Following on from the success of our new Showcase Special evenings, the first of our Super Showcase Specials featuring four fine solo artists also proved to be a smash hit, with great music and a very healthy attendance! GEOFF WESTON showcased his own unique blend of singer-songwriter-driven folk, whilst DEREK EASTWOOD displayed a fine mixture of contemporary folk branching off into acoustic rock & pop. ANNE WINTER complemented all of this with her lovely interpretations of English traditional song, before the evening was wrapped up by WILL WARMAN entertaining everyone with a terrific mixture of engaging folk & country.
On this special evening we were also very pleased to welcome the Willows' dear friend and stalwart supporter RAY HEDGES to play a song. We were very sad to hear of the recent passing of Ray's wife Mary Hedges, herself an extremely loyal Willows supporter for many years, and this was Ray's first appearance at the club following her death a few days earlier. We are sure that everyone at the Willows continues to send their love, thoughts and prayers to Ray and to his & Mary's family at this very difficult time.
We also have no less than four new YouTube videos this week, one from each of our Super Showcase Special acts. This first video features GEOFF WESTON performing Tom Paxton's song "Comedians & Angels":
The second of our new videos shows DEREK EASTWOOD performing "Love Rescue Me", a song by Irish rock band U2 and co-written by Bob Dylan:
This video features ANNE WINTER performing the beautiful traditional English ballad "Spread the Green Branches":
This final video shows WILL WARMAN leading the audience in his rendition of the classic folk song "Fiddlers' Green":
Last Wednesday's Come All Ye - Open Stage Night was jam-packed full of terrific talent - in fact, there were no less than 21 acts lined up to entertain us with their great performances!
As well as many of our stalwart Willows regulars, we were also treated to appearances from friends old and new, including amazing bluesman Adam Franklin, comedic singer-songwriter Ray Martin, beautiful vocalist Claire Booth, guitar-and-mandolin duo Andrew Perry & Bob Turner, and new friend John passing through on holiday from Tasmania!
Thanks to everyone who came along to entertain us - as always, your support of the Willows really is very much appreciated!
The Blue Coconut Orchestra deliver an evening to remember!
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It's always a joy to welcome THE BLUE COCONUT ORCHESTRA to the Willows' stage, and this was no less true than last Wednesday when the band delivered a characteristically jaw-dropping performance! The band (comprising guitarist Steve Ball, mandolin player Ian Robinson and bassist Warren Ball) also go by the name of The Fabulous Tomato Brothers, but I can assure you there were no rotton tomatoes being thrown at them by the audience as they served up two great sets of folk, blues, bluegrass and country!
Thanks to the Blue Coconuts' terrific performance, we also have two new additions to the Willows' YouTube Channel - this first video showcases the bluesier side of the band's repertoire, with their performance of "Black Mountain Blues":
The second video to feature the Blue Coconut Orchestra shows them leading the audience in a rousing chorus of Bob Dylan's classic song "You Ain't Going Nowhere":
Scotland's finest deliver a barnstorming performance!
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We'd been talking it up for the past few months, and in our opinion THE TANNAHILL WEAVERS more than delivered with an epic performance of pure energy, dynamism and world class! Thanks to the near-capacity crowd who turned out to support this gig (a staggering 115 people!), and of course to the Tannahills themselves for their amazing music!
The Tannahills' amazing evening makes up the two newest additions to the Willows' YouTube Channel - this first video shows the band singing "The Bergen", written by another great friend of the Willows', one Mr. Jez Lowe!
This second video features a driving pair of instrumentals and a song - "Greenwood Side", "The Highland Laddie" and "Pattie" - what an amazing sound!
Once again, thanks to everyone for supporting this amazing evening!
Last Wednesday's Willows was another one of our new Showcase Special evenings, featuring two great acts each playing an extended 40-minute set, local legend Ray Hedges and ace new duo PETER ENGLISH & MAGDA TAYLOR! Ray treated us to a lovely selection of terrific chorus songs, and Peter & Magda wowed everyone with their own great selection of material, and lovely harmonies!
Both acts delivered a wonderful set, and with a terrific turnout of almost 70 people to boot, it's fair to say that the evening was a great success!
