2022 CONCERTs
Concerts 2023
Concerts are on the third Friday of each month, except Sept which is the 4th Friday, starting at 8:00pm, doors open at 7:30pm
See our HOME PAGE for details of this month's concert and how to book
The usual format is a 40 minute support act of excellent quality followed by 2 x 45 minute spots by the main act which will often be of National acclaim. In May we have a "double-header". While the audience are checking in there is music from the House Band - you are welcome to bring an instrument and join in.
Tickets are £10 each apart from the December concert which is £15 per person. Under 16s are free and students up to 21 half price. Email folkatthebarlow@gmail.com to purchase tickets
20 Jan 23 Drop the Floor with Demdike's Cat
High energy Irish Traditional Music of exquisite skill from three Lancashire lads and a Scotsman, we welcome back Richard and Drop the Floor. Guitar, Uileann pipes, banjo, fiddle, all at the top of the game on their instruments.
Return for Karin and Ava (Demdike's Cat) after this fabulous duo wowed us at the Festival.
17 Feb 23 Jackie Oates & Mike Cosgrave with Pelican Babies
Oates & Cosgrave, two of the leading musicians on the Folk scene today, meld together in a multi award-winning duo. Lovely English traditional folk tunes and songs with beautiful voices and acoustic instruments,
...together with... Pelican Babies featuring acoustic guitars, harmonica and digeridoo
25 Feb 23 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
17 Mar 23 Scold's Bridle with Yesterday's Men & Gerry Ffrench
March 23 SCOLD'S BRIDLE.
We were pleased to welcome back to the club, Scold's Bridle, who are a duo from Fylde. The relaxed manner of delivery from Sue Bousefield and Liz Moore conjures intimacy and belies the care and preparation that goes into each performance, where each set is crafted to match the audience. Exquisite harmonies were interwoven with sensitive interpretation to produce a spectrum of songs poingnant to wistful, from ballad to rousing chorus.
Support was provided by Yesterday's Men and Gerry Ffrench, a collaboration which has delighted us previously at the Edgworth Festival. Harry Lowery and Arthur Garnett joined with Gerry to deliver a range of shanties and sea songs with a good dollop of Scouse wit. A great night was had by all!
21 Apr 23 Phoebe Rees & Ben Robertson with MALpractice
19 May 23 Nick Dow and Steve Johnston & Catherine Ashcroft
16 Jun 23 Caffrey McGurk Madge with Chris & Siobhan Nelson
21 July 23 Janice Burns & Jon Doran with Hazy Jane
11 Aug 23 Annual Showcase : A series of popular acts from our monthly singarounds .
22 Sept 23 Marie Little with the Apple Sellers
Marie Little is a native of Salford and now lives in the North-East of England. She has been around the folk scene for many years and has appeared at clubs and festivals all over the UK and Europe. A well-respected figure on the folk scene, her CV includes a number of albums as well as TV, radio and Festival appearances.Marie has never lost her old Salford chat and earthiness. This, along with her warm personality and choice of good quality songs delivered in a relaxed manner, has made her both popular and a must for folk calendars everywhere. Marie made a big impact at last year’s Edgworth Folk Festival and we are delighted to welcome her back to the club.
The Apple Sellers
Featuring Harp & a Monkey frontman Martin Purdy, The Apple Sellers sees the popular Lancashire musician and storyteller team up with gifted double bassist Ian Mayer to create a distinctive and beguiling new musical offering. The pair bonded over a shared passion for traditional and modern folk song and the power of great storytelling. And with rehearsals taking place in a cider press, there could only be one name for their creative partnership. Citing such eclectic influences as Johnny Cash, Nick Cave and many of the old Lancashire folk legends, Mayer and Purdy have created an evocative and immersive musical world underpinned by great stories.
20 Oct 23 Nancy Kerr & James Fagan with Brian McGuire
Beloved UK/Australian duo Nancy Kerr and James Fagan (two-time winners of BestDuo at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards) are one of the most enduring acts in world folk. Combining stunning vocals and stellar instrumentation on fiddle, guitar and bouzouki with Nancy's insightful and poetic lyrics, the couple have brought joy,inspiration and some memorably energetic arrangements to global audiences for 25years. Their recent live album An Evening With Nancy Kerr and James Fagan shows just how far they have come in that time.
Brian McGuire is a local musician, both singer and instrumentalist, and a songwriter. He has been a familiar face on the folk scene here in Lancashire, and previously in his native Tyneside for many years, and has played in bands with some of the biggest names in the genre.
Another great evening of touching and energetic music and song delivered to a fantastic and most appreciative audience. Thanks Nancy, James and Brian.
17 Nov 23 Granny's Attic with the Waite Collective
What a fantastic concert from these two talented trios. The lovely women's voices of the Waite Collective combining in perfect harmony and sometimes in a foreign language too. I especially enjoyed the Les Barker number! The Waite Collective are a family comprising mother (Mal ) and daughters (Rebecca and Katrina) who hail from Chester. They are in demand at folk clubs and festivals for their amazing three-part harmonies. They also have a knack of picking the best songs! Because they are closely related their voices blend beautifully, but each has a distinctive timbre of its own, to be appreciated in its own right.
Followed by the amazing and energetic young trio Granny's Attic! All at the top of their game on their chosen instruments and great vocalists too, they played to a packed Barlow hall with extra chairs borrowed from the Library upstairs. Highlights for me were the inspiring treatment of "Our Captain Cried All Hands" with awesomely beautiful vocals from George and lovely sensitive accompaniments on concertina and violin from Cohen and Lewis, and also the jaw-droppingly skilled and intricate self-penned tune sets from all three.
Granny's Attic perform traditional songs in their own special style with energy, clever arrangements and poignancy. The enlightened use of instrumental and vocal arrangements gives insight and depth of meaning to their music.
The line-up is :
Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne (Melodeon, Anglo Concertina, Vocals),
George Sansome (Guitar, Vocals)
Lewis Wood (Violin, Vocals)
This must be one of Folk at the Barlow's best concerts yet!
Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies
Singer/songwriter Jez is an enchanting performer with an engaging North-Eastern wit. He has visited Edgworth before but this is the first time with the Bad Pennies and this is his Christmas Show so we are all very excited! Jez's songs are mainly written in a traditional style, accompanied on guitar, cittern and harmonica. He has built an enviable reputation as a songwriter and performer in the world of acoustic sounds with more than a dozen albums and countless live performances around the world. The Bad Pennies comprise Kate Bramley (fiddle/vocals), Andy May (accordion, Northumbrian pipes, whistles) and David de la Haye (bass). Strong vocals, backed by outstanding instrumental back-up on guitar, cittern, fiddle, fretless bass, keyboards and Northumbrian Pipes, have made them one of Britain’s top attractions on the folk/acoustic/celtic circuit.
Mark Dowding is one of our most talented and enduring local performers. With Lancashire credentials and wit, together with a supurb voice and extensive repertoire, he can perform anything from the songs of Harry Boardman on Harry's own banjo through light opera to Jake Thackery. He is sure to amaze and entertain us all.