🄵🅆 International
🄵🅆 International https://folklife.uk/international
LIVE LOCAL FOLK: we publicise news from our Folklife Members: singarounds, sessions, clubs, concerts, gigs, album news, festivals, workshops.
On other pages ~ Directory: Venues: International Performers: International
LIVE LOCAL FOLK: we publicise news from our Folklife Members: singarounds, sessions, clubs, concerts, gigs, album news, festivals, workshops.
On other pages ~ Directory: Venues: International Performers: International
This site copies print pages: folk news by area, + Festivals & Workshops Diary.
Our 🄵🅆 (Folklife West) pages are images of A4-size pages, so appear too small in phones.
Our 🄵🅆 (Folklife West) pages are images of A4-size pages, so appear too small in phones.
However, the images will give you a general idea (and you can always buy a copy of FW !)
As our name "Folklife West" suggests ... mainly Cymru•Wales, England West Country & West Midlands.
Following Zoom, enthusiasts from elsewhere joined us - even beyond England and Wales. We have readers for our "Updates" emails from across the world - and even a few Members sending news internationally, as below. We welcome enthusiasts from everywhere!
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• In PRINT, £4 (at clubs), or posted £6; Europe £9; World £11.
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• As PDFs, £9, with password to download from Prepaid PDF page.
• In PRINT, posted £21; Europe £27; World £33.
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Above: Rowing club members visiting Wavertree in 1929, Punta Arenas, Chile. Gift of Senor Rafael Osvaldo Cabrera Majoral, 1976.
© South Street Seaport Museum Archives, to whom thanks for permission to use their photo.
Some International news ~ more welcome - it's only £9 a year for (world-wide) PDF Membership (download from this site with a password)
Online extra added 10/3/2025: Canada ~ A report from Toronto
From Keith Price, one of our Canadian Folklife members.
1. [an edited version of this section will be in May 2025 issue]
After making a highly emotional and successful return to the U.K. folk scene in October of 2024, after 49 years in Canada without ever setting foot in a folk club -- see Brian Bull’s article on page 5 of the January issue of Folklife West (see Wales news), I returned to Canada determined to get back into the folk world. Unfortunately there are far fewer folk clubs here than in the U.K., only two in the whole of Toronto, a city of over 3 million people. And only one other folk club within 50 miles.
The main Toronto club, ABFC (Another Bloody Folk Club) had its start in 2013 and moved around amongst a few different venues before coming to its current site at Lab416 at 298 Brunswick Ave. just south of Bloor Street. It is the only British-style folk club in Toronto.
The club is run by Sweet Felons All, a very talented group of musicians consisting of Paul and Mary Read, Rob Rohr and Kevin Watson. As you would imagine, they play in the traditional style, mostly English, and include modern songs that fit the tradition. In the couple of shows I’ve attended, they started things off with a few tunes and then finished the night with some lovely sing-a-longs
The club meets only once a month, on the first Sunday, from October to June, and have three invited guests with a few floor spots with the occasional Take the Stage evenings devoted to floor singers. The floor singer spots are so popular that you have to book a spot ahead of time. On December 1st, when I showed up, primed and ready to go with 3 or 4 well rehearsed songs, I was very disappointed to learn that I would have to wait another month before I could sing, and that I would only get to do one song, because it would be a paid guest evening.However, I could also sign up for February as well and get a 10 minute spot - 2 songs, maybe 3 if I chose short songs, talked very briefly and sang quickly!!!
When January rolled around, I showed up and sang my one unaccompanied song with great success,…at least, that’s the way it seemed to me as I listened to the beautiful harmonies that were coming back to me from the enthusiastic audience. I had eschewed the use of the sound system and had been a little worried that my voice wouldn’t carry to all the corners of the room, and especially to the bar area which is off to one side through an archway. After singing unamplified in U.K. clubs for 11 years between 1964 and 1975, I was not about to break with (my) tradition and use a microphone. And it worked! Total silence the minute I began to sing, until they had to join in. Exactly as it should be! Although not everyone in the bar area could hear me as well as they would have liked.
