The Old Forge hosts (fairly) regular nights of excellent live music. The old forge lends itself to an intimate atmosphere creating wonderful acoustics. The evening events are a byob policy but tea/coffee, soft drinks and cake will be on sale too. Stanley Street food will also be on hand serving up a tasty dish prior to the event.
Sunday afternoon gigs are a tea/coffee, soft drinks and cake affair.
NEXT GIG, ITS A BIG ONE!
GEORGE BOROWSKI + KEVIN HEWICK + STEVIE JONES plus special guests The Fed Sisters – Saturday 13th April, 7pm £8
A special triple headlining show!
GEORGE BOROWSKI .Over the years George’s association with an ever-growing list of artistes as diverse as PIXIES MEATLOAF PAUL BRADY SAD CAFE THE WATER BOYS TEENAGE FANCLUB BONNIE RAITT RADIOHEAD the list goes on, has earned him the highest level of respect from those on the ‘inside’ whilst also being able to reach and appeal to those on the ‘outside’ with his rarefied combination of presence, performance and beautifully crafted words of art. Music with a message for all, delivered with a passion – George’s songwriting winds it’s way through pop, rock, country, blue suede tunes in true rock ‘n roll style, socially aware masterpieces with haunting lyrics and those lump-in-the-throat power ballads which carry that definitive GB stamp.
KEVIN HEWICK is an English singer-songwriter who was an early member of the Factory Records roster. In the present day he is known for his recording on Pink Box records, an independent label based in Leicester and his recent work with Italian collective Unfolk.
Newly added to the Factory roster Hewick had a recording session in June 1980 with producer Martin Hannett in Graveyard Studios where he recorded two tracks “Haystack” (released on From Brussels with Love compilation in 1981) and “A Piece of Fate” with the three surviving members of Joy Division, a month after the death of Ian Curtis and just prior to their adopting the name New Order.
Other Factory releases included the controversial live side of the A Factory Quartet double album (FACT 24) in 1981 – live tracks picked against Hewick’s wishes by Tony Wilson of a confrontation between him and a very aggressive audience – and the single “Ophelia’s Drinking Song” (FAC 48) which featured producer Donald Johnson of A Certain Ratio on percussion and was mixed by Peter Hook of New Order.
For a time Hewick was privy to many pivotal moments in Factory’s early history, describing himself as a “gormless bystander” to those events.[citation needed] He often stayed at the Palatine Road flat of Alan Erasmus but as Erasmus became less involved with the label and Hewick’s fraught working relationship with Tony Wilson rapidly worsened throughout 1982 (with Hewick even telling Wilson that The Haçienda was a bad idea as he “couldn’t even run a record company properly never mind a club as well”) an offer to “jump ship” to Cherry Red Records in London proved too tempting to resist.
STEVIE JONES. Stevie’s acoustic roots were laid down busking and playing floor spots at folk clubs in his native Northants. In the 90s he lived for two years in Germany, extensively gigging in the duo Acres Wild and then spent time in Dublin, playing on the city’s vibrant open mic scene – experiences which provided him with a wealth of influences and inspiration. Back home in 2001 after meeting up at a local acoustic night he was joined on stage by the guitar skills of Mark Gill which forged a musical partnership spanning 10 years building up a reputation as a solid live act. Support gigs included Nick Harper, Ian Mc Nabb, Chris Helme, The Trews, Justin Sullivan and Dean White, Blackballed plus slots at Leicesters’ top festivals Big Session and Summer Sundae. He set up the live music service Wildfire Sessions in 2011 putting on gigs and open mics across the East Midlands which he operated full time but is now focusing more on the band, The Wildfires. He also plays as a covers artist solo or with his duo ‘The Waltzers’, featuring Rob Matheson.
His solo set is is not only a stripped down version of what you might see with the band – he always plays to the room, blending his back catalogue and true life stories with a wide range of covers and influences spanning from David Bowie to Van Morrison to Neil Young and Ryan Adams and much more.
‘‘..one of the hardest working musicians I know and a man absolutely dedicated to his craft.’
Kevin Buxton, Kontraroots
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SMITH & BREWER – Saturday 1st June, 7pm £tbc
Since their first gig, Smith and Brewer have received plenty of positive feedback from fans and the media alike. Their 2018 appearances have been no exception with reviews of their performances focusing on their musicianship and relaxed onstage style and their live album has attracted similarly complementary comments.
Album – Smith and Brewer – Live 16/12/17
‘There’s a definite feel of Simon and Garfunkel about this duo: two beautifully blended voices, accompanied with acoustic guitars. Very easy to hear why they were such a hit with Joan Armatrading […]”Life’s Too Short” is a real foot-tapping bluegrass ear worm. Once you’ve heard it, it is difficult to get it out of your head […] Definitely a duo to watch out for – a modern day replacement for Simon and Garfunkel – what’s not to like?’
http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/reviews/smith-and-brewer-live/
Fairport’s Cropredy Convention Reviews
‘Fairport are then swiftly followed by Smith & Brewer […] and their Americana-infused acoustic playing, combined with August sun and a few beers is the perfect way to get us into the festival vibe for this most friendly and laid-back of festivals.’
http://getreadytorock.me.uk/blog/2018/08/gig-review-cropredy-festival-9-11-august-2018/
‘The easy pace of the opening of the festival continued with Smith & Brewer. The young duo built a quick rapport with the crowd – their stage manner was excellent and their country tinged acoustic songs warmed the crowd up well for the rest of the day.’
