West Midlands region (ex Herefs-Worcs)

Above, left: Nuneaton Folk Club
Page-header & above, right: Black Diamond Folk Club: 50th Birthday celebrations: John Crane in front of the backdrop he created. Photo: © Derek Catley, 2014

Keep in touch with

A form for new Folklife members, and/or for Folklife Newsletter

DATA POLICY (opt-in, opt-out), please see Data webpage
NEW permissions only (so if any changes, please email instead)

**Copies of pages from FW, Folklife West print magazine**

The NEWS PAGES below, from our members, cover: --- ➀ Venues --- ➁ Performers   --- ➂ Media   --- ➃ Services.
Other information is on other FW print pages, and on our other websites:
--- for ➄ Festivals, adverts and fully-detailed diary listings - see our Folklife's Directory website, Festival Diary pages
--- for ➅ Workshops, adverts and fully-detailed diary listings - see our Folklife's Directory website, Workshop Diary pages
--- for ➆ Folklife Societies, ➇ Folklife Studies & Institutions, ➈ Seasonal Celebrations - see our Folklife Traditions website
  We're always glad to hear from enthusiasts who would like to join us … posted magazine (3 per year), news for up to 200 words for each of your news items! Membership is £16 a year UK, see Info webpage

‡‡ 2020, Sept-Dec.   Zoom listings: anyone (non-members) on our Newsletter mailing list (sign up above!) can also send in, free

Correspondents

Bob Bignell, Bromsgove Folk Club & Festival,
our Correspondent for
South Birmingham & Nearby

Malc Gurnham, Bedworth Folk Club,
our Correspondent for
Warwickshire with Coventry

Paul Bryan, Bagman,
The Traditional Ilmington Morris Men;
Shifting Sunday Sessions.
New column, Cotswold Folk (South Warks & nearby), from Jan 2020

West Midlands: news pages & summary listings below
You can also download a PDF (see on right)

midlands-65.pdf
File Size:	4395 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

We're always glad to hear from enthusiasts who would like to join us !

Our printed SUMMARY list of our Members is here replaced, by a handy ONLINE VERSION - that is, with live WEBLINKS in blue

Below: we print, & copy here online, the 1st lines of our fully-detailed online Directory listings

FULL DETAILS for each listing, in our ONLINE DIRECTORY webpage : WEST MIDLANDS region

* RED: new/revised listings (= since last FW), details confirmed √ * GREEN: new/revised listings, TBC

West Midlands Members: VENUES

DAY VARIES
Day Varies    Warks RUGBY   RUGBY LIBRARY GIGS   www.warwickshire.gov.uk/rugbylibrary Call centre 0300 555 8171
Day Varies Warks NUNEATON NUNEATON LIBRARY GIGS www.warwickshire.gov.uk/nuneatonlibrary Call centre 0300 555 8171
SUNDAY
1st Sun Warks ILMINGTON SHIFTING SUNDAY SESSION:   HOWARD ARMS www.sessionfolk.blogspot.com Pub 01608 682226
2nd Sun, alt.mths   B’ham MOSELEY SCANDI MUSIC SESSIONS    www.tradartsteam.co.uk Trad. Arts Team   0121 247 3856
2nd Sun Warks LOWER QUINTON SHIFTING SUNDAY SESSION: THE COLLEGE ARMS www.sessionfolk.blogspot.com Pub 01789 720066
3rd Sun       B’ham MOSELEY   TRADITIONAL MUSIC SESSION   www.tradartsteam.co.uk   Trad. Arts Team 0121 247 3856
3rd Sun Warks TEMPLE GRAFTON   SHIFTING SUNDAY SESSION: THE BLUE BOAR www.sessionfolk.blogspot.com Pub    01789 750010
4th Sun Glos ................................... SHIFTING SUNDAY SESSION: 4th Sun see GLOS webpage
5th Sun varies VARIES   SHIFTING SUNDAY SESSION: VENUE VARIES  www.sessionfolk.blogspot.com Paul Bryan 07711 121210
WEDNESDAY
1st Wed B’ham MOSELEY   TALES & ALES STORY SESSION   www.tradartsteam.co.uk Trad. Arts Team    07946 718286
1st Wed, afternoon Warks ATHERSTONE FOLK AT THE LION   www.facebook.com/AtherstoneRedLionHotel Phillip Benson 01827 711514
1st Wed Warks NUNEATON   NUNEATON FOLK CLUB   https://blackparrotseaside.weebly.com Geoff
2nd Wed   B’ham MOSELEY POLITICAL SONG SESSION         www.tradartsteam.co.uk Trad. Arts Team 07946 718286
2nd, 4th Wed Warks BEDWORTH   BEDWORTH FOLK CLUB www.bedworthfolkclub.co.uk Malc Gurnham 024 7634 5568
3rd Wed Warks ATHERSTONE ATHERSTONE FOLK CLUB  www.atherstonefolkclub.org.uk Phillip Benson 01827 711514
3rd Wed B’ham KINGS HEATH BIRMINGHAM STORYTELLING CAFÉ     www.tradartsteam.co.uk   Trad. Arts Team 07946 718286
THURSDAY
Wkly   Thu Walsall PELSALL COMMONFOLK FOLK CLUB googlesites/commonfolk   Steve & Margaret   01922 685568
1st Thu      B’ham MOSELEY TRADITIONAL SONG SESSION www.tradartsteam.co.uk Trad. Arts Team 0121 247 3856
2nd, 4th Thu B’ham MOSELEY MOSELEY VILLAGE BAND        www.tradartsteam.co.uk Trad. Arts Team 0121 443 5687
2nd, 4th Thu Warks STUDLEY Make & Play HAMMERED DULCIMER Practice Nights  http://dulcimer.org.uk Sally Whytehead 01527 64229
FRIDAY
Wkly   Fri B’ham HIGHGATE BLACK DIAMOND FOLK SONG CLUB   http://blackdiamondfolkclub.org.uk Paul Ryan 0121 357 7326
Wkly   Fri Staffs TAMWORTH   TAMWORTH FOLK CLUB www.tamworthfolkclub.co.uk   Contact:   see website
SATURDAY
1st Sat Worcs, nr B’ham    ALVECHURCH    ALVECHURCH FRENCH DANCE & MUSIC www.tradartsteam.co.uk Trad. Arts Team    ........................

