The Folk Forecast: January 2024
Featuring Martin Simpson, Greg Russell, Paul McKenna, Goblin Band, Sherburn Bartley Sanders, The Official Folk Albums Chart of the Year Show, winter festivals and the latest new music.
Happy new year, everyone!
After an extremely busy December, it was great to have a bit of a break over Christmas and the New Year. Working with music means the run-up to Christmas is always my busiest time these days, but now I’m ready to get started on 2024. There’s plenty coming up, from online gigs and workshops to winter festivals and new releases to get stuck into, so read on to find out more.
It’s also time to reflect back on 2023 and vote for the Record of the Year, so take a look below and vote for your favourite!
Vote for the Record of the Year 2023
Over the last year, I've picked out a Record of the Month in each issue of The Folk Forecast, and now it's time for you to vote for your favourite! You've got until midnight on Sunday 14th January to vote, and the winner will be crowned The Folk Forecast Record of the Year 2023.
This month’s playlist
This month’s playlist includes a variety 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
The Official Folk Albums Chart of the Year Show 2023* — Tuesday 9 January, 7pm GMT
Folk on Foot website, YouTube and podcast feed. Commissioned by English Folk Expo and compiled by the Official Charts Company.
Matthew Bannister counts down the Official Folk Albums Chart of the Year 2023, with guest appearances from Sean Cooney of the Young’Uns, Kathryn Tickell, Shirley Collins and Johnny Flynn and Robert Macfarlane, plus performances from James Yorkston and Nina Persson, Angeline Morrison and Katherine Priddy. There will also be highlights of the December chart, including an interview with Jim Moray and music from Spell Songs, Eliza Carthy and Jon Boden, and Kate Rusby.
Free to access, but you can support the podcast by becoming a patron.
Greg Russell* — Thursday 11 January, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room
Greg Russell has toured with various line-ups over the years, picking up two BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards along the way, as well as being nominated for a third. He stopped touring full time in 2019, but he still loves to sing, and this is a rare opportunity to see him do so!
Hybrid gig, so you can also go along in person.. Online tickets £10 / £16.50 / £25 - one ticket per household; choose the price that suits you best.
Sherburn Bartley Sanders* — Friday 19 January, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room
Chris Sherburn and Denny Bartley have been performing together for 30 years. In 2016, they joined forces with Emily Sanders, who brought vocal harmonies and strings to their unique sound. Together, Sherburn Bartley Sanders are winning over audiences everywhere with their soulful songs, exhilarating tunes and quick-witted banter. They're also planning a new album, so this is a chance to get a sneak preview of what they've been working on.
Tickets £10 / £16.50 / £25 - one ticket per household; choose the price that suits you best.
Martin Simpson* — Friday 26 January, 8pm GMT and on catch-up for 72 hours afterwards
Live to Your Living Room
A virtuoso player without question, Martin Simpson is consistently named as one of the finest fingerstyle guitar players in the world. Performing with rare subtlety, intensity and honesty, he is a true master of his art.
Tickets £10 / £16.50 / £25 - one ticket per household; choose the price that suits you best.
Goblin Band — Thursday 1 February, 7.30pm GMT
Rosslyn Court
Goblin Band sprang from sessions of the same name run at Hobgoblin Music, a folk instrument shop in central London. The result is a six-piece band which, though firmly rooted in the traditional music of the British Isles, draws widely on medieval and early music, as well as folk music traditions from around the world. I’ve heard a lot about this group, but am yet to see them perform, so I’m looking forward to getting a taster of what they’re like!
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.
Paul McKenna* — Thursday 1 February, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room
With a powerful, emotive voice and a passionate social conscience, Paul McKenna has drawn comparisons with the likes of Dick Gaughan. I first discovered his music when compiling a Celtic Connections playlist for this newsletter a couple of years ago, and it’s safe to say I’ve been obsessed ever since. I’m still yet to see him play live, so I’m really looking forward to this one.
Tickets £10 / £16.50 / £25 - one ticket per household; choose the price that suits you best.
Also online
Rachael McShane is running online fiddle workshops from 15th January. The classes run for 5 weeks, and there are options for beginners or improvers. A great option if you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to play your fiddle more. Find out more here.
The North East Fiddle School is also running a block of online workshops starting from 17th January, with tuition from Stewart Hardy, Grace Smith and Kevin Lees. The class recordings are available to watch on demand afterwards, if you can’t make the live times. Find out more here.
TOP PICKS: IN PERSON
Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival
Friday 12 - Sunday 14 January - Whittlesea, Cambridgeshire
In Whittlesea, there’s a longstanding tradition of dressing someone up entirely in straw (known as a ‘Straw Bear’) and then parading them through the town. This tradition continues to this day, along with music, dancing and storytelling.
