclesfield, SHEFFIELD FOLK CHORALE IN CONCERT at St Mary's Church, Ecclesfield on 24th April 2010 at 7.30pm. Tickets are �6 and �5 Concession. Tickets are available by email to ecclesfieldtower@hotmail.co.uk or telephone 07977694069 to order a ticket or reserve on on the door. Alternatively, you could call in to the practice in the tower on Tuesday evenings from 7.30pm'. As this is not a club night, maybe see you there.
WRP
21stMarch 2010
I always find it difficult to put into words the feeling of satisfaction after watching consummate professionals captivate an audience. Last night's performance by QuickSilver was the perfect example of advance publicity not doing justice to the skill, power and vibrancy of two leading entertainers. OK, Grant Baynham's physique may partly explain the power and timbre of his singing, but defies the subtleness and dexterity of his guitar playing, truly amazing! Similarly, the svelte build of Hilary Spencer is a total contrast to her powerful, yet perfect, singing voice which can even outdo Grant (when she wanted to). Truly a little lass with a belting voice. From my vantage point, it is easy to observe the audience. It is no exaggeration to say that everyone was sitting enthralled by the singing and playing, or laughing loudly at the banter and asides.
As Hilary mentioned, she was born and lived locally and, by coincidence, our club room above the Black Bull was the location of the first paid performance by Artisan, the group which brought her to the attention of the folk community. She observed that last night effectively closed the circle. We hope that the circle will be considerably smaller in the future so that QuickSilver returns to the club soon, hopefully to a larger audience, personally I can't wait.
Finally, it was nice to welcome back Felicity and Stephen as floor singers and to hear that young Reuben is doing well and growing rapidly. My apologies to Raymond Greenoaken, the editor of 'Stirrings' magazine. I presumed that everyone knew that 7lb 10oz is approximately 3.458642Kg (rounded up) although that is history now, as the youngest singer in the Fletcher Trio has drunk a lot of milk since then!
Final, final mention is the improved Stirrings magazine. Raymond & co have done a sterling job of upgrading the magazine with colour cover and excellent reviews and articles � well worth reading.
WRP
22nd February 2010
The Sara Grey and Kieron Means show was another first-rate night of entertainment. A refreshing mix of traditional North American and Scottish songs, with Blue Grass and Country style music interspersed with anecdotal introductions to the songs. How Sara can coax gentle accompaniment to a song from the banjo, then switch to conventional banjo playing proves the skill of this lady. When combined with Keiron's top-notch guitar and vocal accompaniment, the audience was frequently foot tapping along, proof of a great night.
As usual, our thanks to David, Alan and Lou for again showing how good floor singers are an important start to the night.
On the subject of banjo playing, we are hoping that Trevor Wasteney will be joining Peter and David (reforming Brewer's Troop ) at our next club night. When combined with our other floor singers and special guests QuickSilver, it will definitely be another night to look forward to.
Don't forget to check out the 'Membership' page for details of our new Membership card scheme, as announced by David. If you didn't fill out a form at the last club night and would like to take advantage of the scheme (and save money!) please send me your details as shown as soon as possible. Then I can prepare the membership cards for distribution at the next club night. Please note that you can send payment as directed or pay your fee when you collect your membership cards.
Finally, Gina and Brian confirmed that Felicity and Rueben (not forgetting Steve) are doing well although Rueben still hasn't decided whether to go for traditional or a steel guitar.
WRP
28th January 2010
Congratulations to Felicity and Steve on the birth of their son Rueben Steven who arrived on Friday 22nd January, weighing in at 7lb 10oz. Parents and boy are doing well and we wish them the very best wishes for the future. Our regards also to the happy Grandparents, Gina and Brian, who we are sure adore the new addition to their family.
As Rueben is not singing yet, but as you can see he is trying, Dave hasn't confirmed a booking but, in view of his parents, we will be keeping a close eye on his progress.
WRP
17th January 2010
Well here we go for another year. Looking at the programme of artistes due to appear this year, it promises to be another great season of top quality entertainment. As usual, Dave has excelled himself in his selection and been very lucky to confirm all the bookings.