In February, I chose short songs, didn’t talk much and sang quickly enough to get three songs into my 10 minutes (although I think it was more like 15 minutes). Again the audience seemed to be enjoying joining in the choruses with great gusto. This time I stood behind the mikes, not in front of them and it seemed to work well.I was extremely impressed with the standard not only of Sweet Felons All, but of the floor singers — soloists and duos who sang and played instruments well, banjo, guitar, fiddle penny whistle and, in one case, bagpipes. Some performed their own songs, some sang folk songs written by Canadian songwriters and some sang the traditional English, Irish and Scottish songs that are the mainstay of U.K. clubs.
Altogether three very entertaining and enjoyable evenings, and a welcome and satisfying return to the folk scene for me.
2. [this section will have a brief mention in May issue; an edited version of below will be in Sept 2025 issue]
The Second club in the city is a monthly sea shanty sing run by a group called, appropriately, Press Gang Mutiny. And it really was a Shanty Sing last Wednesday (February 26th). About 15 floor singers along with Press Gang Mutiny sang at least 30 sea shanties only 7 or 8 of which I recognised. A high standard from all the performers and a very enjoyable evening. The ‘Sing’ was held in a local micro-brewery, a great location with fairly decent acoustics. Unfortunately this was their last evening at this venue. As yet they do not know where they will be moving to and expect to miss the next 2-3 months. I look forward to revisiting them when they start up again.
The other club in the area is in the city of Brampton about 25 miles north-west of where I live in Toronto. It held its first meeting 28 years ago in February 1997, making it one of the oldest folk clubs in southern Ontario. The founder and driving force behind the club is Glenn McFarlane and the club mandate is 1) to promote and encourage folk music in the Brampton area; 2) to provide a forum for musicians to develop their skills in performing folk music and; 3) to provide, as a resource to the city, a talent pool for entertaining at community and charitable functions. This it does admirably, and even on my second visit, I noticed that a couple of those present sang more confidently than on my first visit.
It runs an Open Mic evening once a month with a 2 song format from 7:30 to 9:30, sign up at 7:00. They also run a song circle on the first Monday of the month, also from 7:30 to 9:30. And every month features a concert or an appearance at a local community event., thus fulfilling the club’s 3rd mandate. The song circle evenings begin with everybody sitting in a circle and singing (and playing) together from one of two folk song books that are distributed at the beginning. This is then followed by the song circle proper during which everyone gets to sing one song from his/her own repertoire, usually on a pre-determined theme.
During the two song circles I have attended I got to sing my 2 themed songs (a drinking song and a working song) and to join in with several other songs that I was familiar with.
On Friday January 31st, I had planned to show up for the Open mic session and sing my 2-song mini-set. Unfortunately, having driven home from an afternoon at a friend’s house through a serious blizzard, I decided not to risk the 50 mile round trip in such dangerous conditions. I had seen several cars in ditches on the way home and didn't feel like joining them.
Sadly February’s Open Mic session is online and I’m not sure how well that will work for me as I really rely on interaction with my audience, especially as regards the singing of choruses. I’ll try it anyway and see how it goes.
I actually sang successfully at the Zoom Open Mic meeting yesterday, Friday February the 28th: successfully because I chose two songs that did not have choruses that needed to be sung by all. In fact, the rule is that our microphones are to be turns off when somebody else is performing. We switch them back on in between songs if we wish to comment, and then switch them off again. Will I sing at the next Online Open Mic evening? Definitely!
The next in-person Open Mic night is on March 21st at which time I will be away on holiday. After that, there will be an online Open Mic night on May 2nd. In person Open Mic night may or may not happen in May and in the fall, but dates and venues have yet to be confirmed.
I have to applaud the philosophy of the club and hope that I can contribute in some small way. I certainly intend to try
The only complaint I have about these three clubs is that they operate only once a month on a regular basis, although they do hold extra events from time to time. But that is only my British bias showing, having been accustomed to playing in dozens of folk clubs (and actually running two) all of which operated on a weekly basis. Suffice it to say that the Toronto area folk scene is alive and well, and that I will continue to attend all three clubs as often as possible.
Keith Price Founder of Rhyl Folk Club in N. Wales, October 1964, Founder Member of Mint Julep, 1967-1975
Toronto, February 2025
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(UK) by BACS: Folklife West t/a Folklife, Sort Code 09-01-55, Account 18675181.
(UK and world-wide) Card: "Ko-Fi" link, on right.