Celebrate Epiphany with The Crew at Ryde’s ‘folk hub’, The Star Coffee and Ale House, 7pm. This delightful little venue is also home to the Star Folk Club on the second Tuesday each month.
On the same date ( Friday 6th), Giddygander have their first outing at the First Friday Figgy Gig, in CHOYD, Yarmouth, 7pm start.
Monday 16th sees music afternoons resume at the Unity Hall, Newport, after a long break, 2.30pm, also on zoom.
Lovers of traditional songs and tunes will be pleased to see a new monthly singaround start at The Bugle, Brading, on Sunday 22nd at 7pm.
Finally, West Midland’s storyteller Peter Chand visits Cafe Isola, Newport, on Friday 27th. This is a ticketed event, details awaited.
Each year, Ruth Wyman organises a concert to collect funds for the Salvation Army appeal for the homeless. This year’s ‘Christmas Reflections’ concert is on Friday 2nd December at The Salvation Army hall in Pyle Street, Newport, at 7pm. Among the performers are The Watch, see above, Sheshells, Maureen Shaw and Ruth herself
On Sunday 4th, the Oyster Girls are once again dancing to raise money for the charity Shelter. They will be performing in Cowes from 2pm.
The Sail Pattern folk rock band, pictured below, visit Porchfield Cricket Club on Sunday 4th. Their concert is raising money for the Alzheimer’s Society. Phone 07969 735728 to find out if there are any tickets left.
On Boxing Day, the courtyard at The Dairyman’s Daughter will once again be filled with the jingling of morris bells. The annual mummers’ play will be performed by Mr Baker’s Dozen.
If you missed last month…
Quay Folk Club held their very first ‘Special Guest Night’ in November with Drywood Duo, pictured below, supported by Second Time Around. The evening was very successful, so the plan now is to bring guests over from the mainland approximately twice a year. December’s offering on Sunday 18th will be Christmas themed, featuring a performance by Mr Baker’s Dozen of ‘The Christmas Boys’ mummers play. The club organisers, aka. the Quay Cabal, have their own spot, followed by a festive medley led by The Watch and Sheshells.
The long- awaited reopening of the weekly Tuesday singaround at the Dairyman’s Daughter in Arreton took place in November. The format remains the same as that before the pandemic, a mixture of song with a good scattering of playalong tunes. At the packed first meeting there were tributes to Den, who used to run the evening. A small group of volunteers will take turns to direct meetings in future. It is a big responsibility – deciding which way around the circle of performers to go.
November always brings songs about World Wars 1 and 2. Other wars are remembered, of course, but WW1 and 2 are particularly commemorated. Actually, the war-related songfest starts in October each year, or sometimes even September, and continues throughout November. There is certainly no shortage of material, old and new, some of it superb and much appreciated around the folk clubs.
If you should notice a folk singer sporting a knitted poppy, chances are it was knitted by Kate Seward, who raises money for the Royal British Legion every year by selling knitted poppies at folk clubs on the Island. If you see someone knitting at a folk night, chances are, it’s Kate. Kate and her husband Barry wrote a very funny song entitled ‘ Just let me finish me row’! No prizes for guessing what the song is about.
First Friday Figgy Gigs
West Wight has been lacking a regular folk night for some years, so it is good to see a new opportunity arising. The intriguingly-named Naked Figleaf Collective have announced a series of events on the first Friday of each month. These are likely to be a mix of music, not necessarily folk, and poetry. Two folk acts, Steve Love and Sheshells, have been chosen for the first ‘Gig’ on 4th November at CHOYD, Yarmouth. Doors open at 7pm, entry by donation.
Drywood Folk Duo
Coming up in November
There are several interesting visiting folk acts this month. Ventnor Arts Club welcomes Lizzy Hardingham on Friday 4th. Quay Folk Club have booked The Drywood Folk Duo from Northhampton after they were so well- received at the Yarmouth festival this year. Quay Arts Centre has two exciting acts – Granny’s Attic on Thursday 10th and Baskery on Friday 18th. Shalfleet Shanty Singers and The Watch are performing at another Andy Jackson Concert on Saturday 19th, 7pm at Shalfleet Village Hall. Finally, if you love dancing, don’t miss the annual Playford Ball, an afternoon event this year, on Saturday 5th. Details and links are on the Events page, as usual.
A recording of Isle of Wight Dialect made in 1962 has come to light. Stanley Cotton, a native of Whitwell, reads tales from WH Long’s Dictionary of the Isle of Wight Dialect and a rhyme from Percy Stone’s ‘Songs of the Soil’. The recording was made by Daphne Griggs, a student at Edinburgh University, as part of her master’s degree project. 1962 Dialect recording
Some October highlights
Saturday 8th presents a difficult choice! On the one hand, The Brighstone Barnacles, Sorella Acapella ( a harmony choir) and The Watch perform at St Mary’s Church, Brighstone in a concert for the homeless. It starts at 7,.30. For fans of storytelling, however, Three Island Storytellers, aka. TisTales, present Island Tales at the Medina Bookshop, Cowes, 19.30. Tickets £10 (essential) isleofwightliteraryfestival.com
Brighstone Barnacles
Later on, Friday 14th sees Shalfleet Shanty Singers in an evening of sea shanties at St Swithins Church, Thorley, 19.00. Light refreshments available. Free entry, retiring collection. On Sunday 16th, Ralph McTell makes a return visit to the Medina Theatre at 7.30. £28. Trafalgar Night celebrations will be taking place on Friday 21st with The Crew at The White Horse, Whitwell, from 7.30.
