BOOKLET FINAL 2021

A gathering of all kinds of folk Banter / Ellie Gowers / English Fiddle Ensemble / Flo Perlin / Hannah James & Toby Kuhn

Harbottle & Jonas / India Electric Co. / Jack Rutter / Janice Burns & Jon DoranJohn Bramwell & The Full Harmonic Convergence / Jesca Hoop / John Kelly / Kabantu

Kathryn Tickell & the Darkening / Lady Nade / LUKE CONCANNON / LunatraktorsNative Harrow / O’Hooley & Tidow / Sam Carter / Sam Lee / Sarah Smout / Sheelanagig

Spiers & Boden / The Breath / The Futureheads / The Gigspanner Big BandThe Last Inklings / The Magpies / The Trials of Cato and more…

HOME – The Ritz – RNCM – Anthony Burgess Foundation

21-24 October 2021

We are thrilled to invite you to join with the best in English Folk and acoustic music over a long weekend in some of Manchester’s finest venues. From intimate studio spaces to legendary rock venues, choose from 22 concerts to make up your own festival. This year we include singing and instrumental workshops and sessions to welcome those who want to dive deeper – alongside a broad programme of folk roots and acoustic music sure to warm the soul as we approach winter. Also new for 2021 - the late night Festival Club will complete each night in HOME. We can’t wait to get back…

David Agnew, Festival Director

Front cover image: Spiers & Boden’s instruments by Elly Lucas

NEW FOR 2021MANCHESTER FOLK FESTIVAL CLUB

VENUE - HOME, 11.00pm. TICKETS - £11, Seated

Join us each evening in the HOME Restaurant for some exclusive late-night performances. A limited number of tickets are available for these events, only for ticket-holders of main Manchester Folk

Festival events on that day/evening.

THU 21 OCTThe Brothers GillespieGood HabitsMishra

FRI 22 OCTChris Elliott & Caitlin JonesTom Moore & Archie MossGranny’s Attic

SAT 23 OCTRanagriBryony Griffith & Alice JonesHoney We Three

Produced by In association with

2

LADY NADE SPIERS & BODENwith Janice Burns & Jon Doran / Dalinda

VENUE - HOME, THEATRE 1, 7:00pmTICKETS - £22, Seated

The multi award-winning duo of John Spiers and Jon Boden rocketed onto the scene in 2001, and were later founding members of the ground-breaking folk big band Bellowhead. They last performed as a duo in 2014 and Bellowhead itself took a final bow in 2016, before playing together again in 2020.

In the meantime, Jon Boden has carved out a career as both a solo performer and with his own band, Jon Boden & The Remnant Kings. John Spiers went on to form a number of collaborations and is a member of Peter Knight’s Gigspanner Big Band (see p7).

Janice Burns & Jon Doran’s compelling storytelling comes alive through tight vocal harmonies and thoughtful interplay between mandolin and bouzouki.

Dalinda is an a cappella trio performing Hungarian folk songs with a modern and polyphonic twist.

VENUE - BURGESS FOUNDATION, 9:00pmTICKETS - £13.20, Seated

Lady Nade started writing poems and songs as a form of healing from grief. Performing in venues across her native city of Bristol, her work developed into a calling to connect with her fans on a deeper level and help lead them through life’s complicated tapestry with the healing power of music. She pours creativity into every song, often lavishing them with a recipe to match.

THU 21 OCT

KABANTUwith Otodik evszak

VENUE - HOME, THEATRE 2, 9:00pmTICKETS - £15.40, Seated

The award winning Kabantu are a collective from Manchester. “Kabantu” means “of the people” - stemming from the South African philosophy of Ubuntu - “I am what I am because of who we all are”. This is autonomous music bridging countries and cultures, defying genre and embracing sheer joy in music from all over the globe.

3

JOHN BRAMWELL & THE FULL HARMONIC CONVERGENCEwith India Electric Co. / Ellie Gowers

JACK RUTTER

VENUE - O2 RITZ, 7:00pmTICKETS - £27.23, Standing

John Bramwell is one of the UK’s most unique and talented singer-song writers and has been performing as a musician for over 30 years.

