THIS weekend sees the annual Hexham Gathering. Hexham holds fond memories for me, as it was the first folk festival I ever went to, more than 40 years ago, and if ever there was a life-changing moment, that was it in my own case.

This year there’s everything from Cajun to ceilidhs, song-swaps to instrumental sessions, with a free concert in the park to round it all off on Sunday afternoon. If the weather is bad, everyone will head indoors to the nearby Queens Hall instead.

Meanwhile, highlights around the rest of the North-East this week start with a choice tonight between local favourites The Rachel Hamer Band at Gateshead’s Sage, and Lancastrian all-rounder Bram Taylor at Darlington’s Copper Beech, while up at The Beamish Mary in No Place near Stanley, celebrated singer-songwriter Pete Morton makes a rare visit to the area. Tomorrow night, Celtic band Talisk are at The Sage and on Sunday, one of my favourite vocal combos The Teacups are at The Customs House in South Shields. They’re a band who started life on Tyneside, when all four were involved in the folk music degree course, and now they’ve gone off into the real world, their appearances together seem fewer, so grab the chance while you can.

The week winds down on Tuesday, with a choice between the great Irish singer-songwriter Kieran Halpin, now resident in Germany I hear, at The Clef and Cask in Cramlington, and the excellent Scots quintet Rura at The Witham in Barnard Castle, complete with bagpipes, fiddle and fine songs to boot. Looking further ahead, we’ve got the chance to see names like Bruce Molsky, Rory McLeod, Eliza Carthy and Fairport Convention on visits to the region, so there’s plenty to look forward to.