Now that the winter month's are here, we need to be mindful of preventing the spread of Covid and flu.. Although neither the Folk Club nor the Barlow are imposing any rules, we do ask that people adhere to the usual common sense precautions and in particular do not attend if they are experiencing symptoms. Thank you.
If you are able to, please book and pay in advance for concerts (helps us plan the seating layout) by emailing folkatthebarlow@gmail.com
FEBRUARY EVENTS
February Concert
starts 8pm, doors open 7:30
Fri 17th Feb 23 Jackie Oates & Mike Cosgrave with Pelican Babies.
Jackie Oates & Mike Cosgrave are two of the leading musicians on the folk scene today. Jackie (vocals; fiddle) has been enchanting audiences at clubs and festivals for over 17 years now and has produced 8 enthusiastically recieved solo albums in that time. The title track of the latest, "Gracious Wings", can be heard here https://www.jackieoates.co.uk/. Mike Cosgrave (piano; accordion; guitar and vocals) is a regular collaborator with Jackie in both duo and trio formats.
Pelican Babies are a duo comprising of Lea Nixon and Mark Connelly (acoustic guitars; harmonica; didgeridoo) who have been active on the North West folk scene for many years and recently gave us a fine performance at the last Edgworth Festival.
Tickets are £10 each, children 16 and under are free, students 17-21 £5
email folkatthebarlow@gmail.com to book/pay in advance or ring 07427613783
25th February 23 at 7.30
The Gilchrist Collective.
In a special one off concert, in conjunction with The Barlow, The Gilchrist Collective (Peter & Barbara Snape, Brian Peters, Sue Burgess and Poppy Weatherall) present a new and distinctive celebration of the English Folk Song Collector Anne Geddes Gilchrist, a remarkable Lancashire woman who became a significant figure in the folk music world of the early twentieth century.
https://www.facebook.com/events/921225735919589/?active_tab=about
Born to Scottish parents in Manchester in 1863, she was a lifelong Lancastrian and spent much of her long life dedicated to collecting and studying folk song, music and local traditions, the majority of which came from her native county of Lancashire. Independent, intelligent and articulate, she received an OBE in 1948 for services to folk music. Ten years earlier, in 1938, she was awarded the Gold Badge of the English Folk Dance & Song Society.
The show celebrates Anne Gilchrist’s contribution to folk music and gives prominence to the songs she collected. It tells her story for the first time using narrative, lots of interesting images, and a rich and varied selection of the songs that she discovered. Enjoy an entertaining evening combining song, and music with fascinating social history!
Tickets are £10 available from the Barlow website, or by emailing folkatthebarlow@gmail.com Refreshments will be available in the Reading Room bar.
February Singaround in the Bar (Reading Room):
Friday 10th February 2023* 8pm, doors open 7:30
*Please note this is the 2nd Friday not our usual 1st Friday, to accommodate the Pantomime.
All welcome. Come along and bring your songs, tunes, poems and stories to share. Informal atmosphere and there is a collection to cover the cost of hiring the room.
Next Zoom Singaround - who knows when?? Just leaving the information here in case we ever have to reinstate them
Virtual Singers and Musicians Night
starts 8pm (Zoom entry from 7:30)
A chance to sing and play via Zoom. It has been lovely to meet those from further afield during lockdown times.
You are most welcome to join us as a performer or as a member of the audience. Please email Chris Nash on cnash38913@aol.com and he will email you a link on Friday.
If you receive the link automatically, don't forget to email him back if you would like to perform. The aim is to get "round the room" twice. These sessions have been very popular though, so if it turns out to be just once please bear with us and enjoy the quality and variety of music.
The merits of Zoom are well known now:-
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no matter how far away from Lancashire you are, you can still join us
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you can just join using audio rather than video if you like
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you can join in to play and harmonise to your heart's content while muted
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you can use a microphone, speakers, headphones, equaliser if you have these
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you can use your own drink and catering facilities
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you can have the words in front of you and no-one will know
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you can put your chorus up on "chat" so that people can join in easily at home
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you can take time out to feed the cats/wash up etc
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you can wear your slippers
Seriously, it's great fun and good to see everyone happily making music. The quality of performance has been excellent, so if you haven't tried it yet, give it a go.
If you are performing, Chris has details he can send you about how to make the most of your sound.
REGULAR EVENTS
First Friday - Singaround
Folk at the Barlow run a monthly folk music singaround on the first Friday of the month. This starts at 8pm, takes place in the Reading Room (otherwise known as the bar) at the Barlow, and there is a collection taken which will hopefully cover the hire of the room.
Third Friday - Concert
Folk at the Barlow run a concert on the third Friday of each month, featuring two "spots" by a guest act, usually of national acclaim, and one spot from a support act, always talented and usually local. All this is preceded by a jolly bashing out of tunes by the house band, kicking off at 7:40pm. The concert starts at 8pm. Tickets are usually priced at £10 each.