Tag Archives: Guitar

Rachael McShane and the Cartographers on Friday 9 October

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Rachael McShane is a renowned folk singer, cellist, fiddle, and viola player from the North East of England. She gained fame as an original member of the award-winning folk big band Bellowhead, recording five studio albums with them and winning a staggering eight BBC Folk Awards.

Away from Bellowhead, Rachael is the leader of The Cartographers, a band featuring traditional folk and contemporary sounds. The Cartographers have garnered a loyal following thanks to their impressive live performances and critically acclaimed debut album, When All Is Still (Topic Records, 2018). Their latest album Uncharted was released in Spring 2025. “You’re in the presence of something very special … what a voice” (BBC Music).

The evening starts at 7.30 pm. Please reserve tickets by emailing contact[@]norwichfolkclub.net. Prices are £15, and £12 for club members. Bring your own drinks – teas and coffee available in the kitchen, 50p. There is a car park, but latecomers may need to park on Constitution or St Clements Hill or on their adjoining roads.

Local showcase session with guests Paul Gill, John and Pauline Pearce and Adam Clark on Friday 14 August

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We’re looking forward to welcoming local singers Paul Gill, John and Pauline Pearce, and Adam Clark to contribute extended spots at a Norwich Folk Club song session from 7 pm on Friday 14 August. There will also be spots for other local singers during the evening.

Suffolk-based Paul Gill enjoys the challenge of singing unaccompanied with narrative focus and tonal control ‘so simple-seeming and yet profound’.

Paul’s digital album ‘Rigs of the Time’ focuses on unaccompanied traditional folk songs, especially from Norfolk and Suffolk sources.

 

Originally from Surrey and the Mersey, John and Pauline Pearce are now based in East Anglia. They enjoy writing songs based in real events, telling stories of real people and places. Inspiration for their tunes often comes from British or American traditional music.

 

Musician and singer Adam Clark grew up in a musical family. He has enjoyed performing, recording and writing with various bands in many international genres. These days, as a solo artist, his focus is on folk music that originates closer to home.

Adam is interested in the ways that music, people and place intertwine in music that explores themes of our relationship to the natural world, our land and each other – traditional British and Irish songs and tunes that continue to speak to generation after generation.

The evening begins at 7 pm. Entry is free, but we appreciate cash contributions of £5 towards our costs. It would also be helpful if you could let us know that you are planning to come along, to give an idea of numbers – see our future events page for contact details. Bring your own drinks. Teas and coffee available in the kitchen, 50p.

Tania Opland and Mike Freeman on Friday 5 June

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Tania Opland and Mike Freeman have been touring the world together for over 25 years with a unique and eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary material from many cultures – songs in several languages, and acoustic music presented with wit and style and played on more instruments than any sane duo would travel with.

Featuring hammered dulcimer, guitar, mandolin, recorders, cittern, violin, Native American flute, ocarina, hurdy-gurdy, an assortment of percussion and whatever else they might have picked up on their travels, their shows are guaranteed to provide an evening of great music and entertainment for all, especially those seeking something a little off the beaten track.

Mike’s irreverent sense of humour and Tania’s stunning vocals provide the springboard for a rollercoaster ride across several continents and back again.

The evening starts at 7.30 pm. For more info and booking instructions, see our Future Events page.

Arthur Coates and Kerran Cotterell on Friday 6 February

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Arthur Coates & Kerran Cotterell are a two-man trad tornado tearing through the folk world with foot percussion,
fiddle, guitar, vocals, and groove to spare. Mixing Scottish and English roots with modern flair, they deliver
foot-stomping tunes, rich harmonies, and cheek and charm.

Whether in a village hall or a festival field, their shows radiate connection and joy. Winners of the Robinson Emerging Artist Showcase at Canada’s Goderich Celtic
Roots Festival, they’re fast becoming one of the scene’s most talked-about acts. Their upcoming album Controlled Burn turns tradition sideways – storytelling with soul, and grooves that smoulder, spark, and occasionally catch fire.

Reserve your tickets by checking the contact info on our ‘Future events‘ page.

Jackie Oates and Mike Cosgrave on Friday 10 October

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Jackie Oates is a folk singer, song-writer and musician. A central figure in English traditional music, Jackie is regarded as one of the country’s best loved folk performers. Her 8th solo studio album, Gracious Wings, took flight in September 2022, receiving acclaim from the music press both within and beyond the folk genre.

In the 14 years since her iconic coming of age album Hyperboreans, Jackie has continued to build her large and varied following, write her own material, include surprising covers into her albums and breathe new life into the traditional gems she unearths.

