We are pleased to confirm that our Spring/Summer 2014 Programme is now complete with the news that the fabulous Gren Bartley will be the guest at Downend Folk Club in July.

Gren will be performing a solo gig on Friday 18th July as he continues to tour is critically acclaimed "Winter Fires" album.

“As an acoustic finger-picking guitar and banjo player he has few if any equals in his age group; as an acoustic rooted-in-folk writer he's developing an alarmingly good canon of work" - R2 Magazine

Gren Bartley is a prolific and exceptional songwriter. He is constantly touring and forever writing. The critically acclaimed new album “Winter Fires” (out Spring 2013) is yet another giant leap forward and is building further upon the success of 2012’s critically acclaimed “Songs To Scythe Back The Overgrown”. 

“A quiet triumph, no less” - fRoots

Showcasing his “phenomenal” guitar playing and poetry driven lyrics, the new album also marks the first time Gren will be performing selected dates with his band. Stunning four part harmonies and intricate string arrangements offer an even deeper intrigue to the new material already described as “spine tinglingly beautiful”. The drive of the percussion and the orchestral flourishes sweep the audience into the narratives and subtly embellish the songs. This new direction for Bartley “deserves your attention”.

“If awe inspiring albums really are delivered through vivid dreams whilst slipping in and out of illness induced delirium, then I want what Gren Bartley had. "Songs To Scythe Back The Overgrown" is an album that will enhance his reputation, not only as a top guitar and banjo picker, but also as a wordsmith and fully fledged troubadour. He wields his serrated edge sound with surgical precision, cutting deep into your psyche and then seeing which nerves reach the heart strings, which ones operate the tear ducts and which ones just get the feet tapping. A game changing album.” - FATEA Magazine

Gren is touring relentlessly either solo, as a duo or with the full band. The workshops he hosts in guitar playing and songwriting have been described as “brilliantly fresh”. Gren is truly the future of folk songwriting, using his influences from folk and blues traditions to bring something unique to this modern day troubadour. He is an artist not to be missed.

“One to really look out for...” - BBC Radio 2

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that the excellent Bella Hardy will be the guest for our May event.

Bella, who has recently been nominated for the "Folk Singer of the Year" award at this year's BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, will be joining us on Friday 16th May as part of the solo leg of her "Thirty for 30" tour.

One of the top folk singers around at the moment, We are truly honoured to be welcoming an artist of this quality.

But the great news doesn't end there! The following month, on Friday 20th June, we are delighted to confirm that we will be joined by up-and-coming singer/songwriter Ange Hardy.

Ange is a folk singer, songwriter and guitarist from West Somerset. In January 2014 she was awarded FATEA Magazine's prestigious “Female Vocalist of the Year” following the release of her 2013 album “Bare Foot Folk”.

Ange Hardy performs live as a solo act but her mesmerising combination of beautiful story telling and delicate guitar work is given a contemporary twist through her exceptional use of 'live looping' to build vocal harmonies. Ange stands with a digital tape recorder at her feet that allows her to record and instantly play-back what she is singing. The effortlessness with which she builds layers of perfect harmonies in front of your eyes, combined with her honest and heartfelt insight into the stories and inspirations behind her songs, is absolutely captivating.

Ange's 2014 performance dates include a variety of theatres, folk clubs, and festivals and her set will include favourites from her previous two albums, as well as a number of new tracks from “The Lament of the Black Sheep”.

“Very very rootsy and very very folky, I do like her stuff!”  - Mike Harding

"Ange’s sound itself is sweet, that is the only real word for it. Sweet as in pleasant to hear and leaves you wanting to have just one more. The album is all her work so the extra voice dubbing is a good addition as it gives her already strong voice an extra magical hold over the listeners." - Bright Young Folk

"If I were putting the album of the year show together today, this would be it... watch out for Ange Hardy... she's bursting onto the scene fully formed" - Readifolk Radio

Both gigs will be held at Frenchay Village Hall, and tickets are on sale now via the What's On section.