His 2018 album, Leave Alone the Empty Spaces is a stunning showcase of John’s skilful, widely acclaimed song-writing and his unique voice. The first completely new collection of songs by John as a solo artist since he started his adventures away from I am Kloot, the album was inspired by his ‘off the beaten path’ journey through the UK and Europe.

The show promises a versatile two-hour set packed with choice cuts from John’s solo repertoire, plus an opportunity to hear some I am Kloot fan favourites.

India Electric Company blend traditional instruments, folk melodies and subtle electronic influences.

Ellie Gowers’ songs are built from a childhood love of literature and traditional folk song, but also discuss the more modern narratives of the present day.

THU 21 OCT


Jack Rutter is an outstanding young folk singer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist from West Yorkshire. His latest solo album Gold of Scar & Shale features unearthed gems from the folk canon with his masterful playing and arrangements on guitar, bouzouki, duet concertina and harmonium providing the perfect accompaniment for his soaring vocals.

LUKE CONCANNON


Luke Concannon (former Nizlopi #1 singles act and credited as one of Ed Sheeran’s main inspirations) plays his first UK show in over 3 years. Luke’s mesmerising live shows are legendary, performing his ‘direct-from-the-heart’ songs with unrivalled passion and commitment. Current album Ecstatic Bird in the Burning was released to glowing reviews, charting in both the UK and US Official Folk Charts.

4

THE BREATHSPECIAL GUESTS HANNAH JAMES & TOBY KUHN


Kathryn Tickell - Northumbrian smallpipes, fiddle, voiceAmy Thatcher - accordion, voice, clog dancingStef Connor - voice, lyresKieran Szifris - octave mandolinJoe Truswell - drums, percussion

Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening’s inspiration comes from the wild, dramatic, weather-bitten countryside along Hadrian’s Wall, which seems so quintessentially Northumbrian…and yet, almost 2000 years ago that same landscape was inhabited by people from around the world, worshipping different gods and following different customs.

Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening embrace that global perspective, bringing some of the oldest Northumbrian tunes and songs throbbing to life, intermingling them with new material and binding it all together with contemporary resonance and attitude.

Pengetos Trio are committed to authentic Hungarian folk music characterised by poetry, virtuosity, innovation and tradition.

The Last Inklings’ songs have a modern flavour that is rich with imagery and narrative, exploring at their core what it is to be human.

FRI 22 OCT

KATHRYN TICKELL & THE DARKENINGWith Pengetős Trio / The Last Inklings

SHEELANAGIG

VENUE - HOME, THEATRE 2, 10:00pmTICKETS - £17.60, Standing

Sheelanagig for over a decade have brought their array of foot-stomping folk tunes to audiences across the globe. With guitar, fiddle and double bass, the rhythmic energy of flute and drums and a bagful of joint-jumping tunes, these boys put the groove into traditional and original European Folk music. It’s impossible for your limbs to remain stationary when you’re within earshot of them in full flight.

VENUE - HOME, THEATRE 2, 7.30pmTICKETS - £17.60, Standing

Manchester-based band The Breath is guitarist Stuart McCallum and singer Ríoghnach Connolly. Their unique take on alt-folk travels between hushed storytelling and uplifting anthems. At the heart of their beguiling, dreamy sound lies Rioghnach’s deeply soulful, stop-you-in-your-tracks voice, coupled with Stuart’s understated brilliance.

5

HARBOTTLE & JONAS

VENUE - RNCM, 7.00pmTICKETS - £22, Seated

California-born but now based in Manchester, Jesca Hoop is what you’d call a musician’s musician. Discovered by Tom Waits and brought on tour by Peter Gabriel to sing in his band, it was a phone call from Elbow’s Guy Garvey that saw her move to the UK.

Her 2019 album Stonechild received huge acclaim from fans and critics alike, and it’s easy to see why - her beautiful songs, rooted in the folk tradition are intricately detailed, acoustic-led pieces that teem with ideas.

The Magpies work collaboratively, arranging material led by powerful vocals and glittering instrumental ornamentation to create a unique blend of transatlantic folk.

SAM CARTER


BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Best Newcomer in 2010, Sam Carter has since earned a reputation for vivid, narrative-driven song writing and captivating live performances. In new album Home Waters, images of floods and rising tides sit alongside tales of love and loss, alluding to the search for a sense of belonging and stability in unfamiliar territory.

