"I never fail to be amazed at the quality of artists that Downend Folk & Roots is able to attract", enthused one local music lover on social media recently. That sentiment could surely never be truer than it is this month, as genuine folk royalty NANCY KERR & JAMES FAGAN headline our June concert.
They are a duo that team behind the scenes have been keen to book ever since the early days, an astonishing ten years ago, but the dates have never quite aligned... until now!
Nancy & James are one of the best-known and most experienced folk duos on the British circuit today. Outstanding musicianship, a lifelong grounding in traditional singing and instrumental playing, acclaimed original compositions but most noticeably a visceral chemistry between these two make them a perennial favourite at festivals, venues and clubs across the country.
They met in December 1995, and formed the duo and life partnership that has become the backbone of their professional career in music ever since. They won the inaugural Horizon Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2000, and were also the first ever recipients of the Best Duo Award, which they won in 2003, and again in 2011.
The duo have toured internationally, most notably in the British Isles, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. They have thousands of fans and despite now having two children, they continue to work and tour constantly from their home base in Sheffield. Their duo shows are now special and sought-after events... so it’s great to have them coming to South Gloucestershire!
Opening the evening will be DAVID MITCHELL, who describes his guitar playing as “folk-classical fingerstyle”, combining these genres to create a beautiful and unique take on some well known pieces as well as performing his own original compositions.
As well as being a talented musician, David is also a skilled luthier, usually playing a lovely nylon- stringed Classical Guitar that he crafted himself. David also plays other stringed instruments as well as whistles and recorders.
Upon hearing David perform at Lyme Folk Weekend, Ralph McTell was heard to say, “I wish I could play the guitar like that.”
Tickets for the concert, which takes place at CHRIST CHURCH DOWNEND on Friday 21 June 2024, are available online HERE and from MELANIE'S KITCHEN in Downend (cash only). They are priced at £14 each in advance or £16 on the door. Doors open at 7.00pm and the music starts around 7.45pm.
There will be a bar, stocking cider, soft drinks, wine, hot drinks and real ale from locally-based HOP UNION BREWERY. Audience members are encouraged to bring their own glass/ mug/tankard, as well as reusable bottles for water, as part of the drive to be more environmentally aware; there is a 50p discount for those that do. There will also be sweet treats available at the bar courtesy of Radstock-based THE GREAT CAKE COMPANY, as well as a prize draw, which helps to fund the support artists for each concert.
For further information, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or find us on FACEBOOK, X or INSTAGRAM.
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Photos: Barry Savell
Back in the Summer of 2022, a young duo performed the opening slot at Downend Folk & Roots. Immediately after the gig, we were inundated with requests from the regulars to get them back for a headline gig. No, not requests, actually; demands.
That pair are folk-fusion duo GOOD HABITS, and we listened to you, as they are back to headline our monthly concert on Friday 17 May.
Composed of Bonnie Schwarz (cello + vocals) and Pete Shaw (accordion), the pair mix virtuosic musicianship and vocal harmony with vivid storytelling, drawing on their diverse musical tastes and weaving them into an action-packed narrative of folky goodness. After a pandemic spent ‘happily stranded’ in New Zealand for all of 2020 and 2021 where they were supported and endorsed by Amanda Palmer, they arrived back in the UK to spread their joyous music throughout Europe.
Since returning home, they have toured relentlessly around the UK and Europe performing at festivals including Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk Festival, and Shrewsbury Folk Festival whilst developing a loyal fanbase. Won Shrewsbury Folk Festival’s ‘Launch Pad’ and the Purbeck Rising Award whilst also being nominated for the prestigious Christian Raphael Prize. Their captivating debut album Going For Broke received glowing international coverage with FRUK describing their breath-taking live shows as impossible to resist. Their touring in New Zealand was non-stop, including performances at the country’s biggest festivals: Cuba Dupa, Festival of Lights and Lunasa.
Opening the show will be Devon-based singer-songwriter BILLIE MAREE. Billie writes and performs deep-feeling folk-esque songs, and the quality of their vocal has been likened to Sandy Denny and Judy Tzuke. They are, however, very much their own artist with a strong and infectious sense of spirituality and self.
Inspired by an upbringing in the landscape of Devon, their debut EP We Belong reflects the nuances of human experience – with a focus on accepting all parts of ourselves, the shadows and the light. Calling in a sense of belonging. They self-produced and mostly self-recorded the EP, and each song was written about moments that moved Billie during the darker months of Winter. Billie was inspired to learn how to record and edit their own music as they wanted to have as much input into their creation as possible.
Tickets for the concert, which takes place at CHRIST CHURCH DOWNEND on Friday 17 May 2024, are available online HERE and from MELANIE'S KITCHEN in Downend (cash only). They are priced at £14 each in advance or £16 on the door. Doors open at 7.00pm and the music starts around 7.45pm.
There will be a bar, stocking cider, soft drinks, wine, hot drinks and real ale from locally-based HOP UNION BREWERY. Audience members are encouraged to bring their own glass/ mug/tankard, as well as reusable bottles for water, as part of the drive to be more environmentally aware; there is a 50p discount for those that do. There will also be sweet treats available at the bar courtesy of Radstock-based THE GREAT CAKE COMPANY, as well as a prize draw, which helps to fund the support artists for each concert.
For further information, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or find us on FACEBOOK, X or INSTAGRAM.
BUY TICKETS
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