E-Newsletter 248
November 2021
Hello everyone
This Thursday notes the return to our usual routine of programming with special guests at the club most Thursdays in the club room at The Black Swan plus a monthly ‘open mic’ night. We have a busy week ahead with a concert at the Crescent Club in York on Wednesday (Nov 3) and a special event in the club room on Saturday (Nov 6) as well as club guests on Thursday (Nov 4) our regular club night. In view of all this it seemed like a good idea to remind you of what’s coming up from now until the end of the year with some news about next year too.
Here’s our line up until the end of 2021:-
At the Crescent Club, this Wednesday Nov. 3rd we have the return of a fantastic trio with three of the folk world’s most outstanding performers and musicians. John McCusker, John Doyle, and Michael McGoldrick collectively known as McGoldrick, McCusker and Doyle Tickets for this event are still available:-https://
At the Black Swan Folk Club this Thursday 4th Nov our special guests are HANNAH SANDERS and BEN SAVAGE-Hannah and Ben were born to play and sing together’ Huddled round a single microphone, singing intimate duets with just mountain dulcimer, dobro and guitar. They are an acoustic duo that sound classically timeless. ‘Awesome… supremely divine’ Americana UK. Tickets for this one are £11 in advance.
At the Black Swan Folk Club this Saturday Nov 6th we have a special night with BELLA GAFFNEY and KATIE SPENCER (doors 19:30 starts 19:45)
2016 Celtic Connections Danny Kyle Award winner BELLA GAFFNEY hails from Bradford. She writes folk inspired songs which she performs along with her own original arrangements of traditional pieces. 2020 will see the release of Bella’s new album. In 2018 she was one of the first recipients of a Friends of Towersey Festival Award for music developmental support and opportunities. She has played many folk and music festivals over the last few years, including Celtic Connections, HebCelt, and the Gate to Southwell, to name just a few. Her last album ‘Heaven Knows’ was released by Folkstock, to great reviews.
Like the expressionistic brushstrokes of a landscape painter,
KATIE SPENCER conjures vivid landscapes through the medium of song. Curating intimate studies using her unique finger picked acoustic guitar style and an assured warm voice, Spencer underlines the sense of space that surrounds her home by the sea in Hornsea, East Yorkshire.
The striking imagery that rings through her ethereal songs creates a universe of sound and storytelling. Her mesmerising live performances have seen her play world-renowned stages, at the likes of Cambridge Folk Festival and Celtic Connections as she assembles a dedicated fanbase from all corners of the country.
Tickets for this show from www.seetickets.com
At the BLACK SWAN FOLK CLUB on Thurs 11th Nov. EDWINA HAYES Edwina is one of our favourite club guests. Her beautifully written songs and charming stage presence have won her a reputation as a true natural talent of gentle folk-americana. She has opened shows for Jools Holland and Van Morrison and the title song of her album Pour Me A Drink was covered by the late Nanci Griffiths who called her 'the sweetest voice in England'. Her cover of the Randy Newman song 'Feels Like Home' was featured in the Cameron Diaz film My Sister's Keeper and has since had over ten million plays on You Tube.' Tickets are £11 in advance. www.wegottickets.com
At the BLACK SWAN FOLK CLUB on Thurs 18th Nov. An ‘Open Mic’ Singers and Musicians evening with a feature spot from club resident CHRIS EUESDEN
At the National Centre for Early Music Walmgate YORK on Tues Nov. 23rdwe’re presenting Scottish songstress RACHEL SERMANNI touring in support of her recently released ep ‘Swallow Me’ that charts her journey to motherhood with songs written predominantly while pregnant and on tour in the USA.
Those already familiar with Sermanni’s music will know her from her appearances at Celtic Connections and her associations with Mumford and Sons, Elvis Costello and Rumer.
