Welcome.
We are pleased to announce a list of dates in 2023. Our 1st event of the year is a Singers Night on Sunday 15th January.
From February we will meet on he 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month.
Cash only on the door please, £8 for guest nights, £2 for Singers Nights. Doors open at 7.30 for 8pm start.
Please see below for our event list and we look forward to seeing you all very soon
Sunday January 15th Singers Night
Sunday February 5th Singers Night
Sunday February 19th Chris and Wendy Moreton Chris has been playing guitar and banjo and other acoustic instruments, for 50+ years. He is an award-winning Bluegrass musician on both sides of the Atlantic and is “A bit of an entertainer!” His wife, Wendy provides rock solid rhythm on double bass and they perform classic bluegrass tracks such as Duelling Banjos, (Deliverance); Man of Constant Sorrow, (Oh Brother Where Art Thou); Country/Folk/Singer songwriter material, covers from the 1960’s, in-fact any songs and instrumentals that work with acoustic guitar/banjo and bass. A multi-instrumentalist rated as the UK’s “best bluegrass guitarist” and as playing “truly world class lead guitar www.chrismoretonmusic.com
The new trio of Wynford Jones, Laurence Eddy and Geoff Cripps has musical connections and roots which stretch back into the last century and, in particular, their involvement with the folk rock band The Chartists.The Chartists disbanded in 1991 and Wynford, Laurence and Geoff went on their own musical journeys – 2022 saw them reunited as Lauford Cripps with a list of songs, old and new, delivered with that same musicality and panache! www.lauford.co.uk
Sunday March 19th Singers Night
Sunday April 2nd Daria Kulesh
Daria Kulesh has been described by Mike Harding as “one of the finest voices and one of the most intriguing and interesting songwriters on the present folk scene”. Her debut release Eternal Child was described as “phenomenal”, her second album Long Lost Home has enjoyed rave reviews and multiple awards, including LCM Album of the Year, and her latest studio release Earthly Delights was named “one of the year’s finest albums” by Folk Radio UK. Daria has toured extensively in the UK and Europe, sharing stories and songs that are deeply personal but feel universal and timeless. Every performance is an “emotional, compelling and uplifiting experience”, leaving the audiences “completely spellbound”. Born in Russia but based in the UK for the last 15 years, she fearlessly explores her heritage and turbulent family history in Ingushetia (North Caucasus) with songs that “aren’t just sung, but lived”.
Sunday April 16th Singers Night
Sunday May 7th The Lost Trades
The Lost Trades are a vocal harmony trio with a cool Laurel Canyon vibe. Three Wiltshire based singer songwriters (Jamie R Hawkins, Phil Cooper and Tamsin Quin) were brought together by a mutual love of modern folk and roots music, and joined forces in late 2019 for a three part harmony, modern folk adventure.
A global pandemic meant their debut tour in 2020 was cut short and the three retreated to their songwriting rooms and studio in an effort to condense the initial excitement into an album they could tour once the world opened up again. The resulting de but album was “The Bird, The Book & The Barrel” which was released in June 2021 and spent many months in the Official Folk Albums Chart. The trio will be releasing and touring the follow up album in Spring 2023. A live performance involves easy interchanging of instruments, with each of the three playing guitar, bass and percussion at different points. There’s always a fun intimacy to the show, with the three engaging in comfortable repartee with each other and the audience like a group of old friends.
Sunday May 21st Singers Night
Sunday June 4th JohnnyCoppin
Johnny’s effortless vocals have graced the folk-scene since the emergence of Decameron in the early 1970s. An experienced solo performer, he is a talented songwriter and a fine interpretative singer.Johnny has recorded over fourteen albums
There’ll be songs from the new album, and from Gloucestershire and beyond. Playing guitar and piano, his songs are always melodic and evocative. Johnny has performed at many festivals, and venues large and small. He has also performed tributes to the writer Laurie Lee and for over twenty years he presented an Acoustic Music programme on BBC Radio Gloucestershire and 3 other stations across the West.
Sunday June 18th Singers Night
Sunday 2nd July Singers Night
Forest Folk Club is pleased to be part of this year’s Coleford Music Festival. Come and see us on the Roots Stage in Newland Street, Sunday 9th July, 3.15pm to 5.15pm Click Below For Website
Sunday 16th July Jim CausleyMore than simply a folk-singer, multi award winning singer-songwriter and musician Jim Causley is an all-round entertainer and his ‘Evening with’ concerts give a full night of beautiful singing, moving ballads, hilarious ditties and everything in between.
Drawing equally from traditional repertoire, modern songs as well as his own compositions and settings of poems by his relative, the celebrated Cornish poet Charles Causley. All accompanied on piano and various accordions and served with a gurt dollop of Westcountry humour, an evening with Jim is an evening not to be missed!
Sunday 6th August Harp and a Monkey
Songs about cuckolded molecatchers, a lone English oak tree that grows at Gallipoli, care in the community, medieval pilgrims and Victorian bare-knuckle boxers … we can only be talking about the acclaimed song and storytelling trio Harp & a Monkey.
