Helen Capes, the Hexhamshire Lass with support Ukaholix – 6 April 2025

Helen Capes, known as the Hexhamshire Lass, was born in Hexhamshire, Northumberland, where she immersed herself in local traditions. She had the wonderful opportunity to attend evening classes in Northumbrian Smallpipes at her local high school, where she developed her unique playing style, influenced by legends like Joe Hutton and Colin Ross.

Thirty years ago, Helen brought her musical talents to Aotearoa, creating a diverse repertoire of songs and tunes inspired by her roots and travels. As a singer, piper, and all-around entertainer, she has performed at pubs and festivals in New Zealand, Australia and Britain, gathering tunes and stories along the way.

Helen brings her stories to life with a captivating combination of pipes and voice. Her performances include everything from ancient ballads to contemporary jigs and reels, often leaving the audience crying one moment and laughing the next—sometimes both at once!

So, come and welcome the Hexhamshire Lass! Treat yourself to a refreshing experience with a solo artist who can entertain like no other.

Support Act:

Ukaholix is a dynamic musical duo born out of a shared appreciation for the power of melody to evoke emotion.  Together they bring the timeless beauty of classical, traditional, folk, blues, and Celtic traditions. With an intuitive connection and a deep passion for melody and harmony, Colleen and Lyn weave together an eclectic range of sounds, creating a unique blend that resonates with diverse audiences.

Whether performing intimate acoustic sets or captivating larger audiences, Colleen and Lyn enchant listeners with their intricate harmonies and delicate instrumentation and bring a lighthearted and energetic approach to their craft.

Catch them live and experience the magic of Ukaholix — the ukulele duo that’s all about good vibes and great music.  Together, they create an enchanting balance that captivates listeners and leaves them with a smile on their faces.

Andrew London Duo supported by Moccachocolata – 4 May

Andrew London’s quirky songs will make you laugh out loud as you recognise yourself and everyone around you, and all the prejudices, obsessions and weird little idiosyncrasies we Kiwis put out on display every day.
There are songs about politics, social status, shopping habits, teenagers, coffee culture, neighbours and small town protocol. And insights into the unpredictable and tenuous lives of traveling musicians, based on having played a thousand gigs from the woolsheds of Central Otago to the board rooms of Queen Street.

Delivery is wrapped in an eclectic mix of jazz/blues/country and folk styles with Andrew’s swing-era guitar style accompanying, while partner Kirsten underpins solidly on bass and backing vocals, lyric-prompting and emotional counselling.
Andrew’s songs have contributed to popular trio Hot Club Sandwich, country band The Cattlestops, the Too Many Chiefs quartet and numerous other collaborations at jazz, blues, folk, country and arts festivals from Queenstown to Auckland, Melbourne to Norfolk Island and Sydney to Saudi Arabia. The enforced isolation of the Covid lockdown saw the duo rearrange his entire repertoire to suit, with the results viewable on eight 40-minute Youtube episodes called ‘Live at The Londons’.

His songs and recordings have gained 4-star reviews in Downbeat magazine (the World’s longest- running and most widely read jazz magazine), provided soundtracks to movies (Second-Hand Wedding, No Ordinary Sheila, No Petrol, No Diesel), been nominated for Tui awards and contributed to National Radio’s Greatest Song Ever Written and a Correspondence School English Syllabus.

The duo’s current show sees them tighter than ever, the songs more concise, with the accent on acerbic satire, self-deprecating humour and tongue-twisting wordsmithery.
‘I’ve never seen anyone sing so many words, so fast, without swallowing his own tongue. You guys
are like Flight of The Conchords for Rest Homes’ said a Radio NZ caretaker.

