All profits to St Michael’s Hospice.

Tickets £10 including a buffet supper. Tickets direct from Falcon hotel on 01885 483034 or call in to reception. More here.

Just had following email from a gentleman looking for advice regarding concertinas. If anyone can help please make contact  – his email is at the bottom.

Hi Tony

I am thinking of taking up the concertina, mainly for reenactment purposes, and have little musical talent – just looking for something portable to carry around, and perhaps sometimes do basic accompaniment for folk songs and shanties. It needs to look reasonably authentic for the C19th so I was thinking of a wooden body. Some of the prices for authentic antique models look frightening, and I couldn’t justify that to myself or my bank manager, so I was looking at modern wooden concertinas up to maybe £200, and have a few in mind that I would like to discuss with someone who knows what they are talking about.

Do you know if anyone locally plays and might be willing to give me a few pointers on reasonably priced entry-level instruments? I would welcome a chance to compare English and Anglo models and their relative merits for a beginner, for example. The only one I have ever had in my hands was a Chinese Anglo, but the appearance would not be any good for reenactment, and of course I had no idea how to get a tune out of it.

I live near Weobley, and work in the Bromyard area, so could come along to a session almost anywhere in the county if one is being played.

Thanks in advance, John Powell

If you want to set up a meet with John at one of our sessions then please let me know and I’ll make arrangements.

Dave Haig’s carrot! Although this carrot is very large it’s still just a baby, less than a year old, so last Sunday was its first outing. Dave is normally found with his 12-string in one hand and a pint of HPA in the other but this time he was fully occupied holding his great big ‘un. Rumour has it he has a giant pear to go with it!

What will he bring with him tonight? Come along to the Rose & Lion at 8.30pm, 18th December, to find out.

And for serious carrot fans here’s a close up, with full graphic detail:

It would be great if you could come and if you could give me an idea if you can make it that would help ensure the Falcon only do twice as much food as required.

And if you can’t make it and I don’t bump into you in the next week then let me wish you a real good ‘un for the coming festivities.

The good news is they are playing at the Lion Ballroom in Leominster from 8.00pm on Saturday 17th December 2011. They are supported by Miriam Backhouse and tickets are jsut £10 on the door or inadvance from Gill’s Gifts, Buttercross Arcade, Leominster, 01568 611588.

I’ll be going and this is really a night not to be missed! For those who don’t know Loxley here’s a brief bio:

Loxley are Sally Stamford, Arthur Hyde and John Eyre.

Loxley have had a very busy year entertaining at folk clubs and festivals all over the country, from Devon to Derbyshire, West Wales to Leicestershire and places in between. December is the month for them to stay at home in Herefordshire and concentrate on finishing their much requested CD. The Lion Ballroom on 17th December is a rare opportunity to see them locally.

“Loxley are a harmonic, contemporary, progressive folk trio who have a collection of songs and music that is beguiling, intriguing. If Loxley were a book, we understand, it would be one far from easy to put down. The material sweeps and sways – most gently – from traditional influence to contemporary folk, from the 16th century to 21st century. ” Folk on the Lawn Music Festival

“Loxley – the Robin Hoods of folk music, robbing from their amazing skills and repertoire to give us their music and songs – delivered with such wonderful harmonies and infectious joy, we never want them to stop.” Miriam Backhouse

Also, from South Africa, including in her 2011 four month tour of Britain, is Miriam Backhouse. Folk song fans in Herefordshire will remember Miriam, who played a significant role in the folk revival, appearing at most of the Folk Clubs and Festivals of the in the 70s, including Edinburgh and Cambridge, with acclaim from all the leading critics of the day. Miriam’s interpretation of traditional and modern folk songs are unique, and her ability to lead a Folk audience into chorus singing, particularly, ‘Keys of Canterbury’ at Cambridge Folk Festival 1976, is the stuff of legends.

So it’s great to see them getting a really prestigious gig just before Christmas supporting the legendary John Kirkpatrick in Worcester. Details below (thanks to JT for these):

Wednesday 21^st. December at 8-00pm : John Kirkpatrick’s Carolling and Crumpets Show at The Huntingdon Hall WR1 3LD. Guest support act – Granny’s Attic.

Tickets – £12.00. Additional info at : www.worcesterlive.co.uk
Box office telephone : 01905 611 427

Granny’s Attic is a local folk trio from Worcester with band members Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, George Sansome and Lewis Wood. Full details at : www.grannysattic.org.uk

This will be the 5th year in succession that Bromyard musicians, involved in the town’s regular pub sessions, put on a concert appearance for early arrivals for the Folk Festival and regular supporters in the town.

Music starts at 8.00 pm prompt and runs through till 11.30 with a terrific range of local talent. All are welcome but get there early as the music will start at 8.00 prompt and a large audience is expected.

Guests include:

Kiwi’s Fiddle
Young local 4-piece band playing mainly traditional Irish. Melodeon, fiddle, flute, whistle, guitar, bodhran, vocals.

The Broken Brothers
Dave Evans and Francis Budden playing Dave’s and Francis’s own songs plus bluegrass-tinged standards.

Granny’s Attic
Young 3-piece band featuring multi-instrumentalist Cohen Kilcoyne plus George and Lewis. Fiddle, concertina, melodeon, mandoline, guitar and vocals.

Pete & Stevie Geoghegan
Bromyard’s best known folk music couple featuring Stevie’s wonderful singing and whistle playing with Pete’s guitar and mandola accompanying. Old friends to many festival visitors.

Loxley
Sally Stamford’s excellent 3-piece featuring Arthur Hyde (guitar, bazaar, uke and vocals), John Eyre (guitar and vocals) and Sally Stamford (shakey egg and vocals). Interesting songs with outstanding harmonies.

Tony Burt & the Bromyard Sessions Big Band
Currently recording Tony’s album of self-penned songs, “Devil’s Diamond”, this 7-piece band produce a big sound featuring Tony Burt on guitar and vocals, Dave Haigh second guitar, Dave Evans lead guitar, Jim Rolt double bass, Mark Lewis bodhran, Aly May whistles and the ubiquitous Cohen Kilcoyne on concertina, melodeon and fiddle.

There will be John Silver’s normal array of real ales from Wye Valley and Brains and all set in the atmospheric surroundings of the Falcon Mews.