Christchurch Folk Music Club
An open letter from Dunedin
Okay Canterbury…
Now you’ve done it.
This was supposed to be raid, for heaven’s sake! This was war. But when we crossed the border between Otago and Canterbury what met us? Nothing! Where were the barricades? There weren’t any.
We stopped off in Timaru for lunch. No sign of the armed militia, no cavalry. By the time we’d got to Ashburton we’d taken off our Viking helmets. They were really too warm and the horns kept poking through the roof of the bus.
Things got worse when we reached Christchruch. There were all these smiling hosts waiting to show us to our rooms. There were comfortable beds waiting. They took us to a barbeque!
At least the weather was inhospitable.
The element of surprise was completely ruined by all that publicity. I walked into a bar on Sunday evening and everyone shook my hand and said they hoped we’d have a good time. I was miserable.
And the venue? Talk about comfortable? I hated it.
Well we performed for you and you applauded, more than politely I’m bound to say, which some of our party appreciated. Softies. The one satisfaction I had from that evening was that nothing could have prepared you for our secret weapon: an octogenarian, deaf in one ear, accordion player with a line in antique, off colour jokes. Thank God for Cyril Sharpe.
And so a 20 year old tradition was successfully revived and a return visit is planned for May. Well let me warn you now Canterbury. When you come to Dunedin on Saturday 19 May we’ll be ready. There will be no easy rides, oh no.
BY GOD, WE’LL SHOW YOU HOSPITALITY!
Richard Dingwall
Adam McGrath
June 2018 There is an interwoven thread of connections between Adam McGrath and the Christchurch Folk Club spanning many years. He has previously performed at both the Folk Club and the Canterbury Folk Festival, and we hope to have him or The...
All Girl Big Band
1st July 2018 A night where the audience was treated to a fantastic display of exceptional musicianship. One of the attendees asked ‘where else in the world would you have got such top entertainment for $10 or $15? no where, it was an...
The Secret Lives of Ukulele
24 June 2018 Rocking those ukuleles and cigar box guitars – throwing in bass and drums! Presenting with a rainbow mix of colour, all made for a kaleidoscopic extravaganza for the senses. The mood lighting enhanced the night; songs with water...
Eddie Simon – Music Accolades Over Many Years
Eddie Simon expressed his nervousness to me before he performed at the club. On reflection is truly a compliment, as this illustrates his care about the audience, their opinion and that his songs are important to him and his wish to have his...
The Two Jimmies (James Wilkinson and Jimmy Young)
A full-house that spanned the generations, with no seats to be had and a few in the crowd left standing, sums up the preperformance expectations for ‘The Two Jimmies’, James Wilkinson and Jimmy Young.
Trouble In The Kitchen
Club concert - 28 May, by Lorcan Bolster Trouble In The Kitchen are a young, Melbourne based, traditional Irish Music band and a damn fine band they are. Over here in NZ on their first overseas tour they are Ado Barker on fiddle, Ben Stevenson on flute,...
Simon Kerr
Review by Lynette-Diaz - July 20, 2008 New Zealand native, Simon Kerr, has been living in Australia for the past six months. Leaving his New Zealand band the Acoustic Junkies to go it solo in the big Melbourne pond. During his recent Folk Club...
Ruth Wyand – Review
Club concert - 23 April, by Isabella Miller Bell I really look forward to receiving the folk club magazine and reading through to see who's coming to town and who's doing what with whom these days. When I read that Ruth Wyand was to be...
Rural Delivery
Concert at Club Sunday 8 October, Reviewed by Margorie Mitchell With "just a desire to entertain" Rural Delivery succeed from every angle. A comedy night – with incidental music – was an understatement offered from one of the band during the...
Port Fairy Folk Festival – March 9th-12th, 2007
By Lance Risk If it is possible to have too much of a good thing, Port Fairy Folk Festival is just that for a hard core Festival haunting Folkie like me. It is like every New Zealand festival run over the same weekend. Set up six giant tent...