Harberton Folk

Folk & music links for South Devon (and beyond)

Home   Beyond Devon   Other South-West Venues   West Country festivals   Festivals in Britain   Previous Harberton Folk performers   Other music links

South(ern) Devon

Flaxey Green

Information on local artistes, folk clubs, regular sessions in many South Devon pubs and much more

Devon Folk County-wide folk diary listings, folk song/dance club contacts etc. from Devon Folk Committee

Folk on the Moor FC

Westward Inn, Lee Mill, nr Ivybridge, providing a fine programme of traditional folk evenings on Sundays

Topsham FC Topsham Folk Club, near Exeter, another thriving folk club with regular guest nights
Exe FC Exe Folk Club, Three Horseshoes Inn, Cowley, Exeter
Ariel Centre Harberton Folk's major venue in Totnes (320 seats)
Arts at Dartington All Arts at Dartington activities, 3-month programme (occasional folk events)
The Watermark Arts Centre (opened 2008) in Ivybridge, close to the A38 between Exeter and Plymouth
The Flavel Dartmouth's Arts Centre, opened February 2005 (180 seats, 159 on rake, rest loose in front)
Exeter Phoenix Exeter's Arts Centre has a wide range of musical events, including top folk acts (192 seats, 450 standing)
Exeter Corn Exchange Formerly St George's Hall - Central Exeter venue (500 seats or standing), with a 200+-seat rake
Barnfield Theatre Another Exeter venue catering for wide ranging tastes, including folk events (289 seats)
Blue Walnut Cafe 14 Walnut Road, Chelston, Torquay - (very) intimate venue (30 seats)
East Devon Folk Promoting folk in East Devon
Otterton Mill Wide range of musical events, some folk, near Budleigh Salterton, East Devon (50 seats indoors, 100 outdoors for summer 'courtyard concerts')
Great Western Ceilidhs Great ceilidhs with top-line bands in the Exeter area
Exeter Box Office (Exeter University) Tickets for public concerts at Exeter Uni's Great Hall and Lemon Grove venues
Northcott Theatre At Exeter University (477 seats)
Tavistock Wharf Nice venue, (very) occasional folk events
Calstock Hall Community venue with a mixed event programme including occasional folk
Calstock Arts New in 2010; an old chapel, now a community venue with a mixed event programme including occasional folk
Barbican Theatre Small theatre in Plymouth (occasional folk events)
Exmouth Pavilion 500-seat venue in East Devon
CRAMP Crediton Rural Arts & Music Project - various arts events in the Crediton area, including some folk
Villages in Action Rural touring scheme bringing quality professional performances and participatory workshops at affordable prices to communities through a network of local promoters
Bonny Green Folk dance band(s) and caller / folk music and song (Exeter based), publications, tuition and instruction
Dartington Morris Men Dancing programme and much more (OK, I admit personal bias here!)
Plymouth Pavilions Range of large-scale musical events - no folk normally, but well worth a look
Plymouth Music Diary What it says - covering all genres including folk
South Hams Traditional Music www.shamstrad.co.uk Details of what's happening at the Crabshell in Kingsbridge (concerts/regular session) and the sessions at the Globe Inn in Frogmore and the Royal Oak in Malborough
South Hams Events New (2009) website designed specifically for Totnes, Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Salcombe & the South Hams - general events listings, including music

Top

...and beyond

BBC Folk on 2 Plenty of good national folk information, although the former acoustic tour details page was dropped in May 2008
NetRhythms.co.uk Detailed gig listings for many UK performers
Martin Nail's list English folk and traditional music on the Internet - A guide to resources - well worth a look
Umber Music Shammick Acoustic, North Devon folk information
Wren Devon’s specialist folk and community arts development organisation, based in Okehampton
BeafordArts Operating a rural touring scheme with some folk events in the north of Devon