As usual, we have some more additions to the Willows' YouTube Channel courtesy of last Wednesday's Showcase Special! This first video features RAY HEDGES performing "Home Lads Home":
This second video shows Ray performing "Hard to be Humble":
This next video features our second Showcase act from last Wednesday, PETER ENGLISH & MAGDA TAYLOR, showing off their lovely vocal harmonies with a performance of the song "Bold Reily":
To finish off this new collection of videos, this is Peter & Magda's version of Bruce Springsteen's "If I Fall Behind":
Last week at the Willows saw a true celebration of Irish folk music with our St Patrick's Night Special featuring two red hot bands, local luminaries THE VILLAGE BAND and Celtic supergroup MAL SIMMS, JULES BELL & STEVE LANE! These two great acts (along with an all-star cast of floorsingers) gave us a terrific variety of Celtic music, both instrumentals and songs, and the whole evening had a fantastic atmosphere!
On top of this, we were also treated to a visit by Seamus the Leprechaun, who not only read us a short poem but also brought with him special Celtic cake for everyone to enjoy!
Performances from both of these bands also make for the latest additions to the Willows' YouTube Channel. This first video shows THE VILLAGE BAND leading the audience in a rousing chorus of "The Black Velvet Band":
As well as the fine array of songs they treated us to, The Village Band also played a couple of great instrumentals, including the set of jigs & reels showcased in this video:
MAL SIMMS, JULES BELL & STEVE LANE are three musicians all with a fantastic pedigree in the field of folk & Celtic music, with Mal & Jules having been founder members of Legacy, and Mal & Steve being members of Pied Merlin. This first video from them shows off their sublime instrumental skills:
Last but not least, a beautiful song from the trio showing off the vocals of Mal Simms:
Thanks to all the musicians who contributed so much to this special evening - and, thanks to all of you who turned up to join in the fun, it was wonderful to see such a superb turnout (89 people!) for these two great acts!
Last Wednesday we enjoyed a truly fantastic evening from an amazing all-round entertainer, TIM BROADBENT! Tim used to be a star attraction all across Sussex, including his native Brighton, but moved to France some years ago - however, Tim still likes to keep in touch with his friends and family in Sussex, and so we were very lucky to be able to organise a gig at the Willows around his recent visit!
Tim thoroughly entertained us all with a superb mix of songs, his great voice and guitar work, and (perhaps most significantly of all) his hilarious between-song chat and banter!
Tim also very kindly gave us permission to add a couple of videos of his performance to the Willows' YouTube channel - this first video showcases Tim's performance of the beautiful song "The Lights of Little Christmas":
As mentioned above, as well as Tim's fantastic music, the audience were also thoroughly entertained by his hilarious jokes and banter, which is evidenced at the start of this video before Tim launches into a fantastic rendition of "Frankie & Johnny":
I'm sure we speak for everyone who was there last Wednesday when we say we hope it won't be too long before Tim visits the UK again!
We enjoyed a delightful evening last Wednesday with Canadian-Irish duo NORAH RENDELL & BRIAN MILLER, playing us as part of their UK tour! We were treated to a lovely mix of traditional and contemporary folk with Brian's great guitar and bouzouki playing, Norah's beautiful flute and whistle playing, and of course the pair's lovely vocals!
Capturing Norah & Brian's excellent performance also makes up the two newest additions to the Willows' YouTube channel - this first video features a lively flute duet between the two:
This second video features Norah & Brian performing "In the State of Arkansas", a song from the bluegrass/old-time American tradition and reworked into a lovely ballad played on guitar and whistle, with lovely harmonies:
Thanks again to Norah & Brian for a lovely evening of music!
A great Open Stage Night welcoming friends old and new!
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We enjoyed a terrific Come All Ye - Open Stage Night last Wednesday, featuring (as they always do) a great wealth of fine local talent! Amongst the many performers who turned up to entertain us were one of our newest regulars Maureen showing off her vocal and keyboard skills, a great new duo featuring our good friend Jane Grover teamed up with guitarist Dave Warburton, a couple of friends we hadn't seen for a while in the form of ace mandolin player Robin Bailey and lovely singer-guitarist Ian Tyzack (both of whom live a long way from the Willows but always come down to visit us whenever their work brings them "down south") and an impromptu set from skiffle band Sometimes They Come Back!
All in all it was a really enjoyable evening with great music and fun, and a great turnout too - thanks again to everyone (both performer and audience member) who helped to make it into such an enjoyable night!
We had another amazing night last Wednesday with the second of our Showcase Special evenings (the first of 2010) featuring two great local bands, HARVEST HOME and TOUCHSTONE!
Both bands had clearly worked hard to each prepare a blistering set, which spanned the whole spectrum of traditional and contemporary folk with superb musicianship and beautiful vocals!
