The Folk Forecast: February 2024
Featuring Show of Hands, SykesMartin, Thea Gilmore, Ninebarrow, Bird in the Belly and more gigs and news from across the folk scene.
Hello, and welcome back to The Folk Forecast!
From Show of Hands and SykesMartin to Thea Gilmore, Ninebarrow and Bird in the Belly, there are some fantastic online gigs coming up in the next few weeks, as well as some winter festivals and plenty of artists getting back out on tour.
There are also some amazing new releases this month, so there was some stiff competition for Record of the Month. Scroll down to see what I picked.
Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend!
Record of the Year 2023
As you might have seen on social media, the winner of The Folk Forecast Record of the Year 2023 was Blackletter Garland by Hack-Poets Guild. There were some lovely comments about the album, so I thought I’d share just a few of them...
“An outstanding album, bending and twisting folk into new shapes - plus the gig at Cecil Sharp House was one of the best of the year!”
“This was a fantastic record that clearly reflected all the research done by the artists and opened up the world of broadside ballads to me - the way they used their sources to create relevant and enjoyable songs was so exciting to see.”
“Challenging, inventive, moving. This record takes folk forward with both new and traditional material using a huge spectrum of instrumentation and human voice. There is nothing safe about this music.”
“Loved the totally original treatment of tradition, the textures and uses of effects and unconventional instruments, and the blend of these three voices.”
“Innovative, beautiful, moving and exhilarating. I saw them do these songs live and I think it was the best gig of my life so far.”
This month’s playlist
This month’s playlist includes lots of the artists mentioned in this issue, including some brilliant new releases! If you like what you hear, do support the artists if you can, to help them make more amazing music in the future.
If you enjoy this issue and fancy saying thanks, you can make a small donation on Ko-Fi to help support my freelance work on the folk scene. Thank you!
TOP PICKS: ONLINE
Thea Gilmore — Saturday 10 February, 7.30pm GMT
Folkscape Live
With 25 years and 20 records under her belt, Thea Gilmore is one of Britain's most acclaimed singer-songwriters. Join her live from The Glasshouse in Gateshead, as she shares songs from her new self-titled album, as well as some old favourites.
Tickets from £10. Also available to watch on demand afterwards.
The Longest Johns — Tuesday 13 February, 6pm GMT
The Longest Johns on YouTube
With their new album, Voyage, out now and a world tour coming up, The Longest Johns are doing a livestream to send them on their way.
Free to watch, with donations encouraged. Also available to watch on demand afterwards.
Ninebarrow — Saturday 17 February, 7pm GMT
Ninebarrow
Join Ninebarrow live from the Happy Hut at the bottom of their garden. For the first time, they’ll be filming from multiple camera angles on a live broadcast, to make the gig as immersive as possible.
Tickets £14 single / £28 for a household. Also available on catch-up for 7 days.
Show of Hands* — Saturday 24 February, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room
Show of Hands are heading out on their final tour before a well-earned break. They’re going back to their roots by playing some of their favourite smaller venues, and this livestream is coming to you from ACE Space in Newbury.
Tickets £10 / £16.50 / £25 - one ticket per household; choose the price that suits you best.
Bird in the Belly — Thursday 29 February, 7.30pm GMT
Rosslyn Court
Bird in the Belly is a Brighton-based group consisting of folk duo Hickory Signals (Laura Ward and Adam Ronchetti), alt-folk singer-songwriter Ben Webb (Jinnwoo, Green Ribbons), and multi-instrumentalist and producer Tom Pryor. Together they collect little known and forgotten lyrics, poems and stories from around the UK, and set them to their own “hypnotically original compositions” (fRoots). I loved their performance for Folk on Foot, so check out the video above for a taster.
Hybrid gig, so you can also go along in person. The first hour will be livestreamed (donations encouraged). The second half will be exclusively for the in-person audience. Also available to watch on demand afterwards.
