Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip

Subject: Help for UK tour, please!
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 11:43 PM

My partner Rika Ruebsaat and I are planning a trip for July 2008 to the UK. We're completely unknown there, but have a fairly solid English-and-French repertoire in Canadian (particularly BC) traditional song, and a good working repertoire of sea songs and songs of labour. We've been singing together (a capella and squeezebox) for thirty years, and have put out six CD's, so we're no spring chickens. English Mudcatters – do you think any English clubs or festivals would be interested to hear more or to book us, and if so, which ones? Your advice would be invaluable!

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Aug 07 - 12:08 AM

Wow, John, just listening to "Way up the Ucletaw" great song and I love the opening, very dramatic! Great harmonies and pickin'!

UKers, ya better grab these two while ya get a chance...give a listen: Click Here.

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 09 Aug 07 - 12:44 AM

Thanks, Kat, that's Bob Webb with the Sons of the Pioneers harmony.

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Barry Finn
Date: 09 Aug 07 - 12:55 AM

Jon & Rika are not just great singers, they're fantastic presenters, I was at last yrs Mystic fest symposium & they wooed the house, they also knocked the socks off of everyone within cannon shot, my sock were rolling up & down like window shades, honest, & they're like that battery commerical wheer they keep on going 24/7 for days on end always fresh, well, they're material was fresh & ever changing, continiously strong & they somehow have the crowd loving them. Be careful, if you get them you won't want to let them go, BUT YOU CAN'T KEEP THEM.

Barry

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 09 Aug 07 - 02:22 PM

Thanks, Barry - it was the company that inspired us (and the free beer!)

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Arnie
Date: 09 Aug 07 - 02:52 PM

Jon - lots of folk clubs down here in Kent (SE England) so you may be able to organise a bit of a tour if you fancy visiting this area. I do the website for the Friday Folk Club Deal, though for some reason the blue clicky won't work - you can find us through Google or at www.dealfolkclub.co.uk. Bookings are done via Avril Cameron but she's not online although her phone no. is on the website. Other clubs in the area may be findable through 'around kent folk' which is the local folk mag published by Kathy & Bob Drage whose details are on the 'around kent folk' website. Good luck and maybe see you next year

Adrian
Friday Folk Club Deal

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Folkiedave
Date: 09 Aug 07 - 03:13 PM

I can echo Jon and Rika's talent since I have been lucky enough to listen to one of their records.

I was also lucky enough to have him here staying with us for a ccouple of nights. Great bloke. Comes highly recommended by me.

Dave

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 09 Aug 07 - 07:59 PM

Thanks, Arnie, that's some good leads I'll follow up. It'll be nice to be in Kent again. I left Sussex in June 1968 and been back only for very brief visits (mostly to the North) since. My old mate Dick Holdstock also recommended Kent - good people and good clubs.

Can you tell me about English festivals? Looking at some websites it looks like they're all highly professional, booked by agents, international stars, etc. Do you know of any smaller and friendlier ones, esp. in Kent and the South in August? Thanks for your help - look forward to meeting you.

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Aug 07 - 10:55 PM

"Sons of the Pioneer" harmony...yep, no WONDER I liked it!:-)

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Girl Friday
Date: 25 Aug 07 - 07:36 PM

I might be interested for Friday Folk Orpington. PM me with your email address.

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: My guru always said
Date: 26 Aug 07 - 04:35 AM

Jon, hope we get to see you & Rika next year, we're rarely at home at weekends during Festival season but if the dates work we can offer you a stopover with fairly basic accomodation in Surrey.

Our local club is Anchor Folk in Byfleet, Surrey which runs on a Thursday. There's also Chanticleer Folk club, and the Ram Folk Club on a Friday. They might be worth contacting!

Re UK festivals, here's the Froots magazine for UK Festival Info. The main one we go to in July is Warwick Folk Festival, that's a really good one to go to, but you'd need to approach them now to stand a chance of getting in for next year!

Good Luck!

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: GUEST,Katharine Lancy CTC
Date: 27 Aug 07 - 02:22 PM

Visit our website www.swantonbritishtravel.com. We plan independent vacations to any part of the UK. If you book all of it with us, there are no fees.