Both bands very kindly gave us permission to host a couple of videos from each of their performances on the Willows' YouTube channel. This first video shows Harvest Home performing the classic folksong "Raglan Road", which shows off their lovely vocal harmonies:
This second video features Harvest Home playing two songs with an Irish flavour, "I'll Tell My Ma" and "Galway Girl":
Touchstone delivered a cracking set of acoustic folk rock, including this original song, "Poacher", which shows off the superb vocals of lead singer Bonnie Flitney:
The last of our new YouTube videos for this update, and it features Touchstone peforming "One the Rum", one of their best-known songs:
We'd like to say a massive Thank You to both bands for delivering such superb music, and to the 88 people who turned up to support this special evening!
The Willows is excited to be welcoming THE TANNAHILL WEAVERS back to the club on Wednesday 7th April!
The Tannahills' last gig at the Willows was a complete sell-out, and so in light of this we are once again making ADVANCE TICKETS available for their latest gig at the club.
Tickets for this gig go on sale this coming Wednesday (27th January) in the club itself, and will then be available by post from this coming Thursday (28th January). Please contact us for more details!
After the disappointing cancellations of the year's first two Willows nights due to the snow, we were delighted to be able to (finally) kick off our programme in some style when we welcomed amazing bluegrass band GRASSROOTS!
We knew that after their last appearance at the club (when we had 68 people) that Grassroots' return appearance might be quite a popular night, but nothing could have prepared us for what a success it was, as the gig was a complete sell-out with us going "house full" at 113 people! A fantastic result for the band, for the club, and for bluegrass music in Britain as a whole!
Grassroots also very kindly gave us permission to add a couple of videos of their performance to the Willows' YouTube channel, starting with this video, their performance of the classic bluegrass number "Man of Constant Sorrow", made famous by its inclusion in the soundtrack of the film "O Brother, Where Art Thou?":
As well as driving, super-charged bluegrass, the band also played some beautiful ballads, one of the highlights of which being this song, "Erase the Miles", which showcases the band's lovely vocal harmonies:
With all of this, plus an all-star lineup of floorsingers (including appearances from bluegrass bands The Southdown Ramblers and Wood Wire & Words, the Willows couldn't have asked for a better start to the year!
Unfortunately, once again, with the fresh snow that's fallen, the weather conditions are forcing us to cancel tonight.
Whilst the snow that's fallen is reasonably light, somebody reported to us that the main car park that leads into Arundel Football Club (i.e., the big public car park, not the Football Club's own car park) hadn't been gritted and was very treacherous. We wanted to check this out for ourselves so this morning my Dad went to look at it - he's just returned from looking it over and has confirmed that the conditions are extremely dangerous. He actually had to use second gear to get back out of the car park, otherwise he would have been stuck in there!
The frustrating thing about this is that the new snowfall, whilst a pain, is not actually causing that much trouble on the roads where we are - it is purely the fact that the car park is so unsafe. However, we do not feel that it would be safe for anybody to try and traverse it tonight, and so we're once again forced to cancel!
Below are some photographs showing the car park - click on one of the images below to view a larger version.
Please know that this is not a decision that we take lightly - as I mentioned last week, since my family & I have been running the Willows at the end of 2001, prior to last week we've never cancelled an evening before - not even when my Dad had his heart attack! So, to cancel two in a row really goes against the grain, particularly when people have been saying to me today how much they hope tonight goes ahead - but, we feel it would be irresponsible to run given the dangerous conditions present at the car park that you have to go through in order to get into the Football Club itself, and so with very heavy hearts have taken the decision to cancel.
Fortunately all the weather forecasts predict that the snow is on the way out (hooray!) and we are cautiously optimistic that we might *finally* be able to kick off the Willows' 2010 programme next Wednesday!
Thanks for your understanding, and apologies to anyone for any disappointment caused.
Unfortunately, the first Willows of 2010, featuring PIED MERLIN, has had to be CANCELLED, due to the dangerous weather conditions anticipated this afternoon and evening.
Earlier this morning we sent this e-mail out to oue E-mail Newsletter list:
Hi everyone,
Just a quick message in haste to all of you on the Willows' e-mail newsletter list to let you know that, due to the severe weather warnings and treacherous conditions, we've taken the decision to CANCEL tonight's Willows gig with Pied Merlin! :(
We're absolutely gutted about this, as have never cancelled a Willows evening before, even when my Dad had a heart attack on a Wednesday afternoon!! But, given the conditions, we don't feel we have any choice. :(
Although I haven't spoken to them in concrete terms, we are hoping to reschedule Pied Merlin's gig to later in the year, and will of course let all of you guys know if and when we're able to do this. :)
Apologies for any disappointment caused, but hopefully you all understand, and I just hope that the weather will have cleared in time for next Wednesday!
