Club Night 28th October 2016

Twas brillig, and the slithy toves, did gyre and gimble in the wabe:  all mimsy were the borogroves, and the mome roths outgrabe.“Beware the Jabberwock, my son, the jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware theJubjub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch!”…..

JABBERWOCKY

As you have probably guessed, local group Jabberwocky visited us tonight,

Ian,Gill, Gilly and Mick visit and entertain us every couple of months or so.

Another local duo that visit us, Dawn and Allan.

Also  happened to visit on the same night!  Finished their first spot with a lovely version of Run Away with Me.

As for our regulars,Kevin sang a gill ladry song, followed by the classic John Wright, All the answers.

Wendy had us all crying singing about Hobo Billy’s Last Ride, (at least no one died in Geoff’s songs!).

Richard  sang a Jim Reeves song, Adios Amigos,

Wendy sang another Tania Tucker song, (no one died this time)  and they finished with Doctor Hooks, “Who,s going to water my plants” etc.

Jabberwocky finished the first half.

He took his vorpal sword in hand, long time the manxome foe he sought- So rested he by the tumtum tree, And stood a while in Thought…

With the songs I Never New Love before,  Van Morrison’s Moon Dance and Handbags and Glad Rags.

We then had the raffle…

Kevin opened the second half,  reminding us that Xmas is just around the corner with his second Xmas song of the year  Xmas in New York, his first last week was  Xmas in Washington,  Where will it be next week? (answers  please on a post card or sealed envelope  to…)

Linda and Tom came back..

and started with Killing me softly, followed by a Mark Knoppler song, The Next Time I,m in Town, and finishing with waiting for the times to get better.

Richard, accompanied by Mick, Alan and Tom, Were “Living On Tulsa Time”

Mike sang his own lovely poignant song, She Was Only 17

John Taylor then sang for us a really good song about  the miners strike in Barnsley.

Colin gave us You Never can Tell, By Chuck Berry, Dawn and Alan came back,

And gave us four more songs.

followed by Richard and Wendy, Who sang Crying Time and I wish it would Rain.

And To Finish…

And as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,  Came whiffling through the tuggley wood, and burbled as it came.

Who gave us four more songs, Aretha Franklin’s Change,  Good thing, Robert Johnson’s Sweet Home Chicago, and to finish Jesse Jays Price Tab

One two! One Two! And through and through. The Vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head, He went galumping back.

Don’t forget, next week is guest night, be early!!!

Club Night 21st October 2016

Wendy was just finishing a Georgette Jones number when I arrived, Just in time for my favourite Edwina Hayes song  Run,

Really looking forward to seeing Edwina Hayes next year,but as I have been listening to Wendy singing the songs for so long, I will probably prefer Wends versions!

Next we had The Singing Degneys, (Tom and Linda) to entertain us with anew song, (I forgot the title!) and an old favourite Four Wheel drives blue Ridge mountain Girl.

Richard, who was comparing this evening then told a joke (Neil Style!!!) about a friend of his called Paddy who went to buy a pizza, ( A true story) . When the laughter eventually died down he introduced  Tom Goodall, Who started of with a really good Bruce Springsteen cover.

He carried on with one of his best self  written songs Brittney The Bedroom Star,

To complete an excellent set.

The maestro was next, (Kevin to his friends),

who first gave us a Gill Landry song, followed be Steve Earls Christmas in Washington, (Our First Xmas song of the year!!!)

(left click with your mouse on the pictures to see a really nice picture of kevins guitar, or Kevin if you prefer,)

Tony Grant had a hard act to follow…

but amply rose to the challenge, by borrowing one of Geoff Hollis  favourites, All the Answers, and one I haven’t heard him sing  before, You,l  never be the Sun.

It was time to crank up  the microphone to its highest height, and welcome Rhyl,s own BFG on stage.

Mr Geoff  Hollis

I really must get a panoramic camera, or move further back!

Goeff started with the poignant Bryn Phillips song about the true story of an  ex Bridge End miner, For those of you interested….This is by Bryn.

