During the pandemic and until we feel comfortable to return to normal, Dreamers meets as a live Zoom session starting at our usual time of 7.30 p.m. on Sundays. As always, we welcome visitors and MCs will do their best to make sure everyone who wants gets at least one contribution. Priority is given to those regulars and friends who have supported us through the pandemic. For more details please contact ntmorson@aol.com or DM the Dreamers Facebook page. As soon as we can, we’ll announce our return to normal on this website and Fb.
Friday 18th June 2021
Welcome to this week’s Dreamer’s Newsletter, rather long I’m afraid.
As everyone will have seen, covid rates have increased substantially in Cornwall in the wake of the school holidays and the G7 and the planned relaxation of the rules affecting how we might re-start the live club has been delayed at least until the end of July. We’ll simply have to keep an eye on developments but as always would welcome views and comments from you all. We heard from Neil and Kay that their club in Scotland won’t be reopening until September at the earliest. It would be interesting to hear, particularly from those who run or regularly go to clubs elsewhere, to hear what they are planning. For now, the zoom sessions continue – it’s not ideal but we do get lots of lovely people and music (and some good laughs) so thanks for your continued support.
A reminder to have the occasional look at www.folklife.uk which has a huge range of news of the folk world. Looking at the latest email from them, it’s obviously difficult trying to keep up with plans, (re-)opening dates, cancellations, links to virtual events and so on with regulations which keep changing. So full marks for all their efforts to keep us in the picture.
This weekend we should, of course, be gathering in the pubs and other venues in Falmouth for the Shanty Festival. Sadly, it has to be virtual – starting at 6.00 p.m. this Saturday, 19th June. Links to facebook and youtube are at Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival (falmouthseashanty.co.uk) The virtual evening will be presented by Betty Stogs, John Warren, and Richard Gates, Falmouth Town Manager, and the rousing event will take place in the Cornwall Channel Studios. It offers a selection of live and pre-recorded performances, alongside competitions, fabulous footage of Falmouth from 3Deep Aerial, and in true shanty tradition, will raise money for the Sea Shanty’s chosen charity, the RNLI and for future festivals.
Starting rather later, at 8.30 p.m. the same evening, there’s a traditional Irish singing session with Kevin Conneff who joined the legendary Irish folk group, The Chieftains, as long ago as 1976. The host for the evening is Macdara Yeates, a traditional singer, composer and producer who has toured internationally as a solo performer and with the folk ensemble Skippers Alley. This is also a virtual event, inviting traditional singers to join and share songs from the floor. It’s planned to be a monthly event on the third Saturday of each month. They ask you to pre-book if you want to perform but otherwise its free – links at:-Traditional Irish Singing Session on Saturday, 19th of June 2021 | Seamus Ennis Arts Centre (tseac.ie)
And, as if that wasn’t enough to choose from, the Scottish traditional music site Hands up for Trad have a wonderful line-up for this Saturday’s ceilidh hosted by Joy Dunlop. Performers are Arthur Cormack, Iain Cormack, Eilidh Cormack, Ruaraidh Cormack, Paddy Callaghan, Becky Hill & Graham Rory. The event will start at 7.30pm. It’s at (20+) Hands Up for Trad – Posts | Facebook
Looking further ahead, the Show of Hands website (Show of Hands) now has details of over 5 hours of music from Abbotsbury Gardens on Saturday 5th July. In the afternoon, Phil and Steve will perform as a duo and there will also be specially filmed sets from Ranagri, Gerry Colvin and Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage. The evening set sees Show of Hands joined by Martyn Joseph, also with Miranda Sykes and Cormac Byrne for the full Show of Hands band sound.
The changed date for relaxing restrictions just adds to Festival Organisers problems of course. Extracts from an email from Cornwall Folk Festival just received:-
The new July 19th date still leaves almost five weeks to the start of the festival. So we are confident that we can put on all the festival largely as planned — seven indoor concerts, and three days of outdoor music during the day at the FAR stage and in the streets of host town Wadebridge. The one area out of our control are sessions in the local pubs. The Ship’s new management are keen to be involved, but are unable to host any sessions this year, and The Swan is unsure, concerned about the viability of indoor live music in August for their business. So we will see how the pubs we use feel nearer the time, and what the general advice is from the government. We are also holding fire for now on any workshops.
The Festival has special plans to celebrate Harry Glasson’s birthday – more about that next week.
We really enjoyed the Friday sing at the Keith Festival last weekend but we missed what was apparently a special treat later – (47) Keith TMSA Virtual Festival 2021 – Maggie Adamson & Arthur Nicholson – YouTube Sounds like some brilliant playing.
Enough for now, we look forward to another cracking evening on zoom on Sunday – don’t forget the link isn’t always the same so look out for the message with this week’s, probably on Saturday. Until then, all the best and keep safe.
Nigel