Joy Thomas

De Montfort Hall and Gardens, Leicester

Gawd, how exciting! De Montfort Hall and Gardens will resonate this June with the sound of folky songstresses as The Big Session welcomes sweetie pie Cara Dillon, folkingcool love bunny Jackie Oates (whose latest album Hyperboreans the press release delightfully mis-spells as Hyperbeans) AND dear Kate Rusby. Oysterband [...]

One of the most original and stunning singers of traditional music, Cara Dillon, is currently touring, following the release of her beautiful fourth album, Hill of Thieves.

The album marks a return to her roots with an outstanding collection of traditional songs. Already a highly acclaimed torch-bearer of traditional music, songwriter Cara, and [...]

Hugh Wilson

If you fancy a festival with 14 stages, four mung bean burger stands and a Big Bank sponsored corporate VIP alcopops enclosure, Larmer Tree is probably not for you.

This is a friendly little festival which makes much of its cosy 4000 capacity and pretty-as-a-picture location on the Wiltshire/Dorset Border. It wins awards for “having [...]

Stephen Taylor

I’ve only been to Doncaster once and I had a Very Bad Day. As the snow melts and the green shoots peek out, I could be tempted back by the sheer loveliness of the local line-up at this year’s Doncaster Folk Festival. Part of the city’s Hothouse festival which encompasses comedy, theatre and [...]

Hugh Wilson

You’ll know Holmfirth as the location for Last of the Summer Wine, the endless BBC sitcom that featured lovable pensioner rogues Compo, Clegg, Dopey, Happy and Not At All Funny and always used to be on at your gran’s when you popped round on Sunday.

But Holmfirth has so much more to offer than guided [...]