ED Folk Club again

[Sue]

Hi all

There seems to be a fair amount of interest in the possibility of an ED folk club (YAY!!) so a few of us are meeting up at The Plough at 3pm on Sunday afternoon (27 January) to kick some ideas around.

If you'd like to come, or know of others who may be interested, please PM me (don't want to post my details on this thread at this point) - you DON'T have to be involved in organising any of it, we just want to get a feel for what is feasible and what people might like.

All folkie tastes catered for :)-D from Copper Family to Seth Lakeman via Tunng (not that I'm suggesting any of them are likely to be coming to ED in the near future, lol. Though Tunng might :)-D).

Anyway, would be great if we could get something off the ground, even if very small scale at first.

Sue

[KidKruger]

Great idea, would love to have such a folk night so local.

Drag that I cannot be there on Sunday those as out of town.

If you make any headway pls post here and let us all know about it !

[Sue]

KidKruger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Great idea, would love to have such a folk night

> so local.

> Drag that I cannot be there on Sunday those as out

> of town.

> If you make any headway pls post here and let us

> all know about it !

xxxxxxx

We had a constructive and enthusiastic meeting, things are moving, watch this space :)-D

[KidKruger]

Sounds good to me I will keep checking the boards in hope of an inaugaural (?) folk night.

One trick may be (if hard to generate interest) to call it 'acoustic', never failed for the 12 bar club !

[Sue]

Hard to generate interest? Wash your mouth out, rofl :))

We don't intend to be precious about our definition of "folk" - on the other hand, I have certain preconceptions of "acoustic" nights based on dire past experiences - I would love to be proved wrong, of course, but the terrible memories linger ......

KidKruger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sounds good to me I will keep checking the boards

> in hope of an inaugaural (?) folk night.

> One trick may be (if hard to generate interest) to

> call it 'acoustic', never failed for the 12 bar

> club !

[Keef]

Where exactly is the line between acoustic singer/songwriter, and folk?

Was in the Bedford in Balham last night, and heard some nice stuff that I would say was folky.

[Sue]

Well, who knows ?

The definition of "folk music" has been under discussion ever since the "Judas" incident when Dylan went electric - and probably long long long before then .....

If it's covered in FRoots mag or whatever they call themselves now it's probably folk. Or of course roots. :))

:))

EDIT - but let's stop this conversation or the ****** thread will get lounged again, hair trigger mods round here :))

[Jah Lush]

Folk smokes a roll-up and sports a beard and glasses.

Folk wears a duffel coat on Ban The Bomb marches.

[Sue]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> Folk smokes a roll-up and sports a beard and

> glasses.

> Folk wears a duffel coat on Ban The Bomb marches.

xxxxxx

Where've you been since - oh, let's say, 1955 ????

:))

I am hoping to have news re the folk club by the weekend, hurrah :)-D

[KidKruger]

Jah Lush's comment is basically what I was getting at - people seem to generally think that (even when musically very knowledgeable), it's just a stereotype that persists. But I would suggest the common perception of distinction between 'folk' and acoustic is traditionally oriented 'backward-looking' ballads and dance tunes (though clearly this view is only valid in the last 80 yrs or so) versus music that is generally not electrified (actually much acoustic stuff is what 'folk' used to be i.e. based on current life).

The folk club is a top idea maybe we can get some decent players down there I know some guys who may drop in for the thrill.

Anybody going to the Hippy Mother Club at Dulwich Hamlets bar on Friday ?

[Sue]

Yes, I agree re your first bit.

Hurrah re your last bit :)

Well of course we don't intend to have crap players if we can help it ..... not as the main act anyway :))

So that's Davy Graham out then :)) (sorry DG fans, I know he used to be good).

But we do feel it would be nice for local people to have a place they can come and sing/play in a supportive atmosphere regardless of their ability level. All got to start somewhere, eh?

Never heard of the Hippy Mother Club, erm, sadly that sounds like me, what is it????

[Sue]

We have a venue - upstairs at the EDT!

We have a night - (every other) Friday!

We have a starting date - 28 March!

Now watch this space !! :)-D

[mockney piers]

Great news, good effort Sue.

[Jah Lush]

Yeah...good luck with this. Errr.....I wasn't even a twinkle in my father's in '55.

[Sue]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> Yeah...good luck with this. Errr.....I wasn't even

> a twinkle in my father's in '55.

xxxxxxx

Well, in that case, I have no idea how you have developed this strange concept of what people who like folk music (or sing/play it) look like :)):)):))

Sorry, too many likes :)

I can't even call it a stereotype, as I don't know anyone who looks like that !!!!

[KidKruger]

Well done Sue !

If you need any help let me know I dunno much about organising but I spend a lot of time attending FCs around London (mainly Islington one and the Cellar Upstairs in Kentish town).

I'll even get up and do one but I guarantee I AM crap so please don't laugh if I do, or at least, don't let me hear it !

So if it's being called a Folk Club, what's is it's scope music wise ? i.e. is there to be a 'frame' within which the prospective players need to fit ? UK folk or world ?

One thing I've been thinking of trying for some time is an old-time night so maybe I could blag Tom Paley to come down.

[Sue]

KidKruger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Well done Sue !

>

> If you need any help let me know I dunno much

> about organising but I spend a lot of time

> attending FCs around London (mainly Islington one

> and the Cellar Upstairs in Kentish town).

