This is the, "what's been happening at FAF" column.

Here you'll find regular updates on FAF activity, trivia and gossip......

22/10/2024

We got a bit spooky tonight, being close to Halloween. Stuart was our MC and Richard was joined by Pete to kick off with Drunken Sailor and Folsom Prison Blues and Sue sang Dream A Little Dream and This Ole House. Pondlife did Black Muddy River, Stuart & Pete Then She Bit Me and Bob Backwater Blues and Hank Snow's Ghost Train. The first of two Rogers was next with Stu Are My Heart's Delight and Streets Of London, Christine sang She's Like The Swallow and recited Jabberwocky and Martin did Ghosts (Lau) and Hallows Eve. Sonia & Andy were next with The Hanged Man (Mr Fox) and The Souling Song, Alan (with Steve) did In My Life and A Fragment Of Your Time and Steve himself sang You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go and October Song. Tony made a welcome appearance with Warewolves Of Fishponds and Nick Cave's Red Right Hand, then a new face, Paul, read some of his own poetry The Source, The Tree Of Lips and The Sunday Boys. More poetry followed with Suzanne reading verses about two Irish couples meeting at Halloween, I Wish I Was A Crotchet and one about meeting King Charles then Valerie read Wishes and England's Weather. Neil sang Time To Remember The Poor and the chilling The Cave Of Sawney Bean and Sean did She Moves Through The Fair and Shimmy Like My Sister Kate. Our second Roger sang Devil Woman (Marty Robbins) and Stagalee and Heather did Love Is All Around and My Favourite Things (Julie Andrew's 69th birthday version).

8/10/2024

Pete took MC duties tonight and he and Stuart began the evening with Ghost Riders In The Sky and Ukulele Man and Stuart sang Let's Recycle. Martin W was next with a delightful version of George Harrison's Something and When I'm Cleaning Windows, Roger made his second appearance at the club with Woodstock, Do What You Do Well (Ned Miller) and Ramblin' Boy and for his first visit, Dominic sang The Coast Of Malabar, November Rain, Talk To Me Of Mendocino and The Lakes Of Pontchartrain. Martin C was next with Beads And Feathers (Kris Drever), Angeline The Baker and Bold Sir Rylas, Steve had his own poem The Oaf And Snail and sang It's A Funny Old World, Suzanne read a Roger Mcgough poem and Valerie read The Takeover (about a cat) and England's Weather. Sean sang Dimming Of The Day, Pistol Slapper Blues and Lock-Keeper (Stan Rogers) and Keith did Mortal Coil Shuffle, Revolution (Derek Trucks) and Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time. Another new face, Pete sang Dockside Dreaming, The Mountains Of Mourne, Get You A Copper Kettle and My Son In Amerikay and Mike sang Three Drinks A Day, A Clock Ticks Away and What's So Funny About Peace Love And Understanding?

24/9/2024

Martin was our MC on a night with some new faces plus two Rogers, two Martins, two Stuarts and two Johns! Stuart S began with The Ukulele Song and The Cat Came Back then John Bl did Dull (Mike Scott), Sod's Law (Richard Digance) and The Hair Of The Widow Of Bridlington. Sue sang Rose Garden, her own very witty Recycled Teenager and Ob-la-di Ob-la-da, Stuart & Carrie did On Broadway, Only Our Rivers Run Free and The Belle Of Belfast City then Roger gave us an anecdote about misunderstanding 'testimonials' and a song about the Six Day War. Christine was accompanied by John Bl for Stormy Weather and we welcomed back Sean who sang Al Stewart's Songs Out Of Clay and a Jimmy Cox number and we were delighted to see Martin W for his first performance at the club, with two songs from Brian Wilson including Caroline, No. Martin C was next with Steel And Stone (Kris Drever) plus The Bonnie Lass Of Fyvie, Heather sang Messing About On The River and Waltzing Matilda and another new face, Roger did Flora (Peter, Paul and Mary) and If I Were A Carpenter. Valerie was next with a selection of wisdoms about trees, Suzanne read The Juggler and Steve sang two songs from the East Anglian Songbook (in an authentic accent) including Normal For Norfolk. We welcomed another new face, Chris who sang Dancing On The Edge inspired by a poem by Roger Keyes and John Be did May The Circle Be Unbroken and Down By The Riverside.