FRI 22 OCT

JESCA HOOP with The Magpies


Devon duo Harbottle & Jonas have evolved a compelling live signature sound blending concertina, harmonium, banjo, stomp box, acoustic guitar and cittern with their powerful close vocal harmonies. Americana UK describes latest release The Beacon as “Thoughtful words and music rooted in tradition yet entirely current.”

6

SAM LEE with Sarah Smout

THE GIGSPANNER BIG BANDWith MUZSIKÁS

BANTER


Banter are: Simon Care (melodeon), Nina Zella (keyboards & vocals) and Tim Walker (drums, percussion, & brass). They are rooted in English traditional music but incorporate influences of pop, jazz, soul and big band sounds. Described as “the UK’s smallest big band” Banter take classic English folk music and drag it kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

SAT 23 OCT

THE TRIALS OF CATO


BBC Radio 2’s Mark Radcliffe hailed The Trials of Cato as “one of the real discoveries on the folk circuit in recent times.” Their debut album, Hide and Hair won Best Album at the 2019 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. The band have now emerged from the pandemic transformed, with multi-talented instrumentalist and singer Polly Bolton joining their ranks.

VENUE - HOME, THEATRE 1, 1.30pmTICKETS - £17.60, Seated

The Gigspanner Big Band’s high-energy, virtuosic performances appeal equally to traditionalists and to those looking for something more experimental. Original trio Peter Knight, Sacha Trochet and Roger Flack are now joined by multi-instrumental duo Edgelarks (Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin) and Bellowhead co-founder John Spiers.

VENUE - RNCM, 2:00pmTICKETS - £17.60, Standing

Sam Lee is a highly inventive and original singer, folk song interpreter, passionate conservationist, song collector and successful creator of live events. Sam has shaken up the music scene breaking boundaries between folk and contemporary music and the assumed places and ways folksong is appreciated. Latest album, Old Wow, takes his work to yet another level.

7

THE FUTUREHEADS with Native Harrow

VENUE - RNCM, 7:30pmTICKETS - £25.30, Seated

Having first emerged at the start of the ‘00s amidst a burgeoning swarm of guitar bands, the Sunderland quartet, with their proud regional accents and spiky, playful sensibilities, stuck out from the off. Over the following decade The Futureheads amassed five critically-acclaimed albums, headlined countless tours and earned an NME Single of the Year accolade for their iconic cover of Kate Bush’s ‘Hounds of Love’.

This is a rare opportunity to experience a different side to the band, with the show featuring a mix of acoustic and a cappella song arrangements, intricate four-part vocal harmonies and plenty of audience banter. You can expect a mixture of selections from their back catalogue including songs from their 2019 album Powers, coupled with older favourites, and some covers and traditional songs thrown in for good measure.

Native Harrow perform songs from their latest album Closeness, which elaborates on the group’s radiant warmth and timeless nostalgia with the inclusion of new sounds and experiences.

THE ENGLISH FIDDLE ENSEMBLE with Flo Perlin


The English Fiddle Ensemble (Bryony Griffith, Jim Boyle, Ross Grant and Rosie Butler-Hall) aim to allow audiences to feel the bite and lift of four fiddles resonating to create joyous harmonies and striking rhythms. Their combined repertoire is vast and includes rarely played and unusual regional versions of traditional English tunes alongside more familiar session favourites.

SAT 23 OCT

O’HOOLEY & TIDOWwith John Kelly / Lunatraktors


Much loved Yorkshire folk duo Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow were propelled into newfound fame when their song ‘Gentleman Jack’ was chosen as the theme tune for the hit BBC1/HBO drama. Belinda and Heidi draw comparison with the most celebrated harmony duos and their boundless song writing explores, considers and connects subjects and stories in a distinctive, inventive and memorable way.

8

FOLK SONG WORKSHOPHOME 10:30am - 12:30pm

Join Creative Voice Specialist Beth Allen for an unaccompanied singing workshop and learn songs to sing in the pub. Tickets £4.90, booking required.