After a rather fraught beginning to the night, John Conelly arrive just before the the starting time. A superb performance by John with his laconic style perfectly matching the quality and presentation of his songs, combining with the humour in lyrics, keep the audience almost captivated throughout his set. I cannot remember the audience laughing so much, or so loudly, as during the 'sequel to Albert went to Blackpool' monologue, even I laughed! So nice to hear sea shanties sung again, particularly 'Fiddlers' Green'. Truly the year got off to a great start.
Many thanks also to Lou for stepping in as sole supporting artiste, especially as it did look for a while that he might be the main act! Lou proved, yet again, that he has a great repertoire of songs for such occasions.
WRP
16th December
The Christmas Sing Along was a great success. We would like to thank Dave & Pete, Felicity & Steve, Garth, Lou and of course the sisters (Felicity, Maria and Marion) for providing an ideal start to the Christmas period. All the artists performed superbly with a great mix of traditional and modern Christmas carols and songs. Also, thanks to Margaret and Barbara for providing the very welcome 'snap', which disappeared much quicker than it took to prepare!
As the year draws to a close, we would like to thank all our guests, support singers and, of course, audiences for providing a memorable year of entertainment. We look forward to next year, judging by the artists already booked, it will be another great year and look forward to seeing you as many times as possible.
A Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to you all.
WRP
9th December
The much anticipated concert by St Agnes Fountain proved to be well worth waiting for. A phenomenal night by an incredible group of of master musicians. Just how they can sing well loved carols and songs to totally different tunes must be incredibly difficult, but is done with such aplomb that you often do not realize the change. I mean, Hark the Herald Angels to the tune of Michael Jackson's Thriller should not be possible! Not only was it possible, it was so fantastic that even father Harney of St Anne's Church was on his feet applauding and shouting for more. Can't wait for next year when we hope they will again agree to grace our club as part of their December tour.
Due to the generosity of the group in donating CD's as raffle prizes, we raised 104 pounds from the raffle which has been divided equally between the BBC Sheffield Kids Scanner Appeal at The Children's Hospital Charity and St Anne's Church, cheques have already been sent.
We can now look forward to this Saturday's 'Christmas Sing Along' night featuring our great floor singers, who do a tremendous job all year, together with guests. I would also like to thank in advance Margaret and Barbara for organising and preparing the refreshments and for all the work they do throughout the year.
I have previously suggested bring a friend on the night to introduce them to the 'folk scene'. Obviously, visitors are always welcome to attend club nights and this Saturday has the additional attraction of seasonal entertainment. Look forward to seeing you on Saturday.
WRP
28th November
I'm still old and a Granddad so this update is late again, sorry, fortunately the memories of the last club are still fresh. We would particularly like to thank the floor singers Felicity and Steve, Jim Marshall and Charlie Barker for providing an excellent start to the night. It was Charlie's first visit to our club and we really hope it will not be her last. As you may know, she runs the new club in the Venue at Stocksbridge and is an excellent singer in her own right. As expected Anthony John Clarke fully satisfied the expectations of the audience with a great mix of new and well known songs combined with beautiful guitar playing. What was not expected was that he brought along a friend, Ray Baguley, to accompany him. Ray is a very good guitar player and proved to be a perfect match for Anthony John's style of music. All in all, a great night's entertainment which will be difficult to match, but we will try. Incidentally, Ray is also a member of of an acoustic group called 'The Bouviers' which also sings and plays good music. I have added details of their web site to the 'Links' page so you can sample their music, it is well worth listening to.
Just a few days now to the St Agnes Fountain concert .... can't wait! Then there is the Singers Christmas Carol and songs night on the 12th December to look forward to, especially as there will be free refreshments for all (we hope) and a special raffle. 
Then it's Christmas, what happened to the year?
The observant amongst you will have noticed that David has confirmed the March guests as QuickSilver and the May guest as Johnny Silvo. QuickSilver is made up of Hilary Spencer who many will know from being a lead singer with Artisan, and Grant Baynham. They have been performing as QuickSilver since 2002 and are a superb duo with excellent vocals and exceptional guitar playing interspersed with very funny asides. Johnny Silvo is a true veteran of the folk scene, still making annual tours of the UK. How he keeps the quality of his voice is a mystery, but we are very lucky to secure his appearance as he captivates his audience with his vast reservoir of songs and funny anecdotes. Don't know how Dave does it, but he has again organised a great list of guests for next year.
