Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: GUEST,Hugh Jampton
Date: 13 May 04 - 04:38 AM

Les,
    Why would you stop going to the club if it booked guest singers and musicians who are superb artists in their field? There is so much to learn and enjoy and it can also be an inspiration for your own performance.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: el ted
Date: 13 May 04 - 03:35 AM

Les,
   Where is The Black Boy? Is it on the old high street? We could pop along to that one quite easily.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Les from Hull
Date: 12 May 04 - 04:55 PM

'constantly told is a hotbed of folk music' - who said that then? I think you are misconstruing. There are a lot of 'catters in the area, and a lot of them are singers and/or musicians. There are two very successful traditional folk clubs in the area, who attract large crowds.

Some of us aren't really folk club people, but prefer sessions. I support jOhn's efforts at the Marlborough because he's a good mate, but if it became another successful folk club with guests and floorspots I'd probably stop going. But then he wouldn't need me anyway.

I suppose because there is plenty going on in the area (although not necessarily within the city itself) it's proving difficult to get another venue up and running.

The monthly Black Boy session is this Sunday at 2pm. This session has been in danger of stopping but Maggie and I have asked for it to be continued. So see you there lads and lasses for songs and tunes and everything else.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Nick
Date: 12 May 04 - 11:51 AM

True... but, if you're an optimist you at least believe there's hope! There could be less than three.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: GUEST,Jim Murray.
Date: 12 May 04 - 11:29 AM

When three people turn up to a FOLK CLUB, John's definition, not mine, which has been running for nine months, in a city we are constantly told is a hotbed of folk music, then something is wrong.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Nick
Date: 12 May 04 - 09:28 AM

>>... it seems to be an empty room where people can come and perform ... no resident singers or musicians, no guest artists, nothing to attract an audience at all, apart from the small circle ... I think a folk club is more than that, sorry to be critical. Breezy seems to have the right idea, and Nick's session looks very inviting.

It was why I posted originally. Just because I believe there IS room for a range of different sorts of venue. I think we are probably a folk club in our pub but not a Folk-Club-with-capital-letters like Breezy's Folk Club or the Black Swan in York etc etc. We have no resident singers, no guest artists... just us. But one looks very inviting and one doesn't?

We are very happy as we are as we have no urge to be a major folk venue - it is not feasible and nor would any of us involved relish the work involved. There is no illusion that people SHOULD like it or come or support it, people come because they want to.

As I said in the 12 volume version above it is very doubtful that at least 50% of us here would have thought of going and performing at a Folk Club. Listen - yes, perform - no. So we have created something that very much satisfies our needs and that is probably why it works and keeps going. It is also part of the fun that some us have now started considering venturing out a little further and seeing if we could play outside of our cosy safe shell! (Not got far yet. Far too uncomfortable/shy at Guisborough but we may try on May 22 either at the folk day in the Black Swan in York or may even get to the Yorkshire gathering) It is a bonus that (rarely) people come and listen, but then it's not what it was set up for.

If you have a 'small circle of people' that's a good start. But if you want to create a Folk Club like the ones praised regularly in Mudcat I wish you luck - I would guess you are looking at a considerable expenditure of time and effort way out of line with anything I personally could envisage taking on.

But at 8.30 tonight in Farlington it will just be an empty room. And either it will be busy or not... *shrug*

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: s6k
Date: 12 May 04 - 09:09 AM

always knew he was a fairy.. ;)

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Sttaw Legend
Date: 12 May 04 - 08:42 AM

El Ted and Sweetpea otherwise known as "Mick Tomlinson Experience" a pleasure to listen to. Good luck Ted with your sponsorship deal recently won from nail varnish distributor Estee Lauder.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Pied Piper
Date: 12 May 04 - 08:35 AM

I think what the club needs is a regular performance of jOhn's jiggling.
PP

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: el ted
Date: 12 May 04 - 08:26 AM

Bloody ell I'm blushing!