Come and have a laugh at yourself (and them…they don’t mind)

andrewlondon.co.nz
andrewlondon11@gmail.com

MOCCACHOCOLATA

Sues Jeffery of Nelson (ukulele bass, percussion) and Tony Worrall of Christchurch (guitars, ukulele) are old friends who were regular performers in Christchurch 20 years ago. After a long hiatus they are now managing to get together and perform in Nelson or Christchurch several times a year.
They style themselves as a “retro-latino-funko-loungeo duo”! Tony and Sues play ‘swapsies’ with lead, harmony and backing vocals.
Their repertoire is a frivolous collection of cafe music styles – cosmopolitan (Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian and English lyrics), lounge, bossa nova, calypso, jazz, swing, blues, disco, funk, soul, and quirky rarities.

Saltwater Creek – 11 May 2025

Saltwater Creek was formed in early 2024 when a group of five long-time friends and musical collaborators – Al Mackenzie, Bruce Penno, Chris Chamberlain, Lesley Askin, and Rob Allan – decided to get together and start something new. Drawing upon their years of musical experience and wide-ranging tastes, they formed a covers band with a set-list that traverses many decades and a wide range of genres, from folk, to blues, soul, pop, and rock. Instrumentation includes acoustic, electric and bass guitars, blues harp, fiddle, and percussion. With five capable vocalists, lead vocal duties are shared around, and when all those voices combine, the result is a rich vocal texture that is not often heard in live music these days.

The five original members have recently been joined by Mike Boulden on drums, anchoring the rhythm section and helping the band do justice to the more up-tempo rock numbers.

Artists that you’ll hear covered in a Saltwater Creek set-list include: Crowded House, Dave Dobbyn, Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton, James Taylor, Bruno Mars, The Beatles, The Band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and many more.

Support act of Kristina Godfrey and Tony Hale are celebrating a decade as a duo. Sensitively attuned guitar picking by Tony enriches Kristina’s entrancing vocals, fusing their sound as one. Their repertoire of covers, by artists such as Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez, is both wide-ranging and rhythmically diverse.Outside of the duo, Kristina sings with the female trio Saffron Sisters, and continues as a singer-songwriter, releasing her CD in 2018, Good Enough For Love. Tony organises his annual Fingerpicking Delights concert and publishes research into local folk music and Irish Society history.

Ellen Barry & Paul Bacon – 18 May 2025

These two artists first brought their talents to The Open Mic stage at the club, where their ability stood out.
We have been delighted to have Ellen and Paul as support acts at the club.
Ellen took ownership of the stage as a support act for Amiria Grenell and received warm tributes from Amiria for this support.
Equally, when Paul supported Enda Kenny, it was like a younger version of Enda, as Paul weaved songs of stories and life experiences, along similar lines to Enda’s songs, which Enda acknowledged.

We look forward to a night where we experience more of their creativity, flair and their formula to bring us a night of awe-inspiring music. We challenge you to support new local talent, as these two are!

Two young artists to watch as their careers develop.

Ellen Barry
Ellen is a singer and songwriter from Ōtautahi who returned to her hometown in 2024, after 8 years of life in England.  Back at the folk club after opening for Amiria Grenell shortly after her return in May 2024, Ellen is offering an evening of original, solo music; featuring intimate songs of love, loss and the evocative landscapes of the heart. With a voice that can quiet a room, described as uplifting and ethereal, combined with a deep love of poetry, spoken word and vocation as a therapist, Ellen creates song spaces that are personal, and self-aware and walk the space in between messily human and otherworldly.
As a former graduate of Ara Institute of Musical Arts, Ellen has led ensembles in the Ōtahtahi Jazz and Big Band festival but has found her way back to her folky roots, inspired by many artists who pair story with the simplicity of voice, guitar and a desire to bring people together. She is in the process of recording her solo works for the first time and is delighted to be sharing some of the upcoming releases this evening.
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Paul Bacon
Combining the ruggedness of rock, the rawness of rap and the relatability of folk, Otautahi local, Paul Bacon delivers his acoustic-driven originals with a vulnerability and authenticity befitting of the singer/songwriter tradition. Often introspective and always personal, themes of faith and failure, justice and frailty, love and longing are woven together in honest vocals and delicate melodies that remind us all of our shared humanity.
Since first discovering an affinity for songwriting at 15, Paul would spend the next 25 years honing his craft. With influences including Sting, Dave Matthews, Ben Howard, Toto, Steven Wilson and Eminem, he would borrow elements from all, in developing his own unique style based on his preference for fingerstyle guitar and alternate tunings.
Now ready to share with the world, songs previously only privy to bedroom walls,  Paul is actively working toward performing and releasing his large repertoire of original music. 
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Sassafras – Hootenanny – 25 May 2025

