We are very lucky in Sussex to have so much going on, but I can't believe we're that much of a rarity. There is a great deal of musical activity in Kent, Hampshire and Wiltshire; I don't get about much, but there seems to be plenty of music in parts of the north as well.

Another Bellowhead connection: Paul Sartin is doing an all-day fiddle workshop at the Lewes Arms on Saturday 6th. December. Paul Hutchinson will do a simultaneous accordion workshop in another pub and the two of them will perform together as Belshazzar's Feast at the Lewes Arms that evening. Booking forms and tickets will soon be available from the Lewes Arms Folk Club website

Hearing top musicians in a small, friendly room without the barrier of a sound system is an unbeatable experience. Concert stages are valuable and have their place, but we should never forget that the music came from small, homely rooms and thrives there.

Valmai (Lewes)

P.S. Breezy, Jon Boden's quote was: "If you really want to appreciate and support folk music," concludes Jon Boden, "go to the local folk club." At the risk of labouring the point, note those last two words.

PPS. Jon Boden did a vocal harmony workshop for us last year; it was cracking. John Spiers did a melodeon workshop at the same time, and of course they performed together in the evening to a sell-out audience.