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: greg stephens
Date: 12 May 04 - 08:09 AM

"empty room where people can come and perform if they've nothing else to do". Sounds like a reasonable working definition of a folk club to me. All I can say is, the club under discussion was a place I went to one night in April when I had nothing else to do, and I had a lovely evening. Thanks especially to the singing of Sweetfia and the playing of el ted, who have contributed here.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: el ted
Date: 12 May 04 - 07:08 AM

yo nick, yes, that was me at The Globe.Cheers.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Sweetfia
Date: 12 May 04 - 06:30 AM

Nick, El Ted is the guy who goes round playin Flameno at folk clubs...sorry, it's my fault, i don't mean to bring him he just toddles along...!

(hehehe *bgrin*)

Oh, and I noticied my spelling mistake earlier; it should read advice, not advise! (Yes I know it's not a spelling site but I just had to correct it!)

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: GUEST,Jane.
Date: 12 May 04 - 06:28 AM

From what I've read about this venture it seems to be an empty room where people can come and perform if they have nothing else to do, no resident singers or musicians, no guest artists, nothing to attract an audience at all, apart from the small circle of people who inhabit the various Hull threads on this forum, who also don't seem to be regular visitors. I think a folk club is more than that, sorry to be critical. Breezy seems to have the right idea, and Nick's session looks very inviting.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: s6k
Date: 12 May 04 - 05:47 AM

i didnt know there was a catter called muppet!

in that case i change my one word to TOSSER!

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Beardy
Date: 12 May 04 - 04:35 AM

s6k I think you're being unfair to muppet. He would use his ID and not post anonymously.

Perhaps you should use other 6 letter words. Leslie Grantham has a useful vocabulary. Wanker is quite good.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: GUEST,KJ
Date: 12 May 04 - 04:31 AM

Hooray! CT

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Nick
Date: 12 May 04 - 04:27 AM

Oh dear, guilty of thread banditry.

I'll check with the landlord tonight that he is ok with me promoting things a bit and start a separate thread to 'get us on the map' and leave this one alone. Sorry jOhn :(

(El Ted - (noticing the flamenco reference earlier) You're not the guy who played some flamenco stuff at the Globe at Guisborough? If so I much enjoyed your playing. If not, perhaps it's a pleasure to come!)

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: el ted
Date: 12 May 04 - 03:38 AM

Hey nick, your spot looks well worth a visit, useful plug that my man.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: JennyO
Date: 11 May 04 - 10:56 PM

Love that last picture, Nick. With that lighting, it is sort of a work of art. And everybody looks so blissed out in that one.

Jenny

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Nick
Date: 11 May 04 - 07:51 PM

About 10 miles north of York. The pub itself is in a tiny village called Farlington. As long as you don't all come and overwhelm it in one go (lol) there are details at the beginnings of a website I will one day get round to doing at Blacksmiths Arms and there are a few pictures from a couple of weeks ago (hopefully no-one minds being seen) at Pic1, Pic2, Pic3, Pic4. Quality of pix poor as trying out a camera and they are fairly compressed.

Not really an unashamed plug as I don't think we'd cope with loads of visitors in one go!

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: breezy
Date: 11 May 04 - 07:39 PM

where's Easingwold then?

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: s6k
Date: 11 May 04 - 05:55 PM

in a word, muppet

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: GUEST
Date: 11 May 04 - 03:03 PM

in a word, yes it is rubbish.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Nick
Date: 11 May 04 - 02:54 PM

No. Short. (Brevity = future watchword.)

Come visit next time you are wandering.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: greg stephens
Date: 11 May 04 - 02:34 PM

Nick_: thanks for the inspiring account of your pub nights. Sounds just the sort of place I like going to. And I bet you sing really long songs too!

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Sweetfia
Date: 11 May 04 - 02:10 PM

Well, that 'speed reading' course I did back at school came into use.