Take care, and best wishes,
Chris Davis
The Willows Folk Club
Arundel, West Sussex
UPDATE: A further update on the snowy conditions - the Willows' good friend Vic Smith has advised us that his club, the Royal Oak in Lewes, will also be closed tomorrow night (Thursday 7th January), for the same reason as the Willows.
The Willows rounded off its 2009 programme in epic fashion last Wednesday, as we enjoyed our Christmas Party! This year's party surpassed our wildest expectations, with a massive turnout (bigger than any previous Willows party!), tons of great music and entertainment, and of course the usual fun, food, merriment and (dare I say) mayhem! Amongst the many, many musical highlights of the evening were appearances from bands Wood Wire & Words, Harvest Home, The Broken Down Boys, skiffle band Sometimes They Come Back, and The Southdown Ramblers, great duo Peter English & Magda Taylor, the grand master of deadpan comic delivery John Cave, and Ray Hedges teamed with multi-instrumentalist Steve Swyer - however, it's difficult to pick from the huge list of fantastic performers who treated us to their unique entertainment on the night - thank you all so much!
We also enjoyed surprise appearances from Manuel the Waiter, who handed round some chocolates, and also Peter Pan, Captain Hook and Tinkerbell, the latter of whom helped Chris draw the raffle! We had a visit from Father Christmas (more on that in a moment!), and Reg Daniel, complete with backing guitarist and two backing singers, revealed that he'd always wanted to be a lumberjack!
All of the photos above were taken by our good friend Bryon Winslade, and Bryon also took a few videos of the night as well. Three of these make up the newest updates to the Willows' YouTube channel! This first video is of skiffle band Sometimes They Come Back playing a medley of Christmas skiffle songs. You didn't think there were any Christmas skiffle songs? Play the video to find out...!
We've had many of the folk scene's biggest stars perform at the Willows during the almost 40 years it's been running, but perhaps the biggest celebrity ever take to the club's stage is Father Christmas, who popped in to visit us and just happened to have his guitar with him...
We always round off our Christmas Party nights with a special Song & Carol Session, where we invite everybody to join in and sing along! This is the first song from that closing session, "The First Nowell":
The Willows is now closed for two weeks for Christmas, but returns on Wednesday 6th January when our special guests will be local legends PIED MERLIN! We hope to see all of you then, but in the meanwhile, a very Merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful New Year from all of us at the Willows.
Last Wednesday we were treated to folk music of the highest order as the Willows welcomed amazing trio KERR FAGAN HARBRON! Nancy Kerr & James Fagan are longstanding friends of the club's, and a short while ago teamed up with ace multi-instrumentalist Robert Harbron to add a whole new dimension to their sound. Truthfully, this was one of the most successful guest nights of the year - the trio played an inspiring selection of material, combining songs and instrumentals, traditional and contemporary songs, expert audience communication, and their trademark energy and dynamism. At the end of the evening several of the audience stood to give them a standing ovation - not something you see in a folk club all that often, and testament to just how amazing their performance was!
The trio also showed great professionalism in coming to play the gig (booked way back in May 2008!), as Nancy was (and is) 8 months pregnant, expecting her and James' first child! Our profuse and sincere thanks to Nancy & James for making the effort to come down and provide us with such an unbelievable evening of music!
As with Johnny Silvo's evening a couple of weeks prior, we were also blessed with a fantastic turnout - 86 people! The only time we had a higher turnout for one of Nancy & James' gigs was when they'd not long won the award for "Best Duo" at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards back in 2003!
As a momento of this special evening, guess what? You guessed it, we have two new YouTube videos to share with you of Kerr Fagan Harbron's performance! The first shows the trio playing the song "Anderson's Coast" - what was incredible about this performance was that this song originated from Nancy & James' duo repertoire, and Rob had never played it before! However, they had a request from an audience member to do it, and so gave it a go - they did a remarkable job, and you see James acknowledge Rob's superb musicianship at the end of the song!
This second video shows Kerr Fagan Harbron playing a set of instrumentals - "The Smiling Bride", "Drummond Castle", and "Holly's Jig":
Don't forget we have one more evening left to come at the Willows before Christmas, and that's our special Christmas Party night this coming Wednesday (16th December)! After that, the club is closed for two Wednesdays before we return on Wednesday 6th January with more great music!
Entertainment of the first order from an official folk legend!
