Dragon Folk Club

08/02/2025

The Dragon is beginning to breathe fire again. Our regular venue of The Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG is open again with new permanent management and they are happy to see us return. They've still got some tidying up to do before the barn is ready to welcome us back, but we have pencilled in the 28th February as the reopening night for The Dragon Folk Club.

So, put it in your diary: 8:15pm on Friday 28th February at The Bridge Inn. Anything goes as long as it's acoustic: sing, play, recite, tell a joke, anything. There will be no theme and everyone is welcome whether to perform or as an audience. You will always find a warm welcome, FREE ENTRY, great acoustics. I assume there will be the usual reasonably priced bar, and there is a whisper that the heating might be working better, but I can't promise those two until I've seen how it goes on the night

Make it a date! See you there!

The Dragon is beginning to breathe fire again. Our regular venue of The Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG is open again with new...

01/02/2025

The Dragon Folk Club is still, hopefully temporarily, without a lair, so the dragon and a small entourage had an outing this Friday to the Pucklechurch Open Mic, run by Chris Lambert who some of us know. It was a little out of the comfort zone for some of us, who rarely perform on a stage and have never before sung to a microphone, but it was nevertheless a pleasant and fun evening at the Pucklechurch Village Sports and Social Club.

The Dragon is certainly looking for a new lair, or a swift return to its old one. In the meantime if you have any ideas of places that might have a suitable room for a sing-around, available on Fridays, preferably free or for a small fee, and in the area of BS15, BS16 or BS37 (Bristol UK), then please contact us to let us know about it.

We are already investigating some possibilities and still interested in returning to the Bridge Inn, Shortwood, when a new landlord or lady is appointed and if they will have us.

If we are still homeless on 28th February you may find us again at the Pucklechurch Open Mic.

Whatever happens... keep singing.

The Dragon Folk Club is still, hopefully temporarily, without a lair, so the dragon and a small entourage had an outing this Friday to the P...

18/01/2025

We're hopeful to eventually return to The Bridge Inn, our venue for almost all of the last 29 years, at some point, but it could take a while. Currently the builders are in and think the job will take about a month, then we will have to negotiate with the new manager.

In the meantime we are still on the look-out for a new, temporary venue, preferably in the BS15 / BS16 / BS36 area, preferably every Friday and preferably at a small or zero price. Maybe this is a lot to ask.

At the moment we are planning a Dragon away-day at the Pucklechurch Open Mic on 31st January, so you would be very welcome to join us there.

13/01/2025

Update...
We are investigating possible new or temporary venues for the Dragon Folk Club. Please bear with us.

08/01/2025

I am afraid this is a bit of a non-announcement, but since I regularly post here I thought it best to post this. The management at our regular pub venue have exited stage left and therefore we are currently without a location for the Dragon Folk Club. Please do not turn up to The Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG expecting to sing with the Dragon until further notice.

We will be working with the owners of the pub and with other venues to get the club back and singing as soon as possible, so please watch this space and our blog linked below for news.

Once we are back up and running you can be assured that there will be a warm welcome and anything will go as long as it's acoustic.

We hope to see you soon.

Sorry to anyone who turned up to sing for the Dragon this evening (3rd Jan). The pub was closed. This wasn't entirely unexpected since we ha...

03/01/2025

Sorry to anyone who turned up to sing for the Dragon this evening (3rd Jan). The pub was closed. This wasn't entirely unexpected since we had heard whispers of a change of management.

At this stage I can't commit to when we will be on the road again, but it will be as soon as we possibly can. Either new management will be put in quickly and we will be accepted back, or we may move to another venue either temporarily or permanently. Watch this space.

01/01/2025

This is a reminder that the Dragon Folk Club is back from its brief Christmas break this Friday with an optional theme of New Year, Twelfth Night, Wassail and anything else that seems appropriate.

You will find us from 8:15pm this and almost every Friday in the "barn" (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG. You will always find a warm welcome there, FREE ENTRY, excellent acoustics, and a reasonably priced bar.

Please note that at this time of year, despite the warm welcome, we can't guarantee a warm ambient temperature, so overdressing initially is advised. It's always better to have to remove a layer than to be too cold.

