MY musical wanderings this week have taken me to Germany, where the enthusiasm for British and Celtic folk music seems undiminished since I first toured here almost 30 years ago.

Venues like Cafe Phoenix in Lauffen and Ars Musica in Munich are as popular as ever, with mainly Scots and Irish acts booked to entertain the crowds.

I sneak under the radar due to the number of cover-versions of my songs by people like The Dubliners, The Tannahill Weavers, The Clancy Brothers and The McCalmans, though I’ve grown a beard just for the full effect. It’s coming off as soon as I land back in the UK next week!

Meanwhile, back home, highlights this week include gigs tonight from Teesside’s Richard Grainger at Skelton’s Duke William, and roots-fiddler Dogan Memet at Byker’s Cumberland Arms.

Saturday offers up Irish songstress Fil Campbell at Washington’s Davy Lamp, singerguitarist Dave Hardy and Fishburn’s first citizen Bert Draycott in a double bill at the Swaledale Outward Bound Club in Richmond, and traditional singer Mike Nicholson at Mickleby’s White Hart.

Mike is also at Guisborough Rugby Club on Sunday and Newcastle’s Bridge on Monday.

Sunday also brings Scottish songwriter Karine Polwart to Gateshead’s Sage, and on Monday concertina maestro Dick Miles to Stockton’s Sun Inn.

Fil Campbell is at Cramlington’s Hind on Tuesday, and local favourites Cracker Barrell are at Birtley’s Catholic Club on Wednesday. I also hear tell of something called Middlesborough Folk Festival being held this weekend, which sounds exciting, but I have no further details.

Meanwhile I’m heading off to the folky fleshpots of Hamburg for my next concert, with my companions Jake Walton and David De La Haye, on this 30th anniversary of the first European tour that Jake and I did together. David couldn’t make it for that first trip back then, as he hadn’t been born at that time.