Welcome to this week’s Dreamers Newsletter as we head into the merry month of May with lots of Festivals and similar events to look forward to over the next few months. Let’s hope that the weather smiles on them all.
The arrival of the latest edition of Folk Life magazine (of which copies should be at Dreamers shortly) (folklife.uk – This issue online) is a reminder of how much there is going on all around the country. Nearer home, we have the Falmouth Shanty Festival (https://www.falmouthseashanty.co.uk/) from 17th to 19th June, Sidmouth International Festival (The Sidmouth Folk Festival – 29th July – 5th August 2022) and the Cornwall Folk Festival (Cornwall Folk Festival – Brings Folk’s Best To Cornwall; Showcases Cornwall to the World!) over the August Bank Holiday weekend from 26th to 29th August. And there are also other traditional events, starting with the Padstow Obby Oss at the very beginning of May. Folk Life is a fantastic resource about folk music and events – well done to Sam and Eleanor for producing it. And also to John Tremaine for all the work which goes into Folk in Cornwall (Folk In Cornwall Magazine)
Last Saturday’s Cornish Zoom Folk Club was another busy evening with performers from all over and some great new (to me at least) songs and just enough time for everyone who wanted to have two offerings. The next session is on 28th May (always 4th Saturday). It was interesting to read contributions in Folk Life from both Dave Mason and Mark Dowding about how zoom sessions have added to opportunities to share good music across the world, how the early technical difficulties have been overcome and how many sessions have been continued in some form even as clubs reopen. Both Dave and Mark have been to our zoom sessions and Mark told us he is planning a visit to Cornwall in late May/early June and hopes to visit Dreamers – look out for him, a great performer.
Tomorrow night, Pete Grassby hosts his own on-line session, now called “Pete Grassby’s Alternate Friday singaround’. Its on alternate Fridays from 7.45 and the link is 87338821694 password 115009
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87338821694?pwd=UGJDMW1VcnhuOEtjdTV0RUE5ZGZTUT09
Pete is hoping to manage this from Upton Folk Festival where he’s appearing.
Just one new online event to mention this week with Lisa Knapp whose latest album is very appropriately titled “Till April is Dead – A Garland of May Songs”, apparently the result of her fascination with the traditional practices erupting across the UK during the month of May. Field recordings – birdsong, ticking clocks, church bells, street sounds and engines – are woven into an array of traditional folk songs via a plethora of acoustic instruments to create an exhilarating and immersive trip through traditional rituals relating to May. On Monday 2nd May at 8.00 – Lisa Knapp | Online Gig | Live to Your Living Room
Finally, I’m looking to reduce my commitments and concentrate on fewer things so I can do them properly so I’m looking for someone from Dreamers or elsewhere in Cornwall to take over the role of correspondent for Folk Life. So if you could do it or know someone who might please get in touch and I’ll talk through what’s involved – its not alarming (honest!).
That’s all for this week.
All the best to everyone
Nigel