See you there.

Welcome to the official blog of the Dragon Folk Club, which meets for a singers night every Friday at The Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Bristol. Everyone is welcome whether you sing, play or just listen.

22/12/2024

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was our second Christmas-themed evening, though Simon took the suggested opportunity to base his songs rather on Saint Nicholas' varied patronages. It was great to welcome Stuart and Carrie back to the club with their eclectic mix of songs, which they dredged deep to keep it almost entirely on topic.

Remember that this Friday (27th December) is one of those rare times when we won't be meeting to sing. Despite whispers of possible instability in our venue we hope to be back on 3rd January to welcome in 2025 with a song or thirty. The theme will of course encompass New Year, Twelfth Night, Wassail and anything else that seems appropriate. Failing that the theme is as usual optional and anything goes as long as it's acoustic.

You will find us from 8:15pm almost every Friday (note the exception mentioned above) in the "barn" (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG. You will always find a warm welcome there, FREE ENTRY, excellent acoustics, and a reasonably priced bar.

Please note that at this time of year, despite the warm welcome, we can't guarantee a warm ambient temperature, so overdressing initially is advised. It's always better to have to remove a layer than to be too cold.

See you there.

The bells of St Paul's Cathedral, London (Photo: Simon Meeds) Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was our second Christmas-themed evening, ...

18/12/2024

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was the first of two we are having with a Christmas theme. It was an excellent evening not least because Keith G joined us for the first time in a while. To our surprise Keith has given up the guitar which he played so well in favour of the piano, and as such he brought along a keyboard with which to accompany his singing. We'll forgive his bending of our "rule" that anything goes as long as it's acoustic on the basis that a piano is acoustic, but difficult to haul in from the car park, never mind to fit in the car.

This Friday's session (20 December 2024) will be our second Christmas themed one, but in recognition that some of us may be running a bit low on strictly seasonal songs let's widen it out a bit. We have missed Saint Nicholas' Day which was on 6th December, but since he is so closely associated with Christmas, let's consider his patronages which include: children, coopers, travellers, sailors, fishermen, merchants, toymakers, broadcasters, the falsely accused, repentant thieves, brewers, pharmacists, archers, pawnbrokers, unmarried people, Aberdeen, Galway, Albania, Russia, Greece, Liverpool, Moscow, Amsterdam, and Lorraine. That should give some scope. Also remember various Christmas traditions around the UK, Europe and the world such as Krampus (Austria) and Zwarte Piet (Netherlands).

Please remember that there will be no Dragon Folk Club Session on 27th December, but we will be back on 3rd January to start 2025 with a song.

You will find us from 8:15pm this and almost every Friday (note the exception mentioned above) in the "barn" (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG. You will always find a warm welcome there, FREE ENTRY, excellent acoustics, and a reasonably priced bar.

Please note that at this time of year, despite the warm welcome, we can't guarantee a warm ambient temperature, so overdressing initially is advised. It's always better to have to remove a layer than to be too cold.

See you there.

Vancouver (Photo: Simon Meeds) Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was the first of two we are having with a Christmas theme. It was an exc...

09/12/2024

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session combined songs left over from the previous week's dual themes of Scotland and Lancashire with quite a number of songs from or about the sea as well as some references to the imminent extreme weather (Storm Darragh was to bring gale force winds).

This Friday (13th December) the theme will be Christmas, so you can show your love for the festival your "bah humbug" or simply appreciate the related historical and/or religious themes. As always the theme is optional so anything goes as long as it's acoustic. And if that wasn't enough, next week's theme (20th December) will be "Christmas Leftovers". Yes, at the DFC we like to get started early on the turkey fricassée.

Remember that 27th December will be one of those rare Fridays when we don't meet, so save up those New Year and Twelfth Night songs for 3rd January when we will be back in the swing of it.

You will find us from 8:15pm this and almost every Friday (note the exception mentioned above) in the "barn" (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG. You will always find a warm welcome there, FREE ENTRY, excellent acoustics, and a reasonably priced bar.

Please note that at this time of year, despite the warm welcome, we can't guarantee a warm ambient temperature, so overdressing initially is advised. It's always better to have to remove a layer than to be too cold.

