11 Jan
The rich sound provided by the button accordion, powerful rhythm guitar and bodhran give a fullness of sound that belies the number of people on stage. With a repertoire that encompasses fast and furious Celtic songs and tunes, gentle ballads, quality contemporary numbers as well as some original material, this Nottingham-based band are one of the most sought after on the circuit.
www.myspace.com 
15th Jan
Flossie Malavialle
Flossie loves songs full of “vavavoom” such as Bonnie Raitt’s “Road’s my middle name”, Kris Kristofferson’s “Bobby McGee” (Janis Joplin way), Marylin Middleton’s “Wild women” etc…but also gentle ballads such as Keith Pearson’s “More hills to climb” or Frank Sinatra’s “Strangers in the night” as well as jazzy tunes like “Let’s fall in love”, “Misty” and “Fly me to the moon”.
French-born but with an accent of her adopted Yorkshire!, Flossie is a great singer with a voice as clear as a lark and a repertoire to satisfy all tastes.
8 Feb
Trio Threlfall
Jane and Amanda Threlfall, along with the superb Roger Edwards on concertina, are universally acknowledged as natural ambassadors for English traditional song. Their approach is endearingly self-effacing with a consummate ability to reinterpret songs from the English tradition with freshness and vitality.
Their easy and relaxed style belies the enormous respect they share for the traditional material which makes up their repertoire and it’s only through the level and quality of their performance that it suddenly becomes wonderfully apparent.
22 Feb
Tom McConville
Tom McConville, “The Newcastle Fiddler”, is one of the leading fiddle players of our time. A virtuoso musician and fantastic singer, his rich and warm voice makes his interpretation of traditional and contemporary songs greatly admired by singers throughout the world.
In great demand as a performer, session musician and teacher, playing the fiddle is his lifelong passion and he has achieved every player’s dream of creating his own unique, instantly recognizable sound.
His live performances combine a rollercoaster of musical delights from fast, rhythmic dance tunes – through beautiful slow airs and of course, great singing – all presented with his inimitable sense of humour and style.
8 Mar
Bushbury Mountain Daredevils
Formed in 1992, The Bushbury Mountain Daredevils started life as street performers in the UK and Europe. Following the success of their first album, “Bushbury Mountain” in 1994, the band, with various line-ups over 11 years, went on to perform at all major festivals, building a huge fan base in the process. The new line-up captures the folk and country essence of the early Bushbury’s sound and features original members Eddy Morton (vocals, mandolin, harmonica, guitar and accordion), Eric Barlow (vocals and guitar) and Paul Hodson (vocals, ukulele bass and foot drum).
The band are supported tonight by the superb, young guitarist, Sunjay Brayne.
5 Apr
Gren Bartley and Julia Disney
Gren is not only a great guitar and banjo player but is truly the future of folk songwriting, using his influences from folk and blues traditions to bring something unique to this modern day troubadour. An artist not to be missed.
Julia’s songwriting, whilst influenced by Sandy Denny, Norah Jones, Victoria Wood and Carole King, amongst others, remains uniquely her own. Her songs employ a wealth of musicality and are awash with rich harmonies and swaying rhythms. No one else sounds like Julia Disney!
19 Apr
Ewan McLennan
Winner of several awards including the 2011 BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award, Ewan’s music combines traditional folk, with an inevitable focus on the music of his native Scotland, as well as his own self-penned songs that are receiving critical acclaim in their own right. BBC Radio 2’s Mike Harding has said of Ewan, ‘he sings beautifully, with great sincerity and great empathy, he’s terrific!’. His guitar playing, described as ‘stunning’ , is influenced by the rigour and technique from his years of studying classical guitar, while retaining a unique and compelling sound in which his immersion in folk music is evident.
3 May
The Young ‘Uns
After bursting onto the folk scene 3 years ago, The Young’uns have fast become one of the most popular, entertaining and sought after live acts today. Hailing from the north east, the Hartlepool trio ooze, bags of charm, talent, and an abiding enthusiasm for traditional song.
17 May
Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman
Two of the British folk scene’s most accomplished performers. Kathryn and Sean have graced stages all over the world in a number of guises. However, the intimacy and strength of passion shown as a duo, combined with an eclectic repertoire, ensures a rare treat for any listener.
Collaborations with the likes of Seth Lakeman, Cara Dillon, The Levellers, Kate Rusby and Show of Hands; Kathryn and Sean have established themselves as pillars of modern British folk and deserved winners of the “Best Duo” at the 2013 Radio 2 Folk Awards.