SykesMartin* — Thursday 29 February, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room
SykesMartin is the new collaboration from two of the UK’s finest folk singers, Miranda Sykes and Hannah Martin. From beautiful ballads to rousing chorus songs, these two mesmerising storytellers come together to share their deep knowledge of roots music, with a contemporary twist. Double bass, fiddle, banjo and guitars weave around the duo’s gorgeous harmonies. They'll be streaming from Live At Sam's in Sheffield for this special Leap Day gig.
Tickets £10 / £16.50 / £25 - one ticket per household; choose the price that suits you best.
Also online
This month’s Folk on Foot Official Folk Albums Chart Show* features Jon Cleave of Fisherman's Friends, reflecting on their extraordinary success, and Ian A Anderson, telling the story of the legendary Soho club Les Cousins, which was at the heart of the folk and blues scene of the 1960s. There’s also music from John Renbourn, Hack-Poets Guild, Show of Hands, ØXN, Martyn Joseph and The Mary Wallopers. Watch it here.
Speaking of Folk on Foot*, there’s a new episode of the podcast coming out on Friday 16th February, featuring Northern Irish trio TRÚ. Subscribe on your podcast app so you don’t miss it.
TOP PICKS: IN PERSON
Winter festivals
As mentioned in the last issue, there are a few winter festivals this month, including Love Folk Festival, Stage4Beverley*, Gloucester Folk Trail and the Inter Varsity Folk Dance Festival. Chester Folk Festival is also running a February Folk Day on Saturday 24th February at All Saints Church in Chester, with artists including SykesMartin, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, Virginia Kettle and more, including a ceilidh, sessions and dance displays.
Scotland Unwrapped
Kings Place, London
The Scotland Unwrapped events at Kings Place are running all year. In the next few weeks, there are lots of events linked with Orkney Folk Festival, including gigs with Fara, Gnoss, The Chair and more, as well as choral, fiddle and accordion workshops. Later in the month, on 25th February, Ryan Young will be there for ‘Scotland’s Oldest Violin’, playing a violin made in Edinburgh in 1731. Then on 4th March, it’s time for Blazin’ Fiddles. If you live anywhere near London and are into Scottish folk, I recommend taking a look at everything that’s coming up!
Broadside Hacks: A Tribute to Les Cousins
Sunday 10th March, Moth Club, London
Last month, I told you about the new album, Les Cousins: The Soundtrack Of Soho’s Legendary Folk & Blues Club. Now, Broadside Hacks are paying tribute to the club too, with an event featuring Ian Anderson, Bridget St John, Martin Carthy, Wizz Jones and Diana Matheou.
The Nest Collective Spring Ceilidhs
Friday 15th and Saturday 16th March, Grand Junction, London
The Nest Collective are running a couple of Spring Ceilidhs in the beautiful setting of Grand Junction in London. Their Burns Night one sold out, so get in quick!
Gigs at The Round Chapel
The promoter of the brilliant Fire in the Mountain festival has started running gigs at The Round Chapel in Hackney. Upcoming gigs include Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves (12th Feb), Manu Delago (13th Feb), Brìghde Chaimbeul (22nd Feb), Lady Maisery (16th May) and Sam Lee (13th June).
Also on tour!
Belinda O’Hooley, Boo Hewerdine & Jenny Sturgeon, Cerys Hafana, Chris Wood, Fisherman’s Friends, Grace Petrie, Johnny Campbell, Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman, Katie Spencer, Knight & Spiers, Martin Simpson, Ninebarrow, Ron Jappy, Salt House, Sam Lee, Seth Lakeman, Show of Hands, The Wilderness Yet*, Tom McConville and Michael Biggins… and undoubtedly many more, so do keep an eye on what your favourite artists are up to.
OTHER NEWS
Mary Neal and the Suffragettes Who Saved Morris Dancing
At the beginning of the 20th century, morris dancing had all but disappeared in many parts of England. This book tells the story of the women who helped to preserve and pass on these traditions.
NEW RELEASES
2 Feb - Boo Hewerdine & Jenny Sturgeon, Outliers
Outliers is a new collaboration between Jenny Sturgeon and Boo Hewerdine. The album was written between their homes in Glasgow and Shetland in 2020/21, which gave them the time and space to explore new creative outlets. During this time, the duo met online every few weeks, recording themselves at home and pinging ideas across to each other. This way of working led them to settle on the name Outliers. The album was launched at Celtic Connections, and now they’re taking it on tour.