10/9/2024

Stuart was our MC and he began proceedings with Jez Lowe's Durham Gaol, West Country Holiday and King Of The Road and Gavin sang two of his own songs Nostalgia Is Powerful and The Flying Scotsman plus Half The World Away. Christine read two poems including Sort Of and sang Snowbird, Bob was in a cheerful mood with I Wake Up Every Morning With A Smile On My Face and This Old House before reverting to the norm with Born With The Blues and Martin sang The Setting/Mary From Dungloe (Ralph McTell/trad), Springsteen's Atlantic City and Fairy Tale Lullaby (John Martyn). Roger was next with I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen and September Song then Sue did Nowhere Man, The Whistling Gypsy and These Boots Are Made For Walking and Louise & Pete sang Crazy Man Michael and Sweet Rose Of Allendale. Heather gave us Westering Home, What A Wonderful World and Where Have All The Flowers Gone? Suzanne read Roger Mcgough's poem about leaving a violin on a train and Valerie read from The Fireside Book The Miller's Song and The Nightingale. Jennie sang Janet Elizabeth's September Spiders and Under The Harvest Moon, Jane did My Silver Lining (First Aid Kit) and The Boys Of Summer and Jennie & Jane combined for a delightful and harmonious Sweet Nightingale.

27/8/2024

Pete took MC duties and Stuart began with Fred Wedlock's Jogging Song and was joined by Pete for New York Girls. Steve G sang the Mcgarrigle's (Talk to Me Of) Mendocino and a couple of Jeffrey Foucault songs Mesa, Arizona and Northbound 35, then Sue did The Last Thing On My Mind, Nowhere Man and Beautiful Sunday. Alan (assisted by Steve) sang Suzanne and Fellside Shepherds, Mick brought his new banjo to do Willin' (Lowell George) and You Ain't Going Nowhere and Sonia & Andy sang Alice Annie Wheeldon (Robb Johnson), That's No Way To Say Goodbye (our second Leonard Cohen of the evening) and The Olive Tree (Leaon Rosselson). Keith celebrated the contribution of the recently departed John Mayall with Hit The Highway plus Lady Madonna, Mike made a welcome return with Every One Of Us Was An Immigrant Once, Ralph McTell's Stranger To The Seasons and Save The Last Dance For Me then Louise & Pete sang Birds And Ships. Valerie read from The Fireside Book, The Caravan, The Takeover and Just Like A Man, Suzanne read a poem about a series of mistakes (the first being cooking with no clothes on!) and Heather sang another version of The Last Thing On My Mind and Puff The Magic Dragon. Martin had All At Sea (Steve Knightley) and Sprinsteen's The Price You Pay and Jennie sang Withered And Died and Annan Water.

13/8/2024

Martin was our MC tonight and the rain outside was appropriate as Stuart sang Let's Walk Round The Harbour Again before being joined by Pete for Fiddler's Green and Love Potion Number 9. Heather sang Beautiful Sunday, Raining In My Heart and Crazy then Carrie & Stuart did Rain And Snow, Harvest Moon and I Almost Lost My Mind. John was next with Mike Scott's Pearly Gates, his own take on Over The Rainbow, Overweight People and Sister Josephine, Roger told us a couple of jokes and sang We'll Gather Lilacs In The Spring and Christine was joined by John for Ain't Misbehavin' before singing My Love Doesn't Love Me. Sue gave us Love Of The Common People, Puff The Magic Dragon and Something, Bob did Peaceful Easy Feeling, Luxury Liner and Blood Red River and Keith sang With My Maker I Am One and Ob-la-di Ob-la-da. Valerie read a selection of short pieces and sayings from a book of gardening, then we welcomed a new face to the club, Andrea, who sang Folsom Prison Blues, When I'm 64 and 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover. Martin did The White Hare, Every River and Harvest Gypsies, Mick sang The Horseshoe Lounge (Slaid Cleaves), If It Hadn't Been For Love and played Si Beag Si Mor and Andy sang Mary Hamilton.