John Gates was a miner in South Wales, near Bridge End, before he was made redundant at the age of 50 when the pit in his local town closed down. There was virtually no chance of getting a job in the area and so he turned to a hobby which he had for years – embroidery. He is now a successful teacher and lectures on the subject all over the place.

I first heard his story on Woman’s Hour, whilst travelling back from Bridgnorth Folk festival. Immediately I arrived home I started to write the song. After I had written it I managed to trace John and sent him a recording of the song to make sure he was happy about my performing it. Thankfully he was, and what’s more he sent me some photographs of the wedding dress which features in the song and also an embroidered badge, which I treasure. If you click on the image (top right) you can see this fine example of his detailed work in, of course, silver and gold.

And for those of you wondering, he hasn’t got a halo, it’s the light bulb about 4″ from his head!!!

Next he sang for us a song he has been working on for the last 9 weeks, his first performance of the Stan Rogers song about the Mary Ellen Carter. this could well turn into a favourite.

We only had to wind the mike down a little bit for our next guest, Terry is quite long too!!

he started of with a Mel haggard song, and finished with the classic Hank Williams, Willy nelson song Old Flames.

accompanied of course by Tom on slide guitar.

We then had the raffle, then most artists did another song.

Tom Degney did  South Bound Freight. Then Richard sang The Games people play, with Tom accompanying on the mandolin.

Tom Goodall came back, and gave us a very good version of Creedance Clear Water Revivals Proud Mary, (Even Hotter than Tina Turners)Richard  and Wendy were Next, I missed Richard first time round.

They sang Welcome to my world as a duet.

Near  the end now…

Geoff Hollis sang windy Harbour, Linda gave us a sing-a-long, or more accurately a howl a-long, The Northern Plains. Tery Mealey gave us the John Prine favourite Put Another Log on the Fire, always a favourite educational song  for the girls. To Finish Richard, Tom Terry and Wendy all sang The Speed of the Sound of loneliness, then finished with  Hank Williams Wedding Bells.

DONT FORGET 4TH NOVEMBER GUEST NIGHT, MEMBERS £1.50 AS NORMAL, GUESTS £3.00. THE BEST VALUE NIGHT IN RHYL.

See you all next week.

Club night 14 October 2016

After a slow start the room filled up quite nicely. The performers in attendance this week were Tom & Linda Degney, Tom Goodall, Colin Campbell, Mike Whittaker, Richard and Wendy Eastwood, Geoff Hollis, Annie and Bob and two new names to me Andy  from Abergele & Molly who is Annie’s sister I think.

Wendy was MC  tonight and a good job she made of it. Everyone who wanted to got three songs each. A new duo was formed  (Almost Blue) when Andy joined Wendy on his Keyboard with some jazzy sort of numbers.  Annie and Bob were then  joined by Molly on Andy’s Keyboard  for their first two songs. Andy also did a tune called ‘I Feel for You’ which was one of his own compositions. Now talking of Composers,  Mike Whittaker and Tom Goodall are now receiving requests for their own songs to be sung.  ‘Girl on a Train’  (Mike) and (Another Slug) (Tom).

Tom and Linda were ‘Somewhere on the Road again’ , Richard Eastwood was in ‘A Town like This’, Tom Degney sang ‘The Green Rolling hills of West Virginia, I did Jack Ashton, Annie, Bob & Molly did ‘Blind Willie Mctell’  because someone had been given a Literature prize apparently. Now where was I, oh yes who could forget Colin Campbell’s  version of Chuck Berry’s ‘ My Dingaling’ well who could match that and up pops Wendy to finish the night  with a big hit by Ketty Lester ‘Love Letters’.

Talking of Lesters’ another one will be back next week  to make a more sensible report, I am sure.

All the best & see you all on Friday 21 October 2016.

Club Night 7th October 2016

I thought that I had walked into the wrong club last Friday,

there were not many seats left. and several new faces, as the summer ends and holidays finish, we start to get a full club again. (and where else can you get a good nights entertainment for £1.50!) .  When I arrived I thought we had a new young  female country and western vocalist, then I realized that it was a tanned Wendy, just back from her holidays, (Richard was tanned too!)

