Todmorden Folk Festival Programme

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21 Burnley Road Todmorden OL14 7BU Telephone 01706 557075

NEW Opening Hours Tuesday 10.00 - 4.00 Wednesday 10.00 - 5.00 Thursday 9.00 - 7.30 Friday 9.00 - 6.00 Saturday 9.00 - 5.00

Hello and welcome to the first Todmorden Folk Festival.

We hope that what we have created is a fully inclusive, family-friendly festival, where everyone can find something to entertain, enliven and enthuse. Should you want to watch concerts, we have them in abundance. Want to join in? Then we have sessions for everyone throughout the weekend. Want to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of our town, then we have a craft fair, Morris teams dancing, a local market and vibrant and diverse pubs and restaurants all waiting to welcome you and show you our traditional border town hospitality. We also have loads of activities for the kids and for all the family.

Our festival takes the genre of Folk in its very widest sense, as you will see from the rest of the programme. As Louis Armstrong said, “It’s all folk music, I ain’t seen no horses doing it”. We’ve invited guests from all traditions and backgrounds and many from the local area. We intend Todmorden Folk Festival to be a long-standing tradition so please do feedback and share your ideas for the festival as it grows.

Thank you for joining us on this great adventure. Have fun, enjoy yourselves, join in, take part, listen, sing, dance and be happy. We hope that the weekend is a memorable experience, and we hope that you enjoy your time in our beautiful Pennine town.

The TFF Team

All performances, workshops and sessions are free to peop le holding weekend ticke ts. These are available throug h the website - www.todfolkf est.co.uk or from Physio & Therapies, Halifax Road, Todmorden

Esther Ferry-Kennington, Lynne Midwinter, Richard Parkes, Paul Woodhead.

Artists Bio The Young’uns

Our headliners have established their fast growing reputation in the folk world with sublime a capella harmonies and songs that vary from the serious to the ridiculous!

The Teeside trio of Sean Cooney, Michael Hughes and David Eagle are a force of nature on stage beguiling audiences with irrepressible humour, bold vocals, gripping storylines and innate musicality. They have been nominated as Group of the Year in the 2015 Radio 2 Folk Awards and last year played at Cambridge Folk Festival and Glastonbury to name just a few!

Red Hippo

Playing at the Saturday night concert this fabulous Todmorden based band comprise Peadar Long, Daz Jones and Simon Chantler. Their music is a stunning mix of sousaphone, Irish whistles, saxophones and strings, exploring a musical world influenced by traditional folk music with jazz influenced arrangements.

Bella Gaffney

Opening our Saturday night concert at the Unitarian Church is a local girl from Bradford, Bella writes her own folk inspired songs which she performs along with her own original arrangements of traditional pieces.

Bo Weavil

Playing a mixture of traditional, contemporary and original material with their happy-sad, fast but slow, good timebad time fiddle driven boogie – not to be missed at the Saturday afternoon concert!

Cat’s Cradle

Littleborough based group play original acoustic tunes and songs with tenor banjo, mandolin, bodhran, uilliann pipes, voice and fiddle.

Earthquakers

Providing a rip-roaring start to the festival with their Ceilidh tunes to make you tap your feet and get up to dance – don’t miss it!

Gareth Scott

A member of internationally renowned Sea Shanty band Kimber’s Men. Gareth is a singer/songwriter in his own right and has a solo album out this summer.

Kate Locksley

Usually singing as part of The Teacups Kate too is branching out on her own for this gig with some new classic songs to entertain you at the Saturday afternoon concert.

ographies 3 Men and a Box

Sue Cain and Tegi Roberts

Three friendly lads playing good old foottapping music, with their own twist and style.

A great duo from Sheffield who sing traditional songs, often shanties. They are vibrant strong singers and their enthusiasm is totally infectious and their harmonies beautiful!

Phil Reed

Combining traditional Irish music with a little modern wizardry building up layers of Irish bodhran drum rhythms and low whistle harmonies into a loop pedal, then performing traditional Irish tunes on a tin whistle over the top!