The work of Martin Purdy (vocals, glockenspiel, accordion, harmonica and keyboards), Simon Jones (harp, guitar, viola) and Andy Smith (banjo, melodica, guitar and programming) is imbued with a deep Lancashire sensibility that shines through in their beautifully crafted and sometimes spooky vignettes of life, love and remembrance. From original compositions to traditional songs, their approach is rooted in integrity.Formed in 2008, Harp & a Monkey have established a loyal following via the old fashioned practice of relentless gigging. Regulars on the national circuit, the band have gained an enviable reputation for the excellent rapport they establish with their live audiences. Such is the strength of their reputation as a quality live act, they have twice been asked to perform at the English Folk Expo; the annual international showcase of the best of English folk and roots music.The outfit’s melodic and hauntological storytelling, which is always underpinned by a firm commitment to classic songsmithery, has caught the attention and support of the likes of Steve Lamacq, Mark Radcliffe, Clare Balding, Kathryn Tickell and Mike Harding on BBC Radio 2, Lopa Kothari and Nick Luscombe on BBC Radio 3, Folk Radio UK and many more international, national and regional broadcasters.
Sunday 20th August Singers Night
Sunday 3rd September The Jigantics
The Jigantics are a four piece band who have become renowned throughout the UK and Europe for their dynamic live performances. Uplifting songs sit alongside thought provoking tearjerkers as The Jigantics take you on an emotional roller coaster of a ride. Expect the unexpected but you will leave with a smile”The Jigantics are Mark “King” Cole on Vocals, Squeezebox and Mandolin. The award-winning Sarah Kelly on vocals, bass and ukuleles. Keith Thompson on guitars and vocals and Martin Fitzgibbon on percussion, drums and vocals
Sunday 17th September Singers Night
Sunday 1st October Huw Williams
Huw Williams began his professional career as a singer songwriter. He toured and recorded as part of the duo Huw and Tony Williams, whose songs were covered by many other artists in the USA and Europe, including Fairport Convention whose version of Summer Before the War and Simon Nicol’s Rosemary’s Sister brought him to a much wider audience. He has also worked as a broadcaster producing and presenting programs for BBC in the UK.
Huw’s one man show- Birth of an Accidental Musician features foot tapping melodies, deeply moving songs and hilarious humour. Join Huw as he tells you the story of how a woman working in the dole office accidentally changed his life, how he wrote a song about a train that he still doesn’t understand and why £2,000 mysteriously turned up in his bank account! Well-crafted and finely-honed songs, each one an absolute belter. Many songwriters could take a lesson from his brilliant chord progressions and his thoughtful and entertaining lyrics, but his magic touch just about seals it and cajoles the listening public to come back for more – and more and more.’ – Folk Wales
Sunday 15th October Singers Night
Sunday 5th November. Mick Ryan and Paul Downes,
MICK RYAN is well known on the folk scene as a fine singer of traditional and original songs. He was described by “fRoots” as ‘definitely the most underrated singer in the country.’Having written both comic and serious material for the very popular band Crowsin the 1980s, he has since written for radio and a series of highly successful folk musicals: A Tolpuddle Man'(with Graham Moore); A Day’sWork; The Voyage; Tanks for the Memory; and, recently, The Navvy’s Wife and The Pauper’s Path.’Mick Ryan’s words and music are superb’ (Folk on Tap)In this duo Mick is joined by the consummately skilled and expressive guitarist (and sometimes banjoist) Paul Downes.PAUL DOWNES has a sensitive, yet fun approach to live performances which puts him among the most respected artists on the British acoustic music scene today.Paul has a rich musical background that has progressed through working with Phil Beer, The Arizona Smoke Revue, The Joyce Gang (and even once with Pete Seeger). Nine albums with bands, five highly-acclaimed solo albums and over two hundred session credits have still left time for Paul to tour nearly every concert venue, theatre and festival in Britain (including two appearances at the Royal Albert Hall with Show of Hands), plus many tours in the USA and Europe.Together, Mick Ryan and PaulDownes epitomise singing, music and entertainment of the very highest quality.
Sunday 19th November A Special Singers Night Tribute to Dick Brice
Sadly, Forest Folk Club’s friend and great supporter, Dick Brice, passed away earlier this year. As a special tribute to this great songwriter, poet and Forest raconteur, we are dedicating this Singers Night to him and all money raised will go to a charity chosen by his wife, Di, who hopes to be here on this special evening.
Sunday 3rd December THE WHISKEY RIVER BOYS
Martin Blake is very well-respected up and down the Welsh border, being a distinctive Bluesy singer, fab guitarist, excellent banjo player, (Keith Richards look alike – ha ha!) and purveyor of everything musical you might expect to hear between Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Kentucky. You may know him from “Blake’s 3”, “Bon Ton Roulez!!!” or his band of the last 18 years “Whiskey River”.
As usual, he will be ably accompanied by Aidan Sheehan, multi-instrumentalist / sometimes harmonica workshop leader and vocalist. He is Martin’s long-term musical collaborator. These capable musicians are both founder members of “Whiskey River”, a rocking good outfit well-known on the European Cajun and Zydeco music scene. As a duo, they still possess a very full sound – come and see for yourself! You’ll hear twin vocals and a range of folk music played on a wealth of lovely instruments – what more can you ask for? Marvellous. As seen at venues and festivals across the UK, Belgium, France, Holland and Ireland plus TV, radio, theatres and even on a movie soundtrack.
Sunday 17th December Christmas Singers Night
Come along and join us for some festive songs, fun and mince pies!