23/7/2024

Stuart took MC duties tonight and we began in usual style with Richard doing This Land Is Your Land, Lily The Pink and This Train then Bob did Samson And Delilah (Rev Gary Davis) and Same Thing Happened To Me (John Prine). Stuart was next with Cigarettes And Whisky And Wild Wild Women, Wasn't That A Party and Doh Re Me, Sue had some train songs City Of New Orleans, Freight Train and Blackpool Belle, Martin played fiddle on Portrait Of My Wife and guitar for American Skin (41 Shots) (Springsteen) and The Golden Vanity and Roger sang Tea For Two and My Way. Christine read Kipling's The Way Through The Woods and sang Barbara Allen, John had two Jake Thackray songs The Hole and Scallywag and his own Oh Gloria and Suzanne gave us Roger Mcgough's saucy poem At Lunchtime. Gordon was accompanied by Stuart for Wild Flying Dove (Tom Paxton) and sang Once Upon A Dream (Billy Fury) and Valerie read two classic poems Loveliest Of Trees The Cherry Now and The Owl And The Pussycat. Neil sang The Ballad Of The Speaking Heart (Tom Waits), Down There By The Train and When I'm Gone and Jennie did The Great Silkie Of Sule Skerry and Blow The Wind Southerly.

9/7/2004

FAF celebrated its 25th anniversary with a busy evening and Pete as MC. Founder member Richard was joined by Keith (almost there from the start) for Hound Dog and then by other founder member Colin for Folsom Prison Blues. Bob was next with Blues Stay Away From Me and Golden Rocket, Sue sang Making Love Ukulele Style and Tickle My Heart and John referenced the Wimbledon tennis with By The Time I Get To 3-6 as well as Jake Thackray's The Bantam Cock. It was lovely to hear Gordon (with some help from Stuart S) sing Leaving On A Jet Plane and unaccompanied I Used To Know You then Heather sang Crazy (Patsy Cline) and Secret Love (Doris Day). Martin did A Song For David and What You Do With What You've Got and Pondlife had a couple of old favourites I Can See Clearly Now and Stuck In The Middle. Valerie read from Words From The Garden a piece by Dickens and What Is Pink?, Suzanne had a version of Ten Milk Bottles and Nina sang a lovely version of A Sailor's Life. Keith did Change and Doo Wah Diddy before leading us for the club song Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning. Tony & Grace made a welcome appearance and were joined by Pete for County Life, a favourite of our late founder member John Davy then Colin returned with Dougie MacLean's I Feel So Near and Lamorna. Andy sang Tonight Will Be Fine (Leonard Cohen) and Freight Train, Stuart did Going Down That Road Feeling Bad (Eric Bibb) and Carrie sang Fairport's Close To The Wind. Alan did Sweet Burren Rain, Jo & Steve sang Make You Feel My Love and Jennie sang two songs including 'silver' to mark our anniversary Land Of The Silver Birch and Bobby Shafto.

25/6/2024

On a sunny mid summer evening, we spent the first half in the garden with Martin as our MC. Richard began with Ob-la-di Ob-la-da and Dedicated Follower Of Fashion the Keith sang Walking The Dog (in memory of the recently departed and much loved Rufus) and Cousin Jack. Roger was next with If I Loved You and The Surrey With The Fringe On Top, Christine sang I Know Where I'm Going and Try To Remember and Sean did Once I Had A Sweetheart, Romeo And Juliet and Cradle To Grave. It was nice to see Sandie back in action, playing Toadflax Mazurka, Summervase and Katy's Theme then Martin did Santiago (Show Of Hands), Broadway Hotel (Al Stewart) and The Long And Winding Road and a slimmed down Pondlife sang Meet Me On The Corner and Dirty Old Town. Steve had two songs from Dylan 4th Time Around and I Don't Believe You plus Great Lakes (John Smith), Alan sang I Still Miss Someone (Johnny Cash) and A Clear Day and Valerie read two more poems from the Millennium book, this time visiting the 1970s and 1980s. Heather sang Caravan (Barbara Dickson), What A Wonderful World and Bunch Of Thyme and Jennie did a Beltane incantation, Sweet Nightingale and The Wind That Shakes The Barley. Andy did John Prine's Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness and The Blowers Daughter (Damien Rice), we were pleased to see Sarah, who sang Pictures (for her Mum) and was joined by Pete for Silly Games and Stuart & Pete did The Cat Came Back.

