Welcome to the Dragon Folk Club, which meets for a singers night every Friday. Audience members always welcome: join in the banter and the odd chorus.
All are welcome whether to sing, play, or perform in any way within reason as long as it's acoustic. Entry is free although there is sometimes a raffle. Unless the club is exceptionally well attended on a particular night, everyone gets a chance to sing or play, often several times. For an accurate location map see our Blog - http://tinyurl.com/k5zn69l
02/09/2025
We initially thought we would be four singers at the Dragon Folk Club last Friday, but then Roger turned up to make a perfectly quorate fivesome. It was Roger who added the most "new" songs to the Dragon database as you will see in this report.
As ever you will find us from 8:15pm this Friday in the barn (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Bridge Rd, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG.
When you join us at The Bridge you will always find FREE ENTRY, a warm welcome, excellent acoustics and a reasonably priced bar. You are welcome to show us any type of performance: a song, a tune, a story, a monologue, a poem, a joke or whatever else you can dream up. Anything goes as long as it's acoustic. And if you don't feel ready to perform this time then please be our audience, join in some banter, and maybe a chorus or two.
Give us a try - we are very friendly.
Fishing boat with attendant gulls on Loch Hourn (Photo: Simon Meeds) We initially thought we would be four singers at the Dragon Folk Club l...
27/08/2025
We're doing really well for new faces at the Dragon Folk Club recently and last week was no exception. I don't believe either Kevin or Sarah had been to a folk club before. Sarah decided not to sing, but after observing the first rotation Kevin offered us a song on the second and on each subsequent one. Well done Kevin! Your efforts were appreciated.
As ever you will find us from 8:15pm this Friday in the barn (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Bridge Rd, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG.
When you join us at The Bridge you will always find FREE ENTRY, a warm welcome, excellent acoustics and a reasonably priced bar. You are welcome to show us any type of performance: a song, a tune, a story, a monologue, a poem, a joke or whatever else you can dream up. Anything goes as long as it's acoustic. And if you don't feel ready to perform this time then please be our audience, join in some banter, and maybe a chorus or two.
Give us a try - we are very friendly.
Sheep shearing at the North Somerset Show (Photo: Simon meeds) We're doing really well for new faces at the Dragon Folk Club recently and la...
19/08/2025
Another great evening at the Dragon Folk Club. Having got through the recent part of the festival season unscathed our numbers were indeed swelled. We even had another possible "catch" for the future among the ladies who walked through our room given that their principle toilet is still out of action - I am sure manager Mike is on the case, but these things take time.
Since the session fell on VJ-Day and the previous week's session should have marked the 80th anniversary of the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Colin announced an impromptu, naturally optional, war and anti-war theme, which he kicked off with The sun is burning (Ian Campbell).
As ever you will find us from 8:15pm this Friday in the barn (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Bridge Rd, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG.
When you join us at The Bridge you will always find FREE ENTRY, a warm welcome, excellent acoustics and a reasonably priced bar. You are welcome to show us any type of performance: a song, a tune, a story, a monologue, a poem, a joke or whatever else you can dream up. Anything goes as long as it's acoustic. And if you don't feel ready to perform this time then please be our audience, join in some banter, and maybe a chorus or two.
Give us a try - we are very friendly.
Enola Gay on display at the National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (Photo: Simon Meeds) Another great evening at the Dra...
12/08/2025
After the previous week's rather good effort, last week's Dragon Folk Club session was more what we might expect for Sidmouth Folk Festival time. With some core dragons off enjoying the Devon sounds we were down to a skeleton crew, but nevertheless we had a good time and were able to welcome two visitors briefly in our midst.
The fact that the ladies' toilet wasn't working again was a mixed blessing. On the one hand there was a constant trickle of women walking though our room - all respectful, which was nice - but on the other we got to enjoy a song from our pub-local friend Allie, and we met another young lady who was very complimentary about our singing and who it seems may drop in on us again for a proper visit, perhaps even bringing along her mother who is a morris dancer. We were able to send both of our valued visitors away with our branded beer-mats to remind them to come back.
As ever you will find us from 8:15pm this Friday in the barn (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Bridge Rd, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG.
When you join us at The Bridge you will always find FREE ENTRY, a warm welcome, excellent acoustics and a reasonably priced bar. You are welcome to show us any type of performance: a song, a tune, a story, a monologue, a poem, a joke or whatever else you can dream up. Anything goes as long as it's acoustic. And if you don't feel ready to perform this time then please be our audience, join in some banter, and maybe a chorus or two.
Give us a try - we are very friendly.
