Carrington Triangle Christmas Party
Usual time. Free admission. Bring some snacks to share.
No raffle, but if you bring a small wrapped present you can join in the tombola.
Christmas jumpers will not be barred.
Don’t forget Notts Alliance on 10th December, as well.
(No meetings 24th and 31st December: see you January)
Bryony Griffith & Alice Jones
On 17th September 2025, Bryony Griffith and Alice Jones treated us to a most enjoyable evening of fine vocal harmonies and varied instrumentation. Alice switched back and forth between tenor guitar (declared a ‘Tena guitar’ at one point) and harmonium, while Bryony’s fiddle-playing mixed bowing with plenty of effective plucking. The pair also performed a fair few songs a cappella.
The theme throughout was Yorkshire, Yorkshire, Yorkshire, with material from the East, West, and North Ridings, and we were assiduously apprised of the names of the song-collectors to whom we owed each offering. Honourable mentions went to Mary and Nigel Huddleston, Frank Hinchliffe, and Margaret Moorson. ‘The second best collector’ was deemed to be Anne Gilchrist of L*ncashire (the gasps were almost audible). But let there be no doubt: of all collectors, Frank Kidson of Leeds was the best! Among his source-singers was his own mother, whence this evening’s version of ‘The Grey Mare’ as absorbed in Otley in the 1820s.
Yorkshire directness was evident in the immediate confession of fratricide in ‘What Is That Blood On Thy Shirt Sleeve?’ (a.k.a. ‘Edward’), Yorkshire understatement in the ‘watery misfortune’ of ‘Strawberry Tower’ (a.k.a. ‘The Drowned Sailor’), and Yorkshire parsimony in the omission of a chorus in ‘Young Banker’ (a.k.a. one of the greatest English chorus songs). Not that we were short of other chances to sing along – ‘The Cropper lads for me!’ delighted one’s inner Luddite, ‘Early Pearly’ alias ‘Hayley Paley’ gave us a pleasing splash of sentimentality, and ‘Take her an onion!’ seemed a most appropriate mondegreen to shout in the tale of the wife who performs every task badly (‘Willy Went To Westerdale’).
Both Alice and Bryony gave us plenty of background information and historical context for their song choices, useful in the main though your reviewer is still reeling from the claim that Huddersfield ‘didn’t really exist until the Industrial Revolution’. Did not Godwine have six carucates of land taxable where eight ploughs were possible? How short folk memory can be. Wonderful harmonies made amends.
A particular highlight of the evening was the impressive display of Alice’s hamboning skills on ‘My Johnny Was A Shoemaker’, incorporating stamps, pops, thumb-clicks, chest-beats, and much slapping of the Slapping-Pants™. Many of us have since incorporated these devices into our own performances on weekly singers’ nights, albeit without the spangly attire.
We were all relieved to learn that Alice does not have syphilis.
Paul Cullen
Here is a review of Jez’s performance at the club this month, written by a visitor:
Jez Lowe writes the songs future generations will come to know as “traditional.” Timeless observations, commentary both cutting and hilarious (and often both). A true master songwriter.
And there he was on January 15, a guest of the Carrington Triangle Folk Club, thrilling a few dozen of us with songs new and old. Dipping deeply into his bottomless catalog of songs and stories, Jez touched on songs from his Radio 2 “Radio Ballads” series and from classic albums like 2002’s “Honesty Box” through his 2020’s brilliant lockdown piece, “Crazy Pagan.” Hearing songs as gentle as “Louisa’s Choosing” or provocative as “Taking on Men” (recently covered by The Unthanks), “The Wrong Bus,” and “This Is Not My Tribe” is one thing — pairing them with the stories behind them is another experience altogether.
These all were superlative, of course, but the handful of new songs proved Jez to be one of the great songwriters of our or any other time. Opening the evening with the optimistic “Freebody’s Wake” then sprinkling the remainder of the show with the reflective “Old Man’s Eyes,” the genius “Message From A Mandolin,” and ending the night with the raucous “Frozen Roman,” Jez made the new songs as familiar as the favorites from his past.
