Multi award-winning acoustic duo, featuring the combined forces of solo artist Jen Bird, and Simon Driscoll from folk-rock band, Burnt Tomorrow.
Drawing musical influences from folk, country and Americana bands their haunting melodies and heart-felt lyrics have transfixed audiences and marked them out as a band to watch.
Studio
£15
An evening inspired by the music of American jazz guitarist Pat Metheny.
Nicolas Meier – acoustic and steel string acoustic guitar.
Alex Hutton – piano and keyboards
Bass - Tom Mason
Eric Ford – Drums
UK-based guitarist Nicolas Meier has carved a reputation out as one of the world's most original and uniquely talented guitarists.
Drawing from a love of Turkish, Eastern and Middle Eastern music, Flamenco, Tango and other genres, all mixed with jazz , Meier's versatility and musical fluency extends well beyond that.
Nic’s considerable talents drew the attention of rock guitar legend, Jeff Beck, who made Nicolas a mainstay in The Jeff Beck Group carrying him on two world tours during the course of the last several years.
Meier originally hails from Switzerland; born in 1973, to parents who are great lovers of the arts. Never short on ambition, Meier founded his own record label, MGP Records, in 2009. To date, he's produced twelve albums: as a solo artist; in various group formats (The Nicolas Meier Group; Nicolas Meier Trio; Eclectica!; Nicolas Meier World Group); with his heavy metal band, Seven7, and; in a duo format, with long-time partner, fellow guitarist and collaborator, the fabulous UK master, Pete Oxley. (Their 2015 release, "Chasing Tales," was a masterful, benchmark album, in the dual-guitar format.)
Meier’s sound is rooted in his love of playing jazz on acoustic guitar, especially his Godin nylon-string guitar. It’s a sound that lends itself especially well to flamenco and middle-eastern music.
These influences, and more, are brilliantly fused in his unique multi-lingual style. He also plays fretless acoustic guitar, the Saz (a traditional Turkish stringed instrument), electric guitar, steel-string acoustic guitar, glissentar (an 11-stringed fretless insturment) and a baglama. By 2022 a new World Group studio album called "Magnificent" came out. A 3 CD package including "Live" and "Stories" to promote this release, lots of UK concerts and a European tour of 11 dates opening for rock guitar legend Steve Vai.
This show will be a nod towards the influence of Pat Metheny and will be a colourful blend of jazz; rock and European folk influenced Jazz.
Studio
£16
Fleetingwood Mac are an exciting tribute to the legendary band Fleetwood Mac.
The band bring across the live sound of Fleetwood Mac, with just one guitar, a keyboard, a drum kit, a man on the bass and of course, the vocals!
They create a genuine Fleetwood Mac sound with a modern edge, doing justice to the classic songs that play a huge part in many people’s lives.
The band do not go on stage pretending to be Fleetwood Mac, instead performing as five musicians who love the music and want to share it to a wider audience.
Courtyard Theatre
£18
Pat Abernethy and Dave Marsden return to their Irish roots for this intimate, musical evening - Pat from Belfast and Dave from Dublin.
The songs will reflect the Irish spirit in its many forms - nostalgia, romance, emigration, politics, sentimentality, loss, regret, humour etc.
Between songs you will be regaled with stories from their years of living and working in Ireland.
Expect to hear songs from Tommy Makem, Mary Black, The Fureys , Bagatelle, Shane McGowan, Phil Coulter, Christie Hennessy, Christy Moore, Dolores Keane, Van Morrison, Val Doonican and more
'Almost brilliant' Irish Times
'An exceptional gift' Scotsman
'Masterful' Time Out
'Convincing and powerful' The Times
Studio
£15
Bound by a shared love of classic songwriting, these four acclaimed singer-songwriters perform both individually and in collaboration.
Between them they have amassed appearances at some of the UK’s biggest festivals including Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk, Green Man and Black Deer. They have garnered rave reviews from the likes of Folk Radio, Maverick and Paste Magazine, and received airplay on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6 Music.
A rare opportunity to see four shining lights of the UK acoustic scene performing together in some of the country’s finest grassroots music venues.
Studio
£15
Annie Dressner website
@AnnieDressner
Lucy Grubb website
@lucygrubb
<a target="blank" href="https://www.danwilde.net/"> Dan Wilde website
Luke James Williams website
@ljwilliamsmusic
@nordenfarm
The 5 piece band play original home grown Bluegrass straight out of the Chiltern Valley... High Wycombe...
The band started out in 2005 and soon became a strong vocal harmony band focused on writing their own take on bluegrass.
They have recorded 4 albums of original material including their most recent album By Your Side.
Expect a perfect blend of great song writing, vocal harmonies and strong musicianship.
Studio
£15
The Ocelots are twins Ashley and Brandon Watson.
They formed during school and started writing their own music pursuing the direction of Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel’s folk sensibilities. They finished school and backpacked around Europe, playing shows and street-performing wherever they could.
In 2017 they released their first EP Till We Get There which hit 1.7 million online streams. In the next three years, backpacking became extensive touring, headlining shows and festivals all over Europe and Australia.
The Ocelots claim inspiration in their music from Paul Simon, Midlake, Cormac McCarthy, Fionn Regan, The La’s, Kings of Convenience and The Shins.
Studio
£16
The Carrivick Sisters are one of the UK's top young bluegrass and folk acts.
Twins Laura and Charlotte perform their original songs and instrumentals along with a few carefully chosen covers on guitar, mandolin, fiddle, dobro, and clawhammer banjo. Their busy touring schedule is rapidly building them a reputation for engaging and entertaining live performances with tight sibling vocal harmonies and multi-instrumental virtuosity. Having grown up in South Devon, an area rich in folk lore and legends, much of their original material is inspired by their local surroundings and history.
The Carrivick Sisters first started performing as a duo in 2006, originally as buskers before turning professional when they left school in 2007. In 2007 they won the South West Busker’s and Street Entertainer’s Competition, gaining themselves their first spot at Glastonbury Festival. In 2008 Laura achieved 2nd place at the RockyGrass Fiddle Contest in America. The Carrivick Sisters were finalists in the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Young FolkAwards 2010 and were named Band|Duo of the Year in the 2011 FATEA Awards. Most recently Charlotte won first place in both Old-time banjo and fiddle at FOAOTMAD's festival in Gainsborough 2012.
'Demonstrating rare instrumental and vocal superiority that puts their colleagues to shame… this is one duo which is going places' ★★★★★ Maverick Magazine
Studio
£16
In a change to previously advertised, this event is on Wednesday 14 June 2023
Led by Richard Lee
For novice guitarists who can string chords together, strum confidently and move between chords with some ease, to take the next steps. You will learn some classic songs, interesting chords, light music theory and the 12-bar blues.
These classes are split by skills level;
Beginners A - Recently completed the Absolute Beginners course but still some way to go. Yet to tackle bar chords and complicated rhythms.
Beginners B - Well on the way and able to do bar chords
Beginners C - Almost intermediate but not quite yet.
If you've never played guitar you need to book on the Absolute Beginners course!
Spring
Tues 10 Jan - 7 Feb, Tues 21 Feb - 21 Mar, Tues 28 Mar - 25 Apr (exc 4 Apr)
7pm - 8pm
£40 per 5 week course | £32 per 4 week course
Booking cut off time: 6pm on the first day of each course
This class will take place both in person and online via Zoom.
You will find the link to access the session in your booking confirmation email
Suitable for ages 18+ years.
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