Next up was Raphael Callaghan, who we normally see with Tom Dick and Harry Band, (which we did …later)  He entertained us with some songs from his new album Said and Done.

After Raphael came Colin, who gave us a selection including a song from one of his favourite bands Mike and the Mechanics.

Jim the Fiddler was next…

who gave us A Life on the Ocean Waves, Followed by a Scottish tune.

We then had a newcomer to the club, Jane from Bethesda.,

She gave us a couple of Christy Moore songs, finishing with Nancy Spain. Lets all hope that we see her again soon.

Linda and Tom came next.

Tom had his frying pan with him, so Linda took the advantage and sang Ring the Bell.

she finished with Four Wheel Drives My Blue Ridge Mountain Girl.

It was time for the combined talents of Rhyl an Ruthin, with the Tom, Dick, Harry, John and Raphael Band…

as they were setting up, Harry lowered the tone of the evening by asking a Lancashire  riddle, from when he was a wee lad, ‘ whats little and wrinkled, and hangs out your underpants’ We must be thick in Rhyl, no one got it write,  its your granny.

Things could only get better, which they did, as they sang for us Buddy Holly True Love Ways,  Delia Gone, John Prines Speed of the sound of loneliness, and Drift Away.

It was then time for the Raffle.

Which was won by a very nice man from Carmel, a nice looking bottle of Merlot.

We were then introduced to  Russell  Williams and Helen Lank,

Who have recently got together and formed a duo. Helen is a brilliant double bassist, and Russell an excellent guitarist and singer, I think he must be saving up for a new guitar, as he said the one he was using was made in 1941!

They  gave us Americana songs by Johnny Horton, Hank Williams, (from 1922!) and with Raphael on the harp, a Jerry McCain / Thunderbirds song.

Russel is a great friend of Toms, who invited him to visit Rhyl, as they are from the Frodsham /Chester area. Lets hope Tom can get them to come again.

John Taylor came back on.

And have a hilariously funny rendition of my first day at the pit. what makes it so fantastically funny is Johns  accent and delivery,  I can’t imagine anyone being able to do it any better.

Mike  Whitiker  Finished of with one of his own, Underneath the Waterfall,  Colin with streets of London, Jane with a song about birth control and beer…. Jim fiddled a slow air, Wild Rose of the Mountain, and Linda and Tom  Another Lonesome Morning.

time for the finale,

Tom Dick, Harry, John and Raphael came back on to sing us out with Jerry Rafferty,s Baker Street, what a fantastic end to my bottle of wine, it vibrated of the table and fell on the floor, managing to hit the table leg on the way down. Other than that a really good night

See you all in 2 weeks, I,m having a week off.

AND DONT FORGET…

Club Night 30th September 2016

Nine artists tonight, (excluding the ones that drink too much!) a 50% improvement over last week.

Everybody seems to go on holiday in September, when the kids go back to school, (cheapskates!).  Things should start getting back to normal this week.

As Neil was poorly, Richard was comparing, get well and come back soon Neil, we are all missing the jokes…

When I arrived, Mike Whitaker  was part way through his first turn, in which he sang three of his own songs.

He was followed by Tom, Who,s first song was dedicated to his friend and fellow musician, Graham Fossil, who died last week. Graham had played in Rhyl a time back. Tom sang I Wonder Where you are Tonight, as it was one Graham particularly liked. He finished with The Green Rolling Hills Of Virginia.

Gentleman Jim was next up to fiddle for us, as well as explaining the difference between a fiddle and a violin, he gave us Ashakan Farewell, Some Scottish tunes, and Twilight over Shetland.

Tom and Linda were next, Linda started with the Cox Brothers, Everyone is reaching out for Someone.  She then dedicated the next song to Neil, as it was one of his favourites, we all howled our way through The Northern Plains, and Neil texted a howl too!. Linda finished with Four Wheel Drives Blue Ridge Mountain Girl.