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It might seem like a rather OTT headline, but every word of it is true, for last Wednesday the Willows was honoured to enjoy a masterclass in pure entertainment from one of the folk scene's most legendary figures, Mr. JOHNNY SILVO! Great humour, great audience communication, and, above all, fantastic chorus songs delivered by Johnny's truly awe-inspiring voice and distinctive, rhythmic guitar style! The whole room "buzzed" with that special intangible something that's in the air when you know you're experiencing a really magical evening, and it was truly a night to remember!
We also enjoyed a fantastic turnout for this evening, 86 people - our best-ever attendance for one of Johnny's gigs!
The evening was full of magical moments, and fortunately we were able to capture two of these on video to add to the Willows' YouTube channel - the first video shows Johnny leading the audience in a rousing version of the Elizabeth Cotton/skiffle classic "Freight Train":
Another one of the undeniable highlights of the evening was when Johnny invited his friend Royd Rivers up on stage with him to play harmonica on a blues number - Johnny and Royd had last played together some 45 years earlier, and Royd alleges that this performance was the first time he'd played a harmonica for 40 years! However, it has to be said that if you listen to his amazing playing, it definitely doesn't sound that way!!
Another special treat on this fantastic evening was welcoming our good friend Glyn Jones back to the club, and hearing him lead the audience in a fantastic version of "Pleasant and Delightful". Glyn has been a supporter of the Willows' virtually since the beginning, and it was lovely to see him again!
Our Come All Ye - Open Stage Nights seem to be doing well at the moment - last Wednesday we had our best-attended Open Stage of not only this year, but in fact our best-attended since December 2007, with a turnout of 57 people! In addition to our many fine regular performers, we were also treated to special appearances from local Brighton-based acoustic Americana trio Hatful of Rain, our good friends Tonic, and a rare solo performance from local luminary Kevin Barber!
As ever, our thanks to everyone (both performer and audience member) for their fantastic support of the Willows - it really means a great deal, and makes a massive difference to the club!
We were fortunate to be able to capture two of Hatful of Rain's songs on film, and are excited to be able to present these two videos as the latest addition to the club's YouTube channel! This first video shows the trio performing their version of Nanci Griffith's song "I Wish It Would Rain":
This second video features one of Hatful of Rain's original songs, the beautiful "Evangeline":
Last Wednesday we had a wonderful night of music from our special guests MARTYN WYNDHAM-READ & NO MAN'S BAND! Together, the band (featuring Martyn Wyndham-Read on guitar and vocals, Iris Bishop on concertina, Gary Holder on bass and special guest Jon Wigg on fiddle) made a sound that was beautifully relaxed and mellow, with some powerful messages, supremely entertaining between-song chat, and of course a host of great choruses!
One of the highlights of the evening was Martyn and the band's interpretation of "The Gift of Years", a song written by one of our guests from earlier in the year, Eric Bogle. You can check out this superb performance via the Willows' YouTube channel, where Martyn very kindly gave us permission to feature the song!
Our thanks again to Martyn, Iris, Gary & Jonny for a superb night of music!
...was a roaring success! Not only did we enjoy some great music, but we also had a sensational turnout of 84 people! Thanks to everyone for their fantastic support!
The idea behind these new Showcase Special nights was to provide a platform for some of the fine talent that's around locally, and we were lucky to have two terrific groups to get our Showcase Specials off to a great start, namely vocal harmony trio THREE'S COMPANY and local bluegrass heroes THE SOUTHDOWN RAMBLERS!
To celebrate both acts' fantastic performances, guess what? You've guessed it, we have some more additions to the Willows' YouTube channel! These first two videos showcase Three's Company's beautifully constructed vocal harmonies:
This second set of videos feature The Southdown Ramblers at their high-energy best - the first of the pair is the full performance of the bluegrass classic "Ridin' On That Midnight Train", whilst the other is a video featuring various highlights from their 40-minute performance:
With several regulars either poorly or away last Wednesday, we thought our Come All Ye - Open Stage Night would probably be rather quiet. In fact, it goes to show what we know, for in the end we enjoyed our best-attended Open Stage of 2009!
Treating us to their fantastic music were (amongst many others) a local guitar class known as The Pacemakers (no sign of Gerry Marsden though, sadly!!), our old friend Andrew Perry, and ace new duo Peter & Magda - Peter being one-third of Taxi Home and one-quarter of Pied Merlin!
Another act who thoroughly entertained everyone were newly-formed duo Greenwood - a.k.a., our good friends Phil Green and Derek Eastwood! We were lucky enough to capture both their songs on film, and (you guessed it!) these two videos are the latest additions to the Willows' YouTube channel! This first video features the pair playing the Creedence Clearwater Revival classic "Lodi":
This second video features Greenwood's version of "Cousin Jack" by the legendary folk duo Show of Hands:
Don't forget that this coming Wednesday we have the first of our new SHOWCASE SPECIAL evenings - check out our What's On page for more info!