Folk in Cornwall

Kernow FolkNews

Bodmin Folk Club Excellent club west of the Tamar meeting Fridays, regular top guests
Carn to Cove Cornwall’s performing arts touring scheme, bringing quality professional artists into rural areas, part of Cornwall Arts Centre Trust ACT
Folk in Somerset & Dorset SADFOLK - site giving access to regular emailed information about folk events across Somerset and Dorset
SCOFF South Counties Folk Federation - a wealth of information about folk clubs and much more across southern England
Milverton Music Club Regular monthly club with guest nights, west of Taunton
Folk Around Bristol What it says on the label
Take Art! Arts development agency for Somerset (like Villages in Action in South Devon)
Artsreach Arts development agency for rural Dorset (like Villages in Action in South Devon)
Halsway Manor Halsway Manor Folk Music Centre, Crowcombe, off A358 between Taunton and Minehead
Folk South West Folk arts development agency for the South West Arts region, running various workshops and projects
Mr Red's Mid West Venue lists, dance dates & festivals in Gloucestershire and adjacent counties
EFDSS English Folk Dance and Song Society
The Music Well An online resource for folk music: songs tunes and stories, ancient and modern, from all the British islands, with an extensive billboard and new releases section (formerly called Radio Britfolk)

Webfeet

www.webfeet.org National ceilidh listings

Set and Turn Single www.setandturnsingle.org.uk The listing magazine for folk dancers
www.musicevents.co.uk Listings of Devon based artists and venues for various musical genres

Top

Other South-West Venues with some Folk Events

North Devon  
Landmark Theatre www.northdevontheatres.org.uk Ilfracombe (483 seats)
Plough Arts Centre www.plough-arts.org Great Torrington (132 raked seats plus 100 chairs)
Queen's Theatre www.northdevontheatres.org.uk Barnstaple (688 seats)
Cornwall  
Acorn Arts Centre www.acornartscentre.co.uk Penzance (150 seats approx.)
Princess Pavilion www.carrickleisureservices.org.uk Falmouth (87 miles from Totnes)
The Rum Store www.carnglaze.com Interesting underground venue in old slate workings (Carnglaze Caverns) near Liskeard, offering occasional folk events (400-450 seats, 45 miles from Totnes)
Sterts Theatre www.sterts.co.uk Upton Cross, Liskeard (400+ seats, 43 miles from Totnes) Covered outdoor venue. Possibly take a cushion, and a blanket for cool summer evenings. Performances finish by 10pm due to location.
Keay Theatre www.cornwall.ac.uk/thekeay St Austell (250 seats, 60 miles from Totnes) - no regular arts programme at present [2009]
Somerset  
The Brewhouse www.thebrewhouse.net Taunton - theatre and arts centre (354 seats)
Bridgwater Arts Centre www.bridgwaterartscentre.co.uk Bridgwater - includes regular folk events (66 miles from Totnes)
Cheese and Grain www.cheeseandgrain.co.uk Frome - occasional major folk events (101 miles from Totnes)
Merlin Theatre www.merlintheatre.co.uk Frome - various interesting arts events
David Hall Arts Centre www.thedavidhall.org.uk South Petherton 01460 240340, programme includes regular folk events (71 miles from Totnes). See also www.sadfolk.co.uk for events at David Hall
Octagon Theatre www.octagon-theatre.co.uk Yeovil
Dorset  
Electric Palace, Bridport www.electricpalace.org.uk Bridport: (400 seated incl. balcony; 500+ standing) Former cinema; mixed arts programme including big folk names
Bridport Arts Centre www.bridport-arts.com Bridport: 70 miles from Totnes
Marine Theatre www.marinetheatre.com Lyme Regis: 50 miles from Totnes

Top

West Country festivals

While some of the following information may be out of date at the time of reading, the links should at least give a point of contact. Folk content ranges from 100% to minimal. Chronological order. No current information found for entries not in bold.