Photo: Simon Meeds After the previous week's rather good effort , last week's Dragon Folk Club session was more what we might expect for Sid...
05/08/2025
A message from old friend of the club, Chico Holton...
"Another re-post in my current bit of self-promotion due to new friends being added of late on FB.
"This time a vid of 'Seaman's Shuffle'. An instrumental dedicated to BBC Radio Wiltshire presenter back around 2002, Mark Seaman who had me perform live on his show on many occasions and great fun they were. On a su***de mission, the first time this was played was on his show, although it was untitled at the time and I got away with it without too many mistakes if I remember.
"I hope you enjoy it. Please share with your friends on your FB site with your friends if you do.
"Also please visit my YouTube Channel and Subscribe, Like and Share anything you may like."
Live performance of Seaman's Shuffle. - Chico Holton
05/08/2025
We didn't have high hopes of last week's Dragon Folk Club session, coinciding as it did with Sidmouth Folk Festival and therefore automatically ruling out some of our regular singers. However, things were looking up when Mark appeared. It was Mark's first visit to the club, not surprisingly since he is a regular at Belper Folk Club, which is based in Derbyshire.
We were settling down to a good evening of four singers with one visitor when who should come through the door but our old friends Richard and Lesley who have long lived in far flung corners of Wales. We owed the visit to their wedding anniversary celebrations which would take place in Bristol over the weekend.
As ever you will find us from 8:15pm this Friday in the barn (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Bridge Rd, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG.
When you join us at The Bridge you will always find FREE ENTRY, a warm welcome, excellent acoustics and a reasonably priced bar. You are welcome to show us any type of performance: a song, a tune, a story, a monologue, a poem, a joke or whatever else you can dream up. Anything goes as long as it's acoustic. And if you don't feel ready to perform this time then please be our audience, join in some banter, and maybe a chorus or two.
Give us a try - we are very friendly.
Herring Gull on rubbish (Photo: Simon Meeds) We didn't have high hopes of last week's Dragon Folk Club session, coinciding as it did with Si...
29/07/2025
Yes, we were a bit thin on the ground at last week's Dragon Folk Club session, but we sang. There were no attempts for a record number of songs, just lots of chat and lots of singing.
Stand-in MC, Simon, started us off with Chase the dragon (* Keith Hancock) which Simon acquired from the singing of Gregson & Collister (Clive Gregson and Christine Collister) - Hancock and Gregson were school friends. Simon sang the song for the first time in a few years as a sort of sideways tribute to the recently deceased Ozzy Osbourne. (Read more in our blog report linked below)
As ever you will find us from 8:15pm this Friday in the barn (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Bridge Rd, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG.
When you join us at The Bridge you will always find FREE ENTRY, a warm welcome, excellent acoustics and a reasonably priced bar. You are welcome to show us any type of performance: a song, a tune, a story, a monologue, a poem, a joke or whatever else you can dream up. Anything goes as long as it's acoustic. And if you don't feel ready to perform this time then please be our audience, join in some banter, and maybe a chorus or two.
Colin, our regular MC, will be back this week, so please come along and support him.
Give us a try - we don't bite and we don't breathe fire since we had our burners removed.
Ozzy Osbourne in 2010 Yes, we were a bit thin on the ground at last week's Dragon Folk Club session, but we sang. There were no attempts for...
23/07/2025
At last week's Dragon Folk Club is was great to see Paul and Denny swelling the numbers by bringing along Helen for her second experience of a session, and Quentin for his first. Helen had prepared some songs, which was great, but lack of preparation didn't stop Quentin from venturing three with the help of others present who provided the word sheets.
I know Helen enjoyed the experience and will be back; I think the same is true of Quentin. We're a friendly crowd; performing is encouraged and very welcome, but encouragement is just that, everyone should feel free to just sit and listen if they want to, maybe joining in with the odd chorus and some banter.
You will find us from 8:15pm this and any Friday in the barn (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Bridge Rd, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG.
I don't think there will be an official theme this week, but rest assured, even if there is our themes are always optional, indeed you are welcome to bring your own theme and others may join in.
When you join us at The Bridge you will always find FREE ENTRY, a warm welcome, excellent acoustics and a reasonably priced bar.
You are welcome to show us any type of performance: a song, a tune, a story, a monologue, a poem, a joke or whatever else you can dream up. Anything goes as long as it's acoustic.
This dragon will be MC on Friday so I really want to encourage you to come along and have a great evening.
Give us a try - we are a friendly crowd and we hardly ever bite.
Connie Francis in 1961 At last week's Dragon Folk Club is was great to see Paul and Denny swelling the numbers by bringing along Helen for h...
