What a laugh! "April Fools Day" is "Comedy Night" at Nuneaton Folk Club. (Oh yes it is!)

Wednesday April First 2015-April Fools Day-will see the first “Themed ” night at Nuneaton Folk Club: a “Comedy Night.” Admission is free, and events will start promptly at 8pm. All proceeds-money and food collected-will be donated afterwards to Nuneaton Food Bank.

      It is easy to get bogged down in the myth that all Folk music is drab, gloomy stuff about hangings, drownings and tearful farewells. But consider Jake Thackeray, Jasper Carrot, Billy Connolly,Cosmotheka and Richard Digance. All of whom cut their teeth in Folk Clubs-and some of whom once ran them.  Many of those appearing at The Crown on April 1st have already been on stage there before, so some guests will be familiar. A few might even reproduce familiar songs already chortled at and applauded there. Other Guests will take you to newer realms of comedy. Oh, there will still be traditional songs of death and unrequited love or anthems about blood and war, but there will also be examples of Comedy Noire and Irony, Satire and protest songs. Anything goes so expect Audience participation, slapstick, and some dressing up. Expect a sensible raffle and a slightly Silly one. Expect Traditional Folk, Music Hall, Talking Blues, Shanties, Chorus Singing and Pop. Anticipate double entendre, clever parody, Recitations, story telling, and " Oooh! Matron!" jollity. Expect a broad base, from Charlie Drake to Lonnie Donnegan, from The Singing Postman to Cyril Tawney.

     Continuing to mine the huge vein of talent in the area, there will be original songs written by local entertainers, too. We shall undoubtedly meet John Kearney's “Jolly Boys,” once again, and, via The Mac Awe On Tour Big Band, reacquaint ourselves with Mr. Albert Balls, Beyoncé covers, Endangered Rhinos  and Risk Assessment as applied to 18^th Century Pirates. (Arrr!).

   The guest list includes debuts from Joe Roberts and Brian Phillips, plus the welcome re-appearances of John Neal, Dave Webb, Dave Parr, Finger In The Jar, Terry and Jan Wisdom, Gill Gilsenan and Malc Gurnham and Thruppn'y Bits. The second half Finale will include many of these artistes guesting in The Mac Awe on Tour Big Band. (We do mean big..in every sense).  

  

Carrying On (see what we did there?) an old Tradition

“ The Bonny Black Hare,” and “Cold Haily Windy Night” are well-loved Traditional Folk songs popularised by Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span respectively. But they remain a masterclass in Innuendo. Ancient homages to drink such as “The Barley Mow,” “ Little Brown Jug” and “ Ale, Ale Glorious Ale,” may be long in the tooth,but are almost Falstaffian examples of celebrating good times and joviality. The Dubliners' biggest hit was “Seven Drunken Nights,” managing to combine inebriation,comedy and cuckoldry. Indeed, Irish folk music has long celebrated wry humour in songs such as “Paddy McGinty's Goat,” “ The Hot Asphalt,” and “The Ship Turned Upside Down.”

      There is humour and irony also in The Blues: a staple item at many Folk Clubs. Bluesman Bo Carter made his living from naughty songs, and both Bessie Smith and Billie Holliday knew how to raise an eyebrow or two with lyrics one could take several ways. Contemporary songwriting also has comic moments. Bob Dylan's “Positively 24^th Street” isn't exactly Carry On Singing-but the clever, bitter lines have brought a smile to many an audience. Check out also the work of Randy Newman, or Roy Harper's album “ Come Out Fighting Ghenghis Smith,” or revisit John Cooper-Clarke's poems.. From George Formby to Billy Bragg-the humour and laughter is there if you look (and listen) for it.

Nunc on the Bill at Warwick

    " What? WHAT?" I hear some of those who know me well saying." Hath Hell finally frozen over then?"  Well no. Last night, once again, I was a guest at the friendly and hospitable Warwick Folk Club. A venue I have visited happily many times, and where I have always been made very welcome as a performer. Apparently some other event also happens in the same Town each Summer, but being amongst a minority of Warwickshire artistes permanently excluded from it (unless I buy a ticket) I cannot possibly comment on that.

