STANLEY ACCRINGTON
Held at The Boat Museum Theatre,
Ellesmere Port Boat Museum
South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port CH65 4FW

Singer/songwriter extraordinaire - come and laugh your socks off..........

Website

JOHN FINNAN, FRANK WELCOME & ANDY CHRIMES

Held at The Boat Museum Theatre, Ellesmere Port Boat Museum, South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port CH65 4FW

These three local lads, all brilliant musicians in their own right, have teamed up to produce this threesome. Andy is well known as part of folk stalwarts Fiddlestone, and John and Frank have similarly been around on the local music scene for many years. Don't miss this wonderful band.

ROY BAILEY with support Vocal Point

Held at The Boat Museum Theatre, Ellesmere Port Boat Museum, South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port CH65 4FW

One the Folk World's finest voices, Roy Bailey has been performing for more than 40 years both in the UK and abroad. He has sung in folk clubs, in arts centres and in front of huge festival audiences at Sidmouth International Festival, Vancouver Folk Festival, the National Festival in Australia and many, many more. His warmth and humour create a unique atmosphere of humanity and comradeship and as Billy Bragg once said of him, "(Roy's voice is) as powerful and moving as anything I'd heard by The Clash"

Website

ALLAN TAYLOR with support Vocal Point

please note: to be held at The Boat Museum Theatre, Ellesmere Port Boat Museum
South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port CH65 4FW


photograph © Erwin Schütterle
Allan Taylor, the consummate performer, a writer of literary gracefulness whose troubadour chronicles encapsulate the realism of otherwise unsung heroes, otherwise uncharted lives. Few people can convey with such eloquence their life experiences. His songs are written from a lifetime of traveling; always the observer passing through, each song is a vignette of life, like a story told over a drink in a bar; characters come to life like people you know and places become as familiar as if you had been there. His songs have been recorded by more than a hundred other performers of various nationalities (there are more than sixty cover versions of his song “It’s Good to See You”, in ten different languages), proof enough that a concert by Allan Taylor will be an experience to remember. As Allan says at the beginning of each concert, “Sit back and enjoy the journey.”
"Allan Taylor is one of the more literate and sensitive of contemporary songwriters in terms of words and music, and one who is capable of exploring more complex subjects than most of his contemporaries… he should probably be regarded as potentially the most important songwriter of his generation." (Dr. Frederick Woods, The Oxford Book of Traditional Verse)

Singers and Musicians Night

BANDERSNATCH

Bandersnatch (hailing from Bolton) have the ability to move effortlessly from traditional ballads to contemporary songs as well some impressive instrumentals. And, of course, there are the self-penned songs of Clive Leyland, a former member of the band. The band has no lead performer. Roles change to meet the needs of the music. Complex musical and vocal arrangements are delivered with an understated ease that allows the richness of the sound to engage the audience. The flexibility that results from the instrumental versatility allows the band to adapt its performance to the venue. In fact, the band is equally at home in a small club as well as the concert stage.

BECK SIAN (AUSTRALIA) with support VOCAL POINT

Listen here on Becks Myspace

"Some singers have only to utter a note and instantly, you're transfixed. They've reached out, touched your soul. Beck Siàn has that rare quality. In Beck, you sense she's on a journey and, for a short while at least, you're a travelling companion. She draws inspiration from the subtropical rainforests of her native Australia, creating what she fittingly calls 'Haunted Forest Music', through voice, guitar, whistle and didgeridoo. It's mystical, magical music, spiritual and enchanting. There are touches redolent of Kate Bush (to whom Beck is related) but these are mere brush-strokes of influence. Overall, it's as distinctive as it's original. With a soprano voice to die for, her approach is highly individual, the ambience emotional and utterly entrancing. She's charismatic, convivial and funny on stage - in short, a real show- stopper! Her outstanding debut album is called 'Unfurling'. And artistically, that is precisely what Beck is doing. Unmissable" Julian Badcock - Wheaton Aston Folk Festival 2007

BAKERS FABULOUS BOYS

Baker's Fabulous Boys are a Cheshire-based Bluegrass band who, as well as playing traditional Bluegrass, also compose our own material and take songs and tunes from other genres and arrange them in our own unique way. Their objective when they play is to ensure that everyone has a good time, and those who have been to a Bakers gig before will know exactly what they mean.....so come along and join the party!

