Poppy Folk Club

19/11/2024

19/11/2024

Kris Drever - Poppy Folk Club - Nov 15th 2024

This was a record breaking concert for the Poppy Folk Club. We had been persuaded to put tickets on sale a full six months before the concert date. We were reluctant at first - it gets complicated when you're selling tickets for several concerts at the same time - but we gave way to pressure. We need not have worried. Three days later we had sold out!

Another concern was that, with tickets selling nationally, our regular local folks might miss out. But on the night there were lots of regular, familiar faces in the audience to enjoy what was an awesome concert.

Born in the Orkney Islands but now based in Glasgow, Kris is a multi-award winning musician, blending traditional songs with his own songs influenced by traditional and contemporary styles. He has performed alongside a host of the biggest names in music: Phil Cunningham, Karine Polwart, Mark Knopfler, Jack Bruce, among many others. His guitar playing is incredible, yet seemingly calm and easy. Teamed with his relaxed vocal style the effect is somehow laid-back yet exciting and, often, astounding.

Kris has recently released a 36 track 'Best of' album, and what a collection it is. Much of the evening's concert (of an uninterrupted hour and a half!) was drawn from this catalogue, with just a few 'new songs' added almost apologetically ("You have to sing new songs or they never become old songs").

Most of Kris' best loved songs were there, including 'Catterline' (an appreciation of the artist Joan Eardley); 'If Wishes Were Horses' (then Beggars Would Ride); 'The Call and the Answer' (more briskly than I've heard it before); and, with the audience singing strongly, a rousing 'Farewell to Fuineray'.

We had a further special treat for this concert too. Kris is touring at the moment with a fine young Scottish singer/songwriter, Heather Cartwright, an to start the evening Heather gave us 35 minutes of her clear vocals and clever guitar work.

To close the show, Kris called upon Heather to rejoin him to perform his song about the scuttling of the German fleet at the end of WW1: 'Scapa Flow 1919' , before giving us an encore of 'The Isle of France'.

All in all, this was a night to remember!

11/11/2024

Not too far from the Poppy!

29/10/2024

Here you are: that's 2025 in the bag!

05/10/2024

AJAR, Bistro 66, 3.30pm.

02/10/2024

And here's a little bit of Phil Langran's song 'Injury Time', played by his band and featuring lovely extra harmony vocals from Plumhall.

Phil Langran Band at the Poppy Folk Club, September 2024.

02/10/2024

Here's a video of one of Phil Langran's songs, 'Another Moving Day', peformed by the band last Sunday night at the club.

Phil Langran Band at the Poppy Folk Club, September 2024.

30/09/2024

Plumhall & Phil Langran Band 29th Sept 2024.

Every now and again we put on an evening we call a 'Poppy Extra' - just a slight change to the usual. Sometimes it's because a performer we really want to bring to you can't fit into our normal concert pattern, so we squeeze them in where we can. In the case of our double-header concert with PLUMHALL and the PHIL LANGRAN BAND it was because we were asked to host and promote the bands at the club but leave it to them to run the evening, provide the PA and sound engineer. In the end, of course, we just go into Poppy Crew mode and muck in with it all, run the raffle, M/C the evening, etc., particularly when the concert is for good friends of the club.

And so, with the room buzzing, Juliet introduced the first act - the lovely duo Michelle Plum and Nick Hall, aka PLUMHALL. With driving guitar rhythms and excellent vocal harmonies, Plumhall have had a deservedly busy time recently, releasing a new album 'One Star Awake' (a copy of which they kindly donated to the raffle), performing with Phil Beer and Al Stewart, and supporting Fairport Convention on tour.

Tonight they played songs from all of their three albums, including the title song from 'One Star Awake' with its romping singalong chorus (with, on the album, Ric Sanders on fiddle). From their first album, Thundercloud, the more country-sounding title track; then two gorgeous songs from their second album 'The Ghost Of Noise': 'A Darkness That Won't Leave The House' (search for the video of this on YouTube - made to raise awareness of mental health issues); and 'Closing Down' - more gentle, and beautifully sung by Michelle.

For the second half of their set they had brought onto the stage Mark Walker (from Phil Langran's band) to play electric bass, bringing an extra dimension to the songs. The set concluded with two songs: 'Cruel Adventures' and 'Union Dale', both driven by a lively, compulsive, foot tapping rhythm - excellent!