The Sassafras Bluegrass Band invites you to a “HOOTENANNY”

What is a “HOOTENANNY”? It is a “banjo-brained hoedown-throwdown-don’t slow down until the cows come home”!
Sassafras is from the Foothills and the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina in the USA, which is home to some of the best bluegrass music you will find. Sassafras pays homage to the Father of Bluegrass music, Bill Monroe, as well as other bluegrass pioneers such as the Country Gentlemen, Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs. Sassafras enjoys pushing the edge of progressive Newgrass music, as well. Sassafras also includes a range of other musical styles in their repertoire including country, folk, western swing, and originals.

Sassafras band members have performed at a lengthy list of festivals and venues nationally and internationally including:

Grand Old Opry (Nashville, Tennessee), MerleFest (North Carolina), Mean Fiddler (London, England), Walnut Valley Festival (Kansas), Song of the Mountains (PBS TV Series), High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass Festival (Colorado), AGEC Bluegrass (Paris, France), Hamishes’ Hoose (Scotland), Güglinger Bluegrass Festival (Germany), Albino Skunk Festival (South Carolina), Susanville Bluegrass Festival (California), Wickenburg Bluegrass Festival (Arizona), Rocky Top (Tokyo, Japan), Mussel Inn (New Zealand) and many others.

Sassafras Band Members

Kent Dowell (Banjo, Vocals) – Kent played banjo for the legendary Charlie Waller and The Country Gentlemen, from 1979 through 1982. He recorded three albums with them including: “Sit Down Young Stranger”, “River Bottom”, and a live recording with the Seldom Scene, Tony Rice, Ricky Skaggs, and others, called “Bluegrass the Greatest Show on Earth”. Musically, Kent has toured most of the USA and Europe in 1980. Kent still performs with his band, Bluegrass Blend, which he formed in the mid-70s. Sassafras is proud to have Kent as a band member on our 2025 New Zealand tour.

Billy Gee (Bass, Vocals) – Billy has shared the stage with Doc Watson, John Cowan, Jack Lawrence, Wayne Henderson, Don Story, Mel Jones, and many other notable musicians. Billy toured as bassist with bluegrass legend Charlie Waller and The Country Gentlemen. Billy received the Dr. T.R. Bryan Wilkes Heritage Award and is a member of the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame. Billy has performed at the esteemed Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee as a member of Darin and Brooke Aldridge Band. Billy contributes original material for Sassafras and is a founding band member when the band formed in the late-90’s. 

Wes Tuttle (Mandolin, Fiddle, Vocals) – Wes has performed on stage with Doc Watson, Kenny Baker, Benny Martin, Terry Baucom, Mark O’Connor, Jerry Douglas, Wes Golding, and many other notable musicians. Wes has also recorded with Tony Rice, Ronnie Bowman, Russell Moore, Jim Buchanan. Wes is the consummate musician and epitomizes the “high lonesome sound” with his sterling vocal range. Wes continues to write music and contributed one of his original songs to the latest Sassafras CD.

Randy Gambill (Guitar, Vocals) – Randy has performed on stage or recorded with Doc Watson, Jack Lawrence, Pete Wernick, Doug Jernigan, Steve Lewis, Roy Huskey Jr. and many other notable musicians. While living in England, Randy toured Europe promoting Bluegrass and Americana music. Randy’s original songs have been featured on BBC Radio & the PBS TV Series “Song of the Mountains.” Randy continues to write music for Sassafras and another band, NonProphets and contributed two of his songs to the latest Sassafras CD. 

So, come and join us for a taste of southern Appalachian Mountain music and let’s have some fun. Y’all come!!!

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