 | Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick
A startlingly intense reunion from this legendary, ground-breaking duo. All the old skills are demonstrated with a new collection of traditional songs and instrumentals. Their experienced approach to their art lacks none of the fervour of their early days, and brings a maturity born of many years living with the music that is an integral part of their beings.
"Intense and demanding, this is hard core traditional music. Sublime fiddle playing and the passionate delivery of evocative old songs by their ablest interpretor." Telegraph
"The super-duo are back together after 14 years." The Guardian
"Swarbrick is an absolute revelation here, as instinctively sympathetic and wickedly inspirational as he ever was. It’s like they were a couple of twenty somethings again. To hear Swarb bowing with such soul and tenderness and dynamism too is an unconditional joy." fRoots
This remarkable pairing played an important part in the tremendous shake up given to British folk music in the middle to late 60's. Dave Swarbrick first came to prominence on the folk scene as a young instrumental virtuoso in the Ian Campbell Folk Group. Having worked alongside other leading musicians such as Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger, Beryl and Roger Marriott and A. L. Lloyd, he teamed up with Martin Carthy in 1966. While they featured hot instrumental tracks in their live sets and recordings, Dave's forte in the duo was sensitive accompaniment to Martin's vocals and guitar. On Rags, Reels & Airs the focus was solely on Dave and it finally gave him a chance to really stretch out and demonstrate his leading instrumental prowess. The result was a new era of English instrumental folk music and a new approach to folk music altogether. When they parted in 1969 Dave joined Fairport Convention and his contribution to folk and folk/rock music is legendary and well documented.
Events Featuring Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick | Artist's Website |
 | Andy Irvine
Andy Irvine has been hailed as "a tradition in himself." Musician, singer and songwriter, Andy has maintained both personal integrity and highly individual performing skills throughout his 40-year career. From Sweeney's Men in the mid sixties to the enormous success of Planxty in the 70s, to THE Irish super group, Patrick Street, in the 80s, Andy has been a world music pioneer and icon for traditional music and musicians.
Irvine occupies a unique place in the musical world, plying his trade as archetypal troubadour, with a solo show and traveling lifestyle that reflects his lifelong influence, Woody Guthrie. Few others can equal his repertoire, Irish traditional songs, dexterous Balkan dance tunes, and a compelling canon of his own material that defies description.
Events Featuring Andy Irvine | Artist's Website |
 | Dogan & The Deerhunters
Brighton born and bred, Dogan Mehmet is a second generation Turkish Cypriot, with both sides of his family from the island. A fluent Turkish speaker, Dogan’s heritage forms a big part of his musical identity, alongside his love for Southern English traditional music. He is singer first but also a multi-instrumentalist, playing Violin, Guitar, Melodeon, Tenor Guitar, Cajon and other Percussion as well as a having good knowledge of traditional Turkish instruments.
Dogan has appeared in sketches on national television (Omid Djalili show) and on stage with artists including Eliza Carthy, Steafan Hannigan, and The Park Bench Social Club. He was runner up in the 2008 BBC Young Folk Awards.
Dogan Mehmet creates an Anglo-Turkish, Gypsy-Punk style mix of traditions and strong acoustic grooves. A diverse mixture of Southern English and Turkish folk songs, self-penned material and driven tunes from English Morris as well as Cypriot traditions give Dogan his own captivating sound. At just nineteen this is Dogan’s first album, and he can be assured of a long term future in the music business. He makes a storm wherever he goes with his effervescent personality and huge enthusiasm for life and for his music. His talent and confidence belie his young age.
With a summer of main-stage appearances at leading folk festivals ahead of him, he is sure to continue to cause a stir with his music and also to make many more friends along the way with a stage presence not easily forgotten.
Events Featuring Dogan & The Deerhunters | Artist's Website |
 | Barron Brady
Barron Brady comprising Ros Brady and Si Barron are contemporary songwriters and interpreters of traditional English folk song. They live in Devon and perform nationwide.
Drawn to strongly narrative songs with subjects ranging from Devon legend to contemporary rural reportage they invite the listener to accompany them through strange landscapes whose denizens include coffee drinking Mermaids, corn mowing Devils, flying highwaymen and disappearing Hedgerows.
