The Folk Forecast: 1–14 Nov 2021
Including Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage, The Story Song Scientists, Balter, Còig and the Official Folk Albums Chart Show!
Hello, and welcome back to The Folk Forecast! I had all intentions of making this a monthly edition, but when I came to put it together it was absolutely huge, so here’s what’s coming up for the next 2 weeks. Thank you all for your support as The Folk Forecast heads into its second year!
Without further ado, here’s what’s coming up, and of course, this week’s playlist.
MONDAY 1 NOV
Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage* — 8pm GMT
Live to your Living Room
Since emerging in 2016, Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage have been defying all conventions of style and genre. With a touch of Americana, yet quintessentially English, their music is traditional yet contemporary, with their own unique writing style.
Tickets £15, with options to pay a bit more or less depending on your circumstances.
TUESDAY 2 NOV
The Official Folk Albums Chart Show* — 7pm GMT
Folk on Foot website, YouTube and podcast feed. Commissioned by English Folk Expo and compiled by the Official Charts Company.
See which albums have made the Official Folk Albums Chart this month, with Folk on Foot. Packed with stories, music and exclusive content, this is always a joy to watch. I’ll also be on the show to talk about the latest folk news.
Free to access, but you can support the podcast by becoming a patron.
Tuesday Folk People: Bróna McVittie — 8pm GMT
Home Stage on YouTube and Facebook
Home Stage are hosting ‘Tuesday Folk People’ every week, with different artists invited along each time to showcase their music and tell us their story. This time, they’ll be chatting to Irish vocalist, harpist and guitarist Bróna McVittie.
Free to view
SATURDAY 6 NOV
Baskery — 8pm GMT
The Globe Newcastle
Baskery play a combination of classic roots music and Americana, with a twist of rule-breaking punk.
Hybrid gig. Livestream tickets £7.50, with the option to pay more to support the artists and venue. Stream is available to view for a week.
TUESDAY 9 NOV
Green Ribbons* — 8pm GMT
Live to your Living Room
Green Ribbons is a project dedicated to the celebration of unaccompanied song. The line-up for this gig will feature Debbie Armour (Burd Ellen), Alasdair Roberts and Benjamin “Jinnwoo” Webb (Jinnwoo, Bird in the Belly).
Tickets £15, with options to pay a bit more or less depending on your circumstances.
Tuesday Folk People: Maggie Holland — 8pm GMT
Home Stage on YouTube and Facebook
Home Stage are hosting ‘Tuesday Folk People’ every week, with different artists invited along each time to showcase their music and tell us their story. This time, they’ll be chatting to singer-songwriter Maggie Holland.
Free to view
THURSDAY 11 NOVEMBER
Copper Viper — 7.30pm GMT
Rosslyn Court
Copper Viper is an acoustic folk trio from London. Drawing inspiration from the British folk and American country/bluegrass traditions, Copper Viper’s music marries haunting melodies and intricate vocal harmonies with searing instrumental passages to create a stylistic blend that is at once familiar and unique.
Hybrid gig. The first hour of the performance will be livestreamed free of charge (donations encouraged). The second half will be exclusively for the in-person audience.
The Story Song Scientists (Findlay Napier and Megan Henwood)* — 8pm GMT
Live to your Living Room
The Story Song Scientists is a duo project featuring Findlay Napier and Megan Henwood, where they explore science through song! They’ve just released a new EP, Quantum Lyrics, so expect a mix of old songs and new, plus solo sets from both Findlay and Megan as they become their own support artists!
Tickets £15, with options to pay a bit more or less depending on your circumstances.
FRIDAY 12 NOVEMBER
Balter + Cri Du Canard — 8pm GMT
The Globe Newcastle
Balter are a contemporary folk quartet who have emerged from the music scene in Newcastle. Breaking free from traditional forms, Balter create through composed sets of traditional and original melodies and songs. Support will be provided by Cri du Canard, a newly formed trio exploring the folk-dance repertoire of France, with a line-up including Grace Smith, Sam Partridge and Dave Gray.
Hybrid gig. Livestream tickets £7.50, with the option to pay more to support the artists and venue. Stream is available to view for a week.