West Midlands Members: PERFORMERS

FOLK MUSIC & SONG
Pf.1a   Folk Music & Song - Bands / Groups
Staffs   MITRE’S WELL https://mitreswell.wordpress.com Contact: see website
Staffs   THE ANKER VALLEY BOYS   www.ankervalleyboys.co.uk Contact via website form
Warks   NUNC/DRUNKMONKEY   https://blackparrotseaside.weebly.com/nunc--druncmonkey.html Geoff Veasey    ......................
Pf.1b   Folk Music & Song - Duo
B’ham   THE DARING YOUNG MEN   www.chrislowestories.com   Chris Lowe       0121 308 2298
Warks MALC GURNHAM & GILL GILSENAN www.malcandgill.co.uk Malc Gurnham 024 7634 5568
Warks SQUEEZE-BOW HARMONY (no website) Paul Bryan 07711 121210
Pf.1c   Folk Music & Song - Solo
B’ham   CHRIS LOWE www.chrislowestories.com   Chris Lowe   0121 308 2298
W Mids   IAN PITTAWAY www.ipmusic.org.uk Ian Pittaway    07504 269 855
Pf.1e   Shanty Groups, Duos, & Solo
Warks HAWKESBURY TRAWLERMEN    https://blackparrotseaside.weebly.com    Geoff Veasey

DANCE
Pf.2b   Folk Dance Bands
Warks COTTESWOLDE COUNTRY DANCE BAND    (no website) Paul Bryan    07711 121210
Warks GLORISHEARS CEILIDH BAND www.folkfax.net/gshears Malc Gurnham 024 7634 5568
B’ham   MAD MOLL   www.tradartsteam.org.uk/MadMoll Pam Bishop   0121 247 3856
Staffs   THE ANKER VALLEY BOYS   www.ankervalleyboys.co.uk Contact via website form
Pf.2c   Ceremonial & Dance Display (including Clog, Morris, Sword)
Warks THE TRADITIONAL ILMINGTON MORRIS MEN   http://ilmingtonmorrismen.org.uk   Paul Bryan (Bagman) 07711 121210

SPOKEN WORD
Pf.3a Folk Shows & Theatre, Mummers
Coventry COVENTRY MUMMERS www.coventrymummers.org.uk John Havell 02476 672297
Pf.3c   Storytellers
B’ham   CHRIS LOWE   www.chrislowestories.com   Chris Lowe   0121 308 2298
B’ham   GRAHAM LANGLEY   www.storytelling.uk.net Graham Langley   07946 718286
B’ham   SPEAKE AND LOWE www.chrislowestories.com   Chris Lowe   0121 308 2298

