REV HAMMER - regards his music not so much as a passport to fame and fortune but as a ticket to ride. He learned to play guitar and sing at the same time and wisely thought busking was the best way to get to a standard where he could play publicly. Rev spent 18 months busking in the streets before he dared stand on a stage. Rev's debut album "Industrial Sound and Magic" was recorded in a cow shed in Essex on a budget of nothing but, given that that the backing band (which gave its services for free) was The Levellers, this offbeat album has opened up intriguing windows of opportunity. In 1986 he became a founder member of The Red Sky Coven together with poet Joolz and Justin Sullivan. The show mixes acoustic songs, poetry, humour and story-telling in the best traditions of the travelling bards. It continues to sell out within the UK and Europe. Rev started work on the "Freeborn John" album late in 1995. It was, like all masterpieces, an ambitious project and it took two wonder-full years to record. It tells a musical story of John Lilburne, England's first radical and unsung hero of the English Civil War. Audiences and performers, charmed on the wings of great songs and a big issue, revel in the visceral thrill of the words and music of "Freeborn John" and realise Lilburne's immediate relevance to contemporary England. The songs and characters are populated by Rev, Maddy Prior, The Levellers, Justin Sullivan, New Model Army, Eddi Reader, Rory McLeod, Harry S. Fulcher and Phil Johnstone Phil produced the album and Mike Gregovich made it sound like les ballons du chiens. The "Freeborn John" show was performed to standing ovations on all three nights of the 2005 Beautiful Days Festival thanks to the faith of Dave Farrow. 2008 will see a great deal of the "Freeborn John" show, as will you. In the summer of 1996, immediately after the Freeborn John album was finished, Rev recorded the acoustic “Green Fool Recordings” album in five days. Rev has a new album out for 2010 - entitled Down the Alley and it is a fabulous album and one for everybody's album collection. I am doing his acoustic bookings only - please note! www.revhammer.comwww.myspace.com/freebornjohn
DAN DONNELLY - Dan has beensinging, playing and writing music since an early age. He started his career assinger and songwriter in critically acclaimed Belfast band Watercress and penned many oftheir most popular songs including “Candlemaker”, which reached number 1 in theIrish indie charts and “Stars Shine On”, which also topped the same chart. Hehas played with Watercress, solo and with Joy Zipper all across the globesupporting bands such as, Air, The Levellers, The Darkness, Duran Duran, IanDury and Turin Brakes to name but a few.He has gainedconsiderable recognition as a singer and songwriter in recent years. Dan has supported Seth Lakeman on sell out tours of Britain. In the summer of 2006 he played at festivals in the UK including the Beautiful Days Festival and is a usual part of the Festival now and many solo gigs around England, Ireland and America - in particular New York. In the latter part of 2006 came the release of “The Beach E.P.” In 2007 Dan released the album “Yearning a Living” which has already sold considerably in the U.K. and U.S.Dan’s gig schedule for 2007 was intensive and varied including slots at, The Big Session Festival UK, The Prague Fringe Festival CZ, Glastonbury UK and The Great Escape Festival UK. Dan also both supported and played onstage with Oysterband for their “Meet You There” album tour in the latter half of 2007 and then again for their acoustic tour in early 2008. He is one of the only artists that has performed with both The Levellers and Oysterband, arguably the finest folk rock acts in the U.K. He has now moved to Exeter and will be South West based permanently much to the delight of his followers who will travel great distances to see him as he is very visual and unique. In February 2010 Dan played at the Guitar Association gathering in New Zealand. Has a new ep out, which is a taster for the album proper which will hopefully be out in the summer of 2010. Dan is heavily in demand so book him now! Helping with his bookings. www.sonovagun.comwww.myspace.com/sonovagun
UNSTRUNG HEROES - Geoff Lakeman, vocals and duet concertina, Steve Potter fiddle,vocals and mandolin, Pete Acty six-string guitar and five-string banjo with some vocals. Traditional folk roots trio with a little of Speakeasy thrown in! Geoff provides the introductions and the banter and the audience has a jolly good time! All three Unstrungers have been in the music business and on the circuit a long time so are well-known and well loved.www.myspace.com/unstrungheroes
Photo credit of Unstrung Heroes by courtesy of Simon Acty, taken at Morwellham Quay 2009.