Jackie collaborates with a diverse array of artists. She was a member of The Imagined Village with Eliza & Martin Carthy and Billy Bragg among others; the band performed at festivals in 2022 including Beautiful Days. In Norwich, Jackie will be accompanied by Mike Cosgrave (piano, accordion, guitar).

Let us know if you would like tickets (£15 non-members, £12 club members), by emailing via our contact page. Bring your own drinks – teas and coffee available in the kitchen.

Georgia Shackleton Trio on Friday 5 September

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Captivating songwriting and fiery tunes that combine mandolin, fiddle, guitar and banjo with powerful three-part harmonies. The unmistakable sound of The Georgia Shackleton Trio brings to life the stories of their native East Anglia, and beyond.

The trio features Georgia Shackleton (fiddle, vocals), Aaron Bennett (guitar) and Nic Zuppardi (mandolin and banjo}. Collectively the band draw influence from British, American and Scandinavian folk traditions, whilst Georgia’s flair for sourcing largely unsung material from East Anglia keeps the band firmly rooted in their local tradition.

The evening starts at 7.30 pm. Tickets (£15 non-members, £12 club members) can be reserved via the email link on our contact page. Payment is in cash on the door. Bring your own drinks. Teas and coffees available in the kitchen, 50p. We also have a donation box for a local food bank, if you would like to bring something along.

Winter Wilson on Friday 11 July

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Kip Winter and Dave Wilson bring a sense of intimacy to every venue, blending superb, often hard-hitting original songs, stunning harmonies and musicianship with sometimes hilarious humour and tales of life on the road. Kip (vocals, accordion, guitar, flute) ​”simply has a voice to die for” (​John Roffey, Maverick Magazine), whilst Dave (vocals, guitar and banjo) is now rightly recognised as being amongst the top tier of British songwriters, with his songs sung in folk clubs across the UK and beyond. Together, their voices are sublime.

Tickets (£15 non-members, £12 club members) can be reserved via email on our contact page. Bring your own drinks – teas and coffee available, 50p.

Janice Burns and Jon Doran on Friday 6 June

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Janice Burns and Jon Doran are an award-winning Anglo-Scottish duo who came together after discovering a shared love of traditional music and songs that tell vivid stories about the nature of life and our place in the world.

Janice and Jon’s ‘clever and uncluttered musical storytelling’ (Songlines) comes alive through light vocal harmonies and sensitive interplay between mandolin, bouzouki and guitar.

The evening starts at 7.30 pm. Tickets (£15 non-members, £12 club members) can be reserved via the email link on our contact page. Payment is in cash on the door. Bring your own drinks. Teas and coffees available in the kitchen, 50p.

The Wilderness Yet on Friday 11 April

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The Wilderness Yet combines the acclaimed talents of folksinger Rosie Hodgson, traditional fiddler Rowan Piggott, and guitarist-flautist Philippe Barnes. They have earned audiences’ esteem as consummate musicians and singers, weaving an eclectic tapestry of traditional and original songs with a cappella three-part harmonies and luscious instrumental arrangements.They have earned as 

From their eponymous debut The Wilderness Yet (2020), to their seasonal celebration Turn The Year Round (2021), to their last studio album, What Holds The World Together (2022), The Wilderness Yet have have consistently created genre-breaking music earning them hundreds of first-class reviews from the global music press, airplay on the BBC & RTÉ, and performances at festivals from Cambridge to Folk by the Oak.

The evening starts at 7.30 pm. Tickets (£15 non-members, £12 club members) can be reserved via the email link on our contact page. Payment is in cash on the door. Bring your own drinks. Teas and coffees available in the kitchen, 50p.

Tony Hall on Friday 6 December

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Norfolk cartoonist, singer and melodeon player Tony Hall is much appreciated at festivals and folk clubs all over the country. A review in Living Tradition describes Tony as being ‘the master of playing distinctive, quintessentially English style two-row melodeon’, pointing out that he ‘has been heard on Maddy Prior and June Tabor’s Silly Sisters album, and Nic Jones’ superb Penguin Eggs‘, and concluding that he is ‘a man of rare talent’. We look forward to an evening full of entertaining music and good humour to lift our spirits.

Please email via the contact page to let us know if you would like us to save tickets (£13 non-members, £10 club members). Bring your own drinks – there will also be teas and coffee available in the kitchen for 50p. Contributions to Shirley’s donation box will be taken to the local food bank.