On, then, with THE PHIL LANGRAN BAND. Phil, and members of his excellent band, are great supporters of the club. Phil's songwriting is exquisite. Now, I know this is cheating a bit, but I'm not a poetic writer and, after trying to find a new way to describe the band and its musicians, I haven't been able to better the glowing praise I heaped upon them when they played for us in 2022, so here it is, and it all still stands:

"Phil Langran's Band features four excellent musicians in their own right: Steve Benford (acoustic guitar and banjo), Alistair Bloomfield (fiddle), Mark Walker (bass) and Frank McCarthy (electric guitar) – all feature strongly in their showpieces and all provide vocal harmonies – but their big role in the band is to highlight and double-underline Phil Langran’s gorgeous songs. Phil’s songwriting has been praised in higher places than this. I’ll just say that for me the emotion and subtlety of the songs, delivered with a steady rhythm and Phil’s slightly fragile (Lou Reed-like?) voice, really picks you up and carries you along. Phil has a lovely, easy manner and a very dry sense of humour, making the song introductions almost as special as the music itself. It is evident that his band has a great respect for him and his songs."

For 2024, we were treated to an almost totally different set of songs from last time, such is the prolific nature of Phil's songwriting. We remembered the Canadian songwriter and conscientious objector Jesse Wi******er in 'Jesse's Gone', then were transported to a smokey jazz club for 'Love This Road'. A new song, 'Moonrise' was inspired by a recent visit to Canada - Phil blamed that trip for the new beard he is sporting: "They give you the beard and the checked lumber jacket in customs before they let you in". A song written and inspired by the Covid lockdown, 'Repair the Heart', previously recorded by Phil with Boo Hewerdine, was flippin' lovely and my song of the night.

For the song 'Snow Angels', sung with Michelle and Nick's harmonies, the audience joined in beautifully in the refrain - it all sounded superb. Finally, we got two songs for an encore: The Diamond Wheel (recorded as a quiet, reflective song on Phil's 'SkyWriting' album) was performed as a lively number with Steve on banjo and Frank on electric guitar taking leads; then Plumhall were invited back to join the band on a lovely 'Injury Time'.

And so ended a wonderful evening of top quality music.

29/09/2024

We're looking forward to it too!! So head on down to The Poppy and Pint.

It’s today! We’ve been looking for to returning to in with our super-talented friends The Phil Langran Band for ages! Very few tickets left - be quick! https://poppyfolkclub.co.uk/tickets

26/09/2024

If you love the music you hear at The Poppy, head on down to Beeston on Saturday week, 5th October, 'cos it's Oxjam and lots of Poppy regulars and friends are playing. AJAR, Higgs Bo'sun, Cellotapes, Phil Langran Band, Steve Benford, Jennifer Bell & Wilson Walker, Jelly, Malin Hill, Paul Carbuncle, and more. The full programme appears if you click the top blue link on the post below. So get yourself a wristband and make a day of it, with some nice food from the many pubs and cafes to sustain you. And help raise another massive sum for Oxfam. Hope to see you there!

THE OXJAM BEESTON 2024 PROGRAMME IS NOW LIVE!!! https://oxjambeeston.org/event/oxjam-beeston-music-festival-2024/

Thank you to all our artists who will be performing for free on Sat 5th October. We received a record number of applications this year - sorry we can't accommodate everyone and we have a reserve list in case anyone drops out.

Don't forget, all proceeds from Oxjam 2024 go to Oxfam Great Britain, Middle Street Resource Centre and Hope Nottingham.

Tickets can be purchased from "Oxfam Books & Music Beeston or online at https://wegottickets.com/event/628667.

START PLANNING YOUR OXJAM DAY NOW! :-)

24/09/2024

Just a few tickets left for Plumhall and The Phil Langran Band, this Sunday 29th September. £12. So if you want to come along to a great evening, don't delay booking!

16/09/2024

Poppy Folk Club Songs and Tunes Night, 15th September 2024.

Do you know what 'powfagged' means? No? Well if you had been at the Songs and Tunes night on 15th September, you would do. It featured strongly in one of Thea and John's songs, and is Manchester dialect for 'extremely tired'. Amazing what you learn at the Poppy Folk Club.

So that just gives a taste of another extremely varied and enjoyable night to open up the Autumn season at the club. The room was full, and thanks to Ian's time management everyone got a turn in both halves and we finished at a sensible hour. There was a good balance of solo singers and duos (several of which treated us to delightful harmonies), and a spirited trio in the form of Stringummyjig whose offerings were perfect for rounding off each half. (They actually became a quartet when joined by Dorothy Plater). Many of our regulars were there, and did us proud with so many wonderful songs.

Newcomer Geoff said he'd formed the view that we were an intellectual and discerning group of people, so he'd do his best to lower the tone! I don't think we've ever been called that before, but his offerings were excellent and certainly maintained the quality and balance of the night. The spoken word was in evidence too, as we had storytelling set to music, and some nice informative introductions to songs which always, I think, enhance the enjoyment.

The Poppy Team was short-handed as 4 members were absent, all with good reason, leaving just Ian and Juliet to organise things. But they were ably assisted by Dave Martin, and Noel Walters, to whom many thanks.