TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Doves at the Junction in Cambridge on Tuesday.
I love the Junction because it's so small.
Jury is still out on whether we want to try for tickets for Eric Clapton at Sandringham,  we are waiting for the supports and special guests to be announced.

Robyn Hitchcock at the 04 Center, Austin, January 16!

First gig of the year, and first time to see Mr. Hitchcock outside the ISB bubble (2009 at the Barbican). I'm looking forward to learning more about him and listening to some of his material before the gig. It's never too late to catch up, I always say. The venue is new to me, as well. They have recently hosted several other performers of his vintage, so hopefully I've got a new favorite spot.

Maybe David Lee Roth at ACL Live this spring.

Probably Little Feat at the Paramount this spring.

Is he still doing a Van Halen set, do you know?

I anticipate the set list will be heavy on Van Halen numbers, which would be my primary reason for going. Those plus California Girls and Just Like Paradise would make a nice evening out, assuming Diamond Dave can still sing. I attended my only VH concert on their last tour - Eddie was amazing, Alex and Wolfgang were great, and Dave sounded truly awful. I listened to a bootleg recording, and he sounded like he'd been gargling Drano.

Just purchased, Bruno Mars, Alamodome, San Antonio, September 23, 2026!

This is for the granddaughter, who has been agitating to see BM since she was 3.

Just announced, The Human League (supported by Soft Cell/Alison Moyet), first U.S. tour in over a decade!

No Austin show scheduled, but I may be able to squeeze in Phoenix/Mesa, Arizona in June!

I have loved these guys and gals since Dare!, and I can't wait to make this happen.

So Marc is still going out as Soft Cell after Dave's death?

I'd find that a hard sell, David.   ;)

 ;D The promotional info for the show says "Soft Cell," which could only mean Marc sans Dave Ball. Bittersweet to say the least, as it is my understanding Dave's death came as a shock to Marc and everyone around them.

Touch and go for a while, but I think we will make it to Manchester Bridgewater Hall for the Unthanks in large format orchestral mode tonight (bit different from the Trades Club the other week).  It's a 20th Anniversary bash (good piece in Mojo btw if that's your thang).

Sounds like a good evening.  Hope you enjoy it, David!

KC and the Sunshine Band, Saturday at ACL Live!

I'll be shaking my booty, I will be your boogie man, and I will keep it coming love.

See! That's the KC I was talkin' about!

Jules

I don't expect to see Mr. Fripp on stage tomorrow.

Ian Prowse and “the fiddle of fire” coming to Birmingham on Saturday.  Can’t wait, of the singer songwriter, activist group, he must be the best around now. New album due in June and major tour in the autumn.

Indoor Festival of Folk at Cecil Sharp House on Saturday - The Magpie Arc, Ellie Gowers, Chris Wood, Lisa Knapp and Gerry Diver, Maddy Prior and Peter Knight, and Matthew Bannister interviewing Simon Nicol.

That's a lot of people to interview Simon. ;)

Or not an upcoming gig ... Neil Young has cancelled all of this summer's European gigs.

Maybe he’s worried they won’t let him back in.

He is actually a US citizen these days (but only in 2020) but not sure that counts for much these days.  He's been cancelling tours for half a century.  Contrary old chap is our Neil...

April 2025: “When I go to play music in Europe, if I talk about Donald J. Trump, I may be one of those returning to America who is barred or put in jail to sleep on a cement floor with an aluminium blanket,” he wrote on his website. “That’s right folks, if you say anything bad about Trump or his administration, you may be barred from re-entering USA.”

Ah, ok.  Fair point, although I'm not sure there's much evidence of that yet is there?  Probably best not to risk it though!  In any case, he does have the strong advantages in Trump's U.S. of being a) very rich, and b) very Caucasian.

#word Albeit there is an Irish builder, married and with a work permit who’s been banged up for five months so far.

In the meantime, those of us who bought tickets for Chelmsford in a sort of last chance to see frame of mind are now faced with the dilemma of whether Alanis Morissette and Skunk Anansie are quite the types to fill that Neil-shaped hole? In fairness, I skipped SA at BDs a few years ago and the next day everyone who saw them was raving that they were incredible live.

SA were certainly great live in a tiny sweaty dive in Canterbury 30 years ago.  AM is entertaining and enjoyable in concert but rather devoid of substance (for me), and neither really scratch that itch, do they?

We did and they were!  8)

First gig of the year will be Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne at Launceston Folk Club on Sun 22nd.  Looking forward to this.  I saw him at Towersey some years back, and had hoped to see him in the Amazing Grace tour at the end of last year, but it was cancelled during to illness sadly.  His recent Play Up The Music album is very good.

He's always fantastic live, as are Granny's Attic (of which he is one third)

Got Darwen & Lytham lined up as duo shows, then Southport and Todmorden with the band.  Hopefully the usual Appletreewick gig will happen, and then the Christmas bash on December 12th.

Money well spent 😃 Fantastic show, over 2 hours including 2 new songs.

A small wave of gigs is coming up, some of which I already have tickets for, and some of which I'm simply watching.

