Real Ale Bar · Home-cooked Food · Afternoon Crèche

Performers:

422 422 are Emily Ball on fiddle, Sophy Ball on fiddle & foot percussion, Joey Oliver on whistle, Ian Stephenson on guitar and Sam Pirt on accordion. In December 1999, they won the BBC Young Folk Award and emerged as a great force on the British folk scene. Their clear enjoyment of the music reaches out to every audience they play to. With traditional tunes from all over the planet, including Sweden, Canada, Ireland, Scotland and their native Northumbria and Yorkshire, there is huge variety throughout their set. Popular concert performers at Chester Folk Festival 2006, they have since diversified into playing for ceilidhs with most impressive results, so, as well as headlining our afternoon concert they will be applying their talents to our evening ceilidh.

Robin Laing Robin Laing is a Scottish folk-singer and songwriter. Originally from Edinburgh, he now lives in the idyllic setting of rural Lanarkshire. His affection for his home city, and indeed Scotland, is evident in the subject matter of many of his songs. Since becoming full-time professional in 1996 Robin has created a one-man show on the subject of Scotch whisky, released his third album and has toured extensively both in the UK and abroad. He has also been running traditional song classes in Lanarkshire and has become the Convenor of a new organization, 'The New Makars Trust', which aims to promote songwriting in Scotland. He was a festival guest in 2002 and we are delighted to welcome him to the February Folk Day.

Keith Kendrick & Sylvia Needham

Vocal and instrumental music, social and ceremonial dance have all played a role in Keith Kendrick’s career, which has spanned nearly four decades to date and involved a relentless pursuit of the best ways to communicate to others, a stage presentation which values humour, whilst maintaining respect for the music and a wry, vernacular delivery which includes rather than patronises. Sylvia Needham is a fine and highly skilled singer with an immense and varied repertoire - a teller of stories through song who effortlessly transports the listener into every scenario. Together they are an entertaining and harmonious combination.

Deportees Previously known as The Doghouse Roses, Deportees are Graham Bellinger, Mick Green (both of Root Chords) and Adrian Dear (of Dear Gregory). Their repertoire features original songs, Americana, and roots music from both sides of the Atlantic. They describe their material as 'Americana - a bit folky, a bit country' and list among their influences Bob Dylan, Pentangle, Richard Thompson, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, John Martyn, Show of Hands and Johnny Cash

Mal Waite Although usually seen at our events as part of The Waite Collective, Mal has been well-known on the folk scene as a solo singer since 1986, when she was a winner at Rothbury Traditional Music Festival and then just a month later was named Sidmouth Singer. She has appeared solo at clubs and festivals around the country, performing an intelligent mix of traditional and contemporary folk songs interspersed with a few original compositions. Her rich and distinctive voice is put to good use on a variety of styles - she can reduce her audience to tears of emotion one minute, laughter the next, and then have them singing along with gusto.

Programme: The day starts as usual at 12 noon with a MUSIC & SONG SESSION hosted by Keith Kendrick & Sylvia Needham. This will finish at 2pm in time for the start of the main CONCERT which features 422, Robin Laing, Deportees, Keith Kendrick & Sylvia Needham and Mal Waite. This will finish about 5pm when there will be a teatime SINGAROUND, hosted by Mal Waite, to bridge the gap before the evening events, which start at 7.pm with 'THE ANGEL'S SHARE' in which Robin Laing will sing and talk about his favourite subject - whisky. The evening continues with a CEILIDH at 8pm, with 422 and caller Joey Oliver, and a FOLK CLUB, hosted by Deportees, at 8.30pm, with another opportunity to see Keith Kendrick & Sylvia Needham and Robin Laing. The session room will be available all day for those who wish to make their own music. The evening events will finish about 11.30pm.

Facilities: The real ale bar will be open all day and home-cooked snacks & hot drinks will also be available. In Hoole there is a wide variety of food outlets, including pubs, takeaways and restaurants. There will be a supervised playroom for the children during the afternoon.

Directions: Hoole Community Centre is on Westminster Road which is just off Hoole Road (A56), the main approach to the city from the east and the M56/M53. As Westminster Road is a one-way street, drivers should take the left turn before (Hamilton Street) or the one immediately after (Faulkner Street). The Centre is about 10 minutes walk from Chester Railway Station and several bus routes serve Hoole Road.

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