A quartet of Club regulars will be keeping our end up at the Leyton Big Weekend on Saturday 11th September.

We’ll be in the Alfresco Tent between 2:30 and 3:30 in the afternoon. The line up is Russ Chandler, Jim Kane, Alan Neville and Graham Larkbey.

The event is at  Leyton Cricket Ground, Crawley Road E10 6RJ and there’s loads of stuff on all day, and indeed all weekend. The gig name guest for the Saturday (apart from us, of course) is Neville Staple from The Specials.

And the weather is always better in September than it is in August so here’s hoping for some sunshine!

It’s always a blast when Robb Johnson comes to visit us but on the 19th September there’s extra reason to be excited.

The evening will mark the London launch of Robb’s new CD “Man Walks into a Pub”.

This album sees Robb revisiting his folk club songwriting roots. The majority of the 14 tracks on the album were written for the monthly Hove Folk Club  that he’s been running since September 2008. Robb set out to write a new song for each folk club night, and rediscovered just how enjoyable playing an acoustic guitar is – that’s why the album includes two instrumentals, as well as Johnson’s trademark capacity to write intelligently about issues as diverse as love, kids, the war in Afghanistan, the condition of Albion, saving the world, pubs and meeting foxes on the way back from them after closing time. There’s also a cover of a traditional song, collected from the singing of Michael Jones and Joe Strummer, “Stay Free”.

“The organic feel of this album is reflected in the photos used for the cover; they were taken in The Poet’s Corner pub where the folk club’s held, by Agata who also works there as a barmaid,” says Robb. The album packaging contains a 16-page booklet of poems written by Robb over the last two years, frequently in pubs but also sometimes on the bus on the way to work using local paper headlines for initial inspiration.

“It seemed a bit pointless having the lyrics with the album, ’cos hopefully you can hear them on the CD, but it’s always good to have something extra to look at when you first open an album – hence the booklet of poems, many of which relate directly or indirectly to the songs on the album,” explains Robb. However, for those of you who find Robb’s diction a bit suspect, lyrics and notes to songs will be appearing on this website over the summer.

More info at http://www.robbjohnson.co.uk

We always like to run a show or two during the summer break and this year is no exception.

On Wednesday the 4th of August Mai Hernon will be returning to the club for the London launch of her new CD.

Mai is a wonderful singer of traditional music in the Irish tradition and she blew us away when she was our guest earlier in the year.

I’m a bit sceptical of on-line petitions but there is a new one, organised by the English Folk Dance and Song Society, calling for the BBC to increase its folk music programming.

The BBC is currently undertaking a Strategy Review Consultation and they want to know what you, the pay-masters, think. This a good opportunity to challenge the BBC to increase its presentation of folk music.

There is a wealth of exciting traditionally-based music being played live in Britain, but the BBC’s national coverage is woefully inadequate.  Scotland, Ireland, and Wales are proud of their national musical heritage, and regional programming reflects that to some extent, but what of England?  Mike Harding’s selection on Radio 2 is very partial and biased strongly towards songs, with one or at the most two instrumental tracks per week.

Local coverage up here in the North East of England is patchy and vulnerable to cutbacks: for example, Alistair Anderson’s programme has disappeared from BBC Radio Newcastle, yet the North-East of England boasts one of the liveliest, most vibrant and youthful traditional music scenes in the UK.

This is our music, let us hear (and see!) much more of it!

Click here to add your signature and/or see who has signed already:

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/folkon/petition.html

Sunday the 27th June marks the forth of our Futureproof specials where we try to champion some artists who aren’t as well known on our part of the folk scene as we think they ought to be.

This year the lineup will be -

Emma Scarr

Emma is a Leytonstone based singer-songwriter who’s making a real name for herself.

Emma has been active on London’s live scene for approaching two decades. A proficient performer on guitar, fiddle and banjo, in recent years she has concentrated on song craft.

“London Americana? Yes, it can be done!” – ROCK’n'REEL

http://www.myspace.com/emmascarr

The Raven

Raven have been enchanting us with their recent floorspots and tonight get the chance to stretch out a bit. Beautiful traditional and self composed music from a duo that are really going places.