SPEAKEASY - CATCH 'EM LIVE - THEY'LL MAKE YOU AN OFFER YOU CAN'T REFUSE An evening of toe-tapping Tin Pan Alley music featuring songs you never knew you knew... SPEAKEASY dish it out using guitar, violin, authentic 1920's concertina, vocals and spoons to perform jazz from the twenties and thirties. Are you brave enough to endure a dose of musical madness, dazzling culinary percussion and hankie-wringing sentimentality? * "These songs will make you hum - some of them stink! (Chicago Tribune) * "You 'aint heard nothing yet" (USA magazine for the Deaf) *"Nostalgia 'aint what it used to be" (Fats Waller) *"They certainly put the mental into sentimental" Prohibition Violation Monthly www.myspace.com/welcometospeakeasy
LESKI - “Kerensa is an assured & devastatingly skillful hammered dulcimerwho delivers a performance, which is innovative, energetic &confident”. She is probably still best known for her early work withTim van Eyken & as the founder member of the Acoustic Youth Band.These ensembles led to a track recorded for the first Mrs. Casey's 'Evolving Tradition' album & appearances at venues such as the South Bank & Barbican Centre's in London & at some of the U.K's top folk festivals. Since returning to her hometown of Truro, Kerensa has been concentrating on rediscovering her roots. She has continued to perform in various lineups including the Cornish band 'Ahanan' with whom she recorded a track for the first ever Cornish/English bilingual film 'Bittersweet' & more recently in collaboration with the fantastic singer/songwriter/guitarist Steve Hunt. Richard grew up surrounded by music & began playing fiddle at theage of 8. He soon joined a community fiddle group 'Bagas Crowd' & it was during this time that he came into contact with and learnt from some of Cornwall's foremost traditional players. Now considered by many to be one of Cornwall's finest fiddlers, Richard has taken his influences and experience and developed his own unique style of fiddle playing. Since enrolling on the Folk degree in Newcastle he has also discovered a love for singing which must be in his genes. He has grabbed this opportunity to develop his singing style & technique under the watchful eye of some of the countries finest traditional singers. Kerensa and Richard met at a local session and decided to get together for a one off charity gig in 2007. The musical rapport shared by the duo was apparent from the moment they set foot on stage: from stomping fiddle sets, to Cornish dance tunes & slow airs - the audience was hooked & the response they received was overwhelming. They knew then that there would be no looking back! In 2008 Leski recorded their debut album. The CD’s sold out within weeks and they received great reviews and airplay across the UK and abroad. The album also led to the duo being runners up in Fatea Magazines Tradition 2008 award which was aimed at recognizing acts “that have traditional folk at the root of their sound and use it to inspire new songs, tunes and arrangements”.“Whether playing in a session, performing in an intimate folk club setting or entertaining on a main festival stage, Leski are guaranteed to capture an inspiring rapport with their audience and leave them wanting more…” www.myspace.com/leski
SIMON BARRON AND ROS BRADY - BarronBrady are award-winning song-writers, performing beautifully
crafted songs with virtuosity, huge energy and verve: voices and harmonies
combine deliciously with flutes, guitar and harmonium to fill the auditorium.
“Terrific...I kept hearing lots of stuff, Incredible String Band,
Nick Drake, John Martyn-yet at the same time their music it is very much their
own” Mike Harding BBC
The natural world has always inspired BB’s work which has lead to
collaborations with wildlife trusts and a song written through interviews with
Patrick Holden Director of the Soil Association.
GREENMAN RISING - They are the mutts nuts!!!! And - funnily enough - actually sound like a folk band! Warwickshires newest, evolving, effervescent and most rock and roll folk band have played support for 3 Daft Monkeys and will be playing as support for the Folk Hero - Seth Lakeman later in the year. They are to be seen out and about in the Warkwickshire area and this year has seen them escape their county into the UK!!! Greenman Rising are building a solid following and May 2010 saw them have a successful gig at the Bearded Theory festival in Derbyshire. Watch their website and myspace pages for where they will be in 2010 and beyond.
REV HAMMER - regards his music not so much as a passport to fame and fortune but as a ticket to ride. He learned to play guitar and sing at the same time and wisely thought busking was the best way to get to a standard where he could play publicly. Rev spent 18 months busking in the streets before he dared stand on a stage. Rev's debut album "Industrial Sound and Magic" was recorded in a cow shed in Essex on a budget of nothing but, given that that the backing band (which gave its services for free) was The Levellers, this offbeat album has opened up intriguing windows of opportunity.
