The Folk Forecast: March 2022
Featuring Breabach, Edgelarks, The Furrow Collective, John Kirkpatrick, Martin and Eliza Carthy, Belinda O'Hooley, Bob Fox and more.
Hello, and welcome back to The Folk Forecast! After a busy, and frankly terrifying couple of weeks news-wise, I’m back with your latest folk fix (because music makes everything better). As you might have noticed, I’ve done a few tweaks to the format to go monthly rather than fortnightly going forward. Since it began during lockdown, the newsletter has continued to evolve whilst my freelance career has also grown, so making it monthly will hopefully make it a lot more manageable, as well as clearer for you all to keep track of!
From Edgelarks and The Furrow Collective to John Kirkpatrick and Martin and Eliza Carthy, there’s some great stuff coming up this month both online and in person, so scroll down to read all about it! Thanks for reading, and if you find this useful, please consider donating on Ko-Fi - thank you!
This month’s playlist
Head over to this month’s playlist to hear a selection of tracks from artists featured in this issue. Listen to something new, and see which gigs you might fancy going to. Remember to support artists by buying their music and booking gigs too!
TOP PICKS: ONLINE
The Official Folk Albums Chart Show* — Tuesday 1 March, 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.
Bob Fox* — Tuesday 1 March, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room
Influenced by the industrial folk songs prevalent in his native County Durham, Bob Fox has honed his craft over the last 40 years to become one of the most iconic voices on the British folk scene today. Bob is highly renowned both as a solo artist and in his many collaborations, including a duo with Billy Mitchell (Lindisfarne), the BBC New Radio Ballads series, and The Pitmen Poets. Some of you may also know Bob as the Songman from War Horse, one of my all-time favourite plays! He’ll be playing a wide range of material in this gig, so fingers crossed you should hear some of your favourites.
Tickets £15, with options to pay a bit more or less depending on your circumstances.
Power of Women fringe event with Angeline Morrison, January Girls and Ruby Tipple — Thursday 3 March, 4.30pm GMT
Rosslyn Court
As we approach International Women’s Day, Rosslyn Court present a fringe event for the Power of Women festival in Thanet. This concert will include live and pre-recorded music from artists including Angeline Morrison, January Girls and Ruby Tipple.
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.
John Kirkpatrick workshop & concert — Sunday 6 March, workshop 2pm & concert 7.30pm GMT
St Albans Folk Music
John Kirkpatrick heads to St Saviour’s Church Hall in St Albans for a workshop on playing for dancing (suitable for all acoustic instruments), followed by an evening concert with support from Ellie McCann.
Hybrid event, available online and in person. Online workshop £5 for individuals, £10 for 2 people and £15 for 3 or more. Online concert £10 for individuals, £15 for 2 people and £20 for 3 or more. Prices differ slightly if you attend in person.
Breabach — Friday 11 March, 7.30pm GMT
Wiltshire Music Centre
Firmly established as one of Scotland’s most exciting and popular folk groups, Breabach unite deep roots in Highland and Island tradition with the musical innovation of their Glasgow base. Throughout the band’s 15 years they have always looked to respect the origins of the music they play whilst embracing the future with new ideas, energy and belief. This approach and their unique musicianship, which combines twin bagpipes, fiddle, bass and guitar with Gaelic vocals and step dance, has won them fans across the globe.
Tickets £10. A recording of the livestream will be available to watch again from 12pm the following day for three days after the event.
Jack Rutter* — Friday 11 March, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room
Jack Rutter grew up in the Holme Valley area of West Yorkshire, a place steeped in a wealth of traditional song. He has forged a highly successful career as a solo artist, as well as being a member of the celebrated instrumental trio Moore Moss Rutter and a highly sought-after collaborator for a host of the biggest names in folk music, including Seth Lakeman, Sam Sweeney and Jackie Oates. Jack’s most recent solo album, Gold of Scar & Shale, confirms his place as one of the standout voices of the folk, roots and acoustic music scene.
Tickets £15, with options to pay a bit more or less depending on your circumstances.
Edgelarks* — Tuesday 15 March, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room / Live At Sam’s
BBC Folk Award winning duo Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin are setting out on a final tour before taking a break from the road. Featuring old favourites and new material, their show promises to uplift and inspire, with its unique blend of traditional roots, world influences, and original songwriting.
Online tickets £15, with options to pay a bit more or less depending on your circumstances. You can also attend this event in person at Live At Sam’s in Sheffield - book here.
Tom Moore & Archie Moss* — Wednesday 16 March, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room
Widely regarded as two of the best traditional folk players and innovators of their generation, Moore & Moss’s finely crafted arrangements wield a rare potency. Having toured with some of the biggest and brightest acts on the British folk scene, they reconvene to perform as a duo. On this tour, they’ll finally be sharing music from their latest album, Spectres, which was released in October 2020 and is finally getting a chance to be shared!