11/6/2024

Stuart was our MC this evening and Richard, joined by Roger, got things going with Sloop John B and Pick A Bale Of Cotton the Stuart himself sang Roadkill and The D Day Dodgers. John did a customary Jake Thackray song Leopold Alcox and one from 1928 by Frank Crumit The Song Of The Prune, Christine sang I Love My Love and was joined by John for Stormy Weather and Sue did Puff The Magic Dragon and Blackpool Belle. A new voice to us was next, Nina, who had a poem written with her daughter about a burglar and then sang a beautiful version of Once I Had A Sweetheart. We welcomed back Gary who sang about the dumping of Colston's statue in the docks and Judy Small's Mothers, Daughters, Wives, Bob did a Brownie McGee song Living With The Blues and Merle Haggard's prison song Sing Me Back Home and Roger sang Some Enchanted Evening, Ramona(l) (the Bristol version) and was joined by Christine for There's A Hole In My Bucket. Suzanne was next with Roger McGough's Summer With The Monarch, Mick sang Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out and Hound Dog/Blue Suede Shoes and Andy C did Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness (John Prine) and Bowling Green. Valerie read from a millennium book with poems from each decade of the 20th century, picking the 1940s (the war and the NHS) and the 1960s (swinging 60s), Sean sang Universal Credit and Tom Paine's Bones and Sonia did Donagh Long's Never Be The Sun and Ewan McColl's Thirty Foot Trailer. Andy G gave us Heart Like A Wheel (McGarrigles) and Weary Hobo (Woody Guthrie) and Jennie sang The May Morning Dew and Hal-An-Tow. Martin had some Jez Lowe - The Bergen and Al Stewart's On The Border and Heather rounded off the evening with Crazy and Jambalaya.

28/5/2024

Pete took MC duties tonight and we began with Stuart singing a Jez Lowe song Tether's End before being joined by Pete for Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in honour of Richard Sherman. Next up was Sue with Ukulele (to the tune of Hallelujah) and Three Wheels On My Wagon, John Bl sang two lesser known Jake Thackray songs On The Shelf and A Woman Called Sophie and Heather did My Granfather's Clock and Let No Man Steal Your Thyme. Roger gave us Ole Man River and The Mountains Of Mourne, Christine sang Ye Banks And Braes and The Spinning Wheel then Steve did his own Long Lost Capo Blues (based on experience!) and Dylan's Sarah. Alan was next with Burren Rain and Sunbird, Valerie read What's In A Name? (from the book The Letter) and Suzanne gave us two very short poems An Ode To My Sweeping Brush and The Laughter Forecast. Carrie & Stuart did Labi Siffre's Watch Me and Crazy Man Michael, Sonia & Andy sang Everything's Fine Right Now and Sonny's Dream (Ron Hynes) and we welcomed Holly for her visit, and she sang beautifully She Moved Through The Fair and a setting of the Robert Frost poem Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening. Sean did two songs from his brand new CD Rosemary Lane and Blackwaterside, John Be did Trouble (Ray Lamontagne) and the U2 song When Love Comes To Town and Martin sang Queen Of The May and Banks Of Sweet Primroses. Our good host Andy sang Golden Thread and Rainy Night In Soho, Trevor, The Bard Of Windmill Hill recited House Of Marked Cards and Let Us Be As One and Gavin & Simon played I Want To Win The FA Cup and Cheeserolling (both very topical).

14/5/2024

Martin took MC duties and we began with Richard, doing Folsom Prison Blues and Blue Suede Shoes then Stuart S sang Fred Wedlock's Song For Europe (with some updated verses) and Marie's Wedding. The other Stuart was next with Ruben's Train and Woodstock, Roger sang Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and Drink Up Thee Cider and Geoff had two May songs, Oak And Ash And Thorn and Hal An Tow. Louise & Pete revived their lockdown duet for Lay Down and I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight, Sue sang Hey There Delilah and Love Of The Common People and Bob did The Other Side Of Town (John Prine) and Luxury Liner (Gram Parsons). Andrew gave us Your Song and Vincent, Martin did a couple of Springsteen songs, Land Of Hope And Dreams and My City Of Ruins and Sean had the traditional The Cuckoo and She Moves Through The Fair. Heather sang Flowers In The Rain and A Kind Of Hush then it was poetry from Val with A Cat And Dog Life (Charlie Chester) and Suzanne with Not You Basil (Pam Ayres). Jennie sang Eve Goodman's The Sea and Wild Mountain Thyme and Gavin was back with two songs by his friend Simon, Long Warm Brighter Days Are Just Ahead and Unseen And Unsung.