Tom Goodall was on next.

He started with lets Get Married, Followed on with Station of Stillness, and finished with the excellent Mothers Hug. Tom writes  good songs. He also does the odd cover, one of his best being When Doves Cry, by Prince He,s only done it once at Rhyl , so If you haven’t seen it, here it is, and he,s accompanied by his cat!

Next up was The Magnificent Tony Grant!

Not a lot more you can say about Tony, he always gives us a five star performance.

Tony,s first song was a Niel Diamond, Girl you,l Br A Woman Soon,  Followed by Kiran Halpin,s / Geoff Hollis,s  All the Answers, And for Vera, Willie Nelson’s Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground.

Terry was next, to give us our weekly John Prine, and other old cowboy songs, this week we had Welfare Line, Teenage Fathers, and Bury Me.

After the raffle it was one song each, Starting with Richard, who did Me and Bobby McGee.

Colin then did a Bob Dylan song, Working  Men,s  Blues.

Followed again by mike, Who gave us a lovely self penned song called She was Only 17

Tom did a Jimmy Rogers song, from when he was 14 or 15, Hobo Bills Last Ride

Tom Goodall did his second turn, showcasing a brand new song written for the austerity (We Shall Overcome) event which is all this week.

It was called Austerity, and, as usual a really good song, If You Missed it, I will take pity on you!!!  And you get a good video,

Tony  Grant Did Red Rose Caffe

The night was closed by Richard, Terry, and Tom singing John Prines The Speed Of The Sound Of loneliness. (Terry is the shy one with his back to the camera)

AND DONT FORGET….

Bye for now.

Club Night 23rd September 2016

THE MAGNIFICIENT SEVEN AT RHYL FOLK AND ACOUSTIC…

Well not quite, but I couldn’t think of a title for 6 people, due to cruises, festivals holidays and other commitments, we only had six performers, but even with only six, it was just as good, if not better than ever.

Richard with Tom accompanying him on Mandolin gave us Tom Wait,s The Long Way Home, then Me and Bobby McGee.

Followed by Linda, accompanied by Tom, with What Will Become of Me, Carolina Star, and Somewhere on the Road tonight.

Next  we had a pleasant supprise….heres a Clue.

Yes,Kevin bought his lovely, mellow sounding j200 for us to listen to,

OFFICIAL FAN CLUB PHOTOGRAPH!

and as we hadn’t seen him for a few weeks, gave us a real good selection of our favourite songs, including  Round Here, Randy Edelman,s Uptown Woman, and other songs by john Wait, Steve Earl and The Sawdoctors. It sounded excellent, Kevin’s voice was good to!.

Next surprise guest was Roland from Deeside, who visits as often as he can, as he lives quite a long way away. He gave us a selection of his own songs, including Sorry,the beautiful  Why can,t My arms be 1000 Miles Long, and he finished with a song, inspired by his friend (hmm!)  I think was called In The Buff, about going on a nudist holiday. I think this one will be like the song about his budgie song, it will be requested everywhere he goes. A great performance Roland, please come back soon.

We were lucky, Colin had an instrument with him or we would only have had five performers.

He definitely won the award for the smallest instrument of the night, (Linda didn’t have her kazoo with her!) but miked up, it sounded as sweet as any concert Uke. He gave us a selection of weather related songs,  Early Morning Rain, the Beatles, I,l Follow the Sun, and Buddy Holly  Raining in my heart.

Tom and Linda came back and gave us some more songs, including songs by Linda Ronstadt, Four Wheel Drive, and The Flying Pickets,

To almost Finish…

Kevin came back on and gave us an extended set, featuring, Simon And Garfunkel The Boxer, Richard Thompsons Beeswing, The  Sawdoctors  Fallen for Another, and the great Geronimo’s  Cadillac.

Tom closed the evening with the Green Rolling Hills of Virginia.

An enjoyable evening was had by all, with only six performers.

REMEMBER!!!! SPECIAL EVENT, PLEASE SUPPORT.