See you there.

USS Tennessee was originally named USS Madawaska in 1865 and was renamed in 1869 Last week's Dragon Folk Club session combined songs left ov...

03/12/2024

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was officially themed for St Andrew's Day. Saint Andrew is patron saint of Scotland among many other things. However Denny asked us also to consider that it was the week of Lancashire Day, her native county, and therefore that was a secondary theme.

Before getting down to business, it's worth pointing out that this week's Dragon session (6th December) will be themeless before we make the big move to Christmas on 13th, and have a premature Christmas leftovers (turkey curry, etc.) session on 20th. 27th December will be a very rare Friday of rest for the Dragon before we come back with a bang for New Year and a slightly early Twelfth Night on 3rd January. It's important to note that our themes are always optional and therefore anything goes at the Dragon as long as it's acoustic.

You will find us from 8:15pm this and almost every Friday in the "barn" (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG. You will always find a warm welcome there, FREE ENTRY, excellent acoustics, and a reasonably priced bar.

Please note that at this time of year, despite the warm welcome, we can't guarantee a warm ambient temperature, so overdressing initially is advised. It's always better to have to remove a layer than to be too cold.

See you there.

The Lancashire Fusilier pulling The Jacobite (Hogwarts Express) over the Glenfinnan Viaduct (Photo: Simon Meeds) Last week's Dragon Folk Clu...

26/11/2024

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was a bit in between - in between themes in this season of themes. Its predecessor was Remembrance and this Friday it will be St Andrew's Day. More of that in a moment. Without a theme it gave people absolute freedom. Simon had quite a few war-themed songs left over from Remembrance while Colin thought he would lift the previous week's mainly sombre mood with some more cheerful ditties. Paul and Denny brought us a variety of seasonal, unseasonable and sing-along offerings.

So, to this Friday's theme (29th November). St Andrew, whose saint's day is on 30th November, is of course best known as the patron saint of Scotland, so anything Scottish or about Scotland will do. Also bear in mind Andrews other patronages include: Barbados, Georgia, Ukraine, Russia, Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Amalfi, Manila and Prussia; fishermen, fishmongers, rope-makers, textile workers, singers, miners, pregnant women, butchers, and farm workers.

If that doesn't give you scope enough, on Denny's request there will be a secondary theme of Lancashire Day (27th November). Remember that the county of Lancashire traditionally includes Manchester, Salford and Liverpool, none of which are in the current county, but all are fair game for the session.

Then, of course, our themes are always optional, so anything goes as long as it's acoustic, though with all that themery to go on we can probably find a tenuous connection for almost any song.

You will find us from 8:15pm this and almost every Friday in the "barn" (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG. You will always find a warm welcome there, FREE ENTRY, excellent acoustics, and a reasonably priced bar.

Please note that at this time of year, despite the warm welcome, we can't guarantee a warm ambient temperature, so overdressing initially is advised. It's always better to have to remove a layer than to be too cold.

See you there.

(AI image from Stable Diffusion) Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was a bit in between - in between themes in this season of themes. Its...

18/11/2024

11th November is Remembrance Day or Armistice Day in the UK, so the Dragon Folk Club session on 15th was our annual Remembrance theme. Traditionally we include anything to do with war, anti-war sentiment and wartime songs. We stayed reasonably well on topic though there are a few songs where you might struggle to find the link.

This Friday we have a break from themes with an entirely themeless session, so anything goes as long as it's acoustic.

The following week (Friday 29th) will be our St Andrews Day theme, where anything relevant to Scotland or St Andrew will be ideal. It has been suggested that since Lancashire Day is on 27th we should have that as a second theme, and that's fine.

Remember that the traditional county of Lancashire also includes Manchester, Salford and Liverpool, so that gives plenty of scope! Remember also that all our themes are optional, so ultimately anything goes as long as it's acoustic.

You will find us from 8:15pm this and almost every Friday in the "barn" (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG. You will always find a warm welcome there, FREE ENTRY, excellent acoustics, and a reasonably priced bar.

Please note though that we are getting towards the season where, despite the warm welcome, we can't guarantee a warm ambient temperature, so overdressing initially is advised. It's always better to have to remove a layer than to be too cold.