Well said tho' Nick, definately some sound advise there.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: el ted
Date: 11 May 04 - 11:44 AM

Nick,
    No, this isn't a wind up. No one has replied because we are all still reading through your enormous post.
                         cheers
                     flamenco, the true path,
                      el ted

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Nick
Date: 11 May 04 - 11:37 AM

Whoops, have I walked into another wind up thread?

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Nick
Date: 10 May 04 - 02:59 PM

Keep going if it gives you and others pleasure, you're bound to get times when it doesn't work but the good times (hopefully) should outweigh the bad. From other threads here it suggests that you have had some good evenings - that alone suggests that it is worth persevering.

I hope the following is of some use, I hope it is not too long.

In September 2002 four of us started music on a Wednesday night in our local pub in North Yorkshire - I'm not sure if it's a folk club or not. The village is tiny (20-30 houses) and the pub relies on people travelling to it. Since then we have had music every week apart from one week when the snow was too bad to get to the pub and even then the one player who lives in the village played some music with the landlord. There are rarely less than ten of us and rarely more than 20 but it merrily goes on week by week with a nucleus of the same people and others coming and going. When we started we guessed that we might manage to keep it going perhaps once a month for a short while - the reality has been very different.

It was advertised early on once in the Easingwold advertiser (a VERY local paper) but apart from that has relied on word of mouth and being found by people. A high percentage of those who come once come again with varying degrees of regularity but the nucleus come, I think, because it has become a genuine highlight of the week. Just about everyone who comes plays or sings, though at least half of us have never done anything quite like this before and I doubt would have previously gone and performed at a folk club. It is very inclusive and encourages everyone to have a go if they want to and over time I think a number of us have been surprised to find ourselves doing things I doubt we would have done a year ago (eg I never thought I would sing in public!). We start at about 8.30 to 9 and we get thrown out when the landlord wants to close (which is of course bang on closing time *cough*) but I can rarely think of an evening when we haven't wished for the evening to extend for just one more song - perhaps that's what makes us come back the next week. As it can take the best part of an hour sometimes to go round the group and sing another song (you can feel a hint of tension on multi-versed songs sometimes) we have not really felt the need to advertise or push for lots more people, though everyone who does find us is always welcome, and new people always seem to make us improve or try a little harder.

We have had three outside artists over the eighteen months - Last Nights Fun to a packed pub, Marie Little and Dylanesque (a Dylan tribute band who wrote a very nice reaction to the audience on their web site after they played (!) Dylanesque Web site down in the bottom corner - I thought the band rather than the audience usually got reviewed) but mostly it has relied and thrived upon the fact that we really enjoy ourselves and want to do it, and everything else is a bonus on top.

Each week we wonder who or what will turn up and generally get pleasantly surprised that it just keeps on rolling. These days we would probably just play anyway even if there were two or three of us.

We are a mixed bunch with a range of musical tastes but we seem to tolerate each others tastes and encourage each to perform and contribute - four are unaccompanied, traditional Cecil Sharp/Copper family/Watersons type folk fans, one sings his own songs, a fiddle player (sorry violinist who is growing into a fiddle player much to his pleasure!) with some jigs and reels, a Tom Lehrer fan with a taste for the macabre, a touch of James Taylor here, a bit of everyone singing favourite Fairport things and a little jazz occasionally. Some would stand up and sing anywhere in front of anyone with minimal nerves, some of us find it much harder. Are we any good? It varies - but doesn't seem to matter too much or stop us encouraging each other. Definitely half of us have grown much better over the time, some would easily hold a spot at any folk club I have been to and one who comes occasionally has played at a festival or two. What is great is that all these abilities and tastes can co-exist.

We have few rules and the only problem I can think of - apart from a bit of tension with a few of the users of the pub about 9 months ago who seemed determined to show how much noise they could make in the main bar on a Wednesday (now no longer a problem) - was the mandolin/banjo player whose idea of tastefully joining in was to play a different tune in a different tempo in a different key (ideally about one and a quarter semitones from the key the other performer was playing in). Hide like a rhinoceros as well, but there you go.

