April 10, 2008

11:29am Tuesday 15th April 2008

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A WEEK of treats for the region's folk fans starts tonight with a very special show at Marton Country Club, near Middlesbrough.

Feast of Fiddles is an amazing collection of musicians from the best Celtic and folk rock bands of recent years, joining forces for a nationwide tour, and with names like Peter Knight, Dave Mattacks and Brian McNeil in their ranks, it's no wonder that the whole enterprise is attracting huge audiences around the country. An added attraction for this show is that Vin Garbutt will also be on the bill, so a fantastic night is in store.

Tomorrow, songwriters Kathryn Williams and Neill MacColl are at Gateshead's Sage and on Saturday we have a choice between local heroes, Prelude, at Sedgefield Cricket Club and one of Australia's greatest exports, Bernard Carney, at Washington's Davy Lamp for a night of great songs and humour.

Sunday has Emily and Hazel Askew at Westoe Club in South Shields, and on Monday, Stockton's Sun Inn has secured something of a scoop with a very rare appearance by the great Teesside songwriter Peter Bond, returning to his roots for a not-to-be-missed night of original song.

On Tuesday, Newton Aycliffe's Candlelight Club presents ex-Strawbs mainstay Brian Willoughby with longtime partner Catherine Craig, who together are one of the UK's most popular duos, while on Wednesday, Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham are at Gateshead's Sage for a night of top-class musicianship in the Scots style.

Finally, Sally James, Maureen Jackson and Tommy Barron all guessed that Steve Knightley and Phil Beer were the answers to last week's competition, so if they send me their addresses, a CD will be winging its way towards them in the near future.

Contact me with all your folk news on www.jezlowe.com