West Midlands Members: MEDIA

M.1 ONLINE FOLK MAGAZINES & LISTINGS
Mid-West   ARMANDALEG MUSIC www.armandalegmusic.com Mike Weaver
Shrop;+ elsewhere SABRINAFLU Online Folk Magazine https://sabrinaflu.wordpress.com David Harley 07891 999619
Warwickshire, Coventry FOLKFAX ………………………………… www.folkfax.net Malc Gurnham 024 7634 5568
S/W Mids [+West County, Wales] FOLKLIFE MEMBERS’ ONLINE DIRECTORY www.folklife-directory.uk/Midlands.html Sam 01684 561378
Warks & nearby   COTSWOLD FOLK listings   www.cotswoldfolk.co.uk Paul Bryan    07711 121210
Warks & nearby      SHIFTING SUNDAY SESSIONS listings https://sessionfolk.blogspot.com Paul Bryan    07711 121210
M.2 PRINTED FOLK MAGAZINES & LISTINGS (for Journals, see List 8: Folklife Studies)
And we’re FOLKLIFE WEST www.folklife.uk/central-midlands.html Sam Simmons 01684 561378
⊕ Includes FOLKLIFE TRADITIONS pages, FESTIVAL DIARY; WORKSHOPS DIARY; LISTINGS; plus the usual folk news & some adverts.
M.3 FOLK RADIO
Warks ANKER FOLK www.ankerradio.co.uk Geoff Veasey, Presenter

West Midlands Members: SERVICES
S.1 FOLK JOURNALISTS
Warks   MAC AWE ON TOUR, Folk Journalist and Blogger http://macaweontour.blogspot.co.uk Geoff Veasey
S.2 AGENTS, MANAGERS, PROMOTERS, MCs and STAGE MANAGEMENT
Warks   GEOFF VEASEY ....................................... http://macaweontour.blogspot.co.uk Geoff Veasey
S.3 TECHNICAL: PA & Sound Hire, Engineers, Studios
Warks   FAT SAM MUSIC STUDIO ................... www.fatsammusic.co.uk Malc Gurnham 024 7634 5568
S.4 WEBSITE DESIGN AND SERVICES
Warks FOLKFAX WEB DESIGN ........................ www.folkfax.net/design Malc Gurnham 024 7634 5568
S.7   SHOPS
for FOLK PUBLISHERS (Books, Recordings), BOOKSELLERS ⇒ list 8: Folklife Studies, in our Folklife Traditions Directory, www.folklife-traditions.uk
Birmingham       HOBGOBLIN BIRMINGHAM    www.hobgoblin.com/birmingham    Shop    0121 212 9010
W.Midlands IP MUSIC SHOP   .........................................   www.ipmusic.org.uk    Ian Pittaway

DETAILED LISTINGS  www.folklife-directory.uk/midlands.html  -- our online Members DIRECTORY
⇒ our Membership (only £16 a year! see INFO webpage) includes listings & your publicity & FW posted to you

Ø     Normally, only Folklife members Ø   listed, as we  - er -  need money coming in to keep going.  So if you can spare £16 a year to help . .
‡‡  Exceptionally . . . we now list   ‡‡ others' Zoom sessions, free,  if  you've signed up for our Newsletter mailing list
-------------- List order : first, Day varies; then Sun. to Sat.------------ To avoid spam, we put <at> for @, please revert to @
_________________________________________________________________________________
DAY VARIES; and sessions/concerts with several events on different days
Ø   West Midlands county TRADITIONAL ARTS TEAM – various Zoom sessions.
For security, we are only sending out links by email.  You can sign up to our monthly newsletter from our website tradartsteam.co.uk – enter your email address in the box at the bottom on the left (you may get a message asking you to click on a link to confirm that you want to join).  The newsletter goes out just before the beginning of the month.
All our events are listed in the left hand column of our website tradartsteam.co.uk and include:
* Zoom into Tales and Ales - tradartsteam.co.uk/tales-and-ales.html
* Traditional song session online tradartsteam.co.uk/song-sessions.html
* Zoom into Sing Political! and Sing Political Extra! tradartsteam.co.uk/sing-political.html
* Lockdown Storytelling Cafe tradartsteam.co.uk/About-Storytelling-Cafe.html
WEDNESDAY
Ø   West Midlands county TRADITIONAL ARTS TEAM – various Zoom sessions.
DETAILS please see TOP OF PAGE under Day Varies; and sessions/concerts with several events on different days
INCLUDING
* Zoom into Tales and Ales - 1st Wednesdays
* Zoom into Sing Political!  - 2nd Wednesdays, not August
* Lockdown Storytelling Cafe  - 3rd Wednesdays
‡‡ West Midlands: Walsall WILLENHALL FOLK & ACOUSTIC CLUB zoom sessions, -- Wednesdays weekly, 7.30pm  All Singers, Instrumentalists & Listeners are welcome on a Wednesday evening at 7.30pm. See our Facebook page for details
facebook.com/groups/121048754899613/?ref=bookmarks
Contact Roy Collingwood roy <at>roycollingwood.co.uk
THURSDAY
Ø   West Midlands county TRADITIONAL ARTS TEAM – various Zoom sessions.
DETAILS please see TOP OF PAGE under Day Varies; and sessions/concerts with several events on different days
INCLUDING * Traditional song session online - 1st Thursdays
FRIDAY
‡‡  Staffs PAUL WALKER & KAREN PFEIFFER.   Join us every Friday at 4pm UK time for our "Afternoon Tea with Paul & Karen"! streaming live from our living room in Staffordshire to our Facebook page & our YouTube Channel Get yourself a cup of tea & a scone & join in the music & fun!