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 27 Aug 07 - 02:57 PM

You might just like to be aware that we have a John Bartlett in England (Hampshire) too - singer and songwriter, a member of Victory Morris and Portsmouth Shantymen, sang with Ramskyte, and now singing in a duo with Pete Luscombe.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 27 Aug 07 - 08:08 PM

I think the Aylesford (Kent) "Day of Dance" (which involves a good deal of music is likely to be the last weekend in June (no money in it) - PM Kev the Clogs. First Weekend in July - likely to be both the Travelling Folk Song Ale (South Coast, East Sussex) - Google will find it - and Ely Folk Fest. First week in August, Sidmouth. Second week in August, Broadstairs.

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 01:54 PM

Thanks to all you Mudcatters for this very helpful info! I found the Sussex and Kent folk club listing sites to be very useful, and I've emailed a few. I had a look at the Warwick site and got very disheartened - our BC and Canadian songs would go over like a lead balloon with the crowds pictured there (huge stages, spotlights, dry ice!). Or maybe I'm misreading and the pics are submitted by the bands. Is there a place at such festivals for e.g. unaccompanied ballad singing?

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Banjiman
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 02:16 PM

Are you looking for gigs in the North of England too?

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Girl Friday
Date: 21 Oct 07 - 07:40 PM

I shall soon be booking May to July. Have a look at the website. Although we are an eclectic club, unaccompanied song goes quite well.
Go To "What's On, " and "Wotzbinnon"

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Oct 07 - 08:46 PM

I heard John and Rika at the Old Songs Festival this summer and they are GREAT! I can't imagine anone being disappointed, unless they need the dry ice!

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 22 Oct 07 - 02:34 AM

Thanks, GUEST, we had a ball!

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 22 Oct 07 - 09:51 AM

You should also approach Doug Hudson. I think he has a website. He is at the least very influential in South East Festival booking.

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Fidjit
Date: 22 Oct 07 - 11:09 AM

We had a very good French Canadian group Le Vent Du Nord

Very, "Ooo La La" Very entertaining.

Hey I'm coming over in July and August too.

Chas

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Fidjit
Date: 22 Oct 07 - 11:11 AM

Ops! left out that they visited Sweden.

Chas

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: GUEST,Mad Jock
Date: 23 Oct 07 - 10:55 AM

Take a look at the Folk Orbit site for details of clubs all over UK. and particularly in the Manchester/Liverpool/Wales areas. Even mentions Scotland!

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Girl Friday
Date: 24 Oct 07 - 06:11 PM

Good idea from Richard there.... Douggie does have a website for his band at least.
Doug Hudson

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Saro
Date: 25 Oct 07 - 09:40 AM

Hi - we have a very small club which meets on the first Thursday of each month in Hampshire. We can't pay commercial rates, but give performers a free supper, a night's accomodation, breakfast, and a good time. If you have the first Thursday of July free and can't get anything thing else that is more lucrative, do let me know and I'll try to set something up.
best wishes
Saro

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 25 Oct 07 - 09:35 PM

Where in Hampshire -- that is where I come when I come to the UK.....would be neat to know where it is for future reference......

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 29 Oct 07 - 12:46 AM

Thanks to all 'Catters who responded here - Rika and I are very grateful for all the supportive suggestions and offers. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like we'll be able to make it this year. We're just starting our own traditional music free festival here in Princeton BC (August 16-17, 2008), and we've underestimated the amount of footwork necessary to get the show on the road. We'll certainly be glad to welcome you to OUR festival though!

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: Saro
Date: 29 Oct 07 - 05:40 AM

Where in Hampshire? Just a few miles outside andover, in a village called St. Mary Bourne. And,no, it isn't the place where Miss Marple keeps finding 'orrible murders, that's St. Mary Meade.
Yes, if you are coming over, let us know!
Saro

Subject: RE: Help for UK tour, please! July 2008 trip
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 30 Oct 07 - 10:52 PM

I know just where it is -- thanks - I will be over (was just over) and will be in touch......coo!! Such fun!