Crediton Folk Weekend 16-18 April 2010 - Cheriton Fitzpaine, near Crediton www.poppyrecords.co.uk/crediton/cred.htm
Brixham Pirate & Shanty Festival 30 April - 3 May 2010 - What it says on the tin www.brixhampiratefestival.co.uk
Dart Music Festival 7-9 May 2010 - Dartmouth, mostly free, largely outdoor, many types of music www.dartmusicfestival.co.uk
Bude & Stratton Festival 28-31 May 2010 - 4th festival www.budefolk.com
Bradninch Music Festival 11-13 June 2010 - various musics including folk www.myspace.com/bradninchevents
Salcombe Festival 11-13 June 2010 - various musics www.salcombefestival.com
Teignmouth Folk Festival 18-20 June 2010 - 12th festival www.teignmouthfolk.co.uk
Exeter Summer Festival 25 June-10 July 2010 - organised by Exeter City Council, varied programme www.exeter.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4162
Chagstock Festival 16/17 July 2010 - various genres, including some folk www.chagstock.info
South Devon Festival 24 July 2010 - New festival in 2010, Newton Abbot Racecourse, good folk content www.manor-events.co.uk
Sidmouth Folk Week 30 July-6 August 2010 - www.sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk
Dartmoor Folk Festival 6-8 August 2010 - always the weekend after Sidmouth, at South Zeal near Okehampton www.dartmoorfolkfestival.co.uk
Bideford Folk Festival 'resting' in 2010 (10-16 August 2009) www.bidefordfolkfestival.co.uk
Beautiful Days 20-22 August 2010 - Escot Park near Exeter www.beautifuldays.org
Wadebridge Folk Festival 27-30 August 2010 - BH weekend, replacing former Cornwall Folk Festival, sponsored by Hobgoblin www.wadebridgefolk.co.uk
Folkfest 2-5 September 2010 - Burnham-on-Sea www.folkfest.co.uk
fROOTS fROOTS comprehensive listing of all festivals in Britain www.frootsmag.com/content/festivals/gb/
UK Folk Festivals New site (2010) listing all UK folk festivals www.ukfolkfestivals.co.uk

Top

Previous Harberton Folk performers (including local supports)

Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham THE top two traditional Scottish musicians

Albion Band

The legendary folk rock band led by Ashley Hutchings, ceased touring 2002, except for a Christmas show

Albion Band Xmas Tight Squeeze Music's website includes the Albion Band Christmas Show
Ashley Hutchings The 'Guvnor'
Barron Brady Superbly talented local duo Simon Barron and Ros Brady, Harberton Folk support
Battlefield Band Legendary Scottish band

Phil Beer

Folk and world music performer extraordinaire (many further folk links)

Phil Beer Band Another face of multi-talented Phil Beer
Blazin' Fiddles 7-piece Scottish fiddle brilliance
Boscastle Busker Wonderful unaccompanied singing
Joe Broughton (and his brother Ben Broughton) Fiddle brilliance, not to mention unicycling!
Tom & Barbara Brown West Country specialists, Umber Music, Shammick Acoustic and more
The Carrivick Sisters Young South Devon twins, BBC Young Folk Award 2010 finalists, bluegrass style, Harberton Folk support

Martin / Eliza Carthy

 

Chanter 4-piece band playing traditional and contemporary Celtic music
Fairport Convention  
Kevin Dempsey & Joe Broughton Ex-Whippersnapper guitar brilliance and ex-Albion Band fiddle wizard combination
Margaret Duffy Lovely lady, beautiful voice, good friend of Harberton Folk
Tim van Eyken Member of Waterson:Carthy and former BBC Young Folk Award winner

(Dr.) Faustus

Tim van Eyken, Paul Sartin, Rob Harbron and Benji Kirkpatrick - disbanded 2005. See www.myspace.com/faustustrio (Paul, Benji and Saul Rose)