Artists include Los Lobos, Little Feat, Melissa Etheridge, Human League, Marshall Crenshaw, Jorma Kaukonen, Emmylou Harris, Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy, Echo and the Bunnymen, Rhiannon Giddens, David Lee Roth, and Yitzhak Perlman. (Using the Oxford comma to make clear that Roth and Perlman are not on the same bill.)

The calendar is getting so crowded, I'm starting to pass on shows I would ordinarily see. I skipped ex-Heartbreaker Benmont Tench last night, and I'm skipping Kofi Baker/Malcolm Bruce's Sons of Cream tonight in New Braunfels. Too old and tired.

Just got tickets for Band of Horses in October at Manchester Albert Hall. Feels like I saw them quite recently but it was in fact about 18 years ago.

Just booked - Doobie Brothers / Santana this August at the Moody Center! Color me skeptical that they can fill this enormous venue, but the economics must make sense to somebody.

Just announced - Bruuuuuuuuce at the Moody Center this April! This one is billed as a “No Kings” show, which is nice. Def going.

Wealthy proggy people of the UK - rejoice!  Rush are coming to the UK

March 2027
8 & 10 Glasgow
12 & 14 Manchester
16, 18 & 21 London

Being an ultra fan of Rush, I'm going to see them in Toronto this August - but this news is going to make a couple of my friends unbelievably happy.

Like when they announced the original US dates, they have left plenty of opportunities for filling in extra dates too.  Tempted, but it will probably be beyond me, given that will also involve travelling to London and an overnight stay.

More locally and more affordably, there are a number of gigs coming up:

7th March: Blackbeard's Tea Party @ The Plough, Gt Torrington (sorry that this clashes with Bella Hardy in Exeter, though)
13th March: Sound Of The Sirens @ the same venue
21st March: Bob Fox @ Launceston Folk Club
26th March: Fairport @ Corn Exchange, Exeter
4th April: Kris Drever @ The Plough

Saw Sound Of The Sirens last year. They were a lot of fun.

I've just managed to get 2 pretty good tickets to see Rush in Cologne, for the same price as my 1 ticket cost for Toronto so well pleased.

As is my mate and our wives as they are going to have a lovely weekend away  ;D

We are between camper vans at the moment so sadly cant commit £500 to Cropredy until we are sure , although we want to go this time. We've got plenty booked up for the next few months.

Clive Gregsons New Band The Guilty Men
Lindisfarne
Albert Lee
Blockheads
Fairport
Madula
Bodelwyddan Festival

And looking to book for Love and Jason Isbell.

I had to look this up as it's only just down the road from Chester and hadn't heard of it before.  It's just for people who pay for the accommodation in the castle - is that right?

yes its all or nothing. No music only tickets. It sold out in a couple of days anyway. We're looking at it as more than just a festival.

Somewhat appalled at myself, but I appear to actually be going to see Rush after all.  The Sunday at the Co-op.  As far away from the stage as it is practically possible to be.  £112.  Utterly ridiculous, but what the hell...I can pretend to be 16 again (my age the last time I saw them)...

Good for you David, it will be a bit different from last tome you saw them, but I am sure you will love it.

There's an interview Geddy & Alex did with Planet Rock this week on YouTube, well worth a watch and gives away a few secrets about what to expect. Also, did you see that the Who's keyboard player / backing vocalist is joining them so that Geddy can concentrate on bass and vocals.

I was somewhat distressed to be told there have been 10 albums since the last one I listened to (Signals).... Gulp ;) ;D

Rush!
Son and I shall be heading for O2 Arena on the Tuesday  [;-)
I last saw them at the gig in Birmingham that became one of their live albums (A Show of Hands?) Time before that was the Signals tour, and the time before that was the Exit Stage Left tour - the first proper gig I ever went to.

I am very much looking forward to this!

Rather to my surprise, I also seem to have bought myself a ticket to the O2 on the Thursday.  Likewise, it will be the first time I will have seen them since the NEC in 1988 for one of the shows that was recorded for A Show of Hands.

Rush sold out four(!) shows in Fort Worth in June, meaning all the available tickets are obscenely expensive resale tickets.

I don't know of any other artist not named Taylor Swift who could accomplish this feat. I had no idea the demand was so pent up, but I'm gratified for Alex and Geddy.

Regardless, I had to spend my entire budget on Bruno Mars in San Antonio this fall, to make my granddaughter's wish come true!

Blackbeard's Tea Party on Saturday, and Sound of the Sirens the next Friday.

I have also just booked to see The Unthanks in Bude, closing out the Literary Festival there.

I currently have 12 acts I'd like to see or have already booked for in the next 12 weeks. The problem is deciding which ones NOT to go to!

Now 13 - I just remembered that Lindisfarne are playing in Exmouth next month too!

Just booked - The Guess Who (Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman, together again) at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, August!

I've seen them separately, but never together, and never as "The Guess Who." I bought the Meet-and-Greet so I can personally express my gratitude to my neighbors to the north!

