Newsletters

March 2011

Newsletter No 125 - 29 March 2011

An evening of surprises and great quality awaited us so much so that it kept Banjo John up well past his bedtime as he quickly followed Don & Heather's Song For A Life with his own Simple Gift written in 1848 when he was a lad! All Ruth, Kath & Stan could reply to that was Beautiful, a gospel song, and from the same neck of the woods came Whippoorwill from our first surprise, Richard Knott, who was a welcome sight after too long away. Brian also took us back in time with What'll I Do? and Always before Robin gave the Last Farewell as Ed's McAlpine's Fusiliers marched by. Another very welcome face and second surprise, Colin Rudd, then delighted us with The Mallard which was much appreciated by Ged who followed it with Riley's Daughter and Derrick who gave us some Home Truths. True love ran smoothly for Ann C with her Young and Faithful Sailor and Joan, our third surprise, gave a stunning performance of her Mum's remarkable Journey Through Time before our fourth surprise, John Cartain, confused us with his own song that declared Love Isn't All There Is but without he said Lady I'm Lost. Gloria, with Frank's backing, was that Crazy Man Michael which led Frank to sing I Wish I Was Back Home In Derry setting up Zoe for The Snows They Melt The Soonest. Banjo John, still lively as a cricket, was next up the Lazy River where Pepper Street had Boats To Build as we came sailing up to the interval.

February 2011

Newsletter No 120 - 22 February 2011

Guest hosts Heather Kenyon and Rob White gave us a great evening of music and mirth helped not inconsiderably by the many talented people at their disposal. Rob, for the first time ever, unsheathed his trusty Fylde guitar before announcing It's Good To See You and swiftly recruited John Condy to follow with the requested Galway Girl and then Ged to Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms. A sweet version of Moon River came from Brian & Barry, with his large harmonica, who continue with Just Walk On By but fortunately Claire stopped to sing Guinevere's Lament. Next Ed took us Down Along The Verdigris while Ruth, Kath Stan were Letting Sorrow Go, Ruth's own composition, and Robin told a true story with Rock My Cradle Once Again by Hank Williams. Fresh from hearing Steve Knightley last Saturday, Ann C reclaimed The Bold Poachers while Carl linked tenuously to Claire's Guinevere with his own (K)Nights Round The Table and Don & Heather were Past The Point Of Rescue.

January 2011

Newsletter No 116 - 25 January 2011

Some new and some regular faces were fighting for seats tonight and after appropriately Don & Heather summed it up with I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way. Early bird Banjo John then introduced us to Joshua while Ruth, Kat & Stan were Hedgers and Ditchers and Pepper Street we down in Make And Break Harbour. Claire next waxed lyrical over The Bramble And The Rose while Mike saluted The White Cockade and Rob saluted his passenger tonight with Martin Said To His Man. The first reminder of Burns Night then came from Lowland Scot Robin with Banks And Braes followed by Accordion John with Amazing Grace. Ann C was next telling us We Hadn't Sailed Far which was surprising because Ged was Working On The Railway. Ed then went a bit surreal with Bob Dylan's Dreams which nothing compared to The Bailey Sisters' Tidy The Cow but all returned to normal when young Nic played Stranger On The Shore on his clarinet. Carl next produced one of his best efforts, The Old England In You, closely followed by Belle and Sebastian's A Century Of Fakers from Wendy and Collier Laddie from Jan & Mark. We finally tried to tempt Brian out of the Whispering Grass before the interval but even Blackthorn Stick and Kesh Jig from Isobel, Lucille from Banjo John and Bridge Street from Pepper Street were to no avail.