     After a fairly temperate day it came as a bit of shock to have to drive from North to South Warwickshire through torrential rain. This monsoon and Coventry's spider web of asphyxiating road works (easy for you to say!), meant that we were parked up with only seconds to spare. ( Only once have I ever made the mistake of arriving late at Warwick Folk Club and attempting street parking. A terrifying operation, during which minor adjustments were made both to the bodywork of my vehicle and one other).

 

     Last night was a Warwick debut of sorts for my Niece and I, aka Nunc. We had both sung there previously. Flossie with Pennyroyal and I as part of Black Parrot Seaside. But a lot of water has flowed beneath so many bridges since then, and this was our fifth appearance at different Warwickshire Folk Clubs since last December. Nuneaton, Bedworth, Atherstone and Long Itchington already having been ticked off. We are still coming to terms with a raft of new material, and with the challenges of memorising new lyrics and harmonies as a duo for the first time,but things are evolving nicely. As importantly, we are both enjoying performing together, and our  reception last night was gratifying.

 

   It was one of those themed nights that Warwick always do so well. Compered  impeccably by the rather lovely Martin Day, there was a smackerel of Norman Wheatley about the theme which was "Songs you knew and Loved."  Although Martin hosted, the old Curmudgeon himself was loitering significantly in the background, which was good to see, considering his recent health issues. Indeed (non-too reluctantly) he was cajoled up himself to do a couple first half, and later joined in a scratch band, delivering the Finale: a thigh-slapping version of " Chicken On A Raft," in which he was joined by ( I think) Rob Watts and Nigel. 

 

     There were a lot of floor singers. A procession  of them  were shepherded up and home  so energetically by Martin, that I confess I did not catch all of their full names.  Warwick is so relaxed that they don't always do second names anyway. Rick Middleton and Peter Wimpenny were there, whom I'd seen before. Martin also did us a couple-he began the evening with "The Ash Grove,"a very wholesome version not at all like the alternative, fondly known as "The Girl from Glamorgan," which I first heard at Stoke Old Boys Rugby Club. Some people get very precious about versions and variations.  I think they just get adapted and evolve as people pick them up from hearing in clubs, or as they transcribe them from songbooks or from the Internet. Or  they get amended as they are handed down, or as we ourselves try to recall them from memory. Of which, more later. (Memory, that is). I think.....

 

    Thrupp'nny Bits and the adorable Spangle performed with panache a  fine selection of three part harmonies, with Flossie adding a fourth from the front row. Des later did a solo spot, (he has a fine CD out, you know), preceded by a moving tribute to Flossie and  her Mummy's song "The Call," and all things Pennyroyal. He grudgingly muttered something about Diane's  oddball brother and then thundered out a version of "The Old Barbed Wire." Surely the most authentic one, although the one I do is one of several variations I've heard. Ditto "Shoals of Herring" and  "Chicken on a Raft. " There must be half a dozen Cockades, at least, and at least three "Cold Haily"s.   The 'Bits will be amongst the many acts joining us at Nuneaton Folk Club on April 1st for our Comedy Night, incidentally. 

     Quite as interesting as the songs, were some of the anecdotes recalled by the performers.  Martin had also very kindly brought along a nostalgic collection of Vinyl of appropriate vintage, and what a Pandora's Box that was, as we combed (by invitation) through it during the interval. The Yetties. The Corries. Alex Campbell. Swan Arcade. Liege and Lief. A whole lot (fortuitously) of Steeleyes albums.

 

     By the interval we were exhausted, having swum  round the Horn, gone hunting for that Poor Old Bloody Hare (Hiss! Boo!) and fished The Swarth and The Broken Bank looking for Herring. (You'd spend a long time nowadays doing that). Cecil Tawney featured quite strongly during the evening and later, with it being St. Patricks Day Eve, we had a haunting rendition of "Fields of Athenry."  We had sunk in Liverpool Bay with the Ellen Vannin and had already been to Dublin a few times, and London as well, with Ralph's Magnum Opus about Old Ladies a nailed on a certainty for such an evening. We must have covered thousands of miles from our chairs and stools last night. And we were thrilled to win not one but THREE George Clooney Calendars in the raffle. (Guess where they will resurface?) 

