We are thrilled to welcome one of the top names in UK folk music for our March concert.

LUCY WARD is an award winning artist from Derby, and one of the top names on the UK folk circuit. Her live performances are full of great music, fun and laughter and boundless energy.
 
After getting her first guitar at the age of 14, Lucy ventured into acoustic clubs, it was there that she first heard the traditional music that she now loves. Captured by the lyrics and stories of traditional song, Lucy delved further into the world of folk music, visiting clubs and sessions up and down the country before getting booked to play gigs in her own right. In 2009 Lucy reached the final of the BBC Young Folk Award and she hasn’t looked back since!


After winning the Horizon Award for best newcomer at the 2012 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Lucy’s career has gone from strength to strength establishing her as one of the hottest performers on the UK Folk scene, pulling a full capacity audience for her Cambridge Folk Festival debut.
 
In 2013 it was announced that she had been nominated for the acclaimed “Folk Singer of the Year” at the 2014 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, making Lucy one of the youngest people ever to be nominated for this most prestigious award.
 
Lucy, who plays guitar, ukulele and concertina but considers her voice to be her first instrument. will be joined on stage by fiddler JOY GRAVESTOCK, while the evening will be opened by the highly-rated singer-songwriter FELIX MB.
 
Tickets for Friday 20th March's gig are priced at just £10 in advance (£9 for members, £12 on the door). Doors at Frenchay Village Hall open at 7.30pm and there will be a bar serving Great Western Brewing Co. real ales, Severn Cider and a range of wine, soft drinks and teas and coffees, as well as raffle during the interval. Tickets are on sale now at Melanie's Kitchen, Kafe Karma, Bristol Ticket Shop or online here.

We very much hope you've come to expect nothing but the country's top folk musicians at Downend Folk Club, and we're delivering on that promise with our stunning programme for Summer 2015!

On Friday 19th June, we welcome BBC Radio 2 Folk Award nominated duo O'HOOLEY & TIDOW.

With a personal invite from Billy Bragg to play Glastonbury, sessions on 6 Music and Radio 2, a five star live review and feature in The Guardian, a MOJO Folk Album of 2014 award for groundbreaking album "The Hum", and a nomination for ‘Best Duo’ in this year’s BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards; Belinda O’Hooley & Heidi Tidow are regarded as lionhearted trailblazers of contemporary music and songwriting. Having the originality and skill to invite comparison with the most celebrated harmony duos, from early Simon and Garfunkel to the iconic Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Belinda and Heidi’s powerful, deeply moving, and at times spine-tingling performances are infused with an honesty and empathy that will disarm even the hardest of heart.

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Friday 17th July's guest will be the fabulous JACKIE OATES, who will be joined on stage by MIKE COSGRAVE.

Jackie is a singer and fiddle player from Staffordshire. Her unique treatment of English ballads and songs, and pure, haunting singing style has established her at the forefront of the new English folk revival.

Since appearing as a finalist in the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards 2003, she has performed extensively at festivals and venues across the country and beyond, in a solo capacity and with her band. She was a founder member of Northumbrian group and Mercury nominated Rachel Unthank and the Winterset, Jackie is now a permanent member of the folk super-group The Imagined Village as well as touring in her own right.

Her new album "The Spyglass And The Herringbone" will be released in April.

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Rounding off the Summer programme will be the visit of up-and-coming Birmingham singer-songwriter CHRIS CLEVERLEY on Friday 21st August.

Whispers have been spreading far and wide around the new British Folk Scene about last year's Isambard Folk Award-winner Chris and his haunting tales of ghost women, lonesome clock towers, lovelorn mariners and hospital beds.

From touring the UK festivals to sharing the bill with such heavyweights as Martin Simpson, Spiers & Boden, Martha Tilston and Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman, Chris has stirred up a formidable word-of-mouth reputation and a buzzing anticipation for his forthcoming record, "Apparitions".

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Tickets for these events are on-sale now to members, and will go on general sale on Monday 23rd March. All events will be held at Frenchay Village Hall and details of support acts will be announced nearer the time.

Downend-based band ROAD NOT TAKEN are the headliners as we feature the best local folk and acoustic talent at an extra event on Friday 6th March.

Formed in the middle of last year, the band features four Downend Folk Club members: Anita Dobson (vocals), Ant Miles (vocals, guitar, harmonium), Joe Brydon (slide guitar, bouzouki, harmonicas) and Joe Hamlen (bass, harmonium). Their slot supporting India Electric Co. back in September was well-received, and since then their melancholy, contemporary take on traditional songs has seen them invited to play at Bristol Folk Festival and The Great Big Almonry Folk Weekend. Meanwhile, the band are attempting to find ways to finance their dream of recording a debut EP!

Road Not Taken will play their set as the second-half of the evening's entertainment.

The first-half will feature short sets from some of the best folk and acoustic talent from around the area.

EDD DONOVAN is a highly distinctive Americana/contemporary folk singer and songwriter. Originally from the north of England, he has made his home in Gloucestershire. His superb debut album, "Something To Take The Edge Off", was released in 2014 to rave reviews, and comparisons to Bob Dylan, Buddy Holly, Simon and Garfunkel and even Johnny Cash have been made in the press.

Returning to Downend Folk Club will be NOEY McELWEE, who played a short set at November's Jess Vincent Trio gig. Noey has been "mucking about with music" for as long as she can remember. Together with her twin sister, Noey was singing, harmonising and playing the guitar from an early age, and says that folk music has always been in her core... you can often find her at parties in the kitchen with her guitar, singing her heart out!

STEFFAN LEWIS & RACHEL FOSTER are a duo from Totterdown and Yate. Having played together in various bands in the past, they are now performing as a duo and will be spending 2015 gigging around the area and getting to know the local folk clubs. Their style takes in folk, pop and a good dose of country! They plan to record an EP later this year.

Downend-based teenager SUSIE DOBSON is relatively new to performing, but has enjoyed singing at church and school, and is currently working towards Grade 8 Musical Theatre while studying for her A-levels. Susie has recently taken up the ukulele and the guitar. She's got a killer voice... just wait until you hear her!

GEOFF PUGH is another who is no stranger to Downend Folk Club, having opened for Greg Russell & Ciaran Algar last summer. Geoff is a singer-songwriter who has been around the acoustic music scene in Bristol for five years. He is influenced by Steve Knightley, Harry Chapin and Bruce Springsteen, and his music draws on the folk, country and blues traditions.

Winterbourne's singer and guitarist MAX TREMLIN is a man of many faces. He has played in bands across a wide variety of musical styles including heavy metal, soul and funk and dodgy covers! Max loves performing stripped-back, acoustic music most of all, and he's pretty good at it, too!

Rounding off the first half will be MANGOTSFIELD KITCHEN PROJECT, who will lead some interactive singing (so bring your voice!). MKP is a non-audition choir, singing typical English folk songs... although their definition of "folk" is pretty broad, as is their definition of "English"! The group is run by Downend Folk Club members Cliff & Gaynor Woolley.

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The event will be held at Frenchay Village Hall on Friday 6th March, and doors open at 7.30pm. There will, as always, be a bar and raffle. Tickets are free for members (who must book a place by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and just £5 for non-members, available from Melanie's Kitchen in Downend or online here. Please come along and support us as we try something a little bit different!