Line-Up


The Bristol Folk Festival returns to Colston Hall bringing with it some of the biggest names in folk music. As well as up to 40 top musical performers, the festival will feature Morris dancers, mummers and maypoles, ceilidhs, workshops, singalong sessions, a market and posh loos! Don't miss this fantastic, family-friendly celebration of the best in folk music. Saturday 5th May Show of Hands 2010 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards double winners, Show of Hands, return to the Bristol Folk Festival in a year that will see Steve Knightley and Phil Beer celebrating 20 years of their incredible partnership that has put them right at the top of British folk. Together with regular double bass player Miranda Skyes, singer-songwriter Knightly and multi- instrumental wizard Beer will mark their milestone year with a fourth return to the Royal Albert Hall next Easter before heading to Bristol to headline the festival's first day on Saturday May 5. Karine Polwart A passionate and perceptive performer and a fine singer-songwriter, Karine, as Word Magazine says, "takes the heart to places few singers even know exist." She has just released her first DVD Where Tomorrow Starts and will be showcasing tracks from her fifth studio album at Bristol, just ahead of its Summer 2012 release. Rua Macmillan Together with his Trio (Tia Files on guitar and Adam Briwon on bodhran), feted young Scottish Highland fiddler Rua Macmillan will be getting festival goers on their feet on the opening Saturday when he whips up a storm of a festival ceilidh, before his mainstage appearance. Rua will also be running the ever-popular after Ceilidh as well. ahab have been described as “the most exciting harmony-infused Americana/pop outfit to emerge on the scene since Mumford & Sons”. Since their appearance at Fairport's Cropredy Convention in 2010 with their outstanding songs and girl appeal, ahab have fast become a hot favourite on the festival circuit. Ewan McLennan The winner of several awards including the 2011 BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award, Ewan McLennan is an emerging folk artist that has been making headlines. His music combines traditional folk, with an inevitable focus on the music of Scotland, as well as his own self-penned songs that are receiving critical acclaim in their own right. His guitar playing, described as 'stunning', is influenced by the rigour and technique from his years of studying classical guitar, while retaining a unique and compelling sound in which his immersion in folk music is evident. Blair Dunlop has already fitted a lot into his young life. From an early age he was encouraged to take to the stage by his parents. He has now blossomed into a greatly admired singer, guitarist and actor. Some of the highlights of his performing career include playing Little Willy Wonka in the blockbuster movie of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (Johnny Depp starred as the grown-up Willy), touring for the whole of last Autumn in a new production of the play “Lark Rise” and appearing at festivals such as Big Session, Towersey and Cropredy. O`Hooley & Tiddow are the chamber-folk duo behind The Fragile, their genre-defying new album on the No Masters label. Their debut Silent June, was one of MOJO Magazine's Top 10 FOlk Albums of 2010. The duo's beautifully unusual songs touch on everything from dark folkl tales, ecology and cross-deressing historical figures through to teh invisibility of the elderly and the global economy. 2012 sees them touring the country with their irrestible blend of thought-provoking song, striking arrangements, sublime harmonies and cheeky Northern banter. Luke Jackson is a young Roots singer songwriter from Canterbury, Kent and has been performing live since the age of 13. Over the past 2 years Luke has opened for many great artists including Miranda Sykes & Rex Preston, Megson, Little Johnny England, Lucy Ward, Boo Hewerdine, Martyn Joseph, Steve Knightley, Show of Hands, Chris Wood and Paul Brady amongst others. Luke's debut EP 'Run & Hide', available from the website, iTunes and gigs, was released in July 2011, generating a lot of interest in his songwriting, voice and playing. He also had a great summer of festivals, including Abbotsbury Festival with Show of Hands, Sidmouth Folk Festival and Greenbelt and ended the year at a packed Folk in the Barn in December opening for Martyn Joseph. Sam Sweeney has been playing fiddle since he was six, he now plays and teaches fiddle. Since 2002 Sweeney has been at the forefront of East Midlands-based folk band Kerfuffle, playing fiddle, viola, and cajon, and singing. In 2009 