DAN DONNELLY - Dan has beensinging, playing and writing music since an early age. He started his career assinger and songwriter in critically acclaimed Belfast band Watercress and penned many oftheir most popular songs including “Candlemaker”, which reached number 1 in theIrish indie charts and “Stars Shine On”, which also topped the same chart. Hehas played with Watercress, solo and with Joy Zipper all across the globesupporting bands such as, Air, The Levellers, The Darkness, Duran Duran, IanDury and Turin Brakes to name but a few.He has gainedconsiderable recognition as a singer and songwriter in recent years. Dan has supported Seth Lakeman on sell out tours of Britain. In the summer of 2006 he played at festivals in the UK including the Beautiful Days Festival and is a usual part of the Festival now and many solo gigs around England, Ireland and America - in particular New York. In the latter part of 2006 came the release of “The Beach E.P.” In 2007 Dan released the album “Yearning a Living” which has already sold considerably in the U.K. and U.S.Dan’s gig schedule for 2007 was intensive and varied including slots at, The Big Session Festival UK, The Prague Fringe Festival CZ, Glastonbury UK and The Great Escape Festival UK. Dan also both supported and played onstage with Oysterband for their “Meet You There” album tour in the latter half of 2007 and then again for their acoustic tour in early 2008. He is one of the only artists that has performed with both The Levellers and Oysterband, arguably the finest folk rock acts in the U.K. He has now moved to Exeter and will be South West based permanently much to the delight of his followers who will travel great distances to see him as he is very visual and unique.
UNSTRUNG HEROES - Geoff Lakeman, vocals and duet concertina, Steve Potter fiddle,vocals and mandolin, Pete Acty six-string guitar and five-string banjo with some vocals. Traditional folk roots trio with a little of Speakeasy thrown in! Geoff provides the introductions and the banter and the audience has a jolly good time! All three Unstrungers have been in the music business and on the circuit a long time so are well-known and well loved. 
SPEAKEASY - CATCH 'EM LIVE - THEY'LL MAKE YOU AN OFFER YOU CAN'T REFUSE An evening of toe-tapping Tin Pan Alley music featuring songs you never knew you knew... SPEAKEASY dish it out using guitar, violin, authentic 1920's concertina, vocals and spoons to perform jazz from the twenties and thirties. Are you brave enough to endure a dose of musical madness, dazzling culinary percussion and hankie-wringing sentimentality? * "These songs will make you hum - some of them stink! (Chicago Tribune) * "You 'aint heard nothing yet" (USA magazine for the Deaf) *"Nostalgia 'aint what it used to be" (Fats Waller) *"They certainly put the mental into sentimental" Prohibition Violation Monthly 
LESKI - “Kerensa is an assured & devastatingly skillful hammered dulcimerwho delivers a performance, which is innovative, energetic &confident”. She is probably still best known for her early work withTim van Eyken & as the founder member of the Acoustic Youth Band.These ensembles led to a track recorded for the first Mrs. Casey's 'Evolving Tradition' album & appearances at venues such as the South Bank & Barbican Centre's in London & at some of the U.K's top folk festivals. Since returning to her hometown of Truro, Kerensa has been concentrating on rediscovering her roots. She has continued to perform in various lineups including the Cornish band 'Ahanan' with whom she recorded a track for the first ever Cornish/English bilingual film 'Bittersweet' & more recently in collaboration with the fantastic singer/songwriter/guitarist Steve Hunt. 
SIMON BARRON AND ROS BRADY - BarronBrady are award-winning song-writers, performing beautifully
crafted songs with virtuosity, huge energy and verve: voices and harmonies
combine deliciously with flutes, guitar and harmonium to fill the auditorium.
“Terrific...I kept hearing lots of stuff, Incredible String Band,
Nick Drake, John Martyn-yet at the same time their music it is very much their
own” Mike Harding BBC
The natural world has always inspired BB’s work which has lead to
collaborations with wildlife trusts and a song written through interviews with
Patrick Holden Director of the Soil Association.
GREENMAN RISING - They are the mutts nuts!!!! And - funnily enough - actually sound like a folk band!