Earlier this year they supported Eliza Carthy too.

http://theraven.me

A belated Thank You to everybody who turned out for our Folk Against Fascism special a few weeks ago.

Not only did we have a fantastic night but we raised £280 which we’ll be using to make a donation to Folk Against Fascism and Unite Against Fascism to help their continuing battle against the BNP and the EDL.

Best of all the BNP in Barking were wiped out in the general election and everybody who helped the campaign can feel justifiably proud.

http://www.folkagainstfascism.com

http://www.uaf.org.uk

We all know that whoever wins the General Election on May 6th it won’t be us!

So screw the politicians and we’ll make our own entertainment at this special fundraiser for the Waltham Forest Trades Council.

The line up is two great pals of the club – Steve White & The Protest Family and Tunnel Visions very own Graham Larkbey & The Escape Committee.

I’ll be MCing and throwing in a couple of tunes as well.

It’s at the Rose & Crown in Hoe Street, admission is £3 and it kicks off at 8:00pm

Club regulars Sian Allen, Roger Huddle and Jim Kane are keeping our end up at the Mayday Celebrations at the Rose & Crown on Saturday May 1st.

They’ll be on from six in the evening or so as part of what looks to be a great evening of music Hall Variety , traditional Union song, Piano , vintage gramaphoning and DJ entertainment until late.

There’ll be kiddies stuff  in the afternoon face painting and arts and crafts activities and stalls.

There is also a Speech from Neil Gerrard and Other Union Mayday activists and if that wasn’t enough the Sound Box Review which is Tip Top Tony Tunes and Mademoiselle Sisamo.

The Rose & Crown is on How Street and you can find out more at their website http://www.roseandcrowntheatrepub.webeden.co.uk

We’re all set to go for our Folk Against Fascism Special this Sunday, April 25th.

Alongside all our regular friends we’ll be hearing from the likes of Roger Huddle, The Raven, Slight Aches, Edwin Brooks, Steve White and the Protest Family and the awesome guitar wizardry of Dave Dellare.

And whilst the Icelandic volcano may be causing havoc for air travellers (including our own Other Theresa, currently camping out in Seoul airport!) it’s meant that we can also welcome the stunning singer Somaye who was supposed to be gigging overseas this weekend. Check her out at http://www.myspace.com/somaye

Plus we’ve decided that we’re going to drop a formal entrance fee for this evening and dig out the venerable love-bucket for a collection which we’ll use to give a donation to FaF and to Unite Against Fascism who’ll also be on hand with information and ideas for how you can get involved with the fight against the BNP.

We’re working really hard to make this event a success and to really make the point that there’s no place for the BNP in the folk scene – it promises to be a great night and we’ll look forward to seeing you there.

Doors open 7:30 – Admission FREE!

Our Folk Against Fascism evening on April 25th is starting to take shape.

Currently the line up includes (in no particular order)

• Roger Huddle
  As well as being a great pal and well known local activist Roger is a first class poet
  http://rogerhuddle.blogspot.com/
• The Raven
  Great duo really making a name for themselves at the moment.
  http://theraven.me/
• Slight Aches
  An acoustic duo featuring Simon Crafter on guitarist and vocals and Alison Stewart (formerly of Red Rubies acapella and lately of Wendy A. Bennett band) on mandolin/singer/tin whistle.
• Edwin Brooks
  Great song writing with Ukulele and clarinet.
• Steve White and the Protest Family
  Noisy, angry, funny, ragged-arsed and intensely entertaining agitprop from this local band rapidly achieving real notoriety.
  http://www.myspace.com/realstevewhite

And of course our special guest

David Dellare
The soon to be former Mawkin guitar wizard steps out on his own.

And as if that wasn’t enough there’ll be floorspots from all our regular friends and supporters.

We’ve got enough artists now so please don’t assume you’ll get a spot if you turn up on the night. If you’re very keen to perform let us know in advance and we’ll try and fit you in. But no promises, sorry!

All in all it should be a great evening for an important cause and don’t forget admission is only £3.

More about FaF at http://www.folkagainstfascism.com