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.

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.

The Longest Johns-Pieces Of Eight. I have become well and truly hooked on this group in recent months. They tick a lot of the right boxes for me-great singing and song selection, with a healthy dose of humour. This album contains a string of EP's last year with 24 tracks. There are some really strong versions  of some nautical standards-South Australia, Ye Mariners All, Leave Her Johnny, John Kanaka, coupled with some lesser known ones-Paddy Lay Back, Roll Alabama and Doggerbank. For all the sense of humour and little ad libs in some songs, they deliver other strongs with nothing but hearty singing and wonderful harmonies-Cadgwith Anthem, Lowlands, Padstow Drinking Song. The one that really highlights their serious side is The Wreck Of The Dandenong, which is quite simply stunning. Definitely recommend.

#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.