THERE’S quite a week ahead for local folk fans, myself included, with a brace of solo gigs for me, at Croxdale Community Centre on Friday, and Washington’s Davy Lamp on Saturday.

American songster Jeff Warner is at Blaydon’s Black Bull tonight, while down the road at Skelton’s Duke William, the John Wrightson Band is the main attraction.

Trio Threlfall are at Newcastle’s Chillingham Arms tomorrow, while on Saturday there’s a chance to check out Brother Crow at Wolsingham Town Hall, and also One Stone and Pete Beresford at The Swaledale Outward Bound Club in Richmond.

Landermason are at Guisborough Rugby Club on Sunday, while on Monday John Wrightson brings his band to The Foresters in Coatham Munderville.

Tuesday’s varied choice is between Pegleg Ferret at Darlington’s Britannia, Michael Marra at Cramlington’s Hind and a showstopper at Gateshead’s Sage when TV comedy actor Adrian Edmonson brings his band The Bad Shepherds to showcase their repertoire of punk rock songs done in a folky style, an act that’s been going down really well at folk festivals over the last couple of summers. Staying in TV land, the current series of The Transatlantic Sessions, broadcast each Friday night on BBC4, is certainly going down well with audiences, with a nice blend of American, Scottish and Irish performers strutting their stuff every week. A similar set up with English musicians and singers would be welcome at this point, but that seems to be something that programme makers are shying away from for some reason.

Finally, a word of farewell to John Elliott, of the singing family from Birtley, a friendly man with a voice to remember, who passed away last week. His songs live on of course, but his jolly demeanor and way with words will be greatly missed.