31 May
Lucy Ward
Derby-born, Lucy is receiving rave reviews on the folk scene and has developed into a fine songwriter and a consummate performer, wowing her audience with her genuine and sparkling personality and her stunning voice.
Her sets are an eclectic mix of traditional and modern folk interpretations, interspersed with her own songs.
There is a natural and easy sound to her music that is brought to life by an expressive performance, breath-taking delivery and Lucy’s own brand of banter and crowd participation.
30 Aug
Dave Fletcher & Bill Whaley
Dave and Bill present a fine blend of voices mellowed by nearly thirty years of singing together. Their selection of songs encompasses both ancient and modern accompanied in traditional style on English and duet concertina, harmonium, and melodeon, with choruses a-plenty. A raise-the-rafters evening!
13 Sep
Janet Russell
Janet first made a name for herself on the folk circuit in the ‘80’s as a young singer songwriter writing with hard-edged humour.
She has now worked on the folk scene professionally for more than 20 years, starting in Edinburgh pubs, in 1980/81, and has experience of folk clubs, arts centres, concert halls, church halls and village halls of all sorts and sizes in the UK, Europe, and the USA. Throughout this time Janet has worked with other musicians, such as Sisters Unlimited colleagues Sandra Kerr, Rosie Davis and Peta Webb, and her work on Scottish traditional material with Scottish singer Christine Kydd has received huge critical acclaim, particularly in her native Scotland, and in the US.
27 Sep
Tom Kitching and Jon Loomes
Tom is an extraordinary fiddle player and truly gifted artist with a subliminal touch that can shift in an instant from the lightest of tonal subtleties into sounds of astonishing power. One of the busiest musicians on the English folk scene today.
Jon, a superb singer and multi-instrumentalist, plays fiddle, viola, mandolin, cittern, English concertina, melodeon, hurdy-gurdy and piano along with guitar in a variety of unusual tunings
The tradition is safe in their hands!
11 Oct
Nancy Kerr and James Fagan
Groundbreaking English fiddle player and singer Nancy Kerr and her Aussie partner James Fagan (bouzouki, voice) play a scintillating mix of traditional and contemporary acoustic music drawn mostly from the English and Australian traditions.2003 winners of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Duo and winners again in 2011 for Best Duo and Original Song awards.
25 Oct
Andy Irvine
Ex. Planxty and Patrick Street, Andy Irvine is one of the great Irish singers and his voice, one of a handful of truly great sounds, gets to the very soul of Ireland. He has been hailed as “a tradition in himself”. Musician, singer and songwriter, Andy has maintained his highly individual performing skills throughout his 45-year career and as a world music pioneer, has become an icon for traditional music and musicians.
8 Nov
James Hickman and Dan Cassidy
James Hickman’s emotive, soaring vocals and driving guitar is complemented by Dan Cassidy’s ingenious and virtuosic fiddling. Their sound flows from the connection between British and American folk and is bursting with all the humour, heartbreak and excitement of these genres. The lively English wit of James is set against Dan’s bone-dry irony and American drawl as they take audiences on a dynamic and unforgettable transatlantic journey.
22 Nov
Dana and Susan Robinson
Dana and Susan Robinson are two guitar-playing, banjo-frailing, fiddle-sawing, and harmony-singing interpreters of the American experience. Their unique blend of contemporary songwriting and traditional Appalachian music bring to their performances a deep understanding of America’s musical heritage.
The genius of a Dana and Susan performance lies in their ability to capture the imagination of their audience, evoking a transformative experience that touches on the deepest humanity. They can make the audience howl with laughter or hush with poignant reflection as they take them on a journey across America and convey the mystery and wonder of the places they visit.
6 Dec
Jez Lowe and Kate Bramley
Jez Lowe has built an enviable reputation as a songwriter and performer in the world of acoustic music, and as a recognised musical ambassador for his native North East England, with more than a dozen albums and countless live performances around the world over the last twenty years
Songs like “Back in Durham Jail”, “The Bergen”, “Greek Lightning” and “These Coal Town Days” have generated scores of cover versions around the globe, and are now classics of their kind.
Kate is a fine singer and instrumentalist, best known as fiddler and vocalist with the “Bad Pennies” and the American band “Sweetgrass”. An exciting duo, not to be missed.
20 Dec
Quicksilver
After four years on BBC1’s “That’s Life!” Grant Baynham became a household name. He is a formidable songwriter and has an energy and enthusiasm to create a high-powered performance of material from virtually every genre you can imagine.
Hilary Spencer has one of the most staggering voices in British acoustic music. Most folk fans will know her well from her work with top trio Artisan and, in this great duo, you can savour a demonstration of her breath-taking range of tone and mood. Plus, party food for all!