Last Wednesday we had the great joy of welcoming back our old friends CHRIS SHERBURN & DENNY BARTLEY to the Willows' stage. Chris & Denny were founder members of legendary Celtic band Last Night's Fun, and now that the band have officially called it a day, it's a joy to see that this amazing pair are still entertaining audiences up and down the country, going back to their musical roots and playing as a duo.
As usual, in honour of Chris & Denny's amazing peformance, we have two new YouTube videos, showing off their great musical rapport and superb skills. This first video shows Chris playing a set of reels on the concertina whilst Denny provides a characteristically energised backing on the guitar:
This second video features Denny singing "The Night Visiting Song" - the loudest voice you can hear joining in the chorus is that of ALISTAIR RUSSELL, former lead singer of The Battlefield Band and a great solo artist in his own right, who came down especially to see Chris & Denny (and played a great floorspot to boot)!
We had a wonderful evening last Wednesday with TRIO THRELFALL, one of the most talked-about new groups on the UK folk scene! This superb three-piece played a sublime mixture of traditional folk music with a beauty and vibrancy that was really refreshing - as one audience member observed, "Traditional music as it should be played!"
Once again we have two new YouTube videos to showcase what a fantastic night we had with this great group:
It's also worth noting that, despite the horrible rainy weather outside, we had a really healthy turnout of 61 people for Trio Threlfall's gig, with some people travelling a long way to attend - our thanks to everyone for supporting this great evening!
Last Wednesday was a really special evening showcasing the awe-inspiring brilliance of local Celtic band TRISKEL! We're really lucky to have such a great band living so close to us (well, almost all of them live close to us - guitarist Sarah Mooney is currently living in London), and their latest gig at the Willows was a demonstration of the musical brilliance they bring to any stage!
As a taster for what a fantastic night we enjoyed with Triskel, guess what? You've guessed it - we have two more of the Willows' YouTube videos to show you! This first video shows off the sublime vocals of singer Elaine Carey as the band perform their version of Woody Guthrie's "Pastures of Plenty":
This second video is another highlight from Triskel's gig, featuring an epic set of instrumentals that went on for almost 8 and a half minutes!
Last Wednesday the Willows enjoyed its most successful Come All Ye - Open Stage Night so far this year, with a wealth of great talent and a superb turnout! Amongst the many great local performers who turned up to treat us to some of their great music were old friends Dave Bunker, Phil Green and Polly Mason from the band IAN, Southampton singer Eddie, local musician and poet Paul Ward, and two people recently voted as one of the sweetest couples in Sussex, Sally & Daniel!
We also have two new YouTube videos from last week's Open Stage Night, starting with this video of local singer-songwriter Trevor Clawson playing his own song "Man In A Jar":
The other new video we have this week is of Willows regulars Graham & Little Jo performing their version of Kate Rusby's "Let The Cold Wind Blow":
Last Wednesday at the Willows was a very special evening, as we had the great pleasure of welcoming back amazing up-and-coming acoustic superstar FLOSSIE MALAVIALLE! Flossie is one of the hottest acts on the folk and acoustic scene at the moment, and there could be no better example of this than the fantastic turnout we had for her, and the amazing performance that she gave!
Flossie's great performance makes up two of the Willows' newest YouTube videos. The one regret I have in restrospect with the two songs of Flossie's I chose to film is that it makes her look like just a Janis Joplin tribute artist, with her two brilliant renditions of two Janis Joplin songs - however, there is much, much more to Flossie's live performances than just this. However, hopefully these two videos help show what an amazing vocalist and engaging live performer Flossie is, and encourage anyone who hasn't seen her to listen out for more songs by her!
This first video is Flossie's performance of Kris Kristofferson's classic song "Me and Bobby McGee", complete with an opening Janis Joplin impersonation!!
This second video is Flossie's standard encore, an amazing version of "Mercedes Benz":
In addition to Flossie's great gig, we were also treated to a special floorspot from local singer-songwriter Claire Booth, who it's always a pleasure to hear. And, guess what? We also have both of the songs Claire performed available to check out on the Willows' YouTube channel! Here's Claire's version of "Strong Winds for Autumn", a song written by Bob McNeil and originally recorded by Emily Smith:
And this is Claire performing one of her own songs, "Want You Here":
Last but by no means least, adding to the fantastic feminine flavour of this update, this last video features local singer-songwriter Jasmin Goddard performing one of her own songs, entitled "Man of the Sea" (and complete with backing by local acoustic harmony duo Davis & Griffiths), at the Willows' Open Stage Night on Wednesday 2nd September. This video has recently been uploaded as part of Jasmin's own YouTube channel:
Faustus = epic night! (Plus, apologies for lack of updates!)