I think overall we know what we set out to achieve, which is to enjoy ourselves, to hopefully improve and to try and make a range of music which gives pleasure to ourselves the performers and (secondarily) to anyone else who wants to listen. Mostly those who come, come to participate.

The pub is a lovely pub, it has a great landlord and a pint of bitter is £1.22 (though the last is just icing on the cake). We are not attempting to be like the Black Swan in York which has an excellent Folk Club with artists like Bob Fox, Roy Bailey, Dick Gaughan appearing - we raise four own money within the pub to pay for the few outside artists we have had so it is not too practical to fund as we do not charge for anything we have put on outside of raffle/bucket.

It's strength is that it is friendly, welcoming and relaxing to come and play and be. For my part it is a highlight to the middle of the week and a great thing to look forward to. Sometimes when I have thought that it was getting a bit samey or 'flat' and that we ought to broaden it someone turns up out of the blue or that certain magic thing happens and makes for an evening that keeps me smiling through Thursday (as an aside if you could bottle it and sell it at will, god, how rich would I be? LOL)

I'll give you a few of my thoughts and memories as I sit here which make the (minimal) organisation and the (very minimal) stress of wondering whether people will come worthwhile -

* A totally spontaneous reggae/calypso version of the Wild Rover to the tune of the Banana Boat song
* About 7+ hours of music on New Years eve
* The look of pleasure on the violinist's face on his first convincing 'squawk'
* Nice harmonies and a full sound of people enjoying singing
* The applause when one of us who finds it harder to perform does something which comes out half decent
* The surprise at finding an incredibly able whistle player who no-one even knew played
* The joy when someone totally new visits, plays and then comes back having enjoyed the welcome and the evening
* Occasionally having two or three people as an audience who enjoy themselves and stay AND come back

If you get anything like the above from what you have set out to do then it's got to be worthwhile keeping it going. Hopefully you may sense from this post that I get a lot of fun out it personally.

Best of luck - if you are ever over these parts get in touch and you would always be welcome, as would anyone.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Rasener
Date: 10 May 04 - 11:29 AM

Strollin'
Just make sure they let you through the blockade coming home. You musn't miss Bill and Dave :-)

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 10 May 04 - 11:26 AM

jOhn, you might have three from Gainsborough on 3rd June if I can cadge a lift wi' t'other two (who, if I'm not mistaken, are my usual partners in crime). Hope to see you then.
Johnny :0)

And ignore that soprano castrato GUEST. If he had any balls at all he'd identify his miserable self. It takes a flamer to know one.
J :0)

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 10 May 04 - 11:26 AM

At least you haven't been accused of playing with yourself (I do hope he meant by my myself)

R

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 10 May 04 - 11:20 AM

All this talk of tits and knockers is making me come over unnecessary.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: The DeanMeister
Date: 10 May 04 - 11:18 AM

Wonder if it's the same troll that made a complete bollocks-up of the Punch the Horse threads? Bloody nuisance.

Keep at it, jOhn.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Ross
Date: 10 May 04 - 11:17 AM

Perhaps people think you're John Prescott?

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: s6k
Date: 10 May 04 - 11:09 AM

yeah but jOhn makes people laugh. you just make people laugh AT you because youre a foolish moron, and i bet likes to dress in womens clothes on a weekend and go to bed with your teddies.
go away, jOhn is respected but you mean as much as a grain of sand on a beach. stupid

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: JennyO
Date: 10 May 04 - 10:42 AM

TROLL

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 10 May 04 - 06:45 AM

Well Guest, you seem an expert in the total tit stakes.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: GUEST
Date: 10 May 04 - 05:53 AM

"Guest - it's an act!"

Is it?!!! Then he'd better go to acting classes as well.


"Perhaps you should go to adult sense-of-humour-acquisition classes."

Don't need to thanks. jOhn's posts make me laugh like a drain - not because they're witty and urbane, but because he does such a wonderful job of making a total tit of himself.