Tickets £15, with options to pay a bit more or less depending on your circumstances.
Martin and Eliza Carthy — Saturday 19 March, 7.30pm GMT
Wiltshire Music Centre
Legendary singer and guitarist Martin Carthy and his twice Mercury-nominated daughter Eliza Carthy come together to perform songs and tunes from their vast family repertoire. This will be one of their first performances after losing their beloved Norma, so come and show them some love and support and enjoy an evening of wonderful music.
Tickets £10. A recording of the livestream will be available to watch again from 12pm the following day for three days after the event.
Pedler // Russell* — Sunday 20 March, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room
Pedler // Russell are exploring the social themes of 21st century Britain through music that’s inspired by ordinary people. This innovative and highly original collaboration sees BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner Greg Russell and historian and musician Danny Pedler taking a unique approach to presenting the social landscape around us.
Their debut album, Field and Dyke, grew out of an oral history project conducted by Danny in the fens of Lincolnshire (where I’m from!). He interviewed local people about the history, politics, culture and society of the places where they live and work. The music, all written by Pedler // Russell, weaves audio samples of those people and places into the melody and lyrics of the finished songs. The result is a sensitive and accurate depiction of living through a Brexit-divided Britain, which has been highly acclaimed by reviewers and audiences alike.
Tickets £15, with options to pay a bit more or less depending on your circumstances.
James Delarre and Saul Rose* — Tuesday 22 March, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room
With the timeless combination of fiddle and box, James Delarre and Saul Rose have been making music together for quite a while now! The duo was born out of friendship and mutual interest in good music, good company and fine song. With a wealth of experience between them, both on and off the stage, you know you are in good hands!
Tickets £15, with options to pay a bit more or less depending on your circumstances.
The Furrow Collective* — Tuesday 29 March, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room
The Furrow Collective is an English/Scottish band consisting of four talented and individually prominent performers: Lucy Farrell (viola, voice & saw - yes, saw), Rachel Newton (harp, fiddle, voice), Emily Portman (banjo, concertina, voice) and Alasdair Roberts (guitars, voice). The group formed in 2013, drawn together by a shared love of traditional song and an open, intuitive approach to collaboration.
Tickets £15, with options to pay a bit more or less depending on your circumstances.
Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage* — Thursday 31 March, 7.30pm GMT
Rosslyn Court
Since emerging in 2016, Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage have been defying conventions of style, genre and compartmentalisation. With a touch of Americana, yet quintessentially English, they blend the traditional and the contemporary. Playful and instinctive, they constantly do the unexpected. Hannah & Ben are due to release their new album, Ink of the Rosy Morning, on 1st April so if you’re lucky you might get a sneak peek of some new material at this gig.
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.
Also coming up online…
1 March - Covid Sings Singaround, 8pm
1 March - Tuesday Folk People: Ray Cooper, 8pm
2 March - The Folk Room on Clubhouse, 7pm
3 March - The Ballad Room on Clubhouse, 8pm
8 March - Tuesday Folk People: Billy Mitchell, 8pm
9 March - The Folk Room on Clubhouse, 7pm
10 March - Broomdasher, Rosslyn Court, 7.30pm
10 March - The Ballad Room on Clubhouse, 8pm
11 March - Piers Cawley’s Song Swap: Helen Edwards, 8pm
15 March - Tuesday Folk People: Amelia Coburn, 8pm
16 March - The Folk Room on Clubhouse, 7pm
17 March - The Ballad Room on Clubhouse, 8pm
18 March - Piers Cawley’s Song Swap: Marilla Homes, 8pm
22 March - Tuesday Folk People: Suthering, 8pm
23 March - The Folk Room on Clubhouse, 7pm
24 March - The Ballad Room on Clubhouse, 8pm
25 March - Piers Cawley’s Song Swap: Margaret Walters, 8pm
26 March - Wildwood Jack, Rosslyn Court, 7.30pm
29 March - Tuesday Folk People: Becoming Branches, 8pm
30 March - The Folk Room on Clubhouse, 7pm
31 March - The Ballad Room on Clubhouse, 8pm
All times are in GMT. To attend events on Clubhouse, you’ll need to download the Clubhouse app - it’s free to join.
TOP PICKS: IN PERSON
Folk Weekend: Unity in Song — 12-13 March
King’s Place
Following a year when choirs fell silent, Kings Place celebrates the power and joy of singing with Voices Unwrapped, their 14th Unwrapped series. As part of this, they’re running Folk Weekend: Unity in Song, in partnership with Alan Bearman Music to focus specifically on folk song traditions. Julie Fowlis is an artist-in-focus, and there will be music from Martin & Eliza Carthy, Cara Dillon, Peggy Seeger & Calum MacColl and more. There will also be some fantastic workshops if you fancy doing some singing yourself!
