Dragon Folk Club

30/09/2025

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session saw two visitors joining us for a lot of singing and chat. I will consider both Heather and Hazel new to the club although I believe I heard that Heather had been before though I think before any of the others present had first attended. Some of us however knew her a little from other sessions. Hazel did not perform, but it was noticed that she sang along to many of the songs and her presence was very welcome.

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** Important Announcement **
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Our room at The Bridge is double-booked this Friday (3rd October 2025), so it will be a very rare Friday with no Dragon Folk Club session. We will however be back on Friday 10th October for a Harvest themed session. As always the theme is optional, but if you can bring along some appropriate songs that would be great.
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You will find almost every Friday (but not on 3rd) from 8:15pm in the barn (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Bridge Road, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG.

Come and join us next week (10th October)!

There will always be FREE ENTRY, a warm welcome, excellent acoustics, and a reasonably priced bar. Anything goes as long as it’s acoustic: a song, a story, a tune, a poem, a joke, a monologue, whatever you can come up with, and if you don’t feel up to performing even in front of a small, friendly, crowd, then you are welcome to just listen, and maybe join in the odd chorus and some friendly banter.

Come and try us, we don't bite.

A decorated door in Villefranche-de-Conflent, France (Photo: Simon Meeds) Last week's Dragon Folk Club session saw two visitors joining us f...

22/09/2025

What last week's Dragon Folk Club session lacked in number of singers it made up for in the eclectic selection of songs. Yes, we knew in advance that we would be a couple of regulars down and this time we didn't have any visitors, but that didn't affect the keenness with which we attacked our respective repertoires.

Come and join us this week or soon for a great evening of singing and chat.

You will find us this Friday as we are almost every Friday from 8:15pm in the barn (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Bridge Road, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG.

There will always be FREE ENTRY, a warm welcome, excellent acoustics, and a reasonably priced bar. Anything goes as long as it’s acoustic: a song, a story, a tune, a poem, a joke, a monologue, whatever you can come up with, and if you don’t feel up to performing even in front of a small, friendly, crowd, then you are welcome to just listen, and maybe join in the odd chorus and some friendly banter.

Come and try us, you won't regret it.

(Photo: Simon Meeds) What last week's Dragon Folk Club session lacked in number of singers it made up for in the eclectic selection of songs...

18/09/2025

Bristol shanty Festival weekend is almost here….. Come along and join us for a Fantastic Shanty Shout in Bristols Historic Dockside.
fans Bristol Shanty Shout - 20th & 21st September 2025 Underfall Yard

16/09/2025

It was great to see one new face and one second time (I think) visitor at last week's Dragon Folk Club session. Jackie was the superb newcomer while Dominic was the excellent singer we had heard before.

You will find us this Friday as we are almost every Friday from 8:15pm in the barn (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Bridge Road, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG.

There will always be FREE ENTRY, a warm welcome, excellent acoustics, and a reasonably priced bar. Anything goes as long as it’s acoustic: a song, a story, a tune, a poem, a joke, a monologue, whatever you can come up with, and if you don’t feel up to performing even in front of a small, friendly, crowd, then you are welcome to just listen, and maybe join in the odd chorus and some friendly banter.

Come and try us, you won't regret it.

Mine cage winding equipment at Beamish Museum (Photo: Simon Meeds) It was great to see one new face and one second time (I think) visitor at...

11/09/2025

Sorry that the report of last week’s Dragon Folk Club session is rather late appearing, Blame it on the usual scribe being out of the country.

It wasn’t technically the greatest session since an Oasis tribute act was playing in the bar. This sort of thing happens from time to time, but isn’t a frequent occurrence. No doubt it was made worse by the ladies’ toilets still being out of action and therefore a steady stream of women making their way through our room. Nevertheless, every cloud has a silver lining and at least two of them contributed a song to the session.

I can assure you that we will be there again this Friday as we are almost every Friday from 8:15pm in the barn (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Bridge Road, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG.

You will always find FREE ENTRY, a warm welcome, excellent acoustics, and a reasonably priced bar. Anything goes as long as it’s acoustic: a song, a story, a tune, a poem, a joke, a monologue, whatever you can come up with, and if you don’t feel up to performing eve in front of a small, friendly, crowd, then you are welcome to just listen, and maybe join in the odd chorus and some friendly banter.

Come and try us, we don’t bite.

(Photo: Simon Meeds) Sorry that the report of last week’s Dragon Folk Club session is rather late appearing, Blame it on the usual scribe be...

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