Black Swan Folk Club

E-Newsletter 267

January 2025

 Hello everyone

 If it’s not too late here’s wishing you all a Very Happy 2025 and here is our first Newsletter for this year.

We’ve already had an Open Mic this year with some new faces who put in some lovely performances and who we hope will be returning to the club in the very near future. Last Thursday WinterWilson gave us an excellent first guest night and now this coming Thursday Jan 16 we have a band who make their third visit to the club and whom we hope will have a sell-out show. It’s THE HUNCH. If you haven’t seen Mick Doonan and the lads before they are definitely a band you must see. An evening of excellent musicianship from this 5 piece with Northumbrian Pipes, Keyboards, accordion, guitar, harmonica and percussion A powerful mix of contemporary and traditional folk song and tunes including Irish Folk, Americana and Latin music. Still a few tickets left for this one.

HOLLY TAYMAR premiers her new show paying tribute to the music of icon EVA CASSIDY on Thursday Jan 23. Holly is an old friend of The Black Swan Folk Club in fact the club was the venue for her first ever gig. We’re used to hearing Holly’s excellent self-penned material but on this occasion, she chooses to premier her new show a celebration of one of the most beloved voices of the 20th century. Showcasing the powerful, soulful renditions of Eva Cassidy and bringing her own evocative and emotive voice to the iconic songs of the late singer.

Saturday January 25 is the date for our first concert of 2025. The venue is the National Centre for Early Music and SCOTT MATTHEWS headlines. His ground-breaking debut album, Passing Stranger earned him serious critical acclaim with its bold mix of folk, rock, blues and Eastern-inspired song-writing, and in 2007 his first single ‘Elusive’ won the Ivor Novello Award for ‘Best Song Musically and Lyrically’,

Sunday January 26 is our annual Winter Folk Day at The Black Swan Inn part of the York Residents Festival. As usual admission is free to York residents with music from local singers and musicians starting at 2pm and running through to 10-15pm. Artists include Leather’o, White Sail, Paula Ryan, Phil Cerny, Chris Euesden, Toni Bunnell, Judith Haswell, Trish McClean, Stan Graham, Sarah Dean, Peter Lister, and Eddie Affleck.

There’s no club on Thursday Jan 30th. We’re having a night off.

Lined up further into the year we have at the club:-

‘SERIOUS’ SAM BARRETT on Thursday 6 February, heartfelt self-penned and traditional songs on 12 string guitar and banjo

PETE MORTON premiers his new show 'The Ghost of the Sailor's Talking Blues' on Thursday 13 February

STEVE TILSTON one of the UK folk scene's most celebrated song-smiths and guitarists on Thursday 20 February

And at The Crescent on Tuesday February 25, we present in concert

THE GUILTY MEN.

Since his successful partnership with Christine Collister, Clive Gregson has been a celebrated soloist and has guested at The Black Swan Folk Club on many occasions. Now he brings his new band to York featuring some great players who have a wealth of musical experience between them with members of 10cc, Barclay James Harvest. The Cheaters and Any Trouble. The days of the Supergroup may be long past, but The Guilty Men would surely qualify for that description. Their new album “Invisible Confetti” contains nods to Americana, country, folk, pop, and psychedelia, It will be an exhilarating ride from start to finish.

 Back to the club and it’s an Open Mic on Thursday Feb 27

Thursday March 6 a club debut for JOHNNY CAMPBELL delving deep into Northern English folk song and story.

Thursday March 13 COHEN BRAITHWAITE-KILCOYNE virtuoso talent playing melodeon and Anglo concertina

Thursday March 20 RYAN YOUNG acclaimed fiddler from North of the Border.

Rising star, guitarist and singer-songwriter CHRIS BRAIN plays The Crescent Club on Tuesday 25 March.

And it’s another Open Mic at the club on Thursday March 27.

Thursday April 3 Christina Alden and Alex Patterson return and

we also have Tom McConville and Michael Biggins (April 10), Open Mic (April 17), White Sail and Paula Ryan (April 24), Kit Hawes and Aaron Catlow (May1), Bob Fox (May 8), Sam Carter (May 15), with THE EAST POINTERS on tour from Canada in concert at The Crescent Club on Wednesday May 28.

The annual City of York ‘Roland Walls’ Folk Weekend is set to happen at The Black Swan Inn again on June 6, 7 and 8, more details to be announced very soon, but as well as music at The Black Swan Folk Club they’ll be a Saturday night concert (June 7) at the NCEM with special guests SAM KELLY and the LOST BOYS. and to round off the weekend on Monday June 9 we’ll be hosting a concert at The Black Swan Inn with Canadian singer-songwriter JAMES KEELAGHAN.  

 

Ticket links and availability for all the above concerts and club nights can be found by going to the Black Swan Folk Club website: - www.blackswanfolkclub.org.uk Keep a watch on our Facebook and X pages for updates. 

Other folk related events happening in York and nearby include:-

Wetherby Folk Club host George Boomsma, White Sail and Chechelele on Friday 17 January.

St Wilfrids Folk Club in Ripon at St Wilfrid’s Community Centre present a singaround on Friday September 17 and special guest Edwina Hayes on Friday January 31.

The National Centre for Early Music present Martin Simpson on Saturday March 22 and The Fergus McBride trio on Sunday April 13.

Regular York sessions include a new Monday night get together at The Corner Pin, 17 Tanner Row, York YO1 6J, another new session on Tuesday nights at The Museum Tavern, 3 Museum St, York YO1 7DT and old-time tunes and songs are at The Golden Ball, Bishophill every Sunday evening. On Friday evenings there’s a session at The Three-Legged Mare in High Petergate.

As always, we’re looking forward to seeing you soon at The Black Swan Folk Club or at any of our in-concert events.

Check out ticket links and promo videos for all the performers by visiting the Black Swan Folk Club website.

Chris and The Black Swan Folk Club