Welcome to the Dreamers Newsletter in the week of the Club’s 25th Anniversary.
Many things have changed over the last 25 years. Few of us were around for the early nights so we’ll all have different memories of different venues and different evenings not to mention the range of characters who all contributed to getting the Club going and keeping it going for a quarter of a century. Unfortunately we’ve not been able to get to the Club in recent weeks (though definitely plan to do so this coming Sunday) but, as I understand it, we are asked to bring and share our own memories so that should be an evening to look forward to – nostalgia, laughter and some great performances.
Of course, covid forced many changes upon us including this Newsletter which was original intended to enable us to keep in touch in those days in 2020 when we had no idea when or if we would be able to meet again. Now it’s become more a way of publicising upcoming events whether live or online. Dreamers online was another new venture, originally “watch parties” organised by Sue and Rob Ford, and then moving into the zoom format. Once the Club reopened, we changed this to the “Cornish Zoom Folk Club”, meeting monthly on a Saturday rather than weekly on Sundays.
Whilst many prefer the live format, the Zoom itself changed so that the attendance now is UK wide with regular visits from performers all round the world. A good few of them – like Bruce and Jill Watson and Nerida Cuddy, from Australia, have visited the Club. Other Clubs opened zoom sessions but, whilst a number have faded, the Cornish session goes from strength to strength. Next one is on Saturday 22nd March.
Times do, indeed, change but this Sunday at Dreamers will be a good opportunity to celebrate the past.
A couple who do incredible work to kept the traditions alive are Sam and Eleanor Simmons (also past visitors to our Zoom) with Folk Life UK and it’s various editions. You might be particularly interested in a contribution by Lamorna Spry about the tradition and songs of Cornish hurling in the latest edition of the “Traditions” journal (www.folklife-traditions.uk).
A couple of events coming up on line on Live to Your Living Room
· On Monday (17th March, 8.00) Boff Whalley, musician, author and one of the founding members of the anarcho-punk band Chumbawamba and Commoners Choir introduces “Life Isn’t Like That, Is It?”, a new collection of stories, stories about real lives, real people, and real life. Stuttering, wayward, disjointed, funny, ridiculous, and unplanned. Boff Whalley | Online Gig | Live To Your Living Room
· And on Friday (21st March at 7.45), there’s a hybrid gig from Bristol’s Downend Folk and Roots featuring the Rosie Hood Band, traditional English songs, as well as original material, touching on nature, human struggle, women’s voices and unheard stories. The Rosie Hood Band | Online Gig | Live To Your Living Room
That’s all for now, look forward to seeing you for the Birthday celebrations on Sunday.
Nigel