London sessions on Fri or Sat

Subject: RE: London sessions on Fri or Sat
From: Jack Campin
Date: 17 Mar 09 - 07:25 PM

I didn't find an English session, but what I did find was Tom Paley's American old-time session on Sunday night at the Shakespeare's Head (opposite Sadler's Wells), because Tom was at Jim Eldon's gig.

An extraordinarily modest man who doesn't have much to be modest about. Just look at his discography!

Subject: RE: London sessions on Fri or Sat
From: Jack Campin
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 10:05 PM

Looks like it's Jim Eldon's gig, then. Though I do quite like the atmosphere of Irish music events in places where there's a well-established Irish culture - the Glasgow Irish scene is the real thing. (My repertoire of Irish tunes is mostly the ones used in Scottish ceilidhs, and I play them with a heavy Scottish accent).

Subject: RE: London sessions on Fri or Sat
From: GUEST,HSA
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 01:30 PM

The Crown is Irish indeed; we'll be playing there on Friday. However we're a friendly bunch in a very good bar, Taylor's Landord at 2.40 a pint which is good by London standards. And it is not unknown for Manitas to play the odd non-Irish tune! So visitors are very welcome but I'd be telling an untruth if I said it's not Irish and I wouldn't want you to be disappointed!

Helen

Subject: RE: London sessions on Fri or Sat
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 10:01 AM

The Crown is an Irish session. It's now attached to a big hotel and I think they keep the session on out of nostalgia. It can be quite fun - a lot of the County associations use the hotel for celebration dinners and there's often a visiting sports team from Ireland. Several times we've been asked to play for a set.

Subject: RE: London sessions on Fri or Sat
From: GUEST,PeterC
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 09:02 AM

JAck: Jim Eldon is appearing at Musical Traditions.

Subject: RE: London sessions on Fri or Sat
From: Jack Campin
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 08:03 AM

The Crown sounds fine - that's not far from where I'll be staying.

Despite being in such a traditionally Irish part of London, it's not an Irish session?

I used to visit friends in Bromley by Bow. At the time it seemed to be almost entirely populated by Asians (who hardly emerged from their tower-block flats, you just saw their faces in the windows) and white fascists. I went to one pub there where the act was a guy in the worst toupee I've ever seen, doing a sort of budget Bernard Manning show accompanying himself on a cheap electronic organ. The punters loved it.

Subject: RE: London sessions on Fri or Sat
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 05:55 AM

I see now it's a different pub. My parent's used to go there about 15 years ago. It was one of the local circuit of piano pubs. On weekends there would be a trio, usually keyboards, drum and guitar and a singer/comedian as mc. The mc would sing a few songs and invite singers up from the bar. Just a like a folk club but with more commercial songs ranging for music all to the latest hits. The band would nearly always accompany the singer whatever they sang.

Subject: RE: London sessions on Fri or Sat
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 05:42 AM

The Widow's Son is worth a visit for its history alone.

Subject: RE: London sessions on Fri or Sat
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 05:29 AM

Sorry, Should have said that's a session.

I don't know about Kitson's being i a bad part of town but if that's the pub officially called the Widows Son then it's only a few yards from the DLR station for Devons Road.

Subject: RE: London sessions on Fri or Sat
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 05:25 AM

THe Crown in Cricklewood on Friday. 7.30pm

Subject: RE: London sessions on Fri or Sat
From: Jack Campin
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 08:58 AM

And I seem to remember seeing a performance by Jim Eldon on Friday 13th March listed, but can't find it now. If it's happening, where?

Subject: London sessions on Fri or Sat
From: Jack Campin
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 08:41 AM

Are there any sessions (anything but all-Irish or singer-songwriter) in London on Friday or Saturday nights? I'll be there on the weekend of 13th-15th March.

This from the Folk and Roots listings looks the most promising, despite being in a ghastly part of town:

A new weekly session with a mixture of English, Irish and Scottish on Sunday evenings at "Kitsons" on Devons Road E3 (Bromley by Bow Tube) 0207 9872356

but the phone number doesn't work.

One that had a bit of klezmer would be nice.