The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #116632   Message #2505752
Posted By: Mark Dowding
02-Dec-08 - 08:21 AM
Thread Name: folk outside of clubs and festivals
Subject: RE: folk outside of clubs and festivals
I've done a few charity Lancashire nights over the past couple of years with a number of people including a clog dancer or two and whilst we tend to get a number of our "Folkie" friends to come along, many people who buy tickets have never been to a folk club but they enjoy what we put on for them. OK we don't sing endless Child ballads - more the likes of what the Spinners were singing on the telly 30 years ago but everybody has a good time and joins in. I have a repertoire of stuff that isn't "folk" as some people would class it - 20s and 30s variety songs from Weston and Lee, and Billy Merson - the number of people who come up when I've sung "The Spaniard that Blighted my Life" and tell me that their Dad used to sing that!
The other outlet I've been doing recently is Women's Institutes (I've got one on Friday). Similar sort of repertoire but it always goes down well and you usually get fed and watered with scones and jam and gallons of tea - great stuff!

Cheers
Mark