The Fireman’s Blame

Richard Parkes

A born performer and Todmorden local, Richards strong emotive voice will take you from the despair of a flood, through millworkers cries to songs about mint balls …. in the twinkle of his eye! Heading up the Sunday afternoon concert he’s not to be missed!

Ruth Bibby

Lancashire and Cheshire Clog champion for the last three years Ruth is performing as a solo dance spot at the Friday night Ceilidh. Her energy and precision is a sight to behold and you will believe she has ankles made of elastic!

Shah e Mardaan

Shah e Mardaan meaning the King of men are a band of Qawaali singers based in Yorkshire. Qawaali is a type of Sufi devotional singing popular in South Asia.

Shah e Mardaan will headline our Sunday afternoon concert at St Mary’s Church.

A volatile musical parade including singers, saw and squeezebox! Another local band, theatrical and shamelessly feminine, their friendship, joie de vie and eccentricity almost outshines their glorious music making.

3 Valleys Gospel Choir

Singing with emotion and energy, they cover the whole range from Gospel to Motown and Soul via traditional African tunes! Based in Todmorden too they aim to be a blessing to their community and are delighted to be part of our Sunday afternoon concert at St Marys!

Wardle Academy Folk Group

Brilliant performers and award winning folk group from a local school of great musical renown these guys have played all over the place and we are delighted they are fitting us in!

Morris and Clog Dance Teams Watch out for these exciting dance teams throughout Saturday, they will be dancing around the town – particularly on the Outdoor Market, Pollination Street and Fielden Wharf by the Golden Lion.

Britannia Coconutters

Rossendale Mummers

A unique traditional team of dancers from Bacup just over the hill!

This local band of performers will bring a traditional Mummers play to Pollination Street at 11.30am on Saturday. Don’t miss this historic battle to save King George.

Hadrian Clog

Hailing from the North-East, Hadrian Clog are a dance group performing traditional clog and hard shoe dances from England and beyond!

Ryburn 3 step

A local longsword dance team from Sowerby Bridge – they will also be running a children’s workshop at Central Methodist Church on the Saturday afternoon (see programme).

Mr Fox

Listen for the drums – look for the fire – whatever you do, don’t miss Mr Fox!

Sowerby Bridge Morris

Oakenhoof Cloggers

A mixed age/gender omni clog dancing and singing group from Littleborough. Their elemental style and inclusive nature makes them a real joy to watch!

Persephone

A mixed group who dance in the NorthWest tradition.

Thieving Magpie

They are a mixed Border Morris side from Marsden with boundless energy!

Wakefield Morris

A women’s side who dance North-West processional morris with precision and vigour!

They dance North-West Morris with great energy and style. They even write their own dances known as the Horbury Suite which are distinctive and exciting.

Rivington Morris

A women’s team of North-West Morris dancers from near Bolton. Hundreds have looked on in awe and marvelled at their stunning stepping, precision, music and reinformed foundation garments!

White Rose Morris

Based in Huddersfield they have been dancing since 1953 – although they don’t look that old!

Felt Feelings Clare Ashton Maker of fine British wool felt www.feltfeelings.co.uk feltfeelings.ashton@gmail.com 07786608780

Craft Fair And Festival Cafe Our hub on Saturday is Central Methodist Church on Bramsche Square. This will house the ticket office from 9.30am until 5pm alongside Workshops, Concerts, a Big Sing, Craft Fair, Kids workshops

and events and a Café. This is the perfect place to arrange to meet friends and entry to everything, apart from the afternoon concert, is FREE. The Craft fair is a showcase for many talented local craft businesses and is the perfect place to browse and pick up presents or even treat yourself! You can watch our potter and our local clog maker demonstrate their art and, if you’re a dancer, why not bring your clogs in for repair!

In between all this activity you can relax with a cuppa and a cake in our Festival café, or even try a bowl of soup, a festival wrap or one of our crepes cooked by our French chef!