WRP
13th November
My apologies for not updating the web site earlier, a combination of becoming a Granddad again and feeling poorly sick, both symptoms of old age! Back to the club. As usual Richard Digance was excellent, as every one there will testify. The good news is that Dave has managed to book Pete Coe for the April club and is awaiting confirmation of a very popular artist for the March club night, I will post details as soon as possible. If you have not seen Pete Coe before, he sings both tradition and his own songs and plays more musical instruments than is natural! Another great night for your calender.
Although I am looking forward to Anthony John Clark on the 21st November (one of my favourite entertainers) can't wait for the special concert at Deepcar with St Agnes Fountain. It promises to be a great start to the Christmas season although wearing Santa hats is not compulsory. Ticket sales have been very good so contact Dave on 0114 2847190 as soon as possible if you haven't booked yet to avoid disappointment. If you are not sure where St Ann's Church Hall is, the new map in the 'How to find us' page will help and we, hopefully, will be putting up direction arrows along the route on the night. The Church hall is an excellent venue, with lower price drinks available from the adjacent club bar, or you can bring your own, but don't forget to bring glasses as ladies drinking directly from wine bottle may be Christmassy but unsightly.
Just an idea, but as the Christmas sing along on 12th December is a free entry night, why not bring a friend as a mild introduction to a folk club, but tell them to bring lots of money for the raffle which will, as usual at Christmas, be a special one.
WRP
20th October 2009
The last meeting featured Dave Gibb and was a great night's entertainment. Beginning with excellent sets by our floor singers, including Nigel Bane who used to come to the club in the days when we met in The Old Red Lion in Grenoside ( a very long time ago!).
As promised by Shaun, there was no noise from downstairs so we were able to enjoy the brilliant finger picking guitar playing by Dave and his gently lilting singing. Combined with his amusing links between songs, it was another outstanding night. My only concern was when Dave sang a song originally sung by The Monkeys after Felicity and Steve had sung a song from Jungle Book, almost expected to see Meercats sat in the audience!
Don't forget that we have the special performance by Richard Digance at the Academy Theatre on the 29th October and our next club, on the 21st November, features another of my favourite artists, Anthony John Clark. Look forward to seeing you at both events.
WRP
4th October 2009
I have just returned from a good holiday in sunny Majorca to the news that David has confirmed the booking of John Conolly as our guest singer for the 16th January club meeting. John is a prolific writer of great songs, many mistaken for 'traditional', the best example being Fiddlers Green. With a great sense of humour and an outstanding repertoire of songs, many seafaring based, it will be an outstanding start to next year's programme.
WRP
20th September 2009
Last night's concert by Dave Burland was a combination of pleasure and grief. The grief being caused by an extremely busy and noisy birthday party being held in the pub downstairs from the club room. Although the club room is usually very well sound insulated from the pub, the very high volume of the disco meant that, unfortunately, the bass sound permeated the club room. It was a sign of the true professionalism of Dave Burland that he was not only prepared to continue his concert, but was also able to sing a selection of songs which was a pleasure to hear. Just how he managed to give such a sterling performance, especially when the beat of the invasive bass was different to the rhythm of his song, remains a mystery to me. Combined with his witty asides and stories, it was a memorable night in more ways than one! We can only repeat our apologies to both Dave and the audience for the interruptions. We will be trying to ensure that it does not happen again, even if it means changing the club's home! Thanks also to Pete and David for opening proceedings and again to David for providing the PA system, boy was it needed on the night.
I am looking forward to the next club meeting, Dave Gibb is a great singer and guitar player, so the night should be memorable for all the right reasons.
Don't forget that tickets are still available for the Richard Digance concert at the Academy theatre. Everyone who went to his last performance at the Academy Theatre will attest to what an entertaining night is guaranteed, with a mixture of observations on life and his past experiences, interspersed with singing both serious and humorous songs.
Please note that ticket sales for St Agnes Fountain are already going well, so it is important to contact Dave Atkin quickly to avoid missing this special concert as part of the build up to Christmas.