Belinda O’Hooley: Inversions — On tour throughout March
Guildford, Taunton, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bury, Huddersfield, Barton-Upon-Humber, Newcastle and Sheffield
Belinda O’Hooley is touring her solo show, Inversions, at last! I was really lucky that I got to see it performed at Warwick Folk Festival in 2019. It was then meant to go on tour through the Autumn, but Belinda and Heidi’s son Flynn was due to be born around then, so the tour was delayed until 2020 and of course we all know what happened next! It’s a stunning show, featuring Belinda’s own piano arrangements of Irish tunes handed down through her family. These tunes were passed down through the male line of the family, but with Inversions, Belinda takes them and makes them her own. A beautiful show, do catch it if you can.
Also coming up in person…
Chris Wood is out on tour this month, with dates including Bath, Lyme Regis, Calstock, Penzance, London, Blakeney, Leamington Spa, Alne and Whitby.
Hannah James & Toby Kuhn* are on tour through March and April, with dates including Sheffield, Lincoln, Abergavenny, Oxford, Newbury, London, Bristol, Shoreham by Sea, Bath, New Milton, Aldershot, Fareham, Exeter, Bretforton, Settle and York - plus a festival in Budapest!
The Trials of Cato are on tour across England and Wales, with dates including Cardiff, Bangor, Cardigan, Llandrindod Wells, Bury, Seaford, Aberystwyth, Birmingham, Bowness-on-Windermere, Ulpha, Derby and Poole.
Rachael McShane & The Cartographers are on tour through March and April, with dates including Gateshead, Barton-upon-Humber, Bury, Runcorn, Sheffield, Evesham, Trelawnyd, Ludlow, the Isle of Wight, South Petherton, New Milton and Fareham.
Blazin’ Fiddles are heading to Nottingham, Halifax, Bretforton, London, Liverpool, Skye, Orkney, Biggar, Inverness, Stirling, Aberdeen, Dundee and Dumfries.
Leveret are off to Sheffield, Stroud, Reading, Cardiff, Topsham, Colchester, Chichester, Bury, Morecambe, Cockermouth and Coventry.
Bob Fox, Jack Rutter, Edgelarks and Tom Moore & Archie Moss are all heading out on tour as well as doing online dates for Live to Your Living Room* (see above). Check out their websites for full details.
The 17th Niel Gow Festival is set to take place from 18th-20th March.
OTHER NEWS
Sing Yonder: Traditional Folk Song for Beginners, Volume 1
Late last year, Karl Sinfield decided he wanted to increase his repertoire and knowledge of traditional folk song. Overwhelmed by the number of versions available of the thousands of songs in the Roud Folk Song Index, Karl decided to start with Roud number 1 and go from there, selecting and modifying arrangements and finding simple ways to play each one. As he went on, he realised it could be a useful resource for others, and Volume 1 has now been published for everyone to enjoy! The booklet includes lyrics and suggested chords for each song, as well as information on its story and history, helpful tips and suggested additional listening. A great resource for all keen traditional singers!
NEW RELEASES
18 February - Ceitidh Mac - Goldfinches (single)
25 Feb -Suthering - If We Turn Away
25 February - Northering - Ghosts (single)
4 March - Oysterband - Reach the Sky
4 March - The Drystones - Vulpus
4 March - Amelia Coburn - Please Go Gently (single)
25 March - Iona Lane - Hallival
1 April - Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage* - Ink of the Rosy Morning
RECORD OF THE MONTH
Record of the Month is Both in a Tune by Peter Knight & John Spiers. I first came across Knight & Spiers playing as a duo at the Great British Folk Festival a few years ago, and it was one of those ‘love at first listen’ moments. I’m a big fan of their previous release, Well Met, and given the extraordinary calibre of both musicians, I knew this would be something special. Taking well-known tunes and allowing them to live, breathe, stretch and transform, Both in a Tune showcases traditional music at its finest. The tunes unfold one by one like movements in a symphony, with Knight’s violin soaring overhead as light as air. Breathtakingly beautiful, yet never overstated, this is a musical indulgence to sink into and enjoy.
Support us
If you find The Folk Forecast useful, you can support us by making a small donation on Ko-Fi. Thank you!
Keep up to date - find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. We don’t actually do much on TikTok. We joined when the sea shanty thing was happening but we missed the boat and now we’re all at sea with it.
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, Soundpost, Folk on Foot, Fancourt Music, Polyphony Arts and Thank Folk For Feminism, as well as individual artists including Jo Freya and Hannah James. 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!