Sam released Catches and Glees with new duo Hannah James and Sam Sweeney. Sam is also a member of the, award-winning, big folk band Bellowhead as of 2008. As of 2009 he tours with Jon Boden and the Remnant Kings where he sometimes plays drums and fiddle simultaneously. Sam has also been part of the Fay Hield's new album And, along with Rob Harbron, tours with Hield. Dyer:Cumming's are an exciting Ceilidh and Concert band based in the southwest of England who have now been together for around 5 years. They play traditional English folk music with their own funky and youthful twist which is achieved by the unique mix of instruments merged with fun and energetic arrangements. They have been called a new uprising of Folk Fusion. Miranda Sykes and Rex Preston Miranda’s rich, spine tingling vocals and strident yet sensitive double bass playing are much in demand and she enjoys working alongside some of the finest musicians in the world. Increasingly in demand both as a double bassist and singer and has worked with Pressgang, Robb Johnson, Firebrand, Steafan Hannigan, Leon Rosselson, Bill Jones, Roger Wilson, Alan Burke, Kirsty McGee, Jenny Crook, Reg Meuross and Little Johnny England; and has toured throughout the United Kingdom, North America, Canada and Europe. Rex Preston was last seen on the folk & acoustic scene when his band Jane on Thunder reached the final of The BBC Young Folk Awards. Since then he has been building a strong portfolio of electronic music. Afternoon Ceilidh with Rua Macmillan Sunday 6th May Cara Dillon Honey-voiced Dillon- and guests to be announced- will be the headline act at the revived three-day festival on Sunday, May 6. Cara is also patron of Bristol Folk Festival's sister event, the inaugral Frome Festival, which took place in her Somerset hometown in February. Born in County Kerry in 1975, she is a spellbinding performer who has been described as "one of the best Irish female singers of all time." Moore, Moss and Rutter are a trio of young musicians from around England. They play mainly traditional English, contemporary and self composed tunes, but obtain influence from numerous styles and traditions. Tom Moore (Norfolk) plays fiddle, Archie Churchill-moss (Somerset) plays melodeon and Jack Rutter (Yorkshire) plays guitar and sings. The Young 'Uns With bags of charm, talent, and an abiding enthusiasm for traditional song, The Young’uns are making a big impact on the UK folk scene. Sean Cooney, David Eagle and Michael Hughes bring freshness and dynamism to their arrangements of close harmony songs, both with and without accompaniment. Everything from traditional sea and working songs to more recent compositions is present in their repertoire, and is delivered with originality and flair. Their natural rapport makes them an ideal choice for festivals, venues and clubs: they are effortlessly entertaining, with an irreverent sense of humour that always engages the audience. Gilmore Roberts BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award nominees Katriona Gilmore & Jamie Roberts combine astounding lap-tapping guitar, fiery fiddle and their trademark harmonies with considerable songwriting talent to make a truly distinctive sound. Aside from their work together, both Katriona and Jamie are in high demand as session musicians and have played on several acclaimed albums. Katriona has previously toured as part of Tiny Tin Lady and with Rosie Doonan's Snapdragons and recently joined the newly reformed Albion Band, while Jamie has played with young English traditionalists Kerfuffle since 2007. Phillip Henry & Hannah Martin Recently described as, "authentic, haunting roots music from a first class duo" (Seth Lakeman), Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin are two musicians with a fast growing following on the folk and roots scene. Having just completed two tours with Show Of Hands, they have been receiving very warm reviews of their début album, Singing The Bones, including selection for a fRoots magazine compilation; and airplay. Fast becoming recognised as one of the finest slide guitarists the UK has produced, Phillip Henry is also a virtuoso on the harmonica. Maggie Boyle with Paul Downes Maggie Boyle is a traditional singer. Through her ballads, old and new, she continues the tradition of music and storytelling passed on by her Irish family. Now living in Yorkshire, she was born in London where she sang and played from an early age.   