Vin Garbutt

Vin is back on the road after heart surgery in 2005

Gigspanner Steeleye's fiddler Peter Knight's trio
Hanging Johnny Popular West Country shanty crew based in Plymouth and East Cornwall
Hoover the Dog Welsh borders trio - classical, European and jazz influences dominate Celtic-ish repertoire with a few English traditional tunes thrown in
Jiggerypipery Local band playing Celtic Funk 'n Roll dance music
Sid Kipper Brilliant folk humorist
John Kirkpatrick The squeezebox and singing wizard who started off the whole Harberton Folk programme
John Richards Band Another superb Harberton Folk support
Maddy Prior Maddy's various activities are to be found on the Park Records site
Mayor & James Simon Mayor, mandolin maestro, and the beautiful voice of Hilary James
Moor Music Mark Bazeley, Jason Rice and Rob Murch (from Dartmoor Pixie Band) continuing the Dartmoor tradition
New Rope String Band Taking over where Old Rope String Band left off following the sad loss of Joe Scurfield
New Scorpion Band Tim Laycock, Brian Gulland, Robin Jeffrey, Sharon Lindo and Bob White - musical excellence!
Oysterband One of the great folk rock bands performed a superb 'acoustic' show for Harberton Folk
Random Top-line 6-piece nationally touring ceilidh band
Saul Rose Waterson Carthy melodeon player, member of Faustus trio and Random ceilidh band

Show of Hands

Steve Knightley & Phil Beer

Spiers & Boden John Spiers & Jon Boden, BBC Folk Awards Best Duo 2004. Fantastic duo, also part of Bellowhead and Eliza Carthy's Ratcatchers
St Agnes Fountain Chris While, Julie Matthews, Chris Leslie and David Hughes with their hugely popular Christmas special. See also www.whileandmatthews.co.uk
Dave Swarbick Ex-Fairport legend (had double lung transplant in 2004)
Kathryn Tickell Band Enormously popular 4-piece line-up featuring Kathryn Tickell (Northumbrian pipes and fiddle), with Julian Sutton (melodeon).

Top

Artiste management agencies etc

Adastra Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham and many more
Alan Bearman Music contact for booking Martin Carthy, Waterson Carthy and more
Routes Music (formerly Speaking Volumes) John Kirkpatrick, Vin Garbutt, Phil Beer Band, Acoustic Strawbs and more
Across The Pond http://web.ukonline.co.uk/pdcmusic/folk-acoustic-music-agents.html Listing of many agencies handling UK folk performers

Top

Miscellaneous, requested and 'other music' links

Devon Squeezebox Foundation Regular workshops and other items of interest for squeezebox players
Totnes Jazz Collective Modern, contemporary and cutting edge jazz in the south-west of England, with a series of gigs in Totnes and Dartmouth
Ellingtonia South Devon band devoted to the music of Duke Ellington
Plymouth Classical Music Concert Diary Comprehensive month-by-month listings of all types of classical music in and around Plymouth. Also includes some Jazz and Folk
Plymouth Music Accord Registered Charity promoting the appreciation and performance of music in the Plymouth area. Members include local orchestras, bands, choirs, opera groups, etc. and many promoters and venues, and Plymouth Folk Roots
Eccleshall Guitars Local, internationally renowned instrument maker, craftsman Chris Eccleshall
Brad Waters Plymouth-based freelance graphic designer specialising in CD artwork for folk musicians. Clients include Show of Hands, Seth Lakeman, Eliza Carthy and John Tams
The Lucy 'Lastic Band Devon-based traditional folk band www.thelucylasticband.com
Spinach for Norman Devon-based all-string ceilidh band
SWAM South West Arts Marketing - Arts Council England funded charity, offering wide range of valuable free advice on both a wide and a local scale
South Devon CAMRA The local branch of the CAMpaign for Real Ale
Nettlebed Folk Club Award-winning folk club near Henley in Oxfordshire
Seth Lakeman Devon's Mercury Prize nominee

Top   Home   Beyond Devon   Other South-West Venues   South Devon festivals   Festivals in Britain   Previous Harberton Folk performers   Other music links