I’ve run out of superlatives — he was that good — and to feel the music in an environment as warm and welcoming as the Carrington Triangle Folk Club surely inspired Jez Lowe and left your American guests humbled and delighted to be in the room. What an evening. All five gold stars to the Club for hosting such a fantastic night!
Happy New Year to you all as it seems ages since our successful Christmas Party, but we’re back in action for January. Membership payments are due: you either pay £10 for membership for the full year, with free admission on singers’ nights, and a discount of £2 each 2025 guest night. Non-members pay £3 on singers’ nights.
JEZ LOWE is the first guest for this year on Wednesday 15 January.
Jez is a regular guest as he and his agent agreed a January date for us in both 2020 and 2023. Born and still living in the County Durham coalfield, his songs trace the life of the pit communities from ‘Back in Durham Gaol’ through ‘Black Diamonds’ and ‘Greek Lightning’ to ‘Talk to Me Dirty in Geordie’. He has also contributed songs to most BBC Radio Ballads, been the youngest Pitman Poet, and has written 4 novels, some of which we expect he will bring to the Club, along with his latest cd ‘Snow Dancing’.
£10 for members, while non-members pay £12. You can pay using our card machine, so cash is only needed for the raffle. Doors open at 7.45 pm for an 8.15 start, and we finish by 11pm.
We have a wide variety of guests booked for the rest of 2025:
Wednesday 12 February – Holly Clarke – young Cumbrian rising star
Wednesday 12 March – Steve Hicks & Lynn Goulbourne – excellent ragtime guitarist and singer-songwriter
Wednesday 9 April – Brian Peters – multi-instrumental expert on traditional songs
More coming soon.
We look forward to seeing you upstairs at the Gladstone.
Our night in support of Blind Eye on 2 October went very well. It featured Bronwyn Westacott and Dave Mooney. Bronwyn gave us songs from a variety of socialist and feminist traditions, along with some excellent songs of her own. She also attracted a wider audience than we normally get. Just what we needed.
Dave accompanied his powerful vocals with ukulele, mouth organ, nose flute, kazoo, fancy expensive kazoo with its own presentation box – and then added a jig doll for a bit of variety. Great.
Even better, the evening raised £185 for Blind Eye (https://www.blindeyesouprun.com/), who go round the streets of Nottingham every Sunday morning, with warm food, hot drinks, clothes and other supplies (and a little time and conversation) to support those living on the streets. Well done, everyone.
Our NEXT GUEST is Dan McKinnon (https://www.danmckinnon.ca/) on 16 October.
Yes, we have managed to arrange a solo performance by Virginia Kettle, one of the songwriters and joint lead singer in the band Merry Hell, which a full house enjoyed at Lowdham nine weeks ago. She was only free to sing a couple of her own more personal songs there, but at a small festival last September she performed solo for a full hour so we agreed to book her now. Her songs are thoughtful and witty with a strong commitment to not being a shrinking violet.
Admission is £12 or £10 for current members. Please bring cash as we don’t have any card facilities. Doors open at 7.45 pm for an 8.15pm start and we finish by 11pm.
Wednesday, March 20th
Described by Folk Radio UK as ‘weaving an especially compelling magic’, and ‘showing off British acoustic music in its best possible light’, Northumbrian duo The Brothers Gillespie sing songs of great lyrical power, animated by the sound of soaring sibling harmony, inspired guitar playing and a rich array of acoustic instruments. Their songs and performances have a rare, intimate energy that is both earthy and ethereal, romantic and radical.
