 It can’t be - not already!! Could somebody please slow this year down? It’s going to be gone before we know it. The children are back and settled at school (pity their teachers!) leaving the house empty(ish) and silent (not very) during the daytime. The autumn winds are beginning to blow, the leaves are falling and the nights are drawing in... What better way to fight off the melancholy of a departed summer than going to a concert and letting the music transport you to fantastical places of feverish imaginings!! And by sheer coincidence, I have a few concerts coming up that could facilitate this very activity. Read on! |
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Leeds Young Folk Day
Sat 1st Oct: Chapel FM, Old Seacroft Chapel, Leeds
 Here’s a brand new venture from the amazing people at Artforms in Leeds. Having had a fantastically successful summer taking their youth folk ensemble, “Roots Alive”, on tour to South Africa, they’ve thrown themselves into this project aimed at encouraging young musicians to embrace folk music. All involved hope that this will become an annual event and, for sure, it deserves to be with such an array of talent and ability among the participants, all of whom were so welcoming, friendly and supportive of each other. Congratulations to Ruth, Steve and Peter for putting on such an excellent event and a big hello to fellow tutors Hannah James, Des Hurley and Hannah Duff for being being fantastic pros and lovely people.
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Stewart Hardy & Frank McLaughlin
October Tour Concerts
Frank and I have put some time aside this month to work on some material, play a few concerts and commence a new recording project. It’s now three years since we made “A Scots Chorus” with Mick West and seven years since “Compass” and “Root 2” so perhaps it’s a little overdue.
 Monday 10th October:
We’ll be kicking things off with a private concert for the Northumbrian Pipers Course in Whitley Bay. Fish suppers in the interval - yummmmmmmm!
Tuesday 11th October:
Many thanks to Corrie Schrijver for putting on this Leafield House Concert at The Howard Arms, Brampton at 7.30 pm. Tickets are £12 and include a lovely buffet supper in the interval (no point in dieting this week then!) Tickets can be bought through Eventbrite or reserved in advance by email.
We will then be up to Edinburgh in the middle of the week to spend some time at B&B studios with the amazing engineer (and supplier of chocolate biscuits), Richard Werner.
Saturday 15th October:
A House Concert at a smashing new venue in Jesmond at 7.30 pm. Tickets for this one are £10 and because of the intimacy of the venue are very limited in number. Email now to reserve yours.
And then, a little later in the month...
Thurs 27th October:
We are thrilled to be going back to the wonderful Kirkcaldy Acoustic Music Club in Fife. The night starts at 7.30 pm and this club is blessed with terrifically talented residents and features one of the most outrageous raffles to be experienced on the folk scene. To find out more, come along and join the fun.
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JSArts Mixed Instruments Workshop
Fri 7th - Sun 9th October @ JSArts, Grantham
 This one has been fully booked for some time and I’m really looking forward to seeing many familiar and friendly faces as well as meeting some new ones. If you are interested in these weekends where we explore different methods of arranging music for mixed ensembles then keep an eye on the website and do email Jimmy and Jo at JSArts.
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Bottle Bank Band Autumn Concert
Tues 1st Nov @ Embleton Village Hall, 7.30 pm
Following the fun of our CD Launch concerts earlier in the summer, we are looking forward to returning to the friendly village of Embleton to play our Autumn Concert. Tickets are £10 on the door at the Creighton Memorial Hall, Embleton.
We were delighted to receive some lovely reviews of our CD, including this from Verity Sharp (Late Junction - BBC Radio 3)
"Completely wonderful. Such energetic, gritty, solid playing with some great arrangements which really brings out the strength and brilliance of these tunes." Join us on Tuesday 1st November and see if you agree!
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Lee Maddison
Sun 27th Nov @ The Ship Inn, Low Newton, 7 pm
 Very much looking forward to joining Lee Maddison in a duo spot at The Ship Inn come the end of November. I’ve not had the pleasure of playing there before but all my colleagues tell me it is a very popular venue for live music with a cracking atmosphere. Join us for a relaxed Sunday evening of Lee's wonderful songs - there may even be a couple from the soon to be released album! Look out for the Launch Concerts at Hartlepool Cricket Club early in the New Year on the 6th and 7th of January. We’ll keep you informed!
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Beamish Museum
Agricultural Show, 15th & 16th Sept
It was hot, it was very hot, it was very very hot... and I was wearing a woollen suit. Felt like a cross between Gene Kelly in “Singing in the Rain” and Dick Van Dyke in “Mary Poppins” but fear I looked more like a bizarre cross between Oliver Hardy and Bill Sykes! Fitted a treat though, for which thanks very much to the ladies in the costume department. Great to work with Bill Elliot, as ever. But what a fantastic job by Ruth Ball!!! You were amazing, pal, and Bill and I could only look on in admiration. Great to have had the opportunity to jam a few songs and tunes as well.
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Lucy Fairley
I’m very sorry to report that Lucy Fairley died last month. Lucy was a stunning lady who gave so much to those around her. She was a passionate fiddle player with whom I have been delighted to work over the last fifteen years or so. She was also a great supporter of the arts throughout her life. It was, however, her response to the injustices she saw around her that truly marked her out. Not content merely to point them out and then stand idly by, she set up the Crossings project to help asylum seekers in our area and worked tirelessly on their behalf. She will be sorely missed but leaves behind a great legacy of a life well lived. Many thanks, Lucy.
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Stewart Hardy & Frank McLaughlin
In anticipation of a fantastic week in Frank's company with concerts and studio time, here is an excerpt from a House Concert we did in Edinburgh in 2012. Though if you can join us at a gig this month don't expect to see Frank sitting so still & quiet for so long - most unusual!
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A Wedding March & The Hangman's Reel
House Concerts @ 42, Edinburgh: Sat 19th May, 2012
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