23/4/2024

Stuart MC’d for our St George’s Day evening and we kicked off as usual with Richard, singing Salonika and Mellow Yellow then Martin did Young Ramble Away and Broomfield Hill. Stuart was next with Half English and was joined by Louise for The Blue Cockade before we had a new face to FAF, Andrew with My Heart Will Go On and Guitar Man. Roger sang Some Enchanted Evening and Sloop John B (with John B himself on bodhran!) and Christine gave us a poem by Pam Ayres Like You Would. Heather sang The Last Thing on My Mind, Rose Garden and a poem St George and the Dragon, Andy C did The Hard Times of Old England and Sonia sang High Germany and A Place Called England. Steve sang The Actor (Incredible String Band) and English Curse (Frank Turner) then Andy G played guitar on his lap for a song that Dylan once recorded and John did Hey Joe and Will the Circle Be Unbroken. Alan sang I Still Miss Someone (Joan Baez) and his own Clear Still Day and Keith did one of his favourites, It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time.

9/4/2024

Stuart was our MC and he got us underway with The Outdoor Type and Bonnie And Clyde before we had a spontaneous duo as Pete joined Richard for Worried Man Blues and Down By The Riverside to remember 10 years since the passing of Pete Seeger. Meanwhile, a usual duo went solo as Stuart sang Soho (Jansch/Renbourn) and He Was A Friend Of Mine and Carrie did Cruel (Kate Rusby) and Country Song (Jake Bugg). Heather was next with Nobody's Child and The Eriskay Love Lilt, Bob did two train songs, Golden Rocket and Fireball Mail as did Sue with Chattanooga Choo Choo and This Train. A new face for FAF was Peter who sang Clementine and Wreck Of The Old 97 (another train song!), Martin sang American Stranger and A Begging I Will Go and Geoff went trad with While Gamekeepers Lie Sleeping and The White Hare Of Howden. Our regular poets were next, Valerie read Ginko The Clown and Suzanne Uncle Noah (Roger Mcgough) and we were delighted to see Jane return as she sang Here Comes The Sun and Talk To Me Of Mendocino. Jennie did Siren Song (Eve Goodman) and the shanty The Wild Goose, Rob & Mick did yet another train sing, this time a new one by Rob Waiting For A Train plus Bonnie At Morn then Rob rounded things off with You Can't Be A Pirate With All Of Your Parts.

26/3/2024

Pete was our MC for the latest FAF and we started with Richard doing Lord Of The Dance, and two Adge Cutler songs The Bristol Song and Drink Up Thee Cider. Alan followed with Tom Paxton's Hold On To Me Babe and Black Velvet Band then Sue sang Fields Of Gold, Ride On and Red River Valley and Bob did Pawn Shop Blues, Lost Highway and Lord God What A Beautiful City. Steve sang Green And Red Of Mayo (Saw Doctors), his own Never Thought To Fail (about the RNLI) and Al Stewart's Gethsemene, Again, Stuart did Catherine Shaw, Alcohol (Ray Davies) and was joined by Pete for Roseville Fair, a kind of tribute to Andy's banjo playing. We then we had poems from Valerie Second Childhood and Suzanne Mafia Cats. Sean played his instrumental Pachelbel's Revolver and the traditional Sir Patrick Spens and The Isle Of France, Heather sang Flowers In The Rain, The Crystal Chandeliers and Where Have All The Flowers Gone? And Martin did John Martyn's Sapphire, Karine Polwart's The King Of Birds and Richard Thompson's Johnny's Far Away. Finally, Andy sang The Scarecrow, Always Lift Him Up And Never Knock Him Down and played a couple of banjo tunes. Andy will be moving to Wells soon, so we will see him less frequently and miss the banjo playing!