They have a dynamic acoustic style combining joy and verve in performance with an assured stage presence garnered from five years of performing nationwide.
Simon’s ballistic fingerstyle guitar complemented by Rosalind’s harmonium and whistles underlines their harmony singing.
Events Featuring Barron Brady | Artist's Website |
 | The Carrivick Sisters
Back by popular demand! Twin sisters Charlotte and Laura Carrivick have grown up playing and writing music together. Their unique style shows their strong bluegrass influences without obscuring their English roots. With tight harmonies that only siblings can achieve, they perform their original songs on guitar, fiddle, mandolin, dobro and clawhammer banjo. They have performed both in the UK and internationally.
Events Featuring The Carrivick Sisters | Artist's Website |
 | Steve Turner
Steve Turner has retaken his place as a stalwart of the UK folk music scene after an absence of 12 years. His singing and concertina playing are widely acclaimed, and his 2008 album The Whirligig of Time was longlisted for the BBC Folk Awards.
Events Featuring Steve Turner | Artist's Website |
 | Poisson Rouge
Music and Dance from Brittany and France. Poisson Rouge really deliver the goods and put the music right where you want it, under your feet.
Events Featuring Poisson Rouge |
 | The Exmouth Shantymen
"The Exmouth Shanty Men" are surely one of the most exciting, colourful and entertaining acts to appear on the traditional folk scene in years.
And a more raggedy-arsed gaggle of rascals you are never likely to meet! They appear on stage looking as though they have just stepped ashore after a 9 month voyage around Cape Horn, their garments threadbare and their hats battered, but this crew sings some of the finest sea songs with passion and gusto.
In fact they deliver these gems as they would have been sung on the decks of the tall ships or in the dockyard taverns in the golden age of sail: hard-bitten work shanties, saucy shore songs and heart-rending laments of love and loss. And each one helps to remind us of the true cost of our rich maritime heritage and gives us an authentic glimpse of the harshness and humour of a sailor’s life.
Their rip-roaring performances are heady concoctions of powerful vocals, raucous wit and surprising tenderness with a good dollop of British tomfoolery. The lads haul ropes, turn the capstan, and pump the bilges as they sing and their genuine camaraderie and wicked below-decks banter enthral audiences of all ages. These boys have sailed many a voyage together, and it shows in every note and gesture, but their jiggery, and indeed their pokery, are highly infectious..."
Aaron C. Resque
Events Featuring The Exmouth Shantymen | Artist's Website |
 | Will Kaufman
Will Kaufman's WOODY GUTHRIE: HARD TIMES AND HARD TRAVELLIN', is a captivating "live documentary" that sets the songs of Woody Guthrie in the context of the American 1930s - the Dust Bowl, the Depression, the New Deal and the state of popular music itself. Such hard-hitting Guthrie songs as "Vigilante Man", "Pretty Boy Floyd" and "I Ain't Got No Home" are brought into conversation with other relevant songs - from Joe Hill's "The Preacher and the Slave" to "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?". Altogether the show highlights the blending of music and radical politics that marks Guthrie's most powerful work.
"No one can understand the American people without listening to Woody Guthrie. Will Kaufman's doing important work here." - Tom Paxton
"I thank Will Kaufman for introducing a new generation of Europeans to 'the other America'. It's a wonderful job he's doing." - Pete Seeger
"I am paraphrasing Woody Guthrie when I say, 'Anyone spreading the word about the music, writing, art and humanity of Woody Guthrie sure is a true friend of mine!' Keep up the great work, Professor Will!" - Ralph McTell
"Will does it all so well! You can taste the dust and hear the freight train whistle blow." - Steve Tilston
"Had me and everyone else in the audience hooked.... A crowd pleaser that is quite unique". - Folk and Roots Reviews
Events Featuring Will Kaufman | Artist's Website |
 | Mike O'Connor & Barbara Griggs
Mike and Barbara, experts in Cornish and early music, play entrancing duets on various instruments - principally violin and harp. Their instrumental skills are backed up by outstanding scholarship.