TUNES WORKSHOPTHE PEVERIL OF THE PEAK 10:00am - 12:00pm

Mikey Kenny leads a tunes workshop to build players’ confidence in session playing. All abilities welcome. Join in the session which follows. Tickets £4.90, booking required.

MANCHESTER FOLK SESSIONTHE PEVERIL OF THE PEAK 12:00pm - 5:00pm

Join Mikey Kenny for an informal tunes session. Free, no booking required.

TUNES WORKSHOPTHE PEVERIL OF THE PEAK 10:30am - 12:30pm

Bryony Griffith leads a tunes workshop to build players’ confidence in session playing. All abilities welcome. Join in the session which follows. Tickets £4.90, booking required.

MANCHESTER FOLK SESSIONTHE PEVERIL OF THE PEAK 12:30pm - 5:00pm

Join Bryony Griffith for an informal tunes session. Free, no booking required.

SUNDAY SINGAROUNDTHE PEVERIL OF THE PEAK 12:30pm - 5:00pm

The Gaslamp Singaround host a festival special to close this year’s event. All welcome. Free, no booking required.

CORRIDOR OF LIGHT FESTIVAL THU 21 – SAT 23 OCTA celebration of language through light, music and ideas from headline and local artists animating the Oxford Road Corridor, Manchester’s innovation district. Look out for activities outside HOME and as you move between our Folk Festival venues. oxfordroadcorridor.com/events/corridor-of-light/

KRIS DREVERTue 5 Oct | Sale Waterside

THEA GILMOREWed 6 Oct The Met, Bury

KARINE POLWARTMon 11 Oct | The Met, Bury

LEVERETWed 13 Oct | The Stoller Hall

STICK IN THE WHEELFri 29 Oct | Night & Day

MICHAEL MCGOLDRICK, JOHN MCCUSKER & JOHN DOYLE - Thu 4 Nov | The Met, Bury

DECLAN O’ROURKESat 6 Nov | The Stoller Hall

SETH LAKEMANWed 17 Nov | The Stoller Hall

CÒIGThu 18 Nov | The Met, Bury

ROWAN RHEINGANSSun 21 Nov | The Met, Bury

USHER’S ISLANDFri 26 Nov | The Met, Bury

SAM SWEENEY BANDWed 1 Dec | The Stoller Hall

THE FURROW COLLECTIVEMon 13 Dec | The Stoller Hall

BELSHAZZAR’S FEASTThu 16 Dec | Sale Waterside

Upcoming Folk Events

SAT 23 OCT SUN 24 OCT

WORKSHOPS & ACTIVITIES To book ticketed workshops, please visit www.manchesterfolkfestival.org.uk

9

DATE EEVENT TIME VENUETHU 21 Lady Nade 9:00pm BURGESS FOUNDATION

Spiers & Boden with Janice Burns & Jon Doran / Dalinda 7:00pm HOME, THEATRE 1

John Bramwell & The Full Harmonic Convergencewith India Electric Co. / Ellie Gowers

7:00pm THE O2 RITZ

Luke Concannon 7:30pm HOME, THEATRE 2

Jack Rutter 7:30pm BURGESS FOUNDATION

Kabantu with Otodik evszak 9:00pm HOME, THEATRE 2

Festival Club (see p.2) 11:00pm HOME, RESTAURANT

FRI 22 Jesca Hoop with The Magpies 7:00pm RNCM

Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening with Pengetos Trio / The Last Inklings

7:00pm HOME, THEATRE 1

The Breath with Hannah James & Toby Kuhn 7:00pm HOME, THEATRE 2

Harbottle & Jonas 7:00pm BURGESS FOUNDATION

Sam Carter 9:00pm BURGESS FOUNDATION

Sheelanagig 10:00pm HOME, THEATRE 2


SAT 23 Tunes Workshop 10:00am THE PEVERIL OF THE PEAK

Folk Song Workshop 10:30am HOME

Manchester Folk Session 12:00pm THE PEVERIL OF THE PEAK

The Gigspanner Big Band with MUZSIKÁS 1:30pm HOME, THEATRE 1

Sam Lee with Sarah Smout 2:00pm RNCM

The Trials of Cato 2:00pm HOME, THEATRE 2

O’Hooley & Tidow with John Kelly / Lunatraktors 7:00pm HOME, THEATRE 1

Banter 7:00pm HOME, THEATRE 2

The Futureheads with Native Harrow 7:30pm RNCM

The English Fiddle Ensemble with Flo Perlin 9:00pm HOME, THEATRE 2


SUN 24 Tunes Workshop 10:30am THE PEVERIL OF THE PEAK

Manchester Folk Session 12:30pm THE PEVERIL OF THE PEAK

Sunday Singaround 12:30pm THE BRITONS PROTECTION

10

HOMETony Wilson Place, First Street, off Whitworth St West, M15 4FN • homemcr.org