"I can assure you jOhn is a LOT more literate than you might ever imagine, guest 05:22AM!"

Ha! ha! ha! ho! ho! ho! hee! hee! hee! More hilarity!

Love 'n peace man.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: s6k
Date: 10 May 04 - 03:16 AM

quote: "they pointed to the room you was in, and I went in, and you was sat in the corner playing with yourself."

Rather rude!!!

anyway ive recovered now so see you at the next one

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Rasener
Date: 10 May 04 - 12:43 AM

jOhn
"Anyway, we keep going and next one is 3rd of June, and hopefully we will have 2 special guest singers from Gainsborough there."

If it is who I think, you just make sure that they open the blockades around Hull and let them get back, so they can come to Market Rasen Folk Club on June the 4th to see Bill Whaley and Dave Fletcher. :-)

Why don't you and any others up there come and see them and have a break from running the club and be the listener - very relaxing :-)

Stick to it jOhn, it will work itself out, and if it doesn't you just close it, and walk away knowing that you have at least got off your arse and given it a go. There is a lot to be said for that.

You will probably find that you are jammed out on June the 3rd after this thread.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: JennyO
Date: 09 May 04 - 11:10 PM

jOhn, I run a folk club in Sydney, Australia, which also happens to meet on the first Thursday of the month. We have been going now for nearly 7 years. The worst thing is always the worry about whether people will come, and some months have been lean. But fortunately enough people have said encouraging words that make me feel like keeping on going.

Make no mistake about it, you are doing a great thing - it is sometimes thankless, but don't give up - the rewards will come. And try not to let the knockers worry you - you are contributing something to folk - they are contributing nothing. As they say - "Nil Bastardo Carborundum" - Don't Let the Bastards Grind you Down.

Best wishes, Jenny

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 09 May 04 - 09:32 PM

any way=if you want to moan about my spelling, look at yours, [you can;t even spell now properley], so just shut up about it, stupid.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 09 May 04 - 09:27 PM

Cheers everyone, I was pissed and fed up when i started this thread, I realise people are often busy doing other stuff, gigs, work etc.

Roger-I remember that night well, I went to The Sun, asked at the bar where the folk session was, they pointed to the room you was in, and I went in, and you was sat in the corner playing with yourself.

Thanks for the Pm's everyone, we will keep going at this, i was probably stupid thinking it would be a big sucsess straight away, stuff takes time.

Linda and KJ- dont feel guilty for not going, i know you go when you can.


Anyway, we keep going and next one is 3rd of June, and hopefully we will have 2 special guest singers from Gainsborough there.

Guest-I am ignoring you so just get lost.


If anyone doesnt know when and where it is, then it is , The First Thursday of the month, at The Marlborough Social Club, Newstead Street, if you want to know anything else about it, or directions etc send me a Private message, or if your not a member here, just ring me up, 01482 348448.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: GUEST,Noddy
Date: 09 May 04 - 08:30 PM

It is Hull in England that jOhn is referring to, Stan...otherwise known as Kingston upon Hull, positioned on the north bank of the Humber River estuary. It's quite a bit bigger than Hull, Quebec.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: GUEST,a different guest
Date: 09 May 04 - 07:01 PM

It may be an act sj - but as an act it is Rubbish. To anybody who is noew to Mudcat he just comes over as a total wanker.

Thinking about it I suppose that the reason for the act is to encourage the favourite mudcat sport of flaming the guests.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 09 May 04 - 02:31 PM

Wakefield's West of Hull!

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: GUEST,Stan S. from Ottawa
Date: 09 May 04 - 02:19 PM

I've never even heard of a folk club in Hull.

There's Rasputin's here in Ottawa and the Black Sheep that's north of Hull in Wakefield. They're both well attended.

Subject: RE: Is Hull Folk Club Rubbish?
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 09 May 04 - 01:38 PM

Guest - it's an act! Perhaps you should go to adult sense-of-humour-acquisition classes.
I could be a lot harsher.
Johnny :0)