We are excited to announce our next concert as we welcome the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award-nominated duo O'HOOLEY & TIDOW on Friday 19th June.

Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow, both singer-songwriters and performers in their own rights, have been singing and recording together since 2009. Three albums, a Best Duo nomination at the 2015 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and national and international plaudits later, the team at Downend are rightly thrilled to be bringing the act to the club.

Both Belinda and Heidi hail from Yorkshire, with their music reflecting both their English heritage and their international outlook. Their songs, written together as collaborative pieces, capture the soul and imagination which they also bring to their live performances. Their “beautifully unusual songs touch on everything from dark folk tales, cross-dressing historical figures, the global economy, right through to a song about the last polar bear.”, and Mojo awarded their latest album, The Hum, their Folk Album Of The Year 2014, describing it as “‘boldly defiant and sharply individual. One of British Folk’s mightiest combinations’.

Expect a fantastic night of sharp, emotionally-effecting singing and songs from this multi-talented duo.

Support on the night will come from Birmingham’s Robert Lane. Robert is a singer-songwriter, drawing inspiration from The Beatles, Pete Townshend, Rufus Wainwright and Ron Sexsmith, and has appeared at locations as diverse as The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Birmingham Artsfest and The Tenby Blues Festival.

Tickets are available from from Kafe Karma, Melanie's Kitchen, Bristol Ticket Shop or online here, £10 in advance. Members tickets are £9 each from the "Members Only" section of the website (after you've logged in). If there are any left on the door, they'll cost £12 each.

Doors open at 7.30pm and there will be a full bar serving GWB real ale, cider, wine and a range of soft drinks, as well as a raffle.

When a singer draws praise from folk royalty such as Nic Jones, John Tams and Kate Rusby, you can be sure they have something very special. 

The subject of this praise is RUTH NOTMAN, who headlines Downend Folk Club’s May event.

"I was totally blown away!"

- Kate Rusby 

Ruth is a contemporary folk singer/songwriter based in South Yorkshire, who has been maturing and honing her style and skill for over a decade in front of festival and venue audiences all over the UK.

“What sets Ruth Notman apart is the disarming beauty of her voice.” 

 - Rock n Reel

After a musical sabbatical to concentrate on studies, Ruth is returning with more style than ever and is currently preparing to record her new album, six years after her last record “The Life of Lilly”. 

Ruth’s debut album “Threads” came out in November 2007 and really did, to quote BBC Radio 3’s Verity Sharp, “cause quite a stir”.  Rarely has a young folk artist’s first album had such a huge impact on what is sometimes a difficult genre to please.  But it did more than please the folk fraternity.  It went on to receive plaudits in major nationals including The Independent (album of the week), The Guardian and MoJo. Ruth played live in session on Radio 2 with Bob Harris, who loved the album and Ruth’s live set. 

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Opening the evening will be JIMMY ALDRIDGE & SID GOLDSMITH, who are themselves forging a superb reputation on the UK folk scene.

Jimmy and Sid play traditional and original folksong of the British Isles. They tell stories of hardship, joy, struggle and celebration held together with driving banjo and guitar arrangements and close vocal harmonies.

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The event will be held at Frenchay Village Hall on Friday 15th May. Doors open at 7.30pm and there will be a full bar serving GWB real ale, cider, wine and a range of soft drinks, as well as a raffle. 

Tickets are £8 in advance, £10 on the door and are available from Melanie’s Kitchen, Kafe Karma, Bristol Ticket Shop and online here. Members tickets are £7 from the website or direct from Ant Miles.