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Friday
19 June

(no event)

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Saturday
20 June

11.30 - 14.00
(free)

Lunchtime Session

Afternoon Acoustic Concert

Evening Concert

If the weather is kind, we will play in the Cliff Garden at the Spread Eagle...
otherwise we will be upstairs in the Function Room.

The session is open to anyone who cares to join in, and will be informal with no 'running order'. Although we may have the occasional song, this will be mostly a group of musicians all playing together... as far as possible!!

The weather was glorious last year! We had a wonderful time!

14.00 - 18.00
(free)

Lunchtime Session

Afternoon Acoustic Concert

Evening Concert

We will have twenty minutes each from our pre-booked performers (maximum of nine), with a raffle break somewhere!

As with the Songwriting Competition, we will draw the running order by 'raffle' as each slot comes up. This is to discourage people from only turning up in time for their own slot, as no-one will know when their turn will be. Quite simply, anyone who isn't available when their slot is drawn forfeits their opportunity!

We will be at the Spread Eagle from around 1.00pm, but this year we won't be using a sound system, as it's not really needed at the Spread - we don't normally use a sound system on Guest Nights unless we're at the Rugby Club.

In 2011 we introduced a competetive element which proved to be popular - the audience were asked to vote for their favourites. This year, the 'winner' will be offered a club gig on Thursday 23rd July 2015 - non-negotiable, so if you're not available on that date we'll simply ask the runner-up, and so on! The audience will vote for three in order of preference, the first choice being given three points. Hopefully this should avoid a tie-break situation! A tie may be settled by the actual number of 'first choice' votes a performer has received, or on the whim of the Organiser...!

Who is on the list?

Bernice Carters and John Condy

Bernice:

My love with folk music began on my doorstep around nine years ago. I attended an evening of music "Folk in the Barn" which was and still is run by my neighbour and folkie friend Margaret and her husband Geoff. It was at this event that I was introduced to some of the members from Lymm folk club as they were providing the entertainment for the night. I attended the club the following week and I've been a regular there ever since.

It is rather funny looking back... over the years, there were episodes where my guitars didn't see the light of day. The only times they got played was if I sang at church, at a wedding, funeral or family occasion. Once I got in to the folk scene I was smitten with it... and still am. My guitars now take pride of place in the lounge and music is an integral part in my life.

John:

I've been a regular at Lymm Folk Club since 2006. During that time I've enjoyed performing solo and as a member of Pepper Street with Bernice and Mick Hare. I've also tried writing my own songs and have entered the Festival Songwriting Competition several times. I teamed up with Bernice again in 2014. We've been developing a repertoire that leans towards contemporary acoustic music with a bit of an 'Americana' flavour.

Keith Houghton

My name is Keith Houghton and I live in Birkenhead, Wirral, I am 55 years of age and have been playing guitar since my teens. About 20 years ago I finally plucked up the courage to attempt a floor spot at the Bromborough Folk Club and have been a regular there and several other clubs around the area ever since and though I've never really progressed from being a floor singer, it is something I still find very enjoyable and rewarding and through which have made many good friends over the years.

I perform a collection of my own songs, acoustic blues and contemporary folk, as well as writing a large collection of poetry over the years. My set for the Lymm Acoustic Concert will be made up of songs I have written myself, which are light hearted, hopefully humorous and of a topical or self analytical nature, providing an insight to my, what some may say rather peculiar, observations on life.

Doreen Lehmann

Three years ago I thought I might try to write a poem or two and now I love writing poetry. A former Head of an Infant & Nursery School, I am now retired and see the world quite differently.

I belong to the Warrington Poetry Group, which meets each month. We share our poems and learn from each other. In the same way Lymm Folk Club has welcomed me as a friend and poet. Such a special privilege on Singers' Night to bring my poems to life.

Hopefully I shall continue to improve and give pleasure to anyone who is happy to listen.

- Dee Lehmann

Phil & Ben

Phil Holmes and Ben Grundy began playing as a duo a couple of years ago, playing a mixture of acoustic blues/rock. Their musical backgrounds are somewhat different.

Phil says "My musical career goes back to 1968 playing electric guitar in various Merseyside bands, until going solo as a guitar/vocalist in the late 70s. In more recent years I have been playing at local open mic nights as a solo player, and also as part of a duo with Ben".

Ben added "I didn't actually start playing the guitar until the age of about 21. I had previously learned to play the keyboards, but mainly influenced by the music of Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits, it was the guitar I wanted to play. Having a love of instrumental music combined with a not having a particularly good singing voice led me to start playing (and writing) instrumental guitar music. For the last three or four years I have been playing at various open mic nights in the area, performing my own music as well as arrangements of popular tunes. More recently I have been playing with Phil as a duo".

Mike Selway

Born & brought up in Sheffield in 1941 so reached the magic 3 score & 10 in August 2011

Got first guitar for Christmas in 1956. Formed a skiffle group at school, said group appearing at local youth clubs. Joined a pop band as guit/voc/blues harmonica in 1962 often appearing at same pub venues as Joe Cocker (who called himself Vance Arnold in those days) & Russ Abott (then of the Black Abotts).