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Apologies for the lack of updates to this website - one of the major reasons for that being a last-minute rush for FAUSTUS tickets, resulting in the gig being a complete sell-out! Thanks so much to everyone for supporting this gig - and, thanks to Faustus themselves for a truly AMAZING and awe-inspiring performance!
In celebration of Faustus' incredible performance, we have no less than two new videos added to the Willows' official YouTube channel - this first video features the band's performance of "Will the Weaver":
This second video showcases some of the duo's fantastic (and hilarious) between-song chat before they launch into "The Green Willow Tree":
Amazing bluegrass trio deliver the goods once again!
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Our good friends Wood Wire & Words never fail to impress with their amazing performances, a mixture of first rate bluegrass, folk and alternative country, all with superb vocal harmonies, lovely songs and top notch instrumental skill! The trio played a first rate gig for us at the Willows last Wednesday, to a very healthy-sized crowd!
Check out this video of Wood Wire & Words performing "Riding the Rails", a song written by their guitarist and lead singer David Rozzell - this video is, of course, the latest addition to the Willows' official YouTube channel!
Our thanks to Wood Wire & Words for helping to keep bluegrass & acoustic music alive and well!
As we expected, ERIC BOGLE & JOHN MUNRO's gig at the Willows last Wednesday was everything we could have hoped for and more besides! At times moving and emotional, at other times uplifting and funny, and all tinged with more than a hint of sadness that this will be one of the last times that audiences in the UK will get to see this fine duo in action.
So much has been written and said about Eric & John's wonderful performances over the years, there's not much we can add to it - so instead, we'd like to let these two videos of Eric & John's performance at the Willows do the talking.
"No Man's Land" (a.k.a. "Green Fields of France"):
"And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda":
Our thanks to Eric & John for such a wonderful evening, and for all the pleasure they've given to music lovers the world over - on behalf of everyone at the Willows, we wish them all the very best for the future!
The Willows is all set for arguably the most exciting date of the club's 2009 calendar this Wednesday, when we welcome ERIC BOGLE & JOHN MUNRO as part of Eric's last-ever UK tour!
In answer to a couple of queries we've received, we just feel it's worth reiterating that, unfortunately, this gig is completely SOLD OUT, with no tickets left either in advance or "on the door", with the last tickets having been sold at the end of May! As such, we regret that anyone turning up on Wednesday without a ticket (unless by prior arrangement, i.e. if for some reason we haven't been able to get your tickets to you yet) will not be able to be admitted, as we will be at the maximum capacity allowed by the Football Club's fire regulations. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the sell-out.
We're really looking forward to this once-in-a-lifetime evening from this fantastic duo!
Scottish duo EWAN WILKINSON & SANDY BRECHIN whipped up a storm with their superb and varied performance last Wednesday, veering from driving, upbeat instrumentals and songs to tender and emotive ballads with consummate ease. Even though these guys are a new name on the circuit outside of their native Scotland, it surely cannot be long before they are snapped up by clubs and festivals all over the country, such is the sheer quality of their music!
The latest addition to the Willows' YouTube Channel is a video of this dynamic duo in action!
One of the highlights of our Open Stage Nights has always been the closing number, where we try and get every singer and musician up on stage to join in for a rousing finish! However, I think it's fair to say that last Wednesday was something special, as for once we actually had a bit of spare time at the end of the evening and so decided to devote this to an extended "mega-jam"!
The session started with MC Chris Davis leading off with the bluegrass/country classic "Will The Circle Be Unbroken?", followed by Ray Hedges' superb version of Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land", and Geoff Weston's "Wreck of the Old '97" (complete with Geoff doing the tenor harmony - fantastic going from someone whose role with his choir is bass!). The session concluded with Davis & Griffiths playing Simon & Garfunkel, specifically that classic duo's hit "Cecilia"!
As well as this, of course, we also enjoyed a wealth of great floorspots, including (amongst many others) a warm welcome to new friend Peter Clifton, who played a couple of great numbers accompanied by our old friend Andrew Perry on dobro!
It was wonderful to welcome Huw Chidgey & Catherine Handley back to the Willows last Wednesday! These two are one of the finest (and, at least in our opinion, most underrated) folk duos in the country, with terrific material, brilliant instrumentation, fantastic vocal harmonies and great chat!