December 2010

Newsletter No 112 - 28 December 2010

At first a few and then the multitude as this quickly developed into a lively session and gave reason to why we NEVER close. New faces and new performers mixed in with the regulars made it an excellent evening with so much banter and 40 songs to boot. Don & Heather's Roseville Fair set the tone followed by Adam's lesser known Dear Doctor by the Rolling Stones and Carl's more serious Boys Of Belly Row, Jez Lowe's mining song. We were certainly not the Passing Strangers that Brian claimed and we doubted Simon's claim that It Ain't Gonna Rain No More but we were definitely with Claire as She Moved Through The Fair. Ged then gave us a warning about Careless Love, Rob said you don't want to be Aboard A 98, Ed claimed life was so hard I Ain't Got No Time To Cry so we turned to Isobel who cheered us all with a couple of tunes Rakes Of Kildare and Tenpenny Bit to end the opening round. Simon then gave us an interesting moment with his own song I Believe In You that came about when his wife dreamed the words which he put to music. Only a chorus song would do after that and Rambling Boy from Don & Heather fitted the bill followed by Rolling Home from Rob just before the Charabanc arrived disgorging Frank for I'm A Believer, in his own inimitable style, Ian with the Hand Weaver And The Factory Maid and Richard for two jigs The Orphan and Langston Pony. Next, I Know Where I'm Going sang Claire and Brian asked Can't You Feel The Love Tonight, to commemorate Elton John's new family, leaving Adam to say You Gotta Move and Ged to echo Iris Dement's feelings in It Ain't Easy And It's Getting Harder Every Day. There was still time for some romance before the break with Carl's own All At Sea about the female matelot but Ed distinctly preferred Trashy Woman.

November 2010

Newsletter No 108 - 30 November 2010

As Oscar Wilde said, "There is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes" and another full house proved it to be true as hosts Don & Heather created the festival atmosphere with The Roseville Fair. Banjo John then said he was sure he knew that Coal Miner's Daughter before Mike shantied away with One More Day and Merdy came up with Tom Paxton's Beg, Steal or Borrow. Ruth (Vocal), Kath (D Whistle) & Stan (Banjo) then gave us a lovely version of Call To Arms In Our Street, a new one to us, and John Muskett reminisced about the Bonnie Lass Of Fyvie. Next Rob was in fine voice for the emotive Last Of The Great Whales, no not a contradiction in terms and well sung Rob, swiftly followed by Ged's equally sad tale of Riley's Daughter and this set the scene for Brian, one of our regular audience, to suddenly declare that he had been having guitar lessons on the quiet and had had the temerity to bring along the offending article for our delectation. All agog we were soon to be gobsmacked as he played and sang I Had To Say I Love You In A Song and received a tumultuous reception. Well done Brian!

October 2010

Newsletter No 103 - 26 October 2010

Half full 15 minutes before the start and cramming people in by 9.00pm it was an excellent 2nd Anniversary Celebration. Ed & Sue were the ideal hosts as they invited Banjo John and his wife Connie to commence proceedings with Red River Valley swiftly followed by John Beech with the Lakes of Ponchatrain (Paul Brady) and Ruth, Kath & Stan's The Last Goodbye which it certainly was not. Mike then sang the Two Musicians before poet Dave Sidebotham told us the poignant story Goodnight Dad, See You In The Morning and old friend Terry came all the way from Conwy to delight us with October Song. Richard Sails then explained how Herring's Head happened to be on the menu, John Condy returned to The Motherland (Christy Moore) and Rob was in good form with Come Write Ye Down. Making a delayed entrance Ed then stepped out again with Lanagan's Ball which set Colin thinking of Arthur McBride. The Bailey Sisters then Two (more) Musicians and Ann Cojeen reminisced about My Faithful Johnny. Carl then claimed If I Could Read Your Mind what a tale he could tell but he didn't but he hadn't reckoned for Jan's Welsh Ar Lan Y Mor and Mark's Glasgow Cat - Sam The Skull or Isobel's Canal In October on the recorder. Ged then thought he should be on his toes with Step It Up And Go so Robin set off on The Road To Dundee but after a quick Happy Birthday to the club Don & Heather were Passed The Point Of Rescue, Lorraine was Free And Easy (her own) before Eric took us up to half time refreshments.

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