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All fare is available as takeaway and can be pre-ordered - call us on 07754 990397

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17th April

Friday Events Early Evening: Golden Lion Concert featuring: 8.00 - Michael Burns 8.45 - Gareth Scott 9.45 - Fireman’s Blame Tickets available on the door - £10.00/£6.50 or FREE with the Weekend Ticket.

Box Office OPEN HERE 5.00 - 9.00.

r Swap your pape r fo t ke tic nd Weeke a wristband.

Fielden Centre 7.30 -

9.00 -

Family Ceilidh with the Earthquakers Ceilidh Band & caller Rob Phillips Dance spot with Ruth Bibby

Jacks House 8.00 -

Music session featuring a spot by 3 Men And A Box.

Come and sing, play or just listen and enjoy, Entance is FREE to all.

Full bar and hot food will be available to buy.

Tickets avavilable on the door - £8.00/£5.00; Family £20.00 or FREE with the Weekend Ticket.

Late Evening: Golden Lion

Jacks House

10.45 - Festival bar will be open. Come

and sing and make merry until

late!

Stay and sing, play and have a great time until midnight.

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Event Location Map

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18th April Box Office OPEN HERE from 10.00

r Swap your pape t for ke tic nd ke ee W a wristband.

Saturday

During the day:

Central Methodist Church

10.00 - Craft Fayre and Festival Cafe open all day.

5.00 - Close

Upstairs Room

Family Room

10.00 - The Big Sing! Come along to join

in with Shanties and Chorus

Songs. Workshop Led by Esther

Ferry-Kennington of She

Shanties and Richard Parkes.

11.00 - Rapper Sword Dance workshop

with Stephanie West

11.00 - Children’s Shanty Workshop with

Pirate Alice 12.00 - Children’s Longsword Workshop

with Sue Coe of Ryburn 3 step 1.30 - Tales of Darkness and Light with

storyteller Peter Findlay 2.45 - Pirate Puppet making with Alison

Duddle 4.30 - Close

Concert at the Central Methodist Church The 12.30 - Doors open Upstairs 1.00 - Sue Cain & Tegi Roberts room of the 1.35 - Bo Weavil Central Metho dist 2.10 - Phil Reed Church is fully accessible with 2.35 - Wardle Folk Group a disabled lift 3.10 - Kate Locksley 3.45 - Oakenhoof Cloggers & Black Nan Band 4.20 - Cat’s Cradle 5:00 - Close Tickets available on the door - £10.00/£6.50 or FREE with the Weekend Ticket

Golden Lion 1.00 -

3.00 -

Singers session with Karina Knight Mixed session with Bacup Folk Club

Masons Arms

Bare Arts

2.00 - Musicians session

with MMES

1.00 - Mixed session run

by Richard Parkes 5.00 - Close

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18th April

y Events

Evening:

Headline Concert at the Unitarian Church 7.00 - 7.30 - 8.30 - 9.15 - 9.45 - 11.00 -

Doors open Bella Gaffney Red Hippo SPECIAL GUEST - Listen For The Drums!

The Young ‘Uns Close

The MC for the evening is Mr Richard Parkes.

There will be a bar serving Little Valley local beers on hand pumps and in bottles, plus wine and soft drinks. Food will be available.

Tickets available on the door - £15.00 Adult, £12.00 Concession, £8.00 Under 16 or FREE with the Weekend Ticket.

Todmorden Town Hall 10.00 - Join the Tod Town Hall tour guides to explore the folklore behind the grade 1 listed building. Hear stories of how the building predates Tod becoming a town, see inside the ballroom with its richly ornamented ceiling and share your stories and memories of using the building. The tour includes tea, coffee and biscuits and starts promptly at 10am.

This FREE event is funded by Heritage Lottery Fund. For more details contact Daniel Jessop, 07912 891370, daniel.jessop@calderdale.gov.uk

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19th April

Sunday Events St Mary’s Church 2.30 - 3.00 - 3.30 - 3.45 - 4.45 -

Golden Lion 12.00 - Kitty Bridges’ Pocket Book of

Tunes

Richard Parkes 3 Valleys Gospel Choir Break for tea and cake Shah e Mardaan Close

Tickets available on the door - £5.00 or FREE with the Weekend Ticket.

