STANHOPE FOLK CLUB, Queens Head Pub, Front Street, Stanhope
The Programme for 2005
WHATS ON IN WEARDALE
Killhope Lead Mining Centre
MINING IN WEARDALE UK MINING VENTURES AT THE ROGERLEY MINE
Folk Clubs up to 1hours drive from Weardale
Review of the "Victorian Music Hall Night" 7 Dec 2003
SONG OF THE MONTH
FARNE the new FOLK ARCHIVE RESOURCES NORTH EAST
The Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, Howden le Wear
Review of the Northumbrian Night October 2003
Review of the Rib Tickling Night - May 2004
Humerous Monologue of the Month
An Extra Special Monologue by popular request
The web side humour page
Northumberland Traditional Music Festival
Views of Weardale, a working community
Stanhope Silver Band
Contact Information for Stanhope Folk Club
Message Board
Guestbook
Event Calendar
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Northumberland Traditional Music Festival
 | The Club were delighted take part, for the second time, in the Northumberland Traditional Music Festival. For one night of moonlight magic only the border between County Durham and without a quiver in the tectonic plates and mineral strata of Weardale, Northumberland shifted ever so slightly ten miles or south to include. The Club members put together a programme which linked the rich musical heritage of the area from the fishing to mining villages and the NE music halls. Poets, story tellers, musicians and singers made it a memorable night.
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The Local Musicians
 Again a stupendous achievemen. The club almost a victim of its own highly geared PR campagn to put Stanhope and the event on the folk music map. Even although the publicity had been toned down from the previous yearit was again a struggle to fit everyone in. A big thank you to the Queens Head for the venue and all the people who helped publicise the night, performed or just squeezed up a little to make more room.
You often hear an audience laugh spontaneously, but seldom do they break into song. The merriment and banter that night about moving folk around and finding seats was contageous. Barriers and inhibitions were broken down and so people joined in and really enjoyed themselves. No standing on ceremony.
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Bring in More Local Musicians and Singers
 Our friends from West Auckland brought to life in song, the coal mining heritage of the area a theme which was picked up by other excellent floor singers. John and Jean captured the mood with a moving rendition of Jez Lowe's "Coal Town Days". The mining theme was popular throughout the night. Scottish and Irish songs were included to mark the cultural contribution made by the Scots and Irish who moved to the area looking for work.
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Stanhope's Own Concertina Man
Currah as usual, expertly self accompanied on his concertina, had us in stiches with his humerous songs - one about the unlikely topic of manure - "fling it here and fling it there". In fact in was left to Currah to bring to the fore the farming heritage of the area.
Les and Sylvia, our accordionists got the night well launched with "Blaydon Races", "Keep yor feet still Geordie Hinny" and other well loved north east songs. Iris sang a song attributed to the blind fiddler, Billy Purves, who lived in Gateshead in the 1790's and other northumbrian traditional songs.
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Poets and Story Tellers
We attracted a hat trick of poets and story tellers. There were Geordie Broon of Backworth monologues that seemed just as fresh as when they were first published over 70 years ago. Pure tyneside dialect even if said by Hugh with a slight scottish accent. Newcastle Broon Ale by Steve Vipond was read. This had its first public reading at the Club about 15 years ago. |
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