Finally, may I thank all the people who have commented on this web site. Fortunately they have all been positive feedback which is very satisfying. If you have any comments, or suggestions on how to improve the site and its content, please let me know via contact@wortleyfolkclub.info If you, or your company, would like to sponsor the site please contact me. Although the club acts as a non profit operation, it is preferred that it is also non loss making! Sponsorship is very cheap, will be credited on the home page and will help us keep you informed on the club's activities.
WRP
16th September 2009
Last week's concert by Chris While and Julie Matthews was even better than predicted, but what can you expect from these two 'Super Stars'. A superb mixture of old and new songs beautifully sung with passion and, at times gusto. If you don't believe me, ask Dave Burland, he was in the audience!
I am pleased to confirm that 'The Giraffe' picture has now been presented to and hangs in Bluebell Wood Hospice. The picture below shows the official presentation with Jeremy White, the artist, with Sarah Champ, Chief Executive of Bluebell Wood on his left and 'our Vera' with Sue Bamforth, Sec. of Grenoside Art Group. The engraved plate on the picture frame acknowledges the donation by Wortley Folk Club so you can give yourself a pat on the back for a very worthwhile contribution.
I have updated the St Ann's Church Hall PDF file in the 'How to find us' page to more accurately guide you to this concert venue for the St Agnes Fountain concert in December (tickets only available from Dave Atkin). As this concert is one of few each year and will be very popular, I strongly recommend that you get your tickets early to avoid disappointment.
Hope to see you on Saturday for another great night's entertainment.
WRP
August 2009
Good news ! The club meetings scheduled for the rest of the year will go ahead in the Black Bull as planned. The possible double booking problem has been resolved with Shaun (our helpful host) so we can look forward to four very good nights entertainment.
Also, we can confirm that the Christmas meeting will be held on December 12th, so make a note in your diaries as excuses for not attending will not be accepted. As usual, the night will combine traditional and more modern Christmas songs with our usual singers leading the way. Although there will only be a nominal admission charge, refreshments will be provided (food not drinks!) to ensure a fitting start to the Christmas season.
Dave Gibb has confirmed the 17th October meeting. If you cannot remember his style of singing, I have added short cuts to his web site and to samples of his singing in the 'Links and music' page.
Just a reminder, for tickets to the Chris While and Julie Matthews concert at the Academy Theatre, I suggest contacting the theatre booking office directly on 01226 744442 or Dave can arrange via email at contact@wortleyfolkclub.info
WRP
19th July 2009
Last night's club was very good in many ways.
Firstly, we had good audience numbers, to the extent that we had to put up the Club Full sign! This is always a disappointment as it means that people who have travelled a long distance to see the guest may not be able to get in and consequently may not return to see future guests. It does underline the importance of arriving early, the doors are normally opened between 7:15pm and 7:30pm giving time for the guest to do a sound check and relax a little before the show.
Secondly, Flossie. Just how a lady of such slim build can 'belt out' songs with her characteristic 'vavavoum' then, minutes later, sing calming ballads with an almost magical clarity is difficult to understand. Standing at the back (there were no chairs left!) I could easily watch peoples faces. It was obvious that even when she sang in French, members of audience, like myself, who did not understand the lyrics, remained almost spell bound by the purity of her voice. From The Eagles to Piaf with oxymorons by the dozen in-between, it was a great night's entertainment. As you may guess, I like Flossie.
Credit should also be paid to the floor singers who started the night's entertainment. Felicity and Steve, Lou and Garth all gave a great start to a terrific night, many thanks.
Thirdly, the raffle. The audience on the night knows that a special raffle was run in parallel to the normal raffle. The aim being to raise money towards the purchase of the Giraffe painting which, hopefully, can be transferred to either the Bluebell Wood Hospice or Weston Bank Children's Hospital. The prize for this special raffle was a beautiful painting by Vera, one of our newer regulars, and was won by Gina. This raffle raised �43 but David added the normal raffle takings making the donation up to �83. When combined with sales of the hand painted cards, also by Vera, the grand total donated was �103 ! an outstanding contribution. Many, many thanks to all present for their generosity. Due to demand on the night, it is possible that more of the hand painted cards may be available at the next club meeting on the 18th September, more news closer to the time. I will also try to keep you informed of progress of the appeal.
Finally, due to double booking problems, it may be necessary to move some of the future shows from the Black Bull to a new venue. Please keep checking the web site for detailed information as soon as it is available.
WRP
