FOR folk fans around the Teeside area, there’s a good chance to catch up with some local singers and musicians around the clubs this week, starting this Sunday at Guisborough Rugby Club, when Brian Barnes and Tony Curtis are the main attraction at the regular weekly club.

Both lads hail from the town, so it should be a great night. On Monday, Darlington’s own Loose Connection travels up the A66 to appear at Stockton’s Sun Inn, while the next evening, zany Tyneside balladeer George Welch and his partner Christine Jeans will be bringing their own brand of humour, along with some great songs, to the Britannia in Darlington.

I was up at South Shields folk club last Sunday, at The Customs House, and it was great to see it so full, and to hear their fine set of resident singers flesh out the evening with a great selection of songs. The club is a direct descendant of the old Marsden Inn, which was one of the leading venues in the country in days gone by, and it’s great to see it come back into its own again.

We’re starting out Pitmen Poets tour tonight, and our first semi-local port of call is at Scarborough’s Spa Theatre on Sunday night. Hopefully people will brave the impending winter weather and come and say hello to us.

As usual, I’m at jez@jezlowe.com if you want to send in details of any folk events that might want to catch people’s eye. Finally, farewell to Judy Yates, a lively and enthusiastic figure on the Teeside folk scene, as organiser and friendly face for many years. There’s many of us who’ll miss her warmth and her smile at the local clubs and concerts around the area, and especially at Saltburn Festival.