Bob Wood – 9th August

It’s time to start planning for the Marymass Folk Festival, telling your friends, and even booking your tickets. Artists booked so far: Celtic Quines, Siobhan Miller Band, Tom McConville & Andy Watt, Sheena Wellington, Fiona Forbes, Fiona Hunter, Barbara Dymock, Pernille and Stephen Quigg, The Wendy Weatherby Band, John Graham & Jim Jack – plus storytelling sessions for all ages. Festival MCs: Willie Sinclair & Dominic Boyce. Tickets are available from the club, from Joyce Hodge or ONLINE: www.irvinefolkclub.org.uk/tickets

MARYMASS FOLK FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 

EVENING CONCERTS
THURSDAY 23 August: Celtic Quines in concert with Festival Residents
Vineburgh Community Centre – 8pm to 11pm – Tickets £15
FRIDAY 24 August: Siobhan Miller Band in concert with Festival Residents
Vineburgh Community Centre – 8pm to 11pm – Tickets £15
SATURDAY 25 August: STRONG WOMEN: Sheena Wellington, Fiona Forbes, Fiona Hunter, Barbara Dymock in concert with Festival Residents
Volunteer Rooms, High Street, KA12 0AB – 7.30pm to 12midnight – Tickets £15

DAYTIME EVENTS

Friday Lunchtime Session: The Ship Inn, 12.30 – 2pm
Friday Folk Concert for Senior Citizens: Volunteer Rooms, 2 – 4pm
Friday The Danny Kyle Tea-Time Session: The Ship Inn, 4.30 – 6pm
Saturday The Marymass Saturday Bash: Woodlands Centre, 11.30 – 3pm
Saturday A Session at The Ship: The Ship Inn, 2 – 5pm
Sunday The Marymass Sunday Singaround + World Whammy Diddling and Chuckie-Chucking Championships: Vineburgh Community Centre, 2 – 5pm
Sunday The Big MFF High Tea: Vineburgh Community Centre, 4pm (£5 must be pre-booked 01294 551047 by Friday)
Sunday The Survivors’ Session: The Ship Inn, 7pm onwards

Whatever else is in your diary for Wednesday 18th July, make sure there is an entry that says ‘Be at Irvine Folk for 8pm to hear the fabulous John Kirkpatrick’. This man really is not to be missed.

London born, Shropshire resident John played at the 1972 Marymass Folk Festival – he had just formed a duo with Sue Harris, and most likely The Eglinton was the venue. John went into folk music as a young lad via his Church Choir and Youth Club and then through Morris Dancing. He had been a member of The Hammersmith Morris since he was 12. Having already learned the Piano and Recorder, and influenced by Morris Dancing, John then took up the Melodeon, then the Button Concertina, followed by the Anglo Concertina.

As a solo performer, as part of various duos, acoustic groups and electric bands too, John’s musical career is breathtaking in quality and range. John was a member of Steeleye Span, the wonderful Albion Band, Brass Monkey, The Richard Thompson Band and now does gigs with Martin Carthy and, along with Chris Parkinson is one half of the superbly named The Sultans of Squeeze. Kirkophany is the name of a band comprising John’s four sons and himself and he still dances with The Shropshire Bedlams.

He has appeared on over 200 different commercial recordings as a featured artist, band member or session player. John also does theatre and radio work, has written reams of stuff on music and song and also leads workshops. In short, John Kirkpatrick is kept extremely busy doing that which he loves.

On Wednesday 18th July, be at Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry Road to hear the talented, inventive and totally unpretentious John Kirkpatrick. The Club starts at 8pm and it’s BYOB.
Finally, it was with sadness that news was received of the death of John Cooper – local musician and composer and a big gentle fellow.

A new name tops the bill on Wednesday 4th July when Graham Carter visits Irvine Folk Club. He called in to do a floor spot a little while back, but this is his first booking at the Irvine Club.
Graham hails from Poole in Dorset and moved up to live in Scotland some 12 years ago when his Scottish wife wanted to go back to her native heath. He started visiting local Folk Clubs and for the last few years has been running Strathaven Folk Club and also doing some work as a promoter.
A self-taught Acoustic Guitar player, Graham also plays Harmonica and Banjo and by all accounts has a fine voice. His repertoire includes traditional songs from the UK and Ireland, plus a smattering of Blues and Americana as well as some of his own self-penned material. Graham cites Johnny Silvo and Peggy Seeger as key inspirations for steering his musical career. It was listening to Peggy that prompted Graham to learn the Banjo.
Graham really enjoys getting audiences to sing along and so on Wednesday 4th July, the Irvine audience will have opportunity aplenty to display their vocal talents. Irvine Folk Club meets in Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry Road and it starts at 8pm.
Elsewhere, Folk Festivals in Scotland are coming up thick and fast. From 5th – 8th July Stonehaven takes centre stage and, as if there needs to be a reason to visit Newton Stewart & Minigaff, their Trad Music & Dance Festival is on from 6th – 8th July. And finally for now, Aberdeen hosts the North Atlantic Fiddle Convention from 11th – 15th July. Lots of very good musical reasons for getting out and about in Scotland.