Bob Fox on Sunday evening at Launceston Folk Club, before Fairport next Thursday in Exeter

Seems about 5 minutes since you were going to the last Exeter 5-piece gig!

And yet it was (just over) a year ago!

Hawkwind in Morecambe 8-9 Aug  :)

"We are happy to announce that Hawkwind will headline the closing weekend of the Morecambe Bay Fringe Festival in August with a celebration at the iconic Winter Gardens.

Two days of Hawkwind Friends and Relations will kick off on the evening of Saturday 8th August with a full Hawkwind concert plus support.

This will be followed by an aftershow party at a nearby venue until 3am.

The festivities will continue from midday on Sunday 9th August with a day of live music featuring a mix of Hawkwind Friends and Relations’ bands, poetry, family friendly activities, and a live Q&A with the Hawkwind team.

The event closes on Sunday evening with a special premiere film screening of a live Hawkwind concert.

Hawkwind Friends and Relations Tickets will be on sale from 10am on Friday 27th March from https://www.skiddle.com/ and are priced at £70 for the two days, including the aftershow party.

Special event camping is available from Sunnyside Campsite. Hard standing and hook ups available. Call 01524418373 to book.

We will also be booking a warm up show for Friday August 7th. More details of that very soon."

Meant to post this earlier. There's a live stream of Reg Meuross going out this evening on Folkscape. He's playing his Woody Guthrie album with Marion Fleetwood on fiddle and vocals and an accordion player whose name I've either missed or he hasn't been introduced yet.

https://www.folkscape.live/upcoming-events/reg-meuross-the-strike-fire-dust-a-woody-guthrie-story

Next Folkscape gig is Gilmore & Roberts on the 8th of April. It's their 20th anniversary this year and they've a new album of re-recordings of old songs coming out next month.

As for an actual gig Harp & A Monkey are playing an afternoon gig at the Met in Bury on April the 4th.

Also might be tempted to go through to Settle to see one or more of Mikey Kenney, Gigspanner Big Band and Martin Stephenson who are all playing there between the 3rd and 9th April.

And Hawkwind, Colin! ;)

Tonight, a Genesis tribute band at the Pavilion, Llandrindrod Wells.

They're called "The Watch" I believe.

Not really what we expected, an hour of Genesis tunes, a break, then an hour including their own songs, with excessive noodling.

The singer and founder of the band,  Simone Rossetti, has a disconcerting habit of marching off the stage if he isn't singing at that point, like a coke fiend eager for a line. He has two mikes, one at the rear of the stage and one at the front and alternates between them without any visible reason.

His current band consists of Francesco Vaccarezza on drums, Andrea Giustiniani on lead guitars, Valerio De Vittorio on keyboards,  synthesisers & Rossetti's son,  Mattia, on bass, guitars and backing vocals. All extremely competent with Andrea Giustiniani outstanding at times.

Wendy and I would have preferred both halves to be all Genesis songs, we both saw them in the 70s and have happy musical memories.

Try as I might to be fair and even-handed, I can't recommend The Watch.

Kristin Hersh.

Not till October but looking forward to it.

For the past few years I've been to see Soft Machine at Band on the Wall but this year's data coincides with us having a few days in Ambleside. I had a look at the tour dates and coincidentally they are playing Zeffirellis in Ambleside when we are there. My wide firmly declined to accompany me but my 16 year old daughter said she'd come along. I've given her the option of leaving early if she isn't enjoying it but she's already said she'd stay until the end. We'll see...

Also going seeing Hejira, the Joni Mitchel tribute, at BotW on Friday (my birthday :) ). At least I hope I am - I've dropped enough hints to my wife that it would make a good birthday present!

She's always fantastic - love Kristin  :)



I thought about getting tickets for this too - Hejira is hands-down my favourite Joni album. Enjoy your birthday!

Just announced - the two-day Crossroad Guitar Festival, for the first time hosted by my city at the Moody Center, late September!

Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend (!), and a host of luminaries. Can’t wait, and will try to attend both days.

A busy few weeks ahead. The Daintees, Fairport and Steeleye at Lowther Pavilion in Lytham, Henning Wehn and Chris McCausland in Blackpool, Jason Isbell and John Hiatt in Manchester, and Pet Shop Boys/Scissor Sisters at Lytham Festival.

Just bought tickets for Lindisfarne (last seen when I was at university in 1985) at Exmouth, and for Steeleye Span and for Kate Rusby, both in Exeter.

The first Burslem Urban Rock Festival will take place on May 25 at The Lemmy Plaza near to the Lemmy statue. The statue is absolutely wonderful, easily the best statue I've ever seen, worth a visit on its own.

The current line up are really good. Only Rod Clements from the original line up. But the others, particularly Dave Hull-Denholm (Alan Hull's son in law) are great musicians.

The Swamp Stomp String Band tonight followed by Fairport on Tuesday and Lindisfarne, a week today. That'll do nicely!

There were some odd things going on with Upcoming Gigs, so I split the topic this morning and left this year's contributions.

Let me know of any issues from hereon.