John Ward and Mario Price on 23 March

John Ward and Mario Price

Local performers John Ward and Mario Price join us as showcase guests at the singaround on Friday 23 March. An accomplished singer-songwriter and musician, John Ward has just released his sixth album ‘East of the Sunrise’, a collection of songs from East Anglia.

John is a fine guitarist and also plays several other instruments, most notably the bodhran. He often works solo, but also plays regularly with his musical partner, outstanding violinist Mario Price. Together they perform a highly eclectic mix of John’s original compositions, popular, standard and traditional songs and Mario’s beautiful and high energy instrumentals.

Free entry. Bring your own songs and tunes, and refreshments. Tea and coffee available.

Fridays 17 and 24 February

Norwich Folk Club Annual General Meeting will take place at 8 pm on Friday 17 February. The club is run by a committee, who will report on the events of the past year. All club members are invited to attend the meeting. This will be followed by a singaround, open to all, at about 9 pm.

At the singaround on Friday 24 February, the special showcase guest will be popular local singer, guitarist and ukelele player Kevin Green. Free entry. All welcome. Bring your own refreshments. Tea and coffee available.

Miranda Sykes and Rex Preston on 17 December

Miranda Sykes and Rex Preston

As well as being a superb vocalist and double bass player, Miranda Sykes is a great guitarist and slips effortlessly between genres.

Miranda has been touring with Show of Hands and is now working on her fifth solo album project. She is joined by Rex Preston; the most virtuosic mandolin player in the UK today. The fluidity of his style augments Miranda’s songs beautifully. For a taster song clip, click here.

Bring your own refreshments. Tea and coffee available. Let us know if you would like us to save tickets (£8 non-members) by emailing via the ‘About the club’ page.

The club meets every Friday in December, with a Christmas Singaround on 24 December (8-10.30 pm, free entry) and a New Year’s Eve Party on 31 December (8.30 pm till 1 am, £3 non-members) with singaround songs and tunes, and ceilidh dances. Bring liquid refreshment and, perhaps some food to share, to both these special events.

Annual General Meeting on 19 February 2010

The Annual General Meeting of Norwich Folk Club will take place at 8 pm on Friday 19 February at the Christ Church Centre on Magdalen Road, Norwich. The main business will be the election of a committee to serve for the coming year. This is a chance for members to show their support for the club by voting for a committee to run events and by giving opinions on club matters.

Any current members who have not already received the agenda and the minutes of the previous AGM are asked to contact the club secretary by email though the form on the ‘About the Club’ page.

The meeting will be followed by a singaround, starting at around 9 pm. All welcome, as usual. Bring your own refreshments. Tea and coffee will be available.

New Year’s Eve ceilidh and singaround

On Friday 18 December the last meeting took place at the White Horse Inn, Trowse, in the upstairs function room. Many thanks are due to landlady Pam and to Andy and the bar staff for all their support for the club in the last four and a half years.

On Thursday 31 December from 8.30 pm there will be a New Year’s Eve Ceilidh and Singaround with members of Shufflewing plus others (all welcome) and caller Faith Masendu at our new venue, the Christ Church Centre, on Magdalen Road (NR3 4LA). The Centre’s large car park is opposite the junction with Waterloo Road, and near the Whalebone. Please bring your own drinks and perhaps some food to share. (The Whalebone will have queues and a one-out one-in policy on this night.) Tickets £5 (£3 members).

On Friday 8 January there will be the first acoustic club night in the upstairs room at the Christ Church Centre. Everyone is very welcome to join us there. Bring your own refreshments. Tea and coffee available.

Judi Daykin singaround showcase

Judi Daykin is the showcase guest at the White Horse Inn on Friday 6 November and will perform two spots within the singaround. Judi first sang in folk clubs “up north” back in the 1970s, but she was seduced away from the scene by the lure of the bright lights of show business. She trained as an actor and singer at drama school in London and has worked mainly in theatre for some years now. Folk music came back into her life in the new century following a chance conversation with Simon Nichol of Fairport Convention. He suggested a visit to their annual Fairport’s Cropredy Convention to see how things had changed. Inspired by this visit Judi rushed down to Norwich Folk Club and joined their ranks, as well as becoming a regular Cropredy goer.

Judi Daykin

Judi Daykin

Judi uses her actor’s storytelling ability to mix modern singer songwriter material with traditional numbers and even the occasional bit of poetry. Influences include Fairport Convention, Joni Mitchell and Show of Hands, all of whom will no doubt be showing up in her choice of songs. All welcome and entry is free.

On Friday 30 October the singaround is at the Manor Rooms, just up the Street from the White Horse Inn. Drinks can be bought at the pub and tea and coffee are also available. Everyone is welcome, whether to listen, sing or play, and the mix of music is often eclectic.

Summer Sunday Singaround on 16 August

Our annual Summer Sunday Singaround kicks off at around 2 pm on the patio or in the usual function room at the White Horse Inn, depending on the weather! Sprinkled through the afternoon and evening, there will be spots from various local folkies.

The usual Friday singarounds continue throughout the summer – free entry and all welcome.

On Friday 21 August we shall be at the Manor Rooms, just up the street from the White Horse Inn. Collect your drink from the pub on the way. Tea and coffee available.

On Friday 28 August we are back at the White Horse Inn, as usual. Visitors and locals are all invited – why not try out a new tune or song in these friendly surroundings?

The Shipdham Scrapers on 19 June

Showcase guests at the singaround on Friday 19 June will be the Shipdham Srapers, with Lesley and Kerry on fiddle, Gwyn on guitar and Richard on melodeon and concertina. Well known regulars at various local sessions, including the King’s Head at Dereham (third Wednesday of the month) and the Cherry Tree at Wicklewood (last Thurday), they play a varied mix of English and French tunes with an occasional song – influenced by Spiers and Boden, but not quite so fast! Everyone is very welcome to come along and entry is free.

There is also a singaround as usual on Friday 12 June – all welcome, whether to listen, sing or play a tune or two. Why not try out a new song or tune? New performers are particularly appreciated! Entry is free.

Summer ceilidh with floor spots on 29 May

On Friday 29 May Norwich Folk Club will meet for a summer ceilidh at the Christ Church Centre on Magdalen Road, just north of the city centre, opposite the Whalebone pub. (Head out of the city on Magdalen Street, past the Artichoke and bear left at the traffic lights where the road forks. The venue is on your right, next to the church.) There will be a balance of songs and dances, with caller Alan Helsdon, and musicians will be welcome to join the core band of Shufflewing members. Bring your own refreshments and perhaps some food to share. Easy parking. Members £2; non-members £3.

On Friday 22 May there will be an informal singaround at the White Horse Inn, Trowse (upstairs function room for this week only). Entry is free and everyone is welcome as usual, whether to listen, sing or play a tune or two. Why not try out some new material in friendly surroundings?