>

> I'll even get up and do one but I guarantee I AM

> crap so please don't laugh if I do, or at least,

> don't let me hear it !

>

> So if it's being called a Folk Club, what's is

> it's scope music wise ? i.e. is there to be a

> 'frame' within which the prospective players need

> to fit ? UK folk or world ?

>

> One thing I've been thinking of trying for some

> time is an old-time night so maybe I could blag

> Tom Paley to come down.

xxxxxx

I've probably seen you at one of those clubs then :)

I'll be contacting people who've expressed an interest by PM shortly, but meantime, no it won't be just UK stuff, we want to keep it quite broad-based whilst still loosely "folk", we'll see how it develops. I don't really want to restrict the music too much because that would also restrict the potential audience base.

My personal preference is for a real mix - everything from hardcore traditional finger-in-the-ear stuff (and bear in mind the EDT once had Martin Carthy!) via so-called Nu-Folk and folk/electronika to something I had recently described to me as "gypsy punk" ?!?!?

I'm also very keen to attract a wide age range, as at present clubs seem to be very split - either attended by mainly older people (over 50 say) who got into folk in the sixties/seventies, or mainly younger people (teens and twenties), who are getting into it via the Nu stuff, eg the people who go to the Magpie's Nest in Islington.

Our plan at the moment (though it may change) is to alternate nights of well(ish) known artists (who will be paid) with Singers Nights, so you are welcome to come and do your thing at the latter, however bad you are :)) Well, within reason :))

We will also be incorporating folk DJs e.g. Folk2Future (who deejay at the Big Chill Bar off Brick Lane once a month and also at the festival sometimes) to play a wide mix of music before and after the Club and during the interval.

Must stop, got to work, more later :)-D

Exciting times :))

[KidKruger]

Sounds good.

Be happy to help on the Folk DJ front I have my own rig (just need house amp and speakers) and a massive folk collection going back to 1920's. Also huge contemporary music and ska / reggae collection. That should save some pence hopefully.

FYI I've seen Bert Jansch play at EDT upstairs twice in the past too !

(I can see the promo material namechecks already ....)

[Keef]

Good on ya Sue, nice to see someone getting off their bum and doing something rather than just moaning about the lack of something... Did that make any sense, I am still drunk from last night.

Will come down soon and see for myself what the difference between folk and normal music is ;-)

[Sue]

OK, it's all happening, priority now is to book artists, we are starting on this but if anyone has contacts that would be great :)

Not sure yet what will happen over the Summer period, so for the moment are looking just up till mid-July.

Opening night will be 28 March and we are investigating various possibilities for that. Other nights we need "booked" people are 25 April, 23 May, 20 June and 18 July.

Then "Singers Nights" (anyone can come and do their own thing - within reason !!!! No biting heads off small animals !!!!) and will be on 11 April, 9 May, 6 June and 4 July. Some people may like to come along and sing/play with a view to a future booking :)

We will need people to help with putting round leaflets etc and also to help out on the night. We've already had some offers, but if anyone else can do anything, however small, that would be great.

Also - if anyone has sound engineering skills which are better than ours (not difficult) and can help us with that - and/or lighting - or give us some lessons, that would be brilliant :)-D

[KidKruger]

Sue, agree with the widening-the-audience agespan bit.

I can help out in someway hopefully, I've mentioned some of the things i may be able to help with already but also I have fair organisational skills and done some DJing (hence sound) and lighting (i.e. I did lights for Little Barrie at 100 Club last year).

Let me know, if you've help already good luck !

[Sue]

Sorry been very tied up, I will PM you but probably won't be today, I'm in Oxford and having trouble writing this on someone else's partly-functioning laptop :))

Martin Carthy is keen to play the EDT again (said he'd "love to") - working on a date (tu)

[woodie]

nu-Folk and folk/electronika to something I had recently described to me as "gypsy punk" ?!?!?

perhaps you should pm me.

[Sue]

Google it :)

Nu folk - one example, Joanna Newsom. Chance would be a fine thing to get her, mind you ....

Folk electronica (sorry, spelling mistake, I went mediaeval or something above) - one example, Tunng. Who sadly are having a rest from gigs after extensive touring, but who I'm sure will be appearing in ED sometime after the summer. Erm, one of the Guardian's top albums of the year And quote from the Observer on their latest album:

"If you only buy one folk album this year ... Tunng's Good Arrows (Full Time Hobby), which is where folk has turned up, wired and enchanting, now that we're in the future."

Speaking of which, they are friends of Folk2Future and two of them deejay sometimes at the Big Chill Bar with F2F (soon to be resident deejays at the EDFC, huurah).

Gypsy punk - Gogol Bordello.

Oh, and if none of that appeals, we have booked John Kirkpatrick! :)-D

[Sue]

ANYONE INTERESTED - we are having a further meeting of people who would like to help out at the Folk Club - this will be on Sunday 10 February (ie this coming Sunday) at 4pm.

It will probably be at the EDT but if you think you might come, might be good to PM me first, though I will confirm the venue on this thread as well nearer the time :)

EDIT - SORRY WE HAVE TO BRING TIME OF MEETING FORWARD DUE TO A CLASH OF COMMITTMENTS, WILL POST LATER THIS WEEK TO SAY WHEN

EDIT AGAIN!! - As you were, we are back to 4pm at the Plough, see my later post