E-Newsletter 50

The City of York Folk Day on 20th May at the Black Swan Inn is now little over a week away and plans are falling into place. Attached is a copy of the final programme.

1. MARQUEE STAGE. The marquee is erected directly behind the pub building, with a stage and lighting. It will have live music from 12.30 right through until midnight in a series of half hour performances. So long as the weather is kind we’ll open the tent flaps and spread out into the car park. Chris Euesden is providing PA and Stan Graham, Tom Fremlin, Eddie Affleck and Phil Cerny will share the MC duties. There will NOT be a record stall this year, so all the more room for you the audience.

2. MUSICIANS’ SESSION. This year the Musicians’ Session is taking place in the larger front bar (the Bowes Room), enabling more players to take part and more listeners to hear. The session always kicks off promptly at noon and is very well supported right through the day. If you want to know more about this aspect of Folk Day, contact Ken Meadows on 01904 690333, ken.meadows@ntlworld.com.

3. INDOOR CONCERT. There are many more good artists wanting to perform than we can accommodate in the Marquee, so this year there will be an Indoor Concert in the Oak Room as well. This is the smaller of the two front bars, where the musicians’ session has been held in previous years. The concert will run from 2pm for about five hours, with artists doing 25 minute spots and MC duties shared by Paula Ryan, Tony Morris and David Kidman.

4. EVENING SINGAROUND. From around 7.30pm the Oak Room will be given over to a song session in singaround format, hosted by Pete, Martin & Ron, alias Two Black Sheep & A Stallion. This should be a nicely laid-back way to spend part of your evening. If you’d like to offer your support beforehand for this event, contact Pete Outhart on 01904 623285, outhart@yahoo.co.uk.

5. ROLLING FOLK CLUB UPSTAIRS. The upstairs Wolfe Room will host a Rolling Folk Club from around 1pm right through to the end of the day. Until 9pm it will run along the well-tried formula of a Singers Night, an on-going series of 2 or 3 song floor spots, with MC role shared by David Kidman, Susie Fox, Adrian Spendlow and John Cherry. Then from 9pm onwards Chris Barnes of The First Hussar and Tom Fremlin of York University FC take over the room for a “final fling”.

6. FOLK DANCING TOO. Local mixed morris side The Minster Strays will give us a dance display at 3pm, dancing in the aisle of the car park, then around 6pm the celebrated Black Swan Rapper will be demonstrating their amazing skills.

7. PARKING, SMOKING & EATING. There will be some car parking available at the Black Swan Inn for early birds, but bear in mind that we will be reserving spaces for people bringing PA and other bulky equipment. Wherever possible, please use one of the nearby public car parks, or even leave the car at home or at one of the Park & Ride sites and catch a bus into town. Several bus services pass right by the Black Swan Inn, e.g. the Leeds to Scarborough/Whitby Coastliner.
   I have had a few enquiries about smoking policy and here is my executive decision! There will be no smoking inside the Marquee at any time, nor in the Oak Room, nor in the Wolfe Room until 9pm. In the Bowes Room all day, and after 9pm in the Wolfe Room, smoking is at the discretion of those people taking part. Smoking is permitted in the open air in the car park and in the back bar of the pub.
   The landlord and his team will once again be providing a barbecue during the afternoon, with a range of both meaty and vegetarian options. Please help the hard-pressed pub staff by clearing away food waste, paper plates, etc. into the bags provided, and also by taking empty glasses back to the bar.
   This is the fourth City of York Folk Day and (fingers crossed) it should be the best yet. When I first mooted the idea I envisaged something which brought together all the various sides of the local folk scene and, so far, that has been the case. Remember that it is entirely FREE, with everyone giving their time and talents voluntarily. Do come along, whether for 10 minutes or 10 hours, and see what a lot York has to offer.

And now for news of a few other forthcoming events:

8. FOLK CLUB UPDATE. There are still plenty of tickets available for James Keelaghan & Co on Thursday 18th May – contact me or buy over the bar at the Black Swan, or on the door. The week after (25th May) we have another Singers & Musicians Night, and then on 1st June we see the return of that excellent multi-instrumental, multi-vocal song duo Tom Napper Tom Bliss. Some of you may remember Tom Bliss from his solo spot at last year’s Folk Day.

9. TAP & SPILE TURNS INTO BLACK DOG. The day before Folk Day, Friday 19th May, there is no session at the Tap & Spile in York due to a private function. Not to be deterred, the session regulars are planning a trip down to the Black Dog at Camblesforth near Selby, where the Mudcat Café internet folk people are having a get-together. If enough people are interested they will hire a coach. Let Pete Outhart know straight away if you’d be interested in going along and so getting into the right mood for Saturday. See item 4 above for Pete’s contact details.

10. ALTAN REMINDER. And for those who survive Folk Day and still want more music, a reminder that Irish supergroup Altan have concerts at Victoria Hall in Saltaire on Sunday 21st May, Leeds Irish Centre on 22nd May and Sheffield City Hall on 23rd May. The Saltaire show looks like being a mini folk festival in its own right, kicking off with Shona Kipling & Damien O’Kane at 6pm, followed by Uiscedwr and then two full sets by Altan. Tickets for that one are £15 on 01274 588614, while at Leeds and Sheffield, with no support acts, tickets are £12.50 on 0113 2480 887 and 0114 278 9789 respectively.

11. YORK ORIGINALS. All-round good guy Miles Cain (who performs at Folk Day this year) is putting on a showcase gig for local acoustic musicians during the upcoming Music Live weekend (26-29 May). Taking part are Gina Dootson, Dan Webster, 5 Small Ponies plus Miles himself and partner Helen Turner. It’s at Friargate Theatre in York on Friday 26th May, doors open 7.30pm. Tickets are FREE but have to be booked in advance on 0845 961 3000

I’ll be back around the end of the month, probably with the full text of the club’s summer programme flyer.