The Northern Echo | Folk

Celtic Connections

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:48:37 +0000

AS I head west on my trip to the Antipodes, there’s a lot going on back home as usual, not least the amazing three weeks of folk entertainment, and much more, at the Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow.

Folk school

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:18:46 +0000

I’M sure most people can’t fail to have noticed the hype surrounding the release of the new Stephen Spielberg movie War Horse in recent weeks.

Do we need another dose of back-slapping?

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:12:55 +0000

SPIRAL Earth is one of the many websites devoted to folk music currently operating on the internet, and its affiliation to the leading UK folk magazine Froots has made it one of the more significant sources of information and opinion.

Keep me informed

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:36:57 +0000

I START the year with a plea to promoters, organisers and artists to make a real effort to keep me informed about your events, news and plans in the months ahead, by emailing me here at jez@jezlowe.com.

Post-Christmas musical hangover

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:38:17 +0000

THE post-Christmas musical hangover makes this a somewhat barren week, but allows me an opportunity to take stock on what has been a watershed type of year for folk music here in the UK.

Dress up, step out and let loose

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:29:09 +0000

IT’S Christmas party time across the local folk club scene this week, where regular devotees are encouraged to dress up, step out and generally let loose, as musical boundaries, such as they are in folk clubs these days, become blurred and stretched, and a very good time is had by all.

Norma's plight highlights support black hole

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:37:20 +0000

EARLIER this year I was involved in one of several concerts around the country staged as benefit events to raise funds for Norma Waterson, one of the folk scene’s leading lights for many years, and who has been stricken by illness and is currently unable to perform.

Sage primary target for US folk invasion

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:24:39 +0000

THERE’S something of a US invasion happening across the region’s folk venues in the coming week.

Tyneside goes green

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:54:59 +0100

TYNESIDE Irish festival bursts into life this weekend, at a variety of venues in central Newcastle.

Cult following no saviour for local radio show

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:14:04 +0100

MY recent entreaties for more folk music on the BBC were answered last week with the proposed cancellation of one of the best local folk music programmes.