See you there.

Remembrance Sunday parade, Bristol 2023 (Photo: Simon Meeds) 11th November is Remembrance Day or Armistice Day in the UK, so the Dragon Folk...

18/11/2024

It’s nearly time for our Last Shanty festival of the year -
the Amazing St Ives Shanty Shout….
We have some fantastic venues again this year….
The Lifeboat Inn
The Pilchard Press Alehouse
Bier Huis Grand Café
Host St Ives
CafeArt

13/11/2024

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was our annual Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night theme. Anything about fireworks, fires, camping, or typical campfire songs was fair game and we did pretty well at sticking, albeit sometimes tenuously, to the theme.

This Friday the theme will be Remembrance, which you might also frame as armistice, war songs, anti-war songs, wartime songs... and in any case the theme is, as always, optional, so ultimately anything goes as long as it's acoustic.

You will find us from 8:15pm this and almost every Friday in the "barn" (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG. You will always find a warm welcome there, FREE ENTRY, excellent acoustics, and a reasonably priced bar.

Please note though that we are getting towards the season where, despite the warm welcome, we can't guarantee a warm ambient temperature, so overdressing initially is advised. It's always better to have to remove a layer than to be too cold.

See you there.

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was our annual Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night theme. Anything about fireworks, fires, camping, or ty...

05/11/2024

Being in the full flow of themes season, at the Dragon Folk Club we were going all spooky for Halloween last week and we seem to have met the theme pretty well most of the time. This Friday the theme is related to Bonfire Night, so anything about Guy Fawkes, fireworks, campfires, camping, scouts and guides or anything tenuously related would work just fine, and as always it's an optional theme so anything really goes as long as it's acoustic.

You will find us from 8:15pm this and almost every Friday in the "barn" (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG. You will always find a warm welcome there, FREE ENTRY, excellent acoustics, and a reasonably priced bar.

Please note though that we are getting towards the season where, despite the warm welcome, we can't guarantee a warm ambient temperature, so overdressing initially is advised. It's always better to have to remove a layer than to be too cold.

See you there.

(Photo: Simon Meeds) It'll be a very quick report for last week's Dragon Folk Club session I'm afraid. Perhaps back to normal service next w...

30/10/2024

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was unusual for this time of year having no theme. This Friday it will be our Halloween session, which gives quite a wide scope. Halloween is the eve of All Saints Day and is thought to be associated with the Celtic festival Samhain, when ghosts and spirits were believed to be abroad. If in doubt anything a bit spooky will do, and in any case as is always the case with our themes, it's entirely optional and anything goes as long as it's acoustic.

Back to last week, we were pleased to see Paul back and in fine voice after his serious surgical interventions, more of which later in the report. We also saw the return of occasional Dragon, John B without his sloop, but with his drum and harmonica (not at the same time).

You will find us from 8:15pm this and almost every Friday in the "barn" (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG. You will always find a warm welcome there, FREE ENTRY, excellent acoustics, and a reasonably priced bar.

Please note though that we are getting towards the season where, despite the warm welcome, we can't guarantee a warm ambient temperature, so overdressing initially is advised. It's always better to have to remove a layer than to be too cold.

See you there.

Rain at Dungeness (Photo: Simon Meeds) Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was unusual for this time of year having no theme. This Friday i...

22/10/2024

Last week at the Dragon Folk Club our Harvest themed session bore fruit. We started off strongly with the theme with plenty of bucolic ballads and songs, migrating to songs of the harvest of the sea, and from there to poaching and eventually to the harvest of mineral deposits. You know how it goes.

This week there will be no theme, but there will definitely be a session, and get ready for next week's Halloween session... spooky.

You will find us from 8:15pm this and almost every Friday in the "barn" (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG. You will always find a warm welcome there, FREE ENTRY, excellent acoustics, and a reasonably priced bar.

Please note though that we are getting towards the season where, despite the warm welcome, we can't guarantee a warm ambient temperature, so overdressing initially is advised. It's always better to have to remove a layer than to be too cold.

See you there.

(Photo: Simon Meeds) Last week at the Dragon Folk Club our Harvest themed session bore fruit. We started off strongly with the theme with pl...