To illustrate this point, check out the latest addition to the Willows' YouTube channel, which shows Huw & Catherine giving a characteristically powerful performance of "The Tinker":
This coming Wednesday we have another of our great Open Stage Nights - check out past news updates to see what great fun these can be!
Another great Come All Ye - Open Stage Night was had last Wednesday, with a good turnout (not least of all from some terrific musicians) despite stiff competition from the gloriously sunny weather! Amongst the many highlights were a solo debut performance from Liz Eastwood (wife of regular Willows performer Derek), Geoff Cox's superb rendition of "Trumpet Voluntary" on the melodica, a terrific duo outing from Mike Ainscough & Alan Day, and a welcome return to our good friends David Cracknell and harmony group Harvest Home!
Harvest Home's performance of the song from which they take their name is also the latest addition to the Willows' YouTube channel:
Last Wednesday's Willows night boasted a special guest appearance from singer-guitarist BRAM TAYLOR. It's probably fair to say that Bram is not as well-known in the South as in other parts of the country, but it's not difficult to see why many folk fans regard him as one of the finest singers and all-round entertainers on the scene - Bram has got the package, starting with his first class voice and guitar playing, through to his wide-ranging and exciting selection of material, and his superb (and very funny!) audience communication!
For a taste of just what a fine singer Bram is, check out this video of his performance of "Hillcrest Mine", a song by Canadian singer-songwriter James Keelaghan - this video is the latest addition to the Willows' YouTube channel:
As well as Bram's awe-inspiring performance, we also enjoyed some great floorspots, one of whom was our old friend Mike Nicholson, one of the finest folk voices in Sussex:
(Don't forget that there are a number of other videos to enjoy on the Willows' YouTube channel - log on to www.youtube.com/willowsfolkclub to check them out!)
The Willows enjoyed a terrific Come All Ye - Open Stage Night last night! Amongst the many highlights (too many to list in full) were regulars Reg Daniel and Geoff Weston teaming up to play "Me & Bobby McGee", a visit from local skiffle king Will Warman and skiffle queen Judith Greenfield, some superb instrumentals from our good friend Keith Charnely, a great set from regular Willows supporter David Bott, and also a special visit from two new friends on holiday from overseas, Sam and his wife Saskia, who each treated us to a song. Both Sam and Saskia told us how much their visit to the Willows had meant to them, and said that it was something they would remember for years to come.
We also enjoyed some fantastic performances from more Willows friends and regulars, including (in no particular order) Ray Hedges, Davis & Griffiths, Lorna, Bryon Winslade, Mike Paine, Peter Carver, Mike Hubbard, Little Jo (aided by Chris on guitar and mandolin), and the lovely Jasmin (also accompanied by Chris on the mandolin!). The closing jam for the evening was the classic "Down By The Riverside" which boasted some great impromptu harmonies and was a great end to a fun evening!
As always, our thanks to everyone, both performer and audience member, for coming along and helping to make these Open Stage Night evenings so special - see below for some pictures from this great night!
(We also sold some more Faustus tickets too, but at this early stage still have quite a few left - please get in touch if you'd like to come and see one of the UK's best folk trios!)
On Wednesday 26th August, the Willows is proud to be welcoming exciting trio FAUSTUS, who will be appearing as part of this year's Arundel Festival! Due to the potentially high demand for this gig, the Willows is selling advance tickets for Faustus' performance, which are on sale NOW! We've already sold approximately 15% of all tickets available, but there's still plenty left at the moment - grab them whilst you can!
Faustus are one of the hottest names in folk music today, and feature a fusion of three of the folk scene's finest talents, namely Benji Kirkpatrick (son of John and an acclaimed solo artist in his own right), Saul Rose (most noted for his work with Waterson:Carthy, and Paul Sartin (who last played for us as one half of Belshazzar's Feast, and is also highly acclaimed for his work with Bellowhead). Don't miss your chance to see them!
On Wednesday 26th August, the Willows is proud to be welcoming exciting trio FAUSTUS, who will be appearing as part of this year's Arundel Festival! Due to the potentially high demand for this gig, the Willows is selling advance tickets for Faustus' performance, which are on sale NOW! We've already sold approximately 15% of all tickets available, but there's still plenty left at the moment - grab them whilst you can!
The Willows is excited to be welcoming THE TANNAHILL WEAVERS back to the club on Wednesday 7th April! 
The Willows is all set for arguably the most exciting date of the club's 2009 calendar this Wednesday, when we welcome ERIC BOGLE & JOHN MUNRO as part of Eric's last-ever UK tour!
