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Guests 2020
First Wednesday each month at South Holland Centre.
8pm. Usual admission £6.
8th January Winter Wilson
Lincolnshire favourites Kip Winter and Dave Wilson have stepped up another level since we saw them last, with tours of Australia, Canada, Spain and Belgium during 2019. They also have a new album out, and you can expect to hear some great new songs from Dave - he is now being spoken of as one of our leading British songwriters. Here's a clip
5th February
Copper Viper
A new act for us, Copper Viper are creating a stir with their bluegrass inflected guitar/mandolin/fiddle arrangements and sweet harmony vocals, mostly with their own material. With tours of Canada on their date sheet, they may not be within our reach for long! Here's a clip
4th March Jack Rutter
Jack, another newcomer, is one of the finest traditional singers around. He specialises in music from his native Yorkshire, bringing new life to often neglected and unfamiliar songs. He comes with a recommendation from Kathryn Tickell, no less, who says "he makes my heart sing," Here's a clip
1st April Dan McKinnon
Dan is a warm and engaging singer with a rich voice not unlike the late Stan Rogers, one or two of whose songs he sometimes includes in his set. Mixing in a few traditional songs with his own thoughtful writing, an evening with Dan can be an uplifting experience. Here's a clip
6th May Tania Opland and Mike Freeman
Mike and Tania probably hold the record for most eclectic performers we have ever seen, with vast array of instruments and an even vaster array of musical sources. Your horizons will definitely be enlarged. Here's a clip in medieval mode.
3rd June The John Ward Trio
John and his band were due to visit us in January last year but were struck down by illness. John's songs are wide-ranging, sometimes touching, always thoughtful, but presented with humour and enjoyment. Time Out calls him "a songwriter of maturity and depth." Here's a clip.
1st July Andy Wall
For the last 10 years or so Andy has been one of the organisers of Ely folk club and festival, although he's travelled widely and has performed all over Europe as well as Australia and South Africa. Expect some out of the way material in among some old favourites, all played and sung very neatly. Here's a clip of him playing at Cambridge festival.
5th August
Glymjack
Glymjack are a hot property. If you consider that their debut album Light the Evening Fire has all three members of Show of Hands as backing musicians you get the idea. Tom Robinson on BBC6 says they "remind you of why you got into music in the first place." Sounds like an exciting evening in store. Here's a clip.
2nd September Lizzy Hardingham
Another singer completely new to us: Lizzie is building a reputation in East Anglia with appearances at Folk East and Cambridge festivals. A fine clear singer with a country twang on some numbers, performing a mixture of her own songs and some contemporary covers. Here's a clip.
7th October Jay Turner
Jay's roots are in the folk clubs of Essex but he has experimented with a variety of musical styles along the way from country to synth pop. He now lives and works in Australia with his partner Cath Mundy and he is making a rare visit to the UK. He is known for his well-crafted and wide-ranging songwriting. Here's a clip.
4th November
Odette Michell with Rory Innerd
Another guest with connections to Show of Hands, Odette does the occasional gig with Phil Beer and even sometimes Miranda Sykes. This year she has won Female Artist of the Year at the prestigious FATEA awards.
2nd December tba
and coming up in 2021
Jan Archer, Matthews and Russell
Feb Alden, Patterson and Dashwood
Mar Over the Moon
Apr Granny's Attic (tbc)