Got into folk in 1965 & appeared regularly at the 'Queens' folk club along with the late Tony Capstick &, believe it or not, Maria Muldaur who was at Sheffield Uni. Became resident singer at the 'Pig o' Lead' folk club in Stoney Middleton where we had such illustrious guests as Martin Carthy, Martin Wyndham Read & the Yetties.

Have written about 30 songs many of which I still enjoy performing. I'm also constantly trying to add to my repertoire of some 600 songs.

Current musical ambitions - would still like to write a hit song. The Interweb (e.g. Facebook) does make that a more realistic possibility.

Cockney Eric

Nigel Hubbell aka Cockney Eric...

I had mostly kept my singing to myself until the 1990s. In 1994, in a pub in Sale with the first Mrs Eric, I was mistaken by an Eric Cantona fan first for a Frenchman, then for a Cockney. I am neither. Then, in 1999, needing an outlet for some translations of Jacques Brel songs that I was working on, I stumbled upon a now defunct folk club in Tib Street, Manchester. When they invited me to do a gig, I naturally chose to perform as Cockney Eric, the name thrust on me five years earlier by that drunkard in Sale. As you would.

I still have a number of my Brel songs and other French translations in my repertoire, along with my own material and some eclectic covers. I never did learn to play the guitar (or even the tambourine), but I have learned to drive a folk club. Don't try to friend me on Facebook, as I want only two FB friends: the present Mrs Hubbell and Timperley Folk Club.

Ian White

I have enjoyed folk music since my late teens when I used to visit The Lever Family Folk club in Warrington and The Minah Birds.

When I was in my 20s I did some singing accompanied by guitar at The Ring o' Bells in Warrington, Frodsham Folk Club, and Thelwall Pickering Arms. The Pickering Arms club moved a couple of times and eventually became the Lymm club that we know today.

I gave up after a while as I moved to a fast moving sales job and could no longer find the time. I have, however, continued to enjoy visiting clubs and festivals for a number of years.

About 3 years ago I retired, and a little while afterwards noticed that they were running guitar lessons at the local school. So the guitar came out, duly dusted and tuned, so I have taken up singing again.

Many of the songs I sing are ones that were popular in folk clubs in the 60's and 70's, no apology is made for this, however, as they are still good songs!

Pete Thompson

My roots are in the West Country - I grew up round about Exmoor. First guitar approx 1962. Introduction to Folk Music was at school and was to the songs of Joan Baez, Peter Paul and Mary, Adge Cutler, Donovan and Dylan. First Folk Club visit - Room at the Top, Redruth to see Stefan Grossman (that set the bar high!).

Started to write songs at school and have just about kept it going with a few barren years. Current heroes - Ralph McTell, Bob Fox, Kate Rusby, Fay Hield, Jez Lowe, Steve Knightley and many more.

Moved to Northwich in the mid-80s and have enjoyed discovering a whole bunch of Folk artists and traditions I never knew existed. Now on the committee at Northwich Folk Club and a regular performer with guitar at Singers' Nights.

Evening
Concert
8:00pm
£10.00

OR
£8.00
advance
booking

Lunchtime Session

Afternoon Acoustic Concert

Evening Concert

Brian Peters

Brian Peters is no stranger to Lymm Folk Club, but it's a while since his last visit!

Ticket Form RTF  << Downloads >>  Songwriter Form PDF

Sunday
21 June

Songwriting Competition

Evening Concert

14.00 - 17.00
(free)

Kerry Smith Memorial
Singer-Songwriter Competition

Songwriter Form PDF

8:30pm
£10.00

OR
£8.00
advance
booking

Songwriting Competition

Evening Concert

Harp and a Monkey

SONGS about cuckolded molecatchers, a lone English oak tree that grows at Gallipoli, care in the community and medieval pilgrims - we can only be talking about the folk experimentalists Harp and a Monkey.

The harp ‘n’ banjo driven electro-folk-storytelling of Martin Purdy (vocals, glockenspiel, accordion, harmonica and keyboards), Simon Jones (harp, guitar, viola) and Andy Smith (banjo, melodica, guitar and programming) is imbued with a deep Lancashire sensibility that shines through in their beautifully crafted and sometimes spooky vignettes of northern life, love and remembrance.

The outfit, who have been friends for more than 15 years, channel the ghosts of summers spent in municipal parks and winters walking on the moors. Ask them about their influences and they are as likely to cite Ordnance Survey maps and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as they are Bert Jansch, Bjork or Bellowhead.

Formed in 2008, Harp and a Monkey have been building up a loyal following via the old fashioned practice of relentless gigging and modern practice of social network sites.

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Monday
22 June

(no event)

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Tuesday
23 June

(no event)

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Wednesday 24 June
8:30pm
£10.00

OR
£8.00
advance
booking

MERRY HELL

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Thursday
25th June
8:30pm
£8.00

OR
£6.00
advance
booking

FLOSSIE

Ticket Form RTF  << Downloads >>  Songwriter Form PDF

Ticket Form RTF  << Downloads >>  Songwriter Form PDF