We have the intention of taking a bus through to Edinburgh for the final performance of Far Far from Ypres on Sunday 11th November in the Usher Hall. This concert is selling out so quickly that even now we might struggle to get a block booking. Therefore I need to know by next club night – 4th July names of those interested along with payment of £20.
The plan would be
Bus would leave Vineburgh Community Centre at 2pm
Doors Open 6.30pm
Concert starts 7.30pm
Concert ends 9.30pm
This would give time to have a wander and get something to eat instead of rushing around at the last minute.
Ticket prices are £20 (conc £18)
Depending on how many are going the total cost is expected to be around £30
£20 would need to be paid by 4th July
Remainder to be paid on bus
This is open to anyone who would like to see this show again so if you have family or friends who might be interested please let them know.
This will definitely be the last performance of this show.
Joyce 01294 551047

Steve Turner is the guest at Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 20th June. He now plays only 50 or so gigs a year so Irvine is fortunate to get this unassuming, multi-instrumentalist with a superb voice.

Manchester born Steve comes from a family of concertina players and singers. His musical career started off he says ‘as a pretend Geordie’ in the Canny Fettle band in 1970 playing concertina. From then until 1991 he toured with them internationally and in the UK and also established himself as a professional solo musician. He drifted away from folk music for thirteen years and indeed one journalist opined that Steve would be an ideal candidate for a ‘Whatever happened to…’ article. The reason for his absence from the live music scene was that he was building up an internationally known stringed instrument business. Now being semi-retired from the business gives him the time to play the venues he wants to play.

After that ‘break’ in his performing career, Steve made a welcome return to the folk scene – some say as an even better performer. He is a man of considerable talents and his style is understated. Known best as a master of the concertina, Steve also sings superbly and clearly – always relaying the full meaning of songs. He also plays cittern, mandolin and tenor banjo. He is much sought-after as a concertina accompanist and gives workshops on accompaniment. As well as being a talented performer he also has a delightful personality.

Steve tours the length and breadth of the UK and has also toured in Australia and New Zealand. At the 23rd Celtic Connections he played as part of The King’s Shilling production. Steve has seven albums to his name, the most recent one being Spirit of the game.

For those who haven’t heard Steve Turner, get along to the Irvine Club on Wednesday 20th June to hear for yourself this very fine, self-taught concertina player. You will not be disappointed. The Club meets in Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry Road, starts at 8pm and it’s BYOB.

Singer, songwriter and peace activist Tommy Sands is the very welcome guest at Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 6th June. It’s almost three years since Tommy was at the Club and it will be good to hear this richly talented man again.
Tommy’s songwriting has drawn the admiration of Nobel Poet Laureate Seamus Heaney and the father of Folk Music, Pete Seeger. Joan Baez, Kathy Matthia, Dolores Keane and Dick Gaughan are among the artists who have recorded Tommy’s ‘Daughters and Sons’ – a song that includes the gem of a phrase ‘sow the seeds of justice’.
Born in Mayobridge in Co Down in the foothills of the Mourne Mountains, Tommy was part of a family where everyone played a musical instrument and says that when the guitar was introduced to the house, it was viewed with suspicion! Tommy engages audiences with his songs, his stories and his charm. He weaves legend, humour and thought-provoking messages into his songs – many of which are about helping shape a better world.
Although he performs his music on stages all around the world, he takes pride in in taking his music to dark corners of society eg teaching prisoners in Nevada from underprivileged backgrounds to write their own song with which to defend themselves in court. For his outstanding work as a musician and ambassador for peace and understanding, the University of Nevada awarded him an Honorary Doctorate of Letters. Last month, Tommy was performing in Iran, again using music to try to sow seeds of social change and peace.
At his home in Rostrevor, he has instigated a series of ground-breaking events under the banner of The Music of Healing where people of apparently opposing viewpoints are encouraged to see one another as neighbours rather than enemies. Sadly, it was at one such event last year that Tommy suffered a mini-stroke, from which he has happily recovered.
Make sure that are at Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 6th June to hear Tommy Sands, writer of such songs as The Music of Healing, The Age of Uncertainty and Who Knows Where The Wind Blows. The Club meets at Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry Road. The Club starts at 8pm and it’s BYOB.