The Crew, along with caller Steve Taverner, performed at a fundraising barn dance in aid of the Isle of Wight Motor Neurone Disease Association. This association provides help and support to local people who are suffering from the disease. Hearing that the organisers had not sold as many tickets as they had hoped (due to lingering pandemic concerns), the generous band decided to donate their fee to this good cause.
The Crew
Stunning SeptemberLine-up
A number of interesting acts are visiting the Island next month. Full details can be found on the Events page.
Vaguely Sunny has booked singer songwriter Deborah Rose from Ludlow. Her pure voice and musicality enhance thoughtful songs, often with a social conscience. Deborah’s performance takes place on September 3rd at Freshwater.
Deborah Rose
The often-amusing songs of Jake Thackeray are to be presented on Monday 5th September in a celebration of his life and work by John Watterson aka ‘Fake Thackeray’. The Medina Bookshop in Cowes is the venue for this interesting event.
The cosy and comfortable Ventnor Arts Club is the location for a visit from Friction Farm, the husband and wife duo of Aidan Quinn and Christine Stay who live in South Carolina. Their act combines quirky humour, storytelling and social commentary with infectious tunes and intricate harmonies. Catch up with them on 10th September.
Friction Farm
Wildwood Jack, another husband and wife duo, are visiting Ventnor Arts Club on 15th September. Adam Piggott and Jayne Freeman offer accomplished contemporary folk music on guitar and ukulele with seasonings of bluegrass and world music.
Madge first got involved in folk music, song and particularly dance early in the 1990’s, by joining the Island Cloggies, where she first met husband Brian, the Cloggie’s main musician. She afterwards became a member of the Isle of Wight Appalachian Stompers, then Appletaps, a group which performed Appalachian and Tap stepping. Madge took up North West morris dancing, first with Wight Bells, then, when Brian taught morris dance at the newly created Carnival Centre, she joined him in the group which became Guith Morrris. When the group divided, Madge moved to the Whitgar half. So, Madge’s dancing career spanned a wide variety of styles over 30 years or more, including stepping, North West, Cotswold & Border Morris and country dancing.
From 1994, Madge became an honorary member of Caulkheads Ceilidh Band, helping with equipment, on the door and demonstrating dance moves when needed. At the New Year’s Ceilidhs at the Dairyman’s Daughter, too, her dance demo skills were always much in demand.
Madge and Brian married in 1996, on her birthday 24th May. They both enjoyed the many folk clubs and sessions here on the Island, plus folk festivals all over the country. Despite constantly saying to Brian; ” What have you done to me!!” Madge found she enjoyed immersion in folk music, made many friends and became quite knowledgeable on the traditions.
Condolences go to Brian and family on their sad loss. For friends and family, the funeral will be held at the Crematorium at 13:30, followed by a wake at Bluebells, Briddlesford Lodge Farm. Dress informal. Madge loved pastel shades.
Charitable Folk
Well done to the Howling Wolf Folk and Blues Club, they raised £40 at their Pete Holden Memorial Gig at Dimbola Lodge. Congratulations, too, to Monkton Arts, an evening event organised by them and featuring The Dance Preachers raised a whopping £1,329 for those in need in Ukraine.
The Dance Preachers at the Depozitory, Ryde
Coming up in August
Folk bands are represented in both Shanklin and Sandown Regattas. Brown’s Golf Course Cafe, a lovely venue, has an evening on Saturday 13th with both The Crew and Sheshells performing, 5pm start. At the end of the month, Sunday 28th sees Second Time Around return to The Hideaway on Shanklin clifftop for two hours of music starting at 3pm.
The Crew at Yarmouth Sea Songs and Shanties Festival
This year’s Wolverton Folk and Blues Fair raised a magnificent £11,000 for Leukaemia and Teenage and Young Adult charities plus nearly £2000 for Brighstone Primary School. What a wonderful result from a terrific day of beautiful music. Well done to all the organisers and performers!
Ventnor is buzzingthis July
Quite a host of folk events are on offer in Ventnor this summer, both musical and storytelling. Some are part of Ventnor Fringe, of course, but others are happening later on at Ventnor Arts Club. The Arts Club is a very pleasant, cosy and comfortable venue, ideal for a concert. Look out for visitors Casio Moon, Chris Milner and Elizabeth & Jameson, also our very own Paul Armfield, Andy Roberts and Coppersmith. See Events page for booking links.
Catch Coppersmith at Ventnor Arts Centre on Friday 29 July
Fingers crossed
Martin Carthy’s concert at Quay Arts in Newport has sadly had to be postponed again. It is now scheduled for Saturday 13th August. A few tickets are still available.
Folk song, jingling bells and flapping handkerchiefs will once again fill Arreton Barns on Sunday 5th. Here is the programme. Proceeds go to the Isle of Wight Independent Inshore Rescue.
Festival founder Chris Waddington was presented with a High Sherriff’s Award
Yarmouth Rocked
Even at its quietest, there were crowds of 150 plus enjoying the Yarmouth Sea Songs and Shanties Festival, and it wasn’t often quiet! The swish new marquee kept resounding with cries of ‘more’. One heart-warming moment came when a High Sherriff’s Award was presented to Chris Waddington, the originator of the festival. The award clearly came as a total surprise to Chris. Another highlight was to see The Crew welcoming a little girl from Yarmouth School onto the stage and including her in their act. Next year, the festival will run for four days, from Friday 26th to Monday 29th May 2023.
Good sounds from Spinnaker Shanty Ace crowd-pleasers Short Drag RogerThe wonderful committee, performing as Afterguard (their audience was singing along in the sunshine)
What’s on in June?
Only over 40 events so far, plus the regular clubs and folk nights!
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