SUNDAY 14 NOVEMBER
Còig — 7.30pm GMT
Wiltshire Live Music Centre
Transatlantic powerhouse Còig has cemented its status as one of today’s most exciting North American Celtic groups. With a fiery style as its musical core, Còig offers a fresh and exhilarating mix of traditional tunes, lively instrumentals and contemporary songs performed on over a dozen instruments.
Tickets £10
Highlights in person
Sarah McQuaid is touring her new album, The St Buryan Sessions. Find tickets here.
Chris Wood is on his Autumn tour. Find tickets here.
Granny’s Attic* have had some extra dates added to their tour. Find tickets here. In addition to their concert at Rosslyn Court on 13th November, they will also be offering an instrumental workshop that day from 2-4pm. Find out more.
Jenny Sturgeon is touring her latest album, The Living Mountain, starting on 18th November. Find tickets here.
Sam Sweeney is touring his Unearth Repeat album from 19th November. Find tickets here.
Usher’s Island (featuring Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny, Paddy Glackin, Michael McGoldrick and John Doyle) are on tour from 24th November. Find tickets here.
The Great British Folk Festival takes place from 26th-29th November, with a line-up including Kate Rusby, Lindisfarne, Gigspanner Big Band and more. Find tickets here.
Two special concerts are taking place dedicated to the coal miners of southern Chile. The music will be performed by world music band Qumantú, the Andover Museum Loft Singers (directed by Paul Sartin), members of the Cecil Sharp House choir and a string quartet. The concerts are at All Hallows Church, Whitchurch, Hampshire of Saturday 6th November, and St Paul's Church, Covent Garden ("the actors' church") on Friday 12th November. Find tickets.
Melanie Barber is running a free clog dancing workshop online with The Morris Federation on Sunday 7th November! She'll be teaching both the Whitby Toesday Hornpipes, for beginners and intermediates, with music from Mike Adamson on the melodeon. Donations will be collected for Melanie and Mike's chosen charities, Christies Cancer Research and their local Sheffield S6 Foodbank. Find out more.
Other news
Lilian Grace is doing a Kickstarter to raise funds for her debut album. Help her reach her goal!
The Unthanks are running online singing sourses this winter, but they’re selling fast so you’ll have to be quick! Sign up here.
Jo Freya* is running a four-week online instrumental course beginning on Thursday 4th November, where you can learn tunes from the Blowzabella album Octomento. It’s open to all instruments and abilities, and you’ll have the chance to submit recordings of your playing so Jo can compile the recordings together to create a virtual ensemble! Find out more.
New releases
5 Nov - Dave Artus with Paul Ilechko and friends - Meeting Points
12 Nov - Seth Lakeman - Make Your Mark
12 Nov - Aoife Scott and Matt McGinn - Time Well Spent
17 Nov - Amy Thatcher - Let What’s In, Out
19 Nov - Hannah James & Toby Kuhn - Sleeping Spirals
26 Nov - Good Habits - Antipody
Record of the week
Record of the Week is Sleeping Spirals by Hannah James and Toby Kuhn. I’ve been a fan of Hannah’s throughout her career, but she still takes me by surprise every time she does something new! For this duo project, she worked with Toby Kuhn, an incredible cellist. Through the course of the album, they explore the full range of sound they can create together, with immersive soundscapes you can almost get lost in. There is also beautiful storytelling woven through the tracks, particularly inspired by Hannah’s move to Slovenia and the natural landscapes she found there.
I got to see a short set played live at Manchester Folk Festival, but I’m looking forward to hearing the rest! You can catch Hannah and Toby on tour at all these places…
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The Folk Forecast is created for artists, for audiences and for the UK folk scene. All information is correct to the best of our knowledge. If you have queries about the events listed, please contact the artists or promoters. If you have any suggestions for inclusion in future newsletters, please email TheFolkForecast@gmail.com. We may not be able to include absolutely everything, but we’re interested in UK folk events with a broad appeal, and would particularly welcome suggestions from Scotland, Wales and Ireland. The Folk Forecast is compiled by one person, so please bear with me if I can’t get back to you right away.
* Alongside The Folk Forecast, I work with other organisations including Folk on Foot, Fancourt Music, Live to Your Living Room, Thank Folk For Feminism and Polyphony Arts, as well as individual artists including Jo Freya. Events where I have some involvement with the promoter, agency or artist are marked with a star for transparency. Although I have other affiliations, I strive to be fair and inclusive and tell you about anything I think you’ll enjoy!