 

  There was a useful Bluesman there, second half, who did a James Taylor reworked song, but he disappeared soon afterwards. Which is a pity, as I might have invited him over to Nunny for our Blues Night in August. Nunc's  second half Steeleye  mini-tribute fitted in quite well with the theme and martin's Vinyl exhibition. We sang "Cold Haily, Windy Night", "Tom O Bedlam" and "Rave On". We also added "Lord of The Dance", as it was nearing Easter, it's pretty old and quite a few people still love it. It was the first time we'd done this song in a club together, although we've both probably  sung it hundreds of times in public before. Most of these numbers  I'm delighted to say, I managed to get through without a visual word prompt.  Thanks to my recently doubled daily intake of Statins prescribed by my G.P. the um...my...my...what's that thing called...oh yeah, memory, seems to be gradually erasing all those...you know, noises you make with the voice. Songs. That's the one.

 

     I see from the WFC fliers that coming soon at Warwick are Mad Jocks and Englishmen. Long ago, when the Earth was new, Black Parrot Seaside played support to them several times in Brum.  At the Bell and Pump ,and at a gig at a Tennis Club somewhere in Edgbaston  One of several interesting venues we played. We also once did a Hunt Ball. And a Miners Benefit. And a CND Fundraiser with members of UB 40. We were very apolitical,  if the money was right.

Springing into March-two gigs in a day.

Raiding  the Larder

     It was a long day yesterday for some of us, squeezing in two gigs in a day. In the afternoon, Finger In The Jar and I were amongst performers serenading diners at the fabulous Larder Café. This is a themed eatery, in Atherstone High Street. The staff are in period costume, the walls are decorated with memorabilia and their scran is just tops. I was served a sausage buttie and the bangers had little chef's hats on.

    Other artistes warbling amongst the bacon butties, speciality pies  and Bubble & Squeak included Dave and Julia Taylor, Peter McParland, John Meechan (on a solo run) and The Two Terrys.

    Watching some of the regulars trying to get their heads round Dave Taylor's outstanding version of "My Old Man's a Dustman" sung in the style of Bob Dylan was a personal highlight for me.  Almost matched by John's rendition of an old song which seemed to have an inordinately frequent mentions of the word "cock" in it. I think he was missing Elaine.

   I did "Black Velvet Band," " Rave On" and "Lakes of Ponchartrain." Making errors in the latter two,  crib sheet or not.

Meanwhile..... Carry On  Up The Long Shoot

      Half a dozen or more of the Larder audience and several performers  re-assembled later that evening, along with about 60 others, just up the A5, for the monthly Nuneaton Folk Club session. The night promised Malc Gurnham and Gill Gilsenan as the featured artistes, and a host of additional talent providing the Guest spots. This venue continues to develop. With its armchairs, high cocktail tables and bar stools, plus a myriad of tables and chairs, it seems at times more like a Nightclub or the set of the Graham Norton Show than a Folk Club. Audience members pop in and out, using the facilities downstairs or lounging upstairs to enjoy the mixed musical fare on offer. This makes it difficult to count them as they merge and mingle.  I got to just over sixty in one head count, but with people constantly moving, the total was  upward of that. What you think? 

view from front of house

    Nunc kicked us off at 8pm, with people still drifting in. A pity, as they missed us doing "Cold Haily, Windy Night" and " Rave On."

Nunc..before the Goldrush

        Sue Sanders followed us, deftly picking out tunes on her newly repaired fiddle and fighting through the pain barrier, after a serious weekend run-in with her dentist. One of her tunes was a hornpipe which BPS fans may recall formed the instrumental for our song about Factory Life-" The Wag of Shop 14"

      Next up was Dave Webb, who gave us a mining song from the North East, and a recitation of "Albert and The Lion " (Sithee).  Finger In The Jar followed, their second appearance of the day. Three songs nicely arranged and well presented.

   Bob Brooker was next. Feeling a little peaky, so he only did a couple, both were off his new CD. One song was traditional, and "I never knew me Grandad " was self written. Bob's poignant songcraft brought a lump to many a throat, and as always, super instrumentation from the Lark of Louth.

