Welcome to this week’s Dreamers Newsletter.
Two weeks ago, we welcomed lots of performers and friends from Bodmin Folk Club to Dreamers. It was a great evening with a packed house, lots of good music and chat and a fine spread. Judging from their web-site, they enjoyed it as much as we did – “shared a great evening with Dreamers Folk Club at Four Lanes. Huge thanks to all at Dreamers, for their warm and friendly welcome, generous hospitality and varied and talented performances.” Thanks to the 15 folk from Bodmin who braved the wild weather, and, especially to the MCs, Bodmin’s Ian Shevill and our own Ruth Beretta. We look forward to the next joint evening.
Anyone who thought the next Sunday might be an anti-climax would, happily, have been proved wrong by another good evening with lots of performers and (just as important) folk who had just come to listen. Thanks to all for that evening as well. This coming Sunday, November 9th is another singers night and that will be followed by our final guests of 2025 in Janie Meneeely and Rob van Sante – more of them next week. Then it won’t be long until all the Christmas festivities.
Last week we heard the sad news that our good friend Peter Wray had passed away, A fine singer, musician and interpreter of traditional songs, Peter played with many other performers, not least Alistair Brown and Baldricks Plan, and gave lots of pleasure to lots of people. He’ll be very much missed. I’m sure lots of us will want to go to his funeral which is at Camborne Crematorium at 2.00 p.m. on Friday 21st November. A musical event is also being arranged – details not yet fixed. I also understand that Baldricks Plan, in its latest line-up, will be at Dreamers in January.
The Old Ale House in Truro is holding its first shanty weekend this coming weekend – 7th to 9th November. Performers include our good friends Flash Jack (from 5.00 to 7.00 on Saturday). Tomorrow (Friday) features Pirates of St Piran at 8.30. There’s a bit more info at Old Ale House Seashanty Festival, 7 Quay Street, TR1 2HD Truro, United Kingdom, 7 November to 9 November | AllEvents but I gather The Oggymen have had to cancel – it looks as though Will Keating and friends are standing in on Saturday evening.
Speaking of shanties, I’ve mentioned the excellent Folk Life magazine and web-sites several times before. The latest edition of their FolkLife Traditions Journal arrived recently and features a long article by Jim Mageean on “The Black Origins of Sea Shanties”. There’s also an article by Lamorna Spry about the piskies in the cellar (“St Picrous Night”) and plenty more besides. I’ll bring the paper magazine along on Sunday but it can also be found through www.folklife.uk.i
Online it’s a quieter week with nothing much from Live to Your Living Room this week (but plenty more after that, for next week’s Newsletter). The next Cornish Zoom Folk Club is on November 22nd. Quite apart from the live Folk Clubs, sessions and other events locally, there are plenty of active online zoom sessions giving the opportunity to hear performers who you wouldn’t normally get to hear and to make new friends, all from your own home. Just let me know if you would like more information or if you know of someone who can’t get out so easily and would still like to join one of these sessions.
That’s all for this week, hope to see you on Sunday at Dreamers
All the best
Nigel