'Think Joni Mitchell meets Lisa Hannigan, with a delectably eccentric Scottish twist'-The Guardian
Tickets available from the NCEM Box Office www.ncem.co.uk and from www.seetickets.com
At the BLACK SWAN FOLK CLUB on Thurs 25th Nov. ALLAN TAYLOR A man who’s played the club to sell out audiences many times over the years and surely needs no introduction. Allan Taylor is one of the last of the travelling troubadours who came through the London and New York Greenwich Village folk music scene of the sixties and seventies. He’s travelled the world performing at festivals, concert halls and clubs. Considered to be one of the foremost singer-songwriters and guitarists in his genre, with more than one hundred and fifty recorded versions of his songs by artists in ten different languages, he’s made more than twenty CDs/Albums and continues to write, record and tour throughout Europe. Advance tickets are on sale at £13.20. www.wegottickets.com
At the BLACK SWAN FOLK CLUB on Thurs 2nd Dec.
GRAHAM HODGE-Another Black Swan favourite. It is our pleasure to once again present an evening with this much admired and applauded local singer. Expect a sublime choice of modern folk and popular covers, as well as some well-crafted originals. A gifted guitarist with a rich voice and relaxed style. Not to be missed! Advance tickets are priced at £11. www.wegottickets.com
At the BLACK SWAN FOLK CLUB on Wed 8th and Thurs 9th Dec. MARTIN CARTHY -Two nights with a folk music legend. Martin is back with what has become his bi-annual residency at The Black Swan Folk Club. For more than 50 years Martin Carthy has been one of folk music’s greatest innovators, one of its best loved, most enthusiastic and, at times, most quietly controversial of figures. His skill, stage presence and natural charm have won him many admirers, not only from within the folk scene, but also far beyond it. For each show tickets are priced at £16.50 in advance. www.wegottickets.com
At the BLACK SWAN FOLK CLUB on Thurs 16th Dec. we are hosting once again the annual BLACK SWAN FOLK CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY it’s the usual ‘open mic’ with Christmas songs, a Christmas buffet and a Christmas raffle (free admission).
The folk club will be closed over the Christmas period but will be reopening again for 2022 on Thursday on Thurs Jan 6 with special guest JEZ LOWE a man who will need no introduction to Black Swan Folk Club
regulars. Tickets for this one are priced at £13.20(inc booking fee) www.wegottickets.com
Bob Fox, Clive Carroll, Peter Knight’s Gigspanner, Peggy Seeger, The Unthanks, Andy Irvine, Clive Carroll, Kris Drever, Chris and Kellie While, Maria Dunn and Shannon Johnson, Daoiri Farrell, Christine Collister and Michael Fix are among the many artist we’ll be seeing next year.
The rearranged date for the long-awaited show from GRACE PETRIE is Mon May 23rd, 2022. This will be at The Crescent Club and tickets purchased for the previously postponed dates are valid for the new date. If the new date is inconvenient and you have a ticket for one of the postponed dates, you will be able to get a refund.
And the rearranged date for USA Bluegrass band DELLA MAE will now be 30 August 2022 Tickets are available for both these shows at www.seetickets.com
Other folk related events coming soon include:-
Singer-songwriter and exponent of the DADGAD guitar SARAH McQUAID plays The Milton Rooms, Market Place, MALTON YO17 7LX on Sunday November 7th at 8pm
TONI BUNNELL presents her new audio-visual show ‘Tracking the Changes’ featuring songs from her new book ‘Across the Years’ on Sunday Nov 14th, 2pm at York R.I. Bowls Club, Ashton Lane York YO24 4HX. Admission is £5 otd.
SETH LAKEMAN will be appearing at The Crescent Club in York on Monday December 13th
and BLONDE on BOB together with FREEWHEELIN’ (featuring Billy Bills and Graham Hodge) will be at The Black Swan Inn, Peasholme Green in YORK with their annual Christmas ‘Million Dollar Bash’ celebrating the music of Bob Dylan on Thursday December 30th at 8pm. Tickets on sale soon from www.wegottickets.com
That’s it for this Newsletter, keep well and looking forward to seeing you soon.
Chris and The Black Swan Folk Club