    Bob's economy enabled Dragonhead to squeeze in four songs as a preliminary to Malc And Gill's first half set. Making a popular return to NFC, they took us through Zydeco and Bill Haley, amongst other genres, and donated a raffle prize, too. Good stuff!  Malc and Gill then warmed us up with the first of two slots, before the interval.

    After the interval, Nunc did "Mad Tom of Bedlam" and "After The Gold Rush," before the 34th act to appear at NFC in six months took to the stage. I'd seen Gren Morris and Sam Stephens previously. Two immensely likeable chaps who do remarkable things with songs which were once familiar. Their version of "Lakes of Ponchartrain " for example, is a wonder to behold. Gren's deadpan delivery of a ribald song involving cross dressing  courtesans in Olde England,likewise.Their finale was a startling arrangement of a song many were struggling to identify, despite the contextual clues given in the interval. I confess I was amongst those who got it wrong, thanks to their clever and elegant disguise. It was "Falling" by The Beatles. And yet it could have been from the 18th or 19th century. Top stuff.

Gren and Sam. In The Pink.

    Malc and Gill threw the kitchen sink at the audience in each half, as they always do. Out came sngs from Sydney Carter, John Connolly, Kate Wolf, Katherine Fear and even George Gershwin.  It definitely didn't feel like Porgy and Bess, with the temperature hovering near zero outside, but "Summertime" it definitely was inside, as a ladybird festively flew out from behind the Sound System to join them. 

Editors are axing Folk columns.There's no call for that sort of malarkey round 'ere

     The audience were in fine voice throughout, and as a finale I joined Malc & Gill to help them belt out "All The Good Times" as an encore.



"Past and Gone? ...."..Don't think so!

      So the first six months has now passed, marked by another highly enjoyable night. Much hard work put in beforehand, added to by some less than co-operative journalists. Warmer inside than last month, due to people wearing comfortable clothing and er..."contingencies". The One Direction Annual remains an unclaimed raffle prize, though Thanks to Julian and Dragonhead for donating sensible prizes. Flossie and Mags were indispensable in raffle admin, as Road crew, dogsbody duties and table service.

   Thanks also to the pub staff for helping set up, clearing away afterwards and pot collection (empties!),during. And bless Crown icon  Nelly for her continuing support.  (Try her Sunday Roast Lunches!) Tom Veasey and his mate did a sterling job on sound, and  Folk Monthly deserve a little mention, also, for help with promotion. The photos are courtesy of Max, John, Sue et moi.

      Ray Buckler, one of the AleCart Crew who are NFC regulars, showed me a press cutting after events finished last night, of a "Nuneaton Folk Club " advertising in the 1970's. This was when it was in Pool Bank Street. We played it a couple of times. Some media folk would like their readership to believe that this genre is now minority music for the elderly, trapped in a timewarp.  And that's why their circulation figures are struggling.

Left hand side of room

Seven Year Itchington

Three Venue reports rolled into one- it was a busy week.

Mac Awe in pensive mood at Beduff

    Sunday 22nd February saw a thumpingly good night at Monks Kirby, with Sly Old Dogs assembled in full, and even bolstered by several other instrumentalists. Such a good night was it that Paco the Landlord at The Bell, doubled his usual contribution and did not one, but two spoons solos.  I was there as Mac Awe. One again I had a request, and happily it wasn't " Will you Sit Down?" Or "could you possibly go home?" It was for "Down our Street," or " The Di Di Song, " as many fondly nowadays refer to it. I was happy to oblige. I had a tentative solo run out with " Cold Haily Windy Night " and finished with "Black Velvet Band."  The audience were in fine voice and it would have been rude not to have drawn them in.

     Wednesday saw another floor spot this time at a Bedworth Festival Fund raiser.  On a crowded bill were Joe Roberts, Dave Webb, "Angry" Dave Parr, Sue Sanders with her newly repaired fiddle, Malc & Gill, (obviously), and Jan and Campbell Perry-straying into Cov and N.Warks more regularly now, I'm pleased to say.  I sang  three old BPS standards, "Manure," "Albert Balls" and " Down Our Street." The audience backed me superbly. They always do, here.