As the main hub of the festival, Manchester Folk Festival will take up residence at HOME.

HOME is in the pedestrianised Tony Wilson Place, on the corner of Whitworth Street West and Albion Street, about 5 minutes’ walk from the Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop.

Venue information

The International Anthony Burgess Foundation Engine House, Chorlton Mill, 3 Cambridge St, M1 5BY. Anthonyburgess.org

The International Anthony Burgess Foundation is a unique venue within one of Manchester’s oldest mill buildings. Situated on Cambridge Street, 5 minutes’ walk from HOME and Oxford Road rail station.

THE PEVERIL OF THE PEAK 127 Great Bridgewater St, Manchester M1 5JQ

This iconic pub is the venue for our Tunes Workshops and Tunes Sessions on Saturday & Sunday. Behind The Bridgewater Hall, a 4 minute walk from HOME.

All of our venues are centrally located and have a licensed bar. For more visitor information, including food & drink, please visit the venue website.

RNCM124 Oxford Road, M13 9RD • rncm.ac.uk

As the main hub of the festival, Manchester Folk Festival will take up residence at HOME.

HOME is in the pedestrianised Tony Wilson Place, on the corner of Whitworth Street West and Albion Street, about 5 minutes’ walk from the Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop.

THE O2 RITZWhitworth St West, M1 5NQ • academymusicgroup.com/o2ritzmanchester

An original 1920s dance hall, The Ritz is one of the city’s best-known gig venues. Situated on Whitworth Street West, close to Oxford Road rail station.

The Briton’s Protection 50 Great Bridgewater Street, Manchester, M1 5LE

The location for our informal pub singaround. This historic pub is on the corner of Great Bridgewater St, behind The Bridgewater Hall, a 4 minute walk from HOME.

11

INFORMATION AND BOOKING

Whitwort

h St W

est

Cambridge St

Hul

me

St

Whi

twor

th S

t Wes

t

Great Marlborough St

Alb

ion S

t

Medlock St

Oxford Rd

Great

Brid

gew

ater

St

New W

akefi

eld

St

Great Bridgewater St

Peter St

Low

er M

osle

y St

Dean

sgat

e

Low

er M

osle

y St

Boot

h St

Wes

t

Oxford Rd

Oxford Rd

Oxford Rd

THE BRITON’SPROTECTION

THEO2 RITZ

DEANSGATETRAIN STATION

PALACE THEATRE

OXFORD RDTRAIN STATION

DeansgateCastlefieldMetrolinktram stop

RNCM

TheAnthony Burgess

Foundation

THE PEVERILOF THE PEAK

www.manchesterfolkfestival.org.ukFollow us for the latest news: @McrFolkFest Manchester Folk Festival

Contact us through Twitter or Facebook or email [email protected]

Ticket information and bookings:Online: www.homemcr.org

Call: 0161 200 1500

In person: From the ticket desk at HOME, open Monday - Sunday 12:00 - 20:00

HOME is located on Tony Wilson Place, First St, roughly opposite the Haçienda apartments on Whitworth Street West. It’s a short walk from Oxford Rd and Deansgate train stations and Deansgate-Castlefield Metrolink tram stop.

AccessWe want you to feel confident that you’ll have a great experience with us. Details on the accessibility of the venues are listed at www.manchesterfolkfestival.org.uk/access

If you can’t find what you need to know, have other requirements we could help with, or just want to speak to someone about making your visit comfortable, please contact us on [email protected]

TICKET SAVERBuy tickets for four different Manchester Folk Festival concerts in one transaction and save 15%

Produced by In association with

Documents

BOOKLET FINAL 2021