James and Sam Gillespie found their sound growing up in the fells and valleys of Northumberland, their songs often describing relationships with wild places and the experience of finding oneself in a world alive with soul. The music comes to them most strongly when walking in the borderlands with their packs and instruments which remains a regular practice for them. Since that time, the brothers have travelled widely and sung their songs at campfires, concert halls, Parisian circuses, folk clubs and a host of UK festivals including Sidmouth and Cambridge Folk Fests.
https://thebrothersgillespie.com/
Upstairs at The Gladstone, 45 Loscoe Road, Carrington, Nottingham, NG5 2AW
Doors 7.45 for 8:15 start
We don’t have advance tickets: just turn up and pay on the door (cash only) £12/£10 members
Carrington Triangle Folk Club meets every Wednesday for singarounds, with guests once a month
Wednesday 17 April — Damien Barber – tradition from Norfolk and new Yorkshire songs
15 May – Virginia Kettle – vocalist/guitarist in Merry Hell: pleased to come to us
19 June – Richard Grainger & Chris Parkinson
17 July – Morris & Watson
See you any Wednesday in our comfy redecorated room upstairs at the Gladstone, 45 Loscoe Road, Carrington, Nottingham, NG5 2AW
Doors 7.45 for 8:15 start. We don’t have advance tickets: just turn up and pay on the door (cash only)
Carrington Triangle Folk Club also meets every Wednesday for singarounds, with guests once a month.
We have continued to increase our 2024 membership to 54. Remember it’s £10 in cash for the year until Christmas, free entry to singers and musicians’ nights every Wednesday at 8.15.
We have two guests who are new to the club on Wednesday 21 February, although both have been at the Gate to Southwell Festival in recent years. Lauren is a singer and multi-instrumentalist who has built up a reputation as one of Warwickshire’s finest folk musicians. Her honeyed vocals are backed by tenor guitar, fiddle or shruti box and Reg Meuross writes ‘Lauren’s voice has a distinctive and unique beauty that allows her to turn every word she sings into a kind of magic formula’. Becky Syson is a singer-songwriter from Farnsfield who ‘seems to radiate positivity’ (Left Lion) in her own first-rate songs and covers. Becky and Lauren will each perform solo for part of each set but also have interesting collaborations.
Admission is £7 but only £5 for current members. Please bring cash as we don’t have card facilities. Doors open at 7.45 pm for an 8.15pm start and we finish by 11pm.
We have guests booked for the following dates in 2024:
Wednesday 21 February – Lauren South & Becky Syson – young up-and-coming folk stars
Wednesday 20 March – The Brothers Gillespie – Northumbrian duo with ‘blood harmony’
Wednesday 17 April — Damien Barber – tradition from Norfolk and new Yorkshire songs
Wednesday 15 May — Virginia Kettle – vocalist/guitarist in Merry Hell: pleased to come to us
See you any Wednesday in our comfy redecorated room upstairs at the Gladstone.
Every 3 or 4 years we book Jez Lowe because he consistently gives
us an entertaining night with self-penned material sung to guitar or
cittern. His Durham roots come across in most of his songs and he’s
received many nominations in both Sony Awards & BBC Folk Awards.
There is a link to our last guest Johnny Campbell as Jez interviews
him on Radio 4 ‘Open Country’ this week. Jez has just finished a tour
with his group ‘The Bad Pennies’ and has also been touring with The
Pitmen Poets. His other collaboration at Gate to Southwell Festival
last summer was with Steve Tilston, but for us he’ll be solo and
selling his latest CD ‘Crazy Pagan’.
Jez Lowe is one of our finest songwriters
BBC Radio 2
Annual membership of £10 is now due but will give free admission to all
singers’ nights. It has been necessary to increase the annual subscription as
we now have to pay the pub for use of the room which had previously been
free. Once you have paid £10 to join you then come in for £6.00 which is the
members’ rate. Anyone not wanting to join pays £10 that night. Please bring
cash as we don’t have card facilities. Please note – Doors now open at 7.45
pm for an 8.15 pm start and we now finish at 11 pm. We’ll then have singers’
nights every Wednesday apart from the guest nights listed below.
Updated list of further guest nights: –
Wednesday 15 February – Paul Carbuncle
Wednesday 15 March – Sally Ironmonger & Brian Carter
Wednesday 29 March – Marc Block
Wednesday 19 April – Jack Rutter
Wednesday 17 May – Bella Gaffney