THERE’S a very positive atmosphere surrounding the local folk music scene as the New Year gets into gear.

It was good to see that the weekly club nights at South Shields Customs House are doing so well when I paid them a visit last Sunday, and there are several new venues joining the folk ranks around the region, including the Stapylton Arms in Hawthorn near Seaham on a Monday, and some very interesting events coming up at The Wytham in Barnard Castle in the months ahead.

Highlights this week include another star-studded evening at Sedgefield Cricket Club on Friday with Mambo Jambo, Easy Life and The John Wrightson Band, and a rare local appearance by top-rated duo O’Hooley and Tidow at The White Hart in Mickleby on Saturday. On Sunday there’s a choice between Ribbon Road at The Waiting Room in Eaglescliffe, another venue with some interesting events planned for the future, and the fabulous Canadian band Le Vent Du Nord at Gateshead’s Sage. On Monday, the superlative instrumentalist Alistair Anderson is centre stage at Stockton’s Sun Inn, and on Tuesday local stars Loose Connection are at The Candlelight Club in Newton Aycliffe. On Wednesday Bishop Auckland Town Hall has another in its regular concert series with the very popular Happy Cats as main attraction.

A highlight of my own week happens tonight when I join my fellow bandmates in a new venture called The Broonzies at The Queens Hall in Hexham, but I’m told that all the tickets have already been sold for the show. I’ll keep you posted about our next outing, in the hope of tempting you to give us a listen. You can keep me posted about your own events by mailing me at jez@jezlowe.com at least two weeks before it happens, and I’ll make sure I spread the news.