Reared in the musically vibrant London-Irish community of the 60s and 70s, she and her brothers got the music from their father. Paddy Boyle was a native speaker from the Donegal Gaeltacht townland of Derryloughan, Nr Glenties. Her other main tutor was Oliver Mulligan, a great singer from Co. Monaghan, resident in London. The Teacups are a vibrant new folk vocal quartet based in Newcastle, featuring Alex Cumming, Kate Locksley, Rosie Calvert and Will Finn. They perform traditional and contemporary songs in a wide variety of styles from all over the UK and beyond in new and exciting arrangements. Since forming in 2010 the Teacups have performed at The Sage Gateshead, the Newcastle-based Bridge Folk Club, The Kings Hall, Newcastle, and made their festival debut at Whitby and Sidmouth over the summer of 2011, where they were both delighted and terrified to see several Spooky Men singing along in the audience. Ghosts from the Basement (A celebratino of the Village Thing Label) 40 years ago, the contemporary folk scene in Bristol- centred on the Troubadour Club in Clifton Village- was the liveliest and most creative outside London. Subtitled 'the alternative folk label' (decades ahead of the coining of 'alt.folk', let alone 'psych folk', 'acid folk' and all the other bewildering terms that get showered on it these days), pioneering independent Village Thing Records released two dozen albums and a few singles between 1970 and 1974. With strong national press and radio support, the label prospered with a unique and hard-to-pin-down mix of established names and newcomers, original singer/ songwriter/ guitarists, a few visiting Americans, and folk entertainers. In recent years, many of Village Thing's releases have gained cult status amongst collectors of '70s contemporary folk and songwriter/guitarists, some changing hands for several hundred pounds on eBay. This revival of interest culminated in the 40th anniversary compilation CD Ghosts From The Basement, and today veteran artists from the Village Thing era play appear with some of the new generation who have taken inspiration from it. Under the Driftwood Tree are a Cardiff-based Welsh band that formed in 2009, of which its members met through shared interests in music and surfing.. Their music is described as 'surf style folk' and is based on vocal harmonies and unusual instruments, including ukulele, didgeridoos, djembe, cajon and accordion as well as acoustic guitars and bass. Joe Tilston After years on the punk scene as bassist for RANDOM HAND, Joe Tilston has returned to his family roots for a bit of musical balance in his spare time. Joe's music echoes years of influence from his upbringing in and around the English folk scene with a fresh twist and energy provided by his own venture into punk over the last decade. Not a million miles away from the likes of Nick Drake and Damien Rice this is not likely to be what you're expecting if you're familiar with Random Hands music. Monday 7th May Afro Celt Sound System Towering and tribal, Simon Emmerson’s stellar, twice-Grammy nominated Afro Celt Sound System fuses traditional Celtic tunes with driving African rhythms and hypnotic, cutting edge dance grooves. One of the most inspirational and innovative collectives ever, eight of the best musicians on the planet promise to bring the 2nd Bristol Folk Festival at Colston Hall to an unforgettable close. Lucy Ward is a double nominee at next month’s BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards (Horizon Award Best Newcomer and Best Traditional Track for her Maids When You’re Young). Her set is an eclectic mix of modern and traditional folk interpretations and her own songs and last year her debut album Adelphi Has to Fly drew praise from many corners. 3 Daft Monkeys The West Country’s 3 Daft Monkeys are one of the most consistently popular and colourful acts on the acoustic scene. Tim Ashton, Athene Roberts and Lukas Drinkwater juggle an array of world music influences with an insatiable joie de vivre. In 2011 the band appeared at Glastonbury, headlined festivals in Holland, Belgium and Germany and were voted Best Live Act in the 2011 Spiral Awards. Rory McLeod and Band Rory McLeod - ex-circus clown and fire eater. A one man soulband, poet and storyteller, singing his own unique upbeat dance stories. A modern travelling troubadour using tap shoes, acappella, harmonica, guitar, trombone, spoons, finger cymbals, bandorea, djembe and various percussion instruments! Rory has travelled the globe for different reasons at different times, from Asia to the middle East from Gambia to Cuba, Central America, Australia, North America, Canada, Europe and other nooks and crannies of the earth. Benji Kirkpatrick Benji plays various insplays various instruments of the stringed variety- guitar, bouzouki, mandolin and banjo, mainly. He can also sing. He performs solo