The new feature for Unicorn Folk starting this month is an ‘Album Of The Month’ and the first such accolade goes to Bird In The Belly for their new album Only Dogs As Friends which was released on October 30th. The aim for the new feature is to name a new album each month that is particularly worthy of a listen and to provide 2 or 3 sample tracks which can be easily listened to on Unicorn Folk by clicking on the album cover. The choice for this first month wasn’t difficult as Bird In The Belly have been a favourite band of mine for a while and I had already written a review of the album, their fourth, which I think is possibly their best yet. Subsequent choices may be more difficult but I will be interested to see where this goes.
Phil Beer was a highly popular attraction at Royston Folk Live last week and delivered an entertaining set which I imagine will be enjoyed by Cambridge Folk Club where he appears on 13th November. Amongst numerous other attractions coming up in the near future are Bob Fox & Stu Luckley at Hitchin Folk Club on Sunday 8th followed by Track Dogs on the 22nd; Granny’s Attic and Blazin’ Fiddles appear on the 12th & 15th at The Stables, Milton Keynes, whilst the latter appear at The Apex, Bury St Edmund’s, the following day. On the 18th you will have to choose between Jackie Oates at Ely Folk Club or The Rheingans Sisters at Cambridge Junction which also hosts Elephant Sessions on the 20th November. You will find plenty of other gigs in the area in the latest updated version of the Unicorn Diary amongst the Listings (see top menu) on the main Unicorn Folk website.
I also see that tickets are already on sale for Fairport Convention’s Winter Tour starting February 23rd at The Stables in Milton Keynes and also for their 60th Anniversary Tour from May 24th – 27th covering Perth, Manchester, Birmingham and London venues. Here’s a link to the Gigs and Tours section of the Fairport website where you can purchase tickets.
An interesting album and very appropriate for Remembrance Sunday which is almost upon us is one that was released back in July. The War Is Over by Phil Odgers, the singer and songwriter for the legendary folk-punk band The Men They Couldn’t Hang and John Kettle the guitarist and songwriter for festival folk rock favourites Merry Hell, The album is a tribute to and contains the songs of Phil Ochs, a major singer-songwriter throughout the 60s and into the 70s and appeared briefly in the UK Folk Album charts in September. You can hear two tracks from the album on the new edition of Filby’s Folk, Show 121, which catches up with a lot of new releases, one or two of which have also graced the UK Folk Album Charts.
Pete Nutkins from Watford Folk Club has responded to a comment in my last blog on 27 October on Crookes Folk Club closing down. Pete reported that in speaking to other club organisers and guest artists it seems that singarounds are reasonably well attended while guest nights not so much. He also remarked that there are many excellent young performers playing around the clubs but their peers don’t come to see them despite festivals having excellent attendance from that age group. I agree that there are lots of good young performers around whose music I try and play on Filby’s Folk but it does seem difficult to get younger people into folk clubs. Good to hear though that Watford Folk Club is holding its own and has recently welcomed some new younger members and like Pete I hope that things will improve soon.
I’m also grateful to Pete because his response has highlighted the fact that I had not allowed comments on the main Unicorn Folk website blog and I have now hopefully changed that so please keep those comments coming in or air a view that you think is important. You can also email your views or comments to info@unicornfolk.uk.
Finally, I recently saw the announcement that Sam Harper has been elected as the new Squire of Letchworth Morris and in doing so makes a little bit of history as the first female Squire in the side’s history. Bath City Morris were members of the Morris Ring when I danced with them back in the 70s but rather frowned upon because we had a women’s side trained by the legendary Betty Reynolds. Good to see more women assume their rightful and I believe also their traditional place in Morris circles, so congratulations and good luck Sam!