Christchurch Folk Music Club
Open Mic Night
5 May 2024
- All Admission – $5
Please follow this link to register your attendance: https://www.trybooking.com/nz/events/landing/11292
Perform to an appreciative audience, who will listen, engage and respect your performance. You will be amongst friends.
We provide an outlet for local acoustic performers – singers, songwriters & poets all welcome. We encourage all levels – novice or expert – to hone performance skills in front of a sympathetic audience.
Everything is provided – microphones, stage, lighting, leads, music stands – plus a dedicated sound tech who will work with you to make your best!
If you have specific requests please talk to him before the event starts. We are a listening audience that focuses respectfully on the performers and lots of encouragement.
Perform material you know – we don’t expect perfection but you’ll always come across better if you really know your stuff. However, if you are a regular performer at our open mics we challenge you to bring new material to share.Further develop your repertoire whilst offering the audience variety.
Some tips for performers
* Be tuned-up and ready to take the stage when it’s your turn.
* Stay close to the mic for best vocals – our mics work best between 25 and 75mm.
* After you play, the polite thing to do is stick around and listen to others.
* Be positive and encouraging. It takes guts to get up and everyone deserves bouquets for doing that.
* We all make mistakes, blow chords, and forgets lyrics sometimes. Don’t worry and don’t apologise.
* Do play contrasting songs (One slow, one fast, one in major, one in minor, one strummed, one finger picking etc.)
* Don’t play two songs in the same key back-to-back. Even if an audience doesn’t know, their ears will start to get bored.
* Don’t apologise before you play a song. We want to be excited about your song, support yourself by being positive.
* Do have fun! Savour the experience. You transmit your feelings from the stage – so if you have fun so will the audience.
* Practice your introductions, short & specific – you’d prefer they remember the song and not the long-winded ramble – right?
* Do prepare. Don’t launch into something you’re still learning * be kind to yourself and take the time you need to prepare and be confident!
* Keep coming back. You’ll get better and better…
…and bring your friends to cheer you on.
Doors open 7pm. Performance starts at 7.30pm,
VENUE: Irish Society Hall, 29 Domain Terrace, Spreydon The hall is situated up the long driveway, directly next to Domain Park, and there is plenty of well-lit off-street parking..
How do I get tickets to concerts?
In advance: Book your tickets online. Select the concert you wish to attend and click on the link to book your ticket.
On the day: Purchase tickets at the venue from 7:15pm on the day of the concert if not sold out prior.
PLEASE BRING CASH For: Tea, coffee, biscuits and cake available during the break and the club raffle. Bar facilities for cold refreshments throughout the night, Eftpos available for purchases only, no cash-out facility.
Folk Club and Irish Society members please remember to bring your membership card for licensing purposes. Non-members sign in at the bar if making purchases.
Christchurch Musicians Club concert
21 April 2023
It is with much pleasure and anticipation that The Folk Club hosts our cousins from The Christchurch Musician’s Club, to put on a musical variety performance showcasing a selection of local talent. Four separate acoustic based acts will deliver a veritable banquet of tunes across the musical spectrum, from smooth jazz through to pop, blues, country, classics, originals and quirky numbers you wouldn’t expect.
Isabelle Wolff
12 May 2024
Isabelle Wolff is a German singer/songwriter playing gypsy jazz pop with German and English lyrics
My Back Pages
26 May 2024
Isabella (Izzy) Miller Bell Aka Ma Bell “My Back Pages”. Up close and personal with one of the country’s finest acoustic folk blues jazz Celtic soul singer-songwriters.
Waimate Winter Folk Festival
Kings Birthday Weekend Fri 31st May – Monday 3rd June.
A great, homely musical gathering for performers and enjoyers of folk music of all ages and levels of skill, from beginners to seasoned performers.
July Ceilidh
14 July 2024
Known for their nights filled with fun, great music and most of all, exceptional dancing. Bring your dancing shoes and smiles, all that is needed for an evening of merriment and “the best fun to be had with your clothes on”.
Gary Elford
8 September 2024
This folk club concert will be 2 small shows. The first “Coming of Age” is a collection of Gary’s works in both verse and song The second is “From Paterson to Prine”.
This features Gary reciting his favorite Banjo Paterson poems which tell the stories of Aussie bush characters and display his love of the genre; Bush Poetry.
Nick Smith
15 September 2024
Nick has a long standing interest in British folk music, attending folk clubs and festivals back in the U.K. before emigrating to NZ 20 years ago. Nick and his family settled in Gisborne for 12 years, where he was an active participant on the local music scene, performing in an acoustic duo and forming a folk / Irish band called Barleycorn.
September Open Mic Night
29 September 2024
We provide an outlet for local acoustic performers – singers, songwriters & poets all welcome. We encourage all levels – novice or expert – to hone performance skills in front of a sympathetic audience.
October Ceilidh
6 October 2024
Known for their nights filled with fun, great music and most of all, exceptional dancing. Bring your dancing shoes and smiles, all that is needed for an evening of merriment and “the best fun to be had with your clothes on”.