but can currently mostly be found playing with folk big band Bellowhead and the Seth Lakeman band. Bellowhead's latest album Hedonism is attracting much attention and selling fast. It was recorded in Abbey Road and produced by John Leckie, who has produced albums for such names as Radiohead, Muse and the Stone Roses. Hannah James & Sam Sweeney have been playing together for almost 8 years. They met in 2002 and have been playing together in English folk group Kerfuffle since then. More recently known for their work with Bellowhead and the Demon Barber Roadshow, they are now embarking on a new project as a duo. Mawkin have gained a name for themselves in the festival circuit as a hardworking live band playing at over 50 festivals in the past 4 years, last year supporting Show of Hands, Eliza Carthy and Shooglenifty on their tours. Mawkin released their debut album “The Fair Essex” last September which has received brilliant reviews including a 4 star review from MOJO who described it as “Unconditionally Mighty”. Their guitarist, was also this year's BBC Radio Young Folk Award finalist. Amy Wadge and Pete Riley first came together a little over two years ago to do some writing together. They immediately clicked and after many years as solo artists or as members of various bands, they decided to collaborate and have been touring, writing and recording together ever since. Together they penned an album's worth of material and have now decided to release it. The new album, "Rivers Apart", which they have also co-produced, is set for release on March 17, 2011 to coincide with their brand new UK Tour. Lady Maisery is a new vocal trio from Hannah James (Kerfuffle, Hannah James and Sam Sweeney, Demon Barbers), Hazel Askew (The Askew Sisters) and Rowan Rheingans (Fidola). Inspired by folk singing traditions of the UK and northern Europe, Lady Maisery sing songs and ballads both unaccompanied, and with backing from their combined instrumental talents on accordion, harp and fiddle. Walsh & Pound Will Pound and Dan Walsh combine forces to create a sound which is not only unique, breathtaking and masterful but also charismatic and shows musicianship to the ultimatum level. Will Pound is one of the World's top harmonica players and has taken the instrument to new places and new music's and has a style in which only he can play. Patsy Matheson & Becky Mills Steve Turner comes from a family of singers and concertina players. His grandfather was known to have sung and played the instrument in the 1890's. Steve began his career on the Manchester folk scene at the end of the 1960s. Joining the Geordie band "Canny Fettle" in 1970, he made two albums and toured in Britain and Europe with them for eight years. .. In 1979, he won the Melody Maker "Stars of the 80" National competition, which persuaded him to turn professional for 12 years until 1991. During this time he made four solo albums with Fellside Records and toured internationally. A period of thirteen years away from the folk scene followed with Steve building a violin retailing business and diversifying musically into a more classical mode. .. But folk music has a habit of getting into your blood. So 2004 saw Steve make a somwhat nervous return to the folk scene, but he was warmly welcomed to the extent that he was almost immediately asked to make a new fifth album, which is now in the process at Olli Knight's studio in Robin Hood's Bay and includes guests like Martin Carthy, Nancy Kerr and James Fagan, Kevin Brown and others. The CD should be released this summer. Also appearing over the weekend: Carus Thompson and The True Believers are an Australian folk/country/roots/reggae band based in Melbourne, Australia. The band which was formed in 1995 has since risen to national prominence as a major band on the new roots-folk scene and are beginning to develop a loyal fan base in Europe and North America. The band has released three studio albums, one live album and three EPs, their latest release is Three Boxes. Duotone is the name under which Barney Morse-Brown and James Garrett write and perform their own contemporary acoustic songs. They loop guitars, cellos, percussion and voices to create ethereal soundscapes for their poignant lyrics to weave in and out. Following hugely successful appearances at End of the Road Festival and London’s South Bank Centre in 2010 Duotone have regularly been mesmerising audiences around the country with their shows that breathlessly move from riotous energy all the way down to the most delicate moments of heartfelt intimacy. Dave Garner and Alan Doyle and many more.....

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