Nailsea Folk Club

For tickets, 'phone 01275 790 915.

18 Jan - Park Bench Social Club

... are part of a new generation of string bands that blend musical genres with both abandon and virtuosity. Traditional Celtic fiddle, bluegrass, gypsy jazz, bhangra and old time all stand out as influences. The music is played with enormous energy and a big smile on the band's faces.

For more about the band, click here.

8 Feb - Pindrop Band

It’s a privilege to invite the Pindrop Band to perform at one of our concert nights. They played during last year’s festival and were exhilarating. “Pindrop is that quintessential moment at the end of a really wonderful piece of music when the audience is so mesmerized it forgets to clap”. The line-up is drawn from a collective of players who share the same enthusiasm for acoustic rather than electrified music. The emphasis in on delicate arrangements and harmonies and purity of sound. Much of their material is self-penned and the instruments range from guitar, ukulele, banjo, whistles, Mbira, fiddle accordion, double bass and percussion. This will be a night of sublime music.

To visit the Pindrop site, click here.

7 Mar - Phil Beer

Phil needs little introduction. One half of Britain’s most successful duo Show of Hand Phil’s instrumental wizardry is well documented and has been utilised by countess artists from the Rolling Stones to Mike Oldfield. A sublime fiddle player, for many years he was lead guitarist and singer with the Albion Band and co-wrote many of their songs. He’s a thoroughly charming man and a consummate performer.

Excellent support from Issy and David Emeney and Kate Riaz: superbly arranged traditional music featuring melodeon, guitar, cello and vocals. Fresh from playing at Cheltenham Folk Festival.

For more, click here.

6 Apr - Sheelanagig

“Western swing meeting Irish reels, gypsy jazz catching Eastern European melodies, Arabic tunes wafting over salsa beats and tabla putting a spring into ska fuelled klezmer.”
This is high octane stuff from a young band which is drawing a lot of attention. It is music which is played with virtuosity, energy and a great deal of fun. Visually and acoustically compelling.

For more, click here.

16 May - Jon Boden and John Spiers

Voted best duo in the Radio 2 Folk awards Boden and Spiers have been at the forefront o reinvigorating traditional English music as we know it. Boden is a superb fiddle player with a powerful voice and stage presence. He literally gives the music real kick with his infamous stomp board. Spiers has comes from a strong Morris tradition and makes the melodeon sing. They are highly inventive and the tunes are punched out with rhythmic inventiveness and subtle harmonies. It is impossible to stay still and not smile! They are the founder members and the inspiration for mega band Bellowhead and for some time have been two of Eliza Carthy’s Ratcatchers.
One NOT to miss!!

For more, click here.

6 Jun - Vin Garbutt

Vin is one to the most sought after international artists on the Folk Scene. His stage presence is unique and if you have never had an evening with Vin you have missed out on living. His exchanges with audiences are intimate and conversational; his reflections on life will have you laughing until you cry. He sings songs about things that matter and is prepared to confront the dilemmas facing the world today. And he sings from the heart, delivering with absolute commitment and using his guitar percussively to underpin the syncopated rhythms of his singing. He is also a virtuoso whistle player.
Vin is from Middlesborough and has been touring professionally for almost 40 years throughout the world, and has headlined very major festival. It’s a rare chance to bring him to Nailsea to shine a little light and sunshine on everyday life. Unforgettable, zany and enigmatic he is always as fresh.

For Vin's website, click here.

Plus ...

Sat 9th Feb - Barn Dance £5 …. at the Tithe Barn Fougere Rouge: the live fun band for this evening which is being held to raise money for the Nailsea Music Festival in May. A chance for the band to try out some new tunes and dances in this 15th Century Barn and for the dancers to have some fun galloping up and down.

Fri 14th Mar - St Patricks Night £6 A night of Irish music and singing in the wonderful acoustic of Holy Trinity Church. An huge array of instrumentalists plus Irish lilting champion Mariane McAleer and her talented fiddle and recorder playing son Finn. There will be a display by the popular young dancers of Mrs McClennan’s School of Irish Dancing in traditional Irish dance consumes

The annual Cats Whiskers Barn Dance is on March 1st at Ashton School. It is in aid of the Maji Safi school in Africa and always sells out. Tickets/ info ring Dave Byett 01934 835435

Nailsea Arts and Music Festival - will be 12th May through 18th. Watch out for an update!