15/07/2025
As expected at the end of another scorching day we were slightly low on numbers at last week's Dragon Folk Club session but we carried on singing. Paul selected from his repertoire songs he hadn't sung recently, Simon appropriately sang mostly songs relating to hot or warm weather, and Denny just sang some excellent songs.
As ever you will find us from 8:15pm this Friday in the barn (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Bridge Rd, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG.
I don't think there will be an official theme this week, but rest assured, even if there is our themes are always optional, indeed you are welcome to bring your own theme and others may join in.
When you join us at The Bridge you will always find FREE ENTRY, a warm welcome, excellent acoustics and a reasonably priced bar. You are welcome to show us any type of performance: a song, a tune, a story, a monologue, a poem, a joke or whatever else you can dream up. Anything goes as long as it's acoustic. And if you don't feel ready to perform this time then please be our audience, join in some banter, and maybe a chorus or two.
Colin, our regular MC, will be back this week, so please come along and support him.
Give us a try - we don't bite and we don't breathe fire since we had our burners removed.
Photo: Simon Meeds As expected at the end of another scorching day we were slightly low on numbers at last week's Dragon Folk Club session b...
10/07/2025
A long time ago this dragon used to frequent the Nettlebed Folk Club in Oxfordshire. I see it is celebrating its 50th anniversary on Monday 14th July with an impressive array of guests.
Tickets are sold out for the live show, but it will be available for streaming or watching later (tickets £20). The show will start at 7pm and finish at about 11:30pm (with two intervals).
50th Birthday Extravaganza
Artists scheduled to appear are,
in no particular order –
• Cara Dillon & Sam Lakeman • Feast of Fiddles • Chris While, Julie Matthews & Kellie While • Steve Knightley • Phil Beer • Miranda Sykes • Maddy Prior • Mike McGoldrick & John McCusker • Benji Kirkpatrick • Paul Downes • Jackie Oates, Megan Henwood & Charlie Dore •
50th Birthday ExtravaganzaArtists scheduled to appear are, in no particular order – • Cara Dillon & Sam Lakeman • Feast of Fiddles • Chris While, Julie Matthews & Kellie While • Steve Knightley • Phil Beer • Miranda Sykes • Maddy Prior • Mike McGoldrick & John McCusker • Benji Ki...
08/07/2025
With Severn Whalers – I just got recognised as one of their top fans! 🎉
08/07/2025
With Peggy Seeger – I just got recognised as one of her top fans! 🎉 I'm not quite sure how that happened, but I did share news of the end of her final tour.
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At the Dragon Folk Club we don’t take ourselves too seriously even if some of us are deadly serious about our music. Anything goes as long as it's acoustic: songs, tunes, stories, poems, monologues, jokes. Join us to perform or just to listen and maybe join in a chorus or some banter. Entry is free, there is a bar a few steps away and we must have some of the best pub acoustics in the area.
You could start off by reading our popular blog. Each week we write about some of the performances, perhaps with insights into the stories behind the songs, and usually with links to recordings of those songs to which you can listen at your leisure. It’s almost a folk radio programme and there are even reports dating back to 2013, so there’s plenty to read and listen to. Maybe it will help you to decide to drop in on us when you are next in the area.
Performances come in all shapes and sizes: sing, play an instrument, recite a poem or monologue, tell a story or a joke. Anything goes and don’t feel restricted by the term “folk” in our name. We’ve had folk songs from the British Isles, from Europe, the Americas and Australasia; we’ve had blues, country, comedy songs, songs from the shows, music hall songs, gospel, hymns, punk, pop, in fact any sort of music you can think of has probably been heard at the Dragon Folk Club at one time or another.
The only thing we ask is that your performance is acoustic. We have had people turn up with small battery powered amps for very quiet instruments such as the autoharp and that’s fine but if you’re bringing your guitar, for example, please make it an acoustic. Think of it as an open mike session without a mike or a stage.
One of the best things about our format is that joining in, especially by singing the choruses, is encouraged and great fun. If you’re going to play along though we just ask you to be courteous: consider whether it’s appropriate, whether you’re going to distract the person performing and whether you are going to add to or detract from the experience of the other people listening.
Entry is free. We have a raffle at the interval. We meet every Friday with very rare exceptions, usually when our room is otherwise booked. Keep looking at the blog for those exceptions. We have lots of little traditions, like having buffets a few times a year but if you become a regular you’ll get to know about those as you go along.
As well as following our page, do keep an eye on our blog: http://dragonfolkclub.blogspot.co.uk/
