Hi
After the previous two busy Sundays, it was perhaps not surprising that last Sunday was a quieter gathering, still enough regulars to make a good evening. I hope nobody fell foul of the police car which was said to be lurking on the Redruth road – we didn’t see it so perhaps it had moved on to easier pickings than well-behaved Dreamers!
This Sunday we have our final guests of 2025 in Janie Meneely and Rob van Sante. Janie is a singer/songwriter, born and raised on the Chesapeake Bay on the eastern seaboard of the US. Her music ranges from the raucous ruminations of ne’er-do-well mermaids to more thoughtful ballads about the people who make a living “working” the water. Clear vocals and subtle guitar accompaniment are almost always framed by choruses the audience can join in with which should work well at Dreamers. She’s been touring with Rob since 2016 with Janie providing lyrics for Rob’s melodies and vice versa. They now live in Whitby on the North Sea.
After this we have singers nights, the Dreamers Christmas party on 14th December and seasonal songs on 21st December before our first guests of 2026, on 4th January, in a return visit from Baldricks Plan, well-known to many of us and a great way to start the new year.
Also on 21st December but at 4.00 so giving time for those with enough stamina to come on to Dreamers, Devoran Acoustic Sessions at the Village Hall feature Miranda Sykes and Jim Causley celebrating the festive season with West Country carols, medieval and secular carols from around the British Isles, moving settings of Christmas poems by Cornish poet Charles Causley as well as a choice selection of seasonal songs by contemporary songwriters. Tickets from Devoran Acoustic Sessions presents Miranda Sykes & Jim Causley – Midwinter Tour – Visit Truro
Roger Strange has asked me to mention that the Gillespie Brothers are at Roselidden Farm, a community centre near Helston (TR13 0PT) on 17th November (7.00 for 7.30). Highly recommended – to book a seat contact Jos joshadfield@gmail.com and Sophie sophie@gearmill.org (there’s a suggested donation of £10
Online our own Cornish Zoom Folk Club has it’s last pre-Christmas session on Saturday 22nd November – there will be a December session on 27th December.
Also online, tomorrow, Friday 14th November at 8.00, Live to Your Living Room has Tamesas, a London-based female folk trio (Tamesas is apparently the Brythonic Celtic word for Thames). The group carries a wealth of musical experience, from Somerset to Orkney and everywhere in between. Tamesas consists of Emmie Ward (flute and tenor uke), Kate Jones (fiddle), and Aimée Leonard (bodhran). Buy tickets – Tamesas – Zoom
And, the next Friday, 21st November at 7.45, the same site has a hybrid gig fromDownend Folk & Roots at Christ Church Downend, near Bristol. This is a double bill with Peter Knight and John Spiers, two-thirds of the talented Gigspanner Big Band, superbly skilled at taking traditional folk and classical music and making it their own. Peter and John will be supported by past Dreamers guests Fly Yeti Fly, a duo specialising in warm, quirky folk with a late-60s twist.Buy tickets – Knight & Spiers + Fly Yeti Fly – Zoom
That’s all for now, hope to see you on Sunday for Janie Meneely and Rob van Sante
All the best
Nigel