2 Feb - Amy Laurenson, Strands
You might not usually associate the piano with session tunes, but this new album sees Shetland pianist Amy Laurenson explore a range of traditional and contemporary tunes that fly off the keyboard. Amy won the title of BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year in 2023, so one to watch!
9 Feb - The Longest Johns, Voyage
The Longest Johns have been going from strength to strength, building an audience right around the world. This is their fifth studio album, and once again, they’re looking to seafaring history for inspiration, as they explore key moments and landmarks which have sparked legends throughout the centuries.
RANT is a Scottish fiddle group made up of Gillian Frame, Lauren MacColl, Anna Massie & Bethany Reid. Their new album, Spin, pays tribute to the tracks and artists that influenced the quartet’s formative years, putting a new ‘spin’ on them as the album title suggests!
9 Feb - Miguel Girão, The Northern Isles Suite
The Northern Isles suite is a collection of traditional tunes from Orkney and Shetland, arranged in four movements for solo acoustic guitar. This EP draws together influences from both classical and contemporary music, taking a musical structure that has been used for centuries and applying it to a totally different style of music.
16 Feb - Katherine Priddy, The Pendulum Swing
With her carefully considered, personal songwriting, it feels like Katherine Priddy is letting us into her world a little more with each new release. This greatly anticipated second album has close ties to family and the house where she grew up, with the ‘pendulum swing’ referring to the way that no matter where you go in life, your roots keep pulling you back to where you’re from.
Kitewing is a new collaboration between The Shackleton Trio and Christina Alden and Alex Patterson. The band takes inspiration from the rhythms of the natural world, with songs of the sea, migration and environmental struggle.
23 Feb - Martin Carthy, Martin Carthy
One of the folk scene’s best-loved artists, Martin Carthy, is releasing a limited edition vinyl repressing of his debut self-titled album. It was originally released in 1965, and gives you a snapshot of what he was working on at the time. A must for Carthy fans!
23 Feb - Brooks Williams, Diamond Days
This is Brooks Williams’ first solo recording in four years. The album acts as a love song to his guitar, Frankie, and to the songs and stories that have fuelled his singing life for over three decades.
28 Feb - Alex Cumming, Homecoming
Homecoming is the debut solo album from folk singer and accordionist Alex Cumming, who you might know from The Teacups. The album explores traditional music from both sides of the pond, as Alex - who is from England, but now lives in the US - explores the connection between music and home.
RECORD OF THE MONTH
Record of the Month is Skin by Maddie Morris, which is out on 23rd February. This long-awaited debut album is a brave and personal exploration of queer identity, activism and hope. It draws deeply from Maddie’s own experiences, whilst also reflecting on the bigger picture for society. Maddie’s songs passionately advocate for a better world, but this is a gentle form of activism, full of humanity and compassion.
It’s been wonderful to watch Maddie’s journey over the last few years. After winning the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award back in 2019, the pandemic threw a few spanners in the works for this talented singer-songwriter, but it feels like they’re now gathering momentum. This new release deserves to be a gamechanger - not just for Maddie’s career, but for the wider folk world’s representation of queer artists and narratives.
Maddie is joined by a host of special guests on this release, including Belinda O’Hooley, Archie Churchill-Moss, Bryony Griffith, George Sansome, Janice Burns, Matt Downer, Pete Ord and Kath Ord. The result is a welcome expansion of Maddie’s signature sound, whilst still keeping focus on their spectacular voice and the stories being told.
Top track: Easily Bruised - see the video below.
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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 Live to Your Living Room, Folk on Foot, Fancourt Music (Granny’s Attic, Janice Burns & Jon Doran and The Wilderness Yet), Stage4Beverley, Calstock Arts and individual artists, currently including Johnny Campbell. Events where I have some involvement with the promoter or artist are marked with a star for transparency. Although I have various affiliations, I strive to be inclusive and tell you about anything I find which I think you’ll enjoy!