    A real highlight was the welcome return to the stage of Brian Phillips-a very moving occasion for all concerned. It must have been very challenging for him but he sang well and showed breathtaking dexterity on guitar. Welcome back into the Warwickshire Folk Family, Brian. The inimitable John Kearney was the featured guest, and he rounded off a good night out with a splendid set of light and shade. He writes some good tunes, does John, and he is a master of diplomatic understatement. " I've never heard a Hank Williams song performed like that," he noted innocently in a review of the same night afterwards. ( Me neither). I'm so flattered that he now finishes his set with the song he wrote about my notorious holiday in Vilamoura-"Jolly Boys." And time too, for an encore-our Petula's "DownTown," lustily sung. by all. 

 

      One week on and it was another Sunday night out and about.  This  time with Nunc, off on a cross-country jaunt.  A debut at Willow and Tool's Music Parlour for Earlsdon and Wolvey's best (only?) harmony duo.  Situated in the quirky confines of The Harvester, one of Long Itchington's many pubs. (the provenance of each and every one of which I am almost ashamed to say, I have previously sampled, at gigs, beer festivals or returning from Boro away games on the South Coast). Compered by John "Tool" McIntosh, who introduced us by fondly reminiscing over the night we shared duties at Rod Felton's Memorial Concert. "Geoff was Sam Fox to my Mick Fleetwood," Tool beamed, at a slightly frightened audience. Crammed into a room full of alcove,s corners and stored paraphernalia.  A lot for them to think about in that imagery.

   We appeared to be the only acapella act on the roster. With Pete Willow having been devastated by a bereavement earlier in the week, it was a composite House Band that kicked off the evening, with just the five opening numbers. Indeed, the musicians flowed thick and fast throughout the evening-it was quite dazzling at times. 

    No less than Will Pound!! had  turned up for a floor spot so we found ourselves warming up for  a R2 Folk Music Awards nominee. No pressure there, then. Will and his two mates possibly enjoyed our act but it was difficult to judge, as they sat on the front row, heads bowed so low over their table that it was impossible to see whether they were asleep, distressed or focussing intently on the calibre of the music. In fairness to them, if they had looked up, the light shining off my bald dome would have blinded them, so close were we both to the front tables. (This is why I try so hard never to sit at the front-so that I can actually enjoy and absorb the performance of others, without eyeballing them in the abdomen).  

     Will himself is impressively gifted and his set was a treat. He played for us three longish instrumentals which turned elementary traditional tunes into virtually orchestral pieces. On harmonica and accordion, that is no mean feat. Lovely technique, and fantastic tempo. No wonder he's so popular.

   Nunc performed competently enough, but despite having rehearsed all three songs previously  without prompt or flaw. However ,the music stand promised by Tool beforehand had suddenly mysteriously become unavailable-Tool thought it might be stored up on a shelf with the cruets and breadbaskets somewhere. He also forgot the dressing room rider of three pints of Vedett.  We sang "Cold Haily Windy Night" together but nerves soon grabbed a hold, I forgot the words and had to squint downwards at a songsheet.  The one I had stuffed right under Will's nose. In truth, I had also been fazed by the sight of what appeared to be a woman's disembodied head floating in a fishtank. (Later I would discover that this was actually just a feature in an adjoining room, bar-dwellers to suddenly peer into the music area). "Goldrush" and " Tom O' Bedlam" followed and some of the audience bravely joined in choruses, but it was evident that Traditional Folk, (Will Pound excepted), was not to be the staple diet here tonight. 

Nunc

 

    A three-piece called Mesa kicked off the second half with several songs-some covers, some self written. Nice and tight, with some decent vocals and some very tasty electric guitar licks, Mark Knopfler style.

    The featured guest was Anna Ryder-and she was excellent. A cheerful lady who did not always do cheerful songs, she sat behind an electric piano, came out from behind it and spanked a banjo, and in one memorable instance played both accordion and trumpet simultaneously whilst singing a rather jolly Bessie Smith blues which was 100% enjoyable. ( I know people who can't do any of those things solo, let alone in one fell swoop).  She also roped in a slightly different houseband featuring mandolin, harmonica and clarinet. Interesting. 

   An eclectic night, and home before 1am after a circuitous 52 mile round journey.  The things we do. eh? Tsk!