Celtic Connections
Thursday 18 January - Sunday 4 February, Glasgow
It’s almost time for Celtic Connections! I mentioned some of the highlights to look out for in the last issue, but here are a couple more I’d recommend…
25 Jan - HEISK with Calum Stewart Trio & CÀRNAN - Heisk is a vibrant six-piece folk band united by a mission to amplify the voices of women and gender minorities in the traditional music scene. They’ll be joined by award-winning uilleann piper, flautist and composer, Calum Stewart (together with Scottish step dancer, Sophie Stephenson) and indie folk group, CÀRNAN.
26 Jan - Kinnaris Quintet and Guests, with Ciaran Ryan Band and Gangar - Kinnaris Quintet are absolutely fabulous live, and word has it that their special guests include Karine Polwart and Julie Fowlis. There’s also support from Dallahan member Ciaran Ryan and five-piece Norwegian band, Gangar.
Scotland Unwrapped
Events throughout the year, Kings Place, London
As mentioned last time, Kings Place are running a series of events called ‘Scotland Unwrapped’ throughout 2024, so there’s plenty to enjoy as we approach Burns Night and beyond, including…
13 Jan - Two workshops with Karine Polwart, including one for families
25 Jan - Burns Supper and Cut a Shine Ceilidh
27 Jan - Band of Burns
2 Feb - Duncan Chisholm: Black Cuillin
3 Feb - Julie Brook and Duncan Chisholm in conversation
Singing the Fishing
Wednesday 24 - Saturday 27 January, Norwich
Theatre company Crude Apache present their new show, Singing the Fishing, at the Maddermarket Theatre in Norwich later this month. This musical play is based on Ewan McColl’s 60s BBC radio broadcast of the same name. Using MacColl’s original songs and based on the musical direction of Peggy Seeger, the production tells the story of man’s battle against the elements and the sea, amidst two world wars.
Tradfest
Wednesday 24 - Sunday 28 January, Dublin
TradFest is a joyful celebration of Irish music and culture that takes place each January in Dublin. Experience live music in the best pubs and music venues the city has to offer.
Events to look out for:
24 Jan - Women of Note - curated and presented by Aoife Scott, with guests including Frances Black, Kaia Kater and Katherine Priddy.
25 Jan - Ralph McTell, Lúnasa, Declan O’Rourke, Camille O’Sullivan, Tom Paxton
25 Jan - Julie Fowlis
27 Jan - Transatlantic Women: Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Alison Brown, Aoife O’Donovan and Eileen Ivers
Indoor Festival of Folk
Saturday 3 February, Cecil Sharp House, London
A day-long winter feast of music at the historic Cecil Sharp House, featuring The Magpie Arc, Tom Robinson, The Rosie Hood Band, The Trials of Cato and Janice Burns and Jon Doran*. Matthew Bannister will also be there to interview folk-rock music industry legends including producer/manager Joe Boyd and producer/sound engineer John Wood, who worked with artists including Pink Floyd, Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny, John Martyn, Nick Drake and Richard and Linda Thompson.
Love Folk Festival
Friday 9 - Saturday 10 February, The Atkinson, Southport
A celebration of traditional, contemporary and alternative folk music, featuring The Magpie Arc, Merry Hell, Frankie Archer, NATI, Harp and a Monkey, Iona Lane and Chris Fox.
Stage4Beverley*
Sunday 11 - Sunday 18 February, Beverley, East Yorkshire
A week-long festival of music and poetry, with artists including Holy Moly & The Crackers, Morganway, O’Hooley & Tidow, The Sam Kelly Trio, The Often Herd and more. Check out the Horizon Stage for up and coming artists, including Jon Doran* and Maius Mollis. There’s also an African, Caribbean and Latin dance night with former BBC Radio 1 DJ, Andy Kershaw.
Gloucester Folk Trail
Friday 16 - Sunday 18 February, Gloucester
Folk musicians, artists and poets will be gathering at venues right across Gloucester, as the community comes together for a busy weekend of all things folk.
Inter Varsity Folk Dance Festival
Friday 16 - Sunday 18 February, York
The Inter Varsity Folk Dance Festival is apparently the longest running folk festival in the UK, having started in 1951. It is held by a different university each year, with the University of York hosting this year. Expect ceilidhs, contras, bals, workshops, morris displays and more.