Events Featuring Mike O'Connor & Barbara Griggs | Artist's Website |
 | Blabbermouth
Blabbermouth aka Steve Thompson has been writing and performing for many years.
"Original, refreshing, off-kilter and talented Blabbbermouth's set is by turns hilarious, anthemic, surreal and delightful. Day to day observations are dished up with deadpan humour, and philosophical issues revamped so that even the prospect of your own death seems like a good laugh. If Eddie Izzard could sing and play guitar this is what you might expect."
Events Featuring Blabbermouth | Artist's Website |
 | Stompin' Dave Allen
Stompin' Dave Allen performs American roots music on guitar, five-string banjo, fiddle, piano, harmonica, vocals & tap dancing. Dave specializes in American roots music: old-time, bluegrass, blues, country blues, folk, vintage country & hillbilly. Traditional songs & tunes, originals & covers.
Events Featuring Stompin' Dave Allen | Artist's Website |
 | Unstrung Heroes
Unstrung Heroes (Geoff Lakeman, Steve Potter and Pete Acty) have over a century of playing experience between them and thousands of gigs behind them. And it shows. Catch them live if you can - you’ll hear pure English folk song, Irish jigs, reels and hornpipes, ragtime and blues, Appalachian songs and toe-tapping mountain tunes, Texas-swing waltzes, the occasional early country song - and even a bit of jazz thrown in for good measure!
Events Featuring Unstrung Heroes | Artist's Website |
 | Pauline Sheppard with Pete Berryman
Two of Cornwall's finest from the worlds of Music and Theatre get together to bring you beautiful and unique settings of Cornish tunes and the stories they inspire.
After touring separately for thirty years or more Pete and Pauline's paths have finally crossed and they've come together to celebrate a shared sense of cultural roots.
"Pete Berryman is one of the UK's hidden jewels" Guitarist Magazine.
"Pauline Sheppard's beautiful play for voices [ Tin and Fishes ] uses oral history to express simple but profound truths" The Stage.
Events Featuring Pauline Sheppard with Pete Berryman | Artist's Website |
 | Phil Hardy
Renowned whistle player Phil Hardy is the maker of the very well known Chieftain and Kerry whistles.
As well as performing at the festival, Phil will be running whistle playing workshops over the weekend. This will be a great experience not to be missed for any budding woodwind enthusiasts out there!
Events Featuring Phil Hardy | Artist's Website |
 | Corncrow
Cornwall based Folk duo Corncrow is made up of singer and guitarist Kim Guy and Singer, dulcimer, bouzouki and guitar player Steve Hunt.
Events Featuring Corncrow | Artist's Website |
 | Leski
Combining 2 of Cornwall's most talented & experienced young musicians, 'Leski' offer a unique blend of high energy fiddle playing & the enchanting sounds of the hammered dulcimer, brought to you from the heart of Cornwall. Leski pride themselves on their unique repertoire which encompasses their passion for Cornish music & tradition, with fresh new material, drawing on their own musical experience & influences.
Events Featuring Leski | Artist's Website |
 | Anita Foley
"Anita lives in Cornwall. She came to Bude Folk festival as a paying guest last year and wowed us so much in a sing around that we invited her back as an artist this year to ensure more people got the chance to enjoy her beautiful singing. Don’t miss her!" Lucy & Kevin Burrow Bude & Stratton Folk Festival
Events Featuring Anita Foley | Artist's Website |
 | Tinderbox
Tinderbox are an acoustic duo featuring Monique Houraghan with a distinctive ‘honey-like’ vocal, and Dan Tucker with an intricate finger style guitar technique.
2007 to 2010 have seen Tinderbox perform a number of headline shows to capacity crowds. Additionally, they have played support sets for high profile acts including Cara Dillon, Jon Allen, Corinne West, Kris Drever, Ben’s Brother, Ralph McTell, Emily Maguire, Uiscedwr, Chris Difford and Megson.
Maverick Magazine recently described ‘Golden’ as “Quite inspirational really…a masterpiece”. Maverick went on to describe Tinderbox as being “Poised to ignite the acoustic…world”. Acoustic Magazine featured a review of ‘Golden’ in their August 09 edition labelling the music ‘Lovely, hooky and mellow’. BBC 6 Music’s Tom Robinson recently described the music as ‘Gorgeous’.