JULIE FELIX (USA) with support VOCAL POINT

The Theatre
National Waterways - Ellesmere Port Boat Museum
South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port CH65 4FW

SPECIAL GUEST NIGHT

featuring GRAHAM COOPER with support VOCAL POINT

SPECIAL GUEST NIGHT

featuring JOE TOPPING

www.joetopping.co.uk
"Joe Topping is a young singer-songwriter of absolutely genuine class. He has a voice to die for and a gift to write songs that will last and that others will want to sing. Joe has an increasingly humorous and appealing stage presence that makes listening to and watching him a real pleasure. Although there are no absolute certainties in life, he has to be a good each-way bet to succeed, and I for one, sincerely hope he does"- John Wright

SPECIAL GUEST NIGHT

featuring COLIN HENDERSON

photograph © Roger Liptrot

& special guests
As well as playing in 'The Tom Topping Band' Colin is also a fine solo singer/songwriter.

with support from Vocal Point playing an extended set

SPECIAL GUEST NIGHT

featuring HARVEY ANDREWS

www.harveyandrews.com
Harvey has been in the music business for over 40 years and he delivers a fine mixture of songs, humour and insights into life.

with support VOCAL POINT

Special Guest Night - with support Vocal Point

Bernard Wrigley
Bernard (The Bolton Bullfrog) Wrigley. A legend in his own time. Bernard began writing songs and monologues in earnest, round about 1970. He now has many TV, radio, film and stage appearances under his belt, along with books and CD's.

Bernard Wrigley's website

Special Guest Night

Acoustak

Nancy’s earthy and exquisite fiddle and viola playing dances with the striking rhythmic texture of James’s guitar-bouzouki, while their rich singing both as soloists and in harmony evokes the stories of the songs they choose and write. Rapid musical communication with one another and the audience makes their performance spectacular and unforgettable.

Nancy Kerr & James Fagan's website

Special Guest Night

Fiddlestone with Vocal Point (support)
This four piece band are celebrating 30 years together The band firmly believe that the secret of their staying power over such a long period of time, is the passion each has for searching out new song material and developing musical arrangements which their audiences will enjoy and remember. Add to that the thrill of performing live and you have a group of musicians dedicated to their art.

The Boat Band
After playing for many years, trawling the venues of Britain and beyond,
THE BOAT BAND have picked up a huge and varied catch of tunes: Creole, Caribbean, gospel, Cajun, Irish, zydeco and blues-not much slips through the net. If it can be played on accordion and fiddle (or trombone, washboard, trumpet, banjo etc), if it touches the heart and moves the feet, it`s in the repertoire.

The Boat Band website

Isambarde website

Bob Fox with Roger Parker (support)

Velvet voice, lovely guitar work, wonderful songs.......
Bob Fox Website

Singer/songwriter Zoe Mulford was born and raised in the United States, She has lived in Belgium and Japan, studied Chinese poetry and East African drumming, and has most recently fetched up in the great music city of Manchester. Landmarks on her musical journey include English and Scottish folk ballads, the songs of Kurt Weil and George Gershwin, an apprenticeship in the Old Time picking circles of North Carolina, and a long-running flirtation with the Blues.

Zoe Mulford's website

Special Guest Night

Vin Garbutt is an accomplished guitarist and whistle player. Vin is guaranteed to entertain you with his witty, powerful, thought-provoking songs.
Vin Garbutt's website

Houghton Weavers - with Vocal Point
The Houghton Weavers - 'nuff said!
TV & Radio stars. Over 30 years of family entertainment
Houghton Weavers website

The Queensberry Rules

Hailing from Stoke on Trent this band perform original compositions cultivated from rich seams of local history and tradition with a social awareness which belies their years.
The Queensberry Rules website

Shake the Roots

Shake the Roots’ are a Cheshire-based acoustic band. They play an eclectic mix of music including bluegrass, folk, rock'n'roll, country and blues.
Shake the Roots website

Fred Wedlock - with John O'Connell (a double bill presentation)
Laugh your socks off with Fred "Now then Ladies & Gentlemen..."

TV & Radio star. "The oldest swinger in town," Fred brings his own unique folk/comedy style all the way from the 'People's Republic of Somerset'
Fred Wedlock website

'Free 'n easy' singers/musicians open session

Tanglefoot - with Vocal PointTop Canadian folk rockers return to blow the cobwebs away!

Canada's finest high energy folk quintet. Tremendous musicianship and harmonies.

Tanglefoot website

See Gallery Page for video footage and photos from the night!