Also on tour soon…
Boo Hewerdine & Jenny Sturgeon, Fisherman’s Friends, Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman, Kitty Macfarlane (just a couple of dates, but there aren’t many chances to catch her these days!), Martyn Joseph, Reg Meuross (solo dates and Stolen From God), Thea Gilmore, The Finn Collinson Band, The Haar, The Sharon Shannon Trio, The Wilderness Yet*.
OTHER NEWS
The Longest Johns Kickstarter
The Longest Johns are running a kickstarter to raise funds for production and merch for their new studio album, Voyage. It’s doing incredibly well, but there’s still time to get involved if you fancy bagging some great rewards.
Sound Lounge fundraiser
With grassroots music venues reportedly closing at a rate of one a week, there have been lots of venues needing help lately. The Sound Lounge in Sutton is a community-focused venue that supports hundreds of artists each year. Right now, they need funds to help them stay open - find out more at the link below.
NEW RELEASES
22 Dec - Project Smok, The Outset
This is the highly anticipated second album from Glasgow-based neo-trad band Project Smok. It builds on the genre-bending style the group is known for, applying more new-age pop and electronic influences to their lively and intricate compositions.
12 Jan - Martyn Joseph, This Is What I Want to Say
This Is What I Want to Say is the product of Martyn Joseph’s 40-year musical journey. With a stripped-back acoustic, the album places focus on the raw honesty of the songs themselves, taking in highs and lows, anger and joy, belief and doubt.
19 Jan - Fisherman’s Friends, All Aboard
Fisherman’s Friends present their tenth album, All Aboard, featuring 18th century floor-fillers and more contemporary offerings, with plenty of stirring sea songs and foot-stomping, rip-roaring fun.
19 Jan - Various artists, Les Cousins: The Soundtrack Of Soho’s Legendary Folk & Blues Club
Les Cousins was a folk and blues club in London, which became the epicentre for the folk revival of the mid-60s. It was influential in the careers of artists including Sandy Denny, Bert Jansch, John Martyn, Paul Simon and many more. Now, the club’s importance to that scene is being commemorated with a triple CD compiled by folk historian and fRoots editor Ian Anderson. This release pays tribute to a unique time and place in UK folk music history.
19 Jan - Topette!!, ON - Live at The Jam Jar
Recorded on a warm night in June 2023, this new release from Topette!! features exuberant renditions of favourite tracks from their three studio albums. This live recording is full of atmosphere, with the sound of dancing blending with the music.
26 Jan - Ciaran Ryan Band, Occupational Hazards
Following the release of Ciaran’s debut solo album Banjaxed in 2019, this is the first release with the Ciaran Ryan Band, featuring Donald Hay, Bev Morris, Chris Waite and Andrew Waite. The album is rooted in Irish traditional music, as well as bringing in influences from rock, pop and post-punk.
26 Jan - Johnny Campbell*, True North
This new release from Johnny Campbell gathers together field recordings of traditional songs from the north, each recorded at the highest point of its given county. From Northumberland and Durham to Lancashire and Merseyside, Campbell has travelled the length and breadth of the north to collect these recordings on or close to the summit of each spot. He’s joined in this monumental feat by guest musicians including The Brothers Gillespie and Mikey Kenney.
26 Jan - The Paul McKenna Band, Solid Ground (single)
The Paul McKenna Band are releasing their version of Dougie MacLean’s Solid Ground on 26th January, following their headline performance at this year’s Celtic Connections. This is the first single from an upcoming EP, which is coming out this spring.
2 Feb - Boo Hewerdine & Jenny Sturgeon, Outliers
Outliers is a new collaboration between Jenny Sturgeon & 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 will be launched at Celtic Connections, followed by a short tour of Scotland and England in February.
RECORD OF THE MONTH
Record of the Month is Hirondelle, the debut release from a multi-national collaboration featuring harmony duo, The Brothers Gillespie, classical group, Trio Mythos and Provençal polyphonic trio, Tant Que Li Siam, which is out on 31st January.
Hirondelle is French for ‘swallow’, and the record is inspired by the flight of the swallow from Africa to the Mediterranean, up to the Atlantic isles of Britain and Ireland and back again. The swallow’s flight, like the musicians involved in this project, demonstrates the ties that connect us around the world.
Combining bittersweet harmonies with sweeping strings, it’s no surprise that this one stole my heart within moments - if you’ve followed this newsletter for a while, you’ll know that this is exactly what I go for! Recorded at the end of 2019, it’s had a rather long journey to fruition, but is certainly worth the wait. Shining with an understated brilliance, it demonstrates the power of collaboration between cultures, which is much needed in today’s fractured world.
Top track: Golden One - I loved this track when it was released by The Brothers Gillespie previously, but the addition of the strings has really taken this to a new level.
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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!