News

Elysian Fields performed for LaBlogotheque recently. As is normal with many sessions on LaBlogotheque things never quite go as expected. The arrival of the New York duo was not exactly uneventful. The session, despite a jet-lagged-fatigued couple was still exceptional and beautiful!

We were introduced to Nataniel Rateliff by the good folks at Open House Festival, Belfast. This is his latest session on which he sings Boil And Fight.

Communion will be presenting the new one day Bushstock Festival on Saturday 7th May. They will be showcasing the best new talent alongside more established artists from West London, the UK and beyond!

Tickets for this years Greenman Festival (18-21 August) went on sale this week, even with a partial line-up announcement the build up sounds great with Feet Foxes headlining along with the likes of Bellowhead, The Burns Unit, Villagers, and Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo

To be honest, I normally avoid the Brit Awards like the plague…until last night that is….my face was a huge grin when I saw Laura Marling get Best Female Singer and Mumford and Sons, Best Album (Sigh No More).

A short film by Myles O’Reilly following Caoimhin O’Raghallaigh and Kate Ellis to Iceland to meet with band Amiina. The first chapter in a project to develop closer relations between artists living in Ireland and Iceland.

From today, for one week, Folk Radio UK will be celebrating the music of Sandy Denny by including tracks throughout the day from the leading lady of British folk rock! Tracks being played include rare outtakes, demos and home recordings.

Commonplace: In this uniquely curated event from Chris Wood the English folk tradition is explored, and the stuff of everyday life that informs it. He is joined in this unofficial celebration of the ordinary by John Boden and the Remnant Kings Martin Carthy, Karine Polwart, Hugh Lupton and many others. Also listen to the kings place interview with Chris.

The BBC Radio 2 Folk Award Winners for 2011 were announced tonight following during an award ceremony which went out live. There were many highlights of the evening as well as double wins for Chris Wood as well as Eliza Carthy and norma Waterson. Ewan McLennan also managed to pick up the Horizon Award! Find out the winners here.

A new feature on Folk Radio UK is a favourite weekly video. We decided to start at the top rung level, and this will be hard to beat. This is from a 1989 edition of “Aly Bain and Friends”, with none other than Dick Gaughan performing ‘Both Sides of the Tweed’ from his 1980 “Handful of Earth” album.

This weeks ‘Album of the Week’ is Fernhill’s latest release: canu rhydd which features eight new pieces which really shows their talents off to their fullest. Fernhill have been described as cultural ambassadors for Wales and its music.

Today saw the first UK event of Cape breton Sound, a celebration of the music of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Three shows are scheduled from today until Wed 3rd Feb in Manchester, Cardiff and London, and they’re absolutely FREE!