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Described by FATEA as ‘atmospheric heaven’ and by Bright Young Folk as ‘super talented’; Threaded will take you on a journey through a roller coaster of emotions and musical imagery, with copious amounts of reflection and participation, and you will be left ‘feeling fresh, elated and eager for more.’ (Folk Radio UK).
Alongside their usual Threaded music making, they have been working with Theatre company: Red Earth Theatre, on their current production ‘Soonchild’. They have composed the score, and will be performing in the show when it tours nationally in 2019. Red Earth Theatre create shows which are accessible to the d/Deaf community, so the research into how to make the music accessible is supported by Arts Council England.
‘They are to be greatly applauded for the entirely self-penned compositions that they have come up with, and for the most impressive breadth of style they demonstrate.’ (R2 Rock ‘n’ Reel)
‘With their own impressive talent to underpin their passion for musical exploration, [and] seemingly endless capacity to create music and song that appeals across multiple audiences’ (Folk Radio UK)
NELS ANDREWS & JESS MORGAN – Friday 27th Sept, 7pm £10.
with support from HUMBLEBEE (back by popular demand!)
Yet again we are very fortunate to have another first for the forge, not one but two highly talented people!
Nels Andrews is a literary songwriter, a journeyman in the craft of melody who is here to tell you a story. One of Nels’ heroes, Anais Mitchell says of his work, “Nels is a master carver, an artist patient and obsessed enough to turn a whale of an idea into something delicate and beautiful from any angle.” Nels is based in Santa Cruz, California.
Jess Morgan writes gutsy modern folk songs which tell stories and are full of sadness and bite. Trash Magazine called it “The sort of thing you put on your headphones when walking alone and wanting to feel like you’re in your own gritty British love story.” Jess lives in Norwich, UK.
Their co-headlined show promises to be a tour-de-force of narrative songwriting, from which the audience can take home a gig souvenir with a difference… Jess and Nels tour in 2019 with books as companion pieces to their music, with which they hope to satisfy the thirst of the collectors, the avid readers of record sleeves and lyric sheets, or anyone feeling lost in the digital age.
Nels brings out the first single of his new record Pigeon & the Crow with a unique companion piece which takes the form of a Graphic Novella. Nels’ supernatural ballad sprawls over the page with a series of colourful illustrations crafted by illustrator Mike Benzce. The printed novella is the result of this individual and imaginative collaboration.
Jess will be touring with a collection of small pieces of writing, sprung from the psyche of the touring artist and expanding on thoughts and feelings that come with late night drives and motorway services. 2019 marks ten years making music for Jess and she hopes that her chapbook will provide extended liner notes for anyone who wishes to read them.
Jess and Nels tour together in 2019, playing in intimate venues and bookshops, in the US in Spring and the UK in the Fall.
JOHN EMIL – Sunday 29th September, 2pm £9
Oh you lucky people, all the way from the U S of A!
John Emil Montagnino, an accomplished singer/songwriter, guitarist, and a master of slide guitar, has delivered show stopping performances at major music festivals like the Telluride Blues and Brews Fest, the Leek Blues & Americana Festival UK, the Florida Folk Festival, the Decatur Blues and Bluegrass Festival, the Bangor On Dee Blues Festival UK and Garden & Gun Festival support act for The Steep Canyon Rangers.
Equally adept with the acoustic Hawaiian lap steel guitar and Dobro, Emil first appeared on the South Florida music scene in 2000. Fans hear haunting, subtle hints of Delta bluesmen Son House and Blind Willie Johnson, but Emil ultimately creates a unique style all his own by integrating country blues, folk and bluegrass sounds into his repertoire.
Routinely taking the lost art of slide guitar in a new direction, Emil has composed a wealth of slide guitar tracks for media production libraries. His instrumental tracks have been published by LA Post Music in Los Angeles, Westar Music in Canada, Songs to Your Eyes Los Angeles and Strange Fruit in South Africa. Emil recently became the first American musician to be published by London’s KPM / EMI, one of the world’s largest production libraries. Among the many television and cable network shows Emil has supplied music for NBC’s “Dateline,” “The Voice,” Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations,” UFC’s “Ultimate Insider,” ”American Pickers,” and several international wildlife and nature documentaries.
PAUL LAMB & CHAD STRENTZ – Saturday 7th Dec, 7pm £12.
December blues…in a good way!
Award-winning British recording artists! Respected worldwide as Europe’s top Blues musician and entertainer, Paul Lamb was inducted into the British Blues Awards Hall of Fame (alongside the likes of Peter Green, John Mayall & Alexis Korner) and continues to bring his infectious brand of music to fans around the globe…..
Vocalist and guitarist Chad Strentz is one of the best Blues singers in Europe. He started out as a rockabilly hound at the age of 15, then toured extensively with the King Snakes. You will find in his voice and guitar playing a blend of music ranging from blues, soul, rockabilly and more.