For ages 8+

The MC is Rev. Owen Page.

Tickets available on the door - £7.00 Adult, £5.00 Concession, £3.00 Under 16 or FREE with the Weekend Ticket.

Jacks House 12.00 - Survivors session with Eilish and

Bekka of She Shanties Food available

In the near future: Throughout the coming year the Todmorden Folk Festival team will host fundraising events to contribute towards running costs for next year’s festival. Our first will be held at The Golden Lion on Monday 11th May and we are bringing the superb duo Anna and Elizabeth all the way from rural Virginia.

Old Mountain Songs and scrolling picture shows Anna & Elizabeth bring their intimate and haunting traditional music & mesmerizing multi-media show to the United Kingdom for the first time, this May. The American duo, based in rural Virginia, springs from the unique talents of Anna Roberts-Gevalt (fiddle, banjo, guitar) and Elizabeth LaPrelle (ballads, banjo), and their shared desire to inspire people with the beautiful soul of Appalachian roots 17

music. Powerful harmony singers steeped in knowledge of mountain tunes, ballads and stories, the young women are gifted storytellers and visual artists reviving the lost art of “crankies,” scrolling storyboards made of sewn fabric or cut paper.

Sign up to Todmorden Folk Festival on Facebook and @todfolkfest on Twitter for more exciting events throughout the year!

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Show Performers Kitty Bridges’ Pocket Book of Tunes

Tales of Darkness and Light

Common Ground Theatre

Peter Findlay

Inspired by a collection of dance tunes from 1745, Common Ground Theatre presents an upbeat, lyrical feast of storytelling, music, poetry and song. Kitty Bridges leaves her beloved Yorkshire and meets scoundrels, rogues and vagabonds in ballrooms, back streets and on the open road. A play about music, freedom, greed and ownership. With live folk music for dancing, and cavorting. This is a special event to wake you up on Sunday at The Golden Lion. For ages 8+

Let Peter Findlay take you on a storytelling journey where anything could happen because the audience pick the stories, songs, riddles and games but, beware, there might be a forfeit or two up the Storyteller’s sleeve. A show for all the family and for lovers of stories and the spoken word.

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Keep the date Next year’s Todmorden Folk Festival will be on

15th to 17th April 2016 Keep checking the website for news of the artists who will be appearing

Thanks... ...To all the people who have given their time in the organising and running of this event. Especially; Karina Knight, Bacup Folk Club, Dave Herron, Bekka Bojanowski, Eilish, Roger Kennington, Kathy Cook, Matthanee Nilavongse, Phil Milston, Neil Munro, all the lovely

stewards, Mary Clear, Khalid, Stephanie West, Ruthie Boycott-Garnett, Rev. Owen, Sue and Mark at Jacks House, Hazel Bregazzi, Ian Armer, Todmorden Town Council, Phillip Lee, Bardy McNair, James England, all our sponsors and advertisers, and everyone else who has helped in any way.

All information correct at time of going to press.

Todmorden Folk Festival shall not be responsible for any loss, liability, damage, personal injury or expense of any nature whatsoever which may be suffered by you as a result of any delays, inaccuracies, errors in, or omission from the information contained herein.

All aspects of this programme are copyright.

Published by Bankside House Publishing, Todmorden.

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Please give us your views This has been the first Todmorden Folk Festival and we’d love to know what you think‌

Are there any local artists you think we should be aware of? _________________________________________________ If you can give us your postcode and your email address we will enter you into a prize draw for 2 free weekend tickets to Todmorden Folk Festival 2016.

Postcode_______________________ Email address_______________________________ Would you be interested in helping at the festival next year? _________________________________________________ When complete please place this form either in the box on the bar in the Golden Lion or hand it to any steward at any event. You can also fill it in online at www.todfolkfest.co.uk Thanks.

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