Events Featuring Tinderbox | Artist's Website |
 | Mannie & Pete McClelland
Founder members of Blackthorn Band, Mannie and Pete sing songs popular in Essex and Sussex and songs of the sea accompanied by Pete's bouzouki and Mannie's concertina.
Events Featuring Mannie & Pete McClelland | Artist's Website |
 | Mo Keast
Mo Keast is a popular Cornish storyteller
Events Featuring Mo Keast |
 | Rob Barratt
Rob Barratt is a Bodmin-based comic poet and singer who has established himself in the South West as a writer and performer of pithy poems and silly songs. Rob spends a lot of time in a place he calls “Planet Barratt” but occasionally he comes down to Earth to entertain audiences.
Events Featuring Rob Barratt |
 | Pete Grassby
Pete Grassby, the famous melodeon repairer and leader of Aardvark ceilidh band is also a great singer and hammered dulcimer player.
Events Featuring Pete Grassby | Artist's Website |
| The Other Band
Highly recommended local ceilidh band led by Mike Smith and featuring two callers Sandie and Gill.
Celtic influenced music with a modern lively twist. From Cornwall, The Other Band combine traditional Celtic tunes along with self composed rustic melodies. Originally known for their lively Ceilidhs, the band combines caller lead dances with a good old sing along of folk that even the non-folky will enjoy.
The Band was formed in 1992 with three past members of the well known 'Thunder and Lightning' Band Mike on Accordion, Terry on Guitar and Alan on Bass being joined by Alan on drums, Barrie on Melodeon and Jodie on Fiddle plus Callers Sandie and Gill. Music is English, Scottish, Irish and Mike's own well known tunes. For Ceilidhs the Band combines dances with a good old sing along of folk and contemporary songs.
Events Featuring The Other Band | Artist's Website |
| The Festival AllStar Ceilidh Band
A motley gathering of experienced ceilidh band players and callers meeting at the festival. Probably includes Pete Grassby, Steve Hunt, Pete and Mannie McClelland and Kerensa and Richard of Leski. A fun time guaranteed for all!
Events Featuring The Festival AllStar Ceilidh Band |
 | Tros an Treys
Tros an Treys are well known Cornish dancers and musicians who also play for Troyl and Nos Lowen dances. We're very pleased to have their continued involvement with the festival in 2010
Events Featuring Tros an Treys | Artist's Website |
 | Max Fire
International Entertainer and Fire Juggler Max Fire dazzles audiences with a mind bending thrill ride comprising of Ropes, bikes, bare skin,contortion, glass walking,and whips. Taking the audience through a mesmorising journey through Fire, Explotions and Music, But beware of impressive accuracy with the 8ft bullwhip!
Events Featuring Max Fire | Artist's Website |
 | Puppetree
Puppetree are professional puppeteers with experience of entertaining families throughout the UK and overseas.
The repertoire is updated every year using a variety of puppet styles such as glove (hand), marionette (string), rod, shadow and bunraku, and our show ‘POOKA’ features puppetry and storytelling.
Alison can make professional balloon models for everyone, at no extra charge to yourselves or the public, between shows.
Events Featuring Puppetree | Artist's Website |
 | Prof James Gordon
Professor James Gordon, who is a Full Member of the Punch and Judy Fellowship, provides an excellent warm up performance of magic which includes audience participation. This is followed by his Traditional Punch and Judy show with all its much-loved characters.
Events Featuring Prof James Gordon |
 | Music with Mannie
Mannie McClelland has run a very popular music workshop for young children at Sidmouth Folkweek for the last five years. She has worked for many years professionally with children's education and music.
Events Featuring Music with Mannie |
| Jo Hope
Joe Hope is managing the Children's Festival and will be entertaining the children with games and face-painting too.
Events Featuring Jo Hope |
| Ben & Heather Lang
Ben and Heather Lang are regular singers at the Bodmin Folk Club
Events Featuring Ben & Heather Lang |
| Shipwrecks
The Shipwrecks are Wadebridge's very own shanty group and will be singing around the town during the weekend.
Events Featuring Shipwrecks |