Would you like to publicise your Zoom or other virtual session ?   We can draft a listing for you based on your website etc details
To be be added: simply sign up for our free emailed Newsletter Updates webpage [on our folklife.uk website] and then email sam@folklife.uk

Folklife's all-areas list of Zoom sessions etc is on  folklife.uk/virtual-folk.html

FW Deadlines

☞ ● 1 Jan : 19 Nov
☞ ● 1 May : 19 Mar
☞ ● 1 Sep : 19 Jul

Info page (ad rates & membership)

index to all News pages on homepage

TRADITIONAL ARTS TEAM:
Tim Ralphs, storyteller, enchants the audience at Storytelling Café

● we're a non-profit group; to continue, we need your support, by membership or advertising - details foot of page

Members' folk news, West Midlands :
• Shropshire (including Telford & Wrekin)
• West Midlands County : Birmingham & nearby* - currently, Walsall
• nearby Staffs* - currently Tamworth
• Warwickshire with Coventry
from FW, the Folklife West magazine

* West Midlands county - we would welcome enthusiasts from Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, and Wolverhampton.
* Staffordshire: Tamworth - we would be glad to hear from enthusiasts in other parts of Staffordshire.

FW usually has 60 to 64 pages, printed, A4-size.
FW has 3 sections: News & Listings;, as below; also Festival & Workshop Diaries, and Folklife Traditions.
As much as possible - but not everything - will be copied online. It is a print magazine and it's not possible to exactly reproduce it online.
Roughly 2/3rds - the area News & Listings pages - is on this site.

FW is available

by post from Folklife
at the Black Diamond Folk Song Club, Birmingham
at Hobgoblin Music, Birmingham
at the Bedworth Folk Club, Warwickshire
as yet, no FW sales outlets in Shropshire, Staffordshire

and you? FW discounts are available for resellers (6 or more, £2 for £3) - see Info page

Library Reference copy:

Library of Birmingham's Music Library
Solihull Central Library
Coventry Central Library
Nuneaton Music & Drama Library. Warks ***
Rugby Library, Warks *** *** Warwickshire Libraries is a Folklife Member - see Warwickshire Library gigs in news below.

Left:
Tamworth Folk Club logo;
Mitre's Well

Right
The Anker Valley Boys

Staffordshire: the Tamworth area

Member-Festivals.

Not included in the above news-pages download file,
as for latest info, check our Folklife Directory FESTIVAL DIARY
- link to online copy from FW
on www.folklife-directory.uk/festivals.html for ads & detailed listings

April 2020, online
FOLK WEEKEND: OXFORD www.folkweekendoxford.co.uk

July 2020, postponed to 2021
WARWICK FOLK FESTIVAL www.warwickfolkfestival.co.uk

October 2020, postponed to 2021
BANBURY FOLK FESTIVAL www.banburyfolkfestival.co.uk

October 2020, postponed to 2021
NONSUCH ANNUAL WEEKEND http://dulcimer.org.uk/calendar.html
→ DENSTONE, near Uttoxeter, Staffs.

Every Issue, we cover Member-Festivals for the next 12 Months !

• Workshops Diary & Festivals Diary follow the news pages in the printed FW . . . Online, full details are on our Folklife's Directory website

Special note: Folklife West, Nº 65, 1 Sep 2020 Online only!

Therefore, Membership-subscriptions (& prepaid repeat ads) are extended 1 issue (4 months)
• All information below relates to standard 1 year = 3 printed issues;
• this online issue (4 months Sep-Dec) is not counted
See Folklife Newsletter on UPDATES webpage for details

Do join us --- New Members: extended subscription as above - this issue not counted - you get 3 print issues;
if you join now, you can publicise yourself now, be added to Directory, mentioned in UPDATES, etc

We are supporting our Folklife Members, who support Folklife (£16 a year, since you ask).
With recurring costs (websites, domains, email, repairs & upgrades for computers & software)
and no income from May printed magazine sales, we are losing even more money than usual !
Therefore, only listings from our supportive Members are publicised.

West Midlands region​*members' folk news

Permission to hold & use your personal information

Copies of pages from FW, Folklife West print magazine

Correspondents

​West Midlands: news pages & summary listings belowYou can also download a PDF (see on right)