Two giants of the Blues are in the UK for a tour and Irvine Folk Club is one of only three Scottish venues where you can hear Hans Theesink & Brooks Williams. Put Wednesday 23rd May at Irvine Folk Club in your diary!
Performing together and separately for this one-time collaboration, the tour is called Steady Rollin’ Blues and it’s not to be missed. Hans and Brooks share a love of the old songs, finger-picking in the Piedmont style and bottleneck slide. Both men have played at the Irvine Club and Marymass Folk Festivals. Hans has played solo, with his Band and also – and unforgettably – with the genius virtuoso Tuba Player from Harlem John Sas. When Brooks played at Marymass a couple of years ago, the audience were just blown away by his playing and singing. Therefore, having both of them is quite a coup for the Irvine Club and reflects its good reputation.
Dutchman Hans Theesink (pronounced Tay-sink), is probably Europe’s number one Blues expert. He has been on the road for 50 plus years and has over 30 albums to his name. Hans is a gentle giant with a rich baritone and jaw-dropping mastery of his National Steel Resonator, Mandolin and Harmonica.
Brooks is from Statesboro, Georgia and is ranked in the Top 100 Acoustic Guitarists. He is a mean finger-picker, a stunning slide guitarist and has a voice which you ‘can melt into’. Brooks has released 22 albums and tours worldwide relentlessly.
You catch the drift. On Wednesday 23rd May at Irvine Folk Club, don’t miss the opportunity to hear two ambassadors of country blues. The venue is Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry and the Club starts at 8pm.
Looking a bit ahead, on Friday 8th June at Ardrossan Indoor Bowling Club, Andy Chung and Ciaran Sinclair are playing at a concert organised by Ardrossan Highland Games. Tickets are £10 and it starts at 7.30pm.

Canadian Band Ritchie Parrish Ritchie on their current UK tour are joined by Beaker Granger and Irvine Folk Club looks forward to welcoming them on Wednesday 9th May to top the bill. The Irvine date is their only Scottish gig on this tour which finishes in Huddersfield on 3rd June with a fundraiser for the RNLI.
Known as RPR for short, the Band is Rob Ritchie on Keyboards, Al Parrish on Bass, Steve Ritchie on Guitars and Beaker Granger on Percussion – but given the ease with which they swap instruments, the line-up is not strictly adhered to!
RPR plus Beaker Granger used to be the rhythm section in the much loved Tanglefoot. Having become untangled in 2009, the guys came to realise four years later that they missed entertaining people. They love being on stage and so RPR was formed. But whilst they used to do 150 shows a year, now they do only a handful, taking the view that after 30 hard-working years with Tanglefoot, ‘the less you play, the more important each show becomes’. The aim of RPR is simple. They want the audience going away after a show telling their friends ‘You missed one hell of a show’.
Talent, versatility, astonishing harmonies, outlandish energy, joyous, vibrant, great good humour and lots of hair – that’s what to expect from RPR.
Wednesday 9th May at Irvine Folk Club is the place to hear RPR with Beaker Granger. It promises to be a terrific night. The Club starts at 8pm in Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry Road and it’s BYOB.
New Info Flyers for the Irvine Club are now out. Club guests from now until Marymass plus the line-up for the 2018 Marymass Folk Festival are all listed. If you can’t find one and don’t have online access, phone Joyce on 01294 551047.
Finally, Girvan Folk Festival starts this Friday 4th May and runs through to Sunday night. It’s a weekend of trad music and as well as concerts and a ceilidh there’s four venues that host sessions throughout the three days. Just go!

Irvine Townhouse
Friday 27th April at 7pm
Tickets £10 from Joyce 01294 551047
BYOB
This show proved very popular at Vineburgh last year.
See local papers for more details.

A new duo is at Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 25th April in the shape of John Graham & Jim Jack. John is a veteran of The Clydesiders and will be familiar to some people.
The Clydesiders, a five-piece band formed in the 70’s, were regular guests at Irvine Folk Club when folk music was at its zenith with artists like Matt McGinn, The Clutha and The Laggan also on the go. Those with good memories and age on their side will remember the strong singing and really good harmonies of The Clydesiders – Sandy Kelso and John Graham are two band members who readily come to mind. Songs like Band O’ Shearers and The Land o’ the Leal featured in Clydesiders’ set lists.
Move on a wheen of years and whilst The Clydesiders are no more, ex-band member John Graham has teamed up with Jim Jack to form a duo. John plays Fiddle and sings and Jim plays Guitar. Well-chosen trad and contemporary material will most likely be the focus of John and Jim.
Wednesday 25th April at Irvine Folk Club in Vineburgh Community Centre with guests John Graham & Jim Jack will be a night for joining in with well-known songs – and that’s always appreciated at the Irvine Club. 8pm is the start time and it’s BYOB.
Elsewhere, an interesting event takes place on Saturday 21st April when friends of the late Brian Brown will get together to raise funds for the Music Fund of Cuba. This was one of the many causes which Brain supported by dint of hard work. The aim is raise enough money to get a plaque on a seat in The Mirimar Theatre in Havana in memory of Brian. The event starts at 12noon in the Labour Party Cottages in Townhead. Contact Arthur West on 07826 127759 or Eileen Sinclair on 07733 325561 for more info.
And finally, the 44th Girvan Folk Festival runs from Friday 4th – Sunday 6th May. Guests galore that include The Tannahills, Margaret Bennett, Kevin Macleod, Len Graham and the Lori Watson Trio. All info at www.girvanfolkfestival.org.uk