12/3/2024

We were close to St Patrick's Day, so there was no shortage of Irish songs as Martin took on MC duties. He took up the fiddle to join Stuart & Pete for Steve Knightley's Galway Farmer (the Cheltenham Festival was just starting) and the three of them became four as Tony added harmonica to I'm The Urban Spaceman. Richard was next with The Irish Rover and Singing In The Rain before poems from Valerie reading Tulips and Suzanne with I'm Going To Kill My Husband (Pam Ayres). Bob did Blues Stay Away From Me and Blue Days Black Nights, Sue sang Don't Fence Me In and Marie's Wedding and Stuart (without Carrie this week) gave us The Cuckoo and Kansas City Moan. Heather was next with The Kerry Dance and Danny Boy then John sang Mike Scott's Ireland and Jake Thackray's Our Dog. Tony & Grace made it from over the (Welsh) border to sing The Holy Ground and Steve Earl's Galway Girl (with more fiddling from Martin), Sean sang Whiskey In The Jar and Raglan Road and Andy D did his own Mods And Mohair and Guy Clark's Dublin Blues. Jennie sang the Marmalade song Reflections Of My Life plus When The Boat Comes In and we were delighted that our host Andy G entertained us with the Dave Cousins song The Flower And The Young Man and his own poem The Kingfisher then Michael (who had visited us once before) sang From Clare To Here and Fields Of Athenry. Colin was joined by Richard (an old partnership) for a spirited Monto before singing Nelson's Farewell, Martin played My Lagan Love on the fiddle and Tony & Grace ended the evening with Molly Malone.

27/2/2024

Stuart was our MC as we neared St David's Day, and he & Pete kicked off with Stu's version of Go Lassie Go and Come A Little Bit Closer. Richard made a welcome return, singing This Land Is Our Land (the Welsh version) and We Shall Not Be Moved then John did Red-Velvet Steering Wheel Cover Driver (Tommy Makem) and Mike Scott's Analyst. Sue sang Puff The Magic Dragon and Those Were The Days, Heather read her own poem Classic Cars and sang Messing About On The River and The Bonnie Banks Of Loch Lomand and Roger gave us Old Man River. Chris sang David Of The White Rock and was joined by John for Ain't Misbehaving then Geoff did Died For Love and the Kipling/Peter Bellamy combination Sir Richard's Song. A couple of poems next, first from Suzanne with Be Glad Your Nose Is On Your Face then Valerie with Little Garden Shed. Sonia & Andy did Nacw' Nghariad (There Is My Love) and Merthyr Rising and Martin sang I Drew My Ship Into The Harbour and John Martyn's Angeline. Andy D sang two songs from his brand new CD (hot off the press), Milk Of Human Kindness (the title track) and Higher Ground, Alan did Two Hearts In Space And Time and Make You Feel My Love and Steve sang Donovan's Ballad Of Geraldine and Dylan's To Ramona.

13/2/2024

Love was in the air the day before Valentine's Day and we had plenty of love songs with Pete in charge of the romance! He and Stuart began with Stu's Give You Up For Lent and Texas Love Song then Gary sang Slim Dusty's Do You Think That I Don't Know and a love song to horses Copper And May. Carrie & Stuart sand Richard Thompson's Dimming Of The Day and the Ivory Joe Hunter song I Almost Lost My Mind, Sue did Hey There Delilah and Eternal Flame and Bob gave us Tina Louise and My Girl Josephine. Heather was next with The Second Minuet and Love Is All Around then Suzanne read the poem Cling To Me Nigel before John sang two Mike Scott songs Love Song and Someone Should Tell You. Sean sang Lock-Keeper (Stan Rogers) and Dylan's Simple Twist Of Fate, Andy D sang is own Liquid Sky (a love song to the earth) and the brilliant Headless Body In A Topless Bar. Sonia did The Dark Eyed Sailor and the McGarrigle's Foolish You, Andy C sang If I Were A Carpenter and Ripples and Martin did This Love Won't Let You Fail and Year Of The Cat. Jennie sang I Love This Bar and Orphan Girl (Gillian Welsh) and Sarah did BB King's The Thrill Is Gone.

23/1/2024

FAF didn't let the dark days of winter get us down as we encouraged everyone to perform a cheerful or funny number. Burns Night also got a nod as Martin MC'd. Stuart & Peter started with The Napoli and Right Said Fred then John sang The Cat (Mike Scott) and On Again! On Again! (Jake Thackray). Bob was next with Rhubarb Pie and I Love To Boogie and Sue sang Ugly Bug Ball and Swinging On A Star. Not known for funny songs, Andy turned comedian with a series of banjo jokes (playing along as he did so and throwing in a bit of Oh Suzanna) before segueing into All The Girls Go Wild Over Me. Martin was next with the Dubliner's The Sick Note and High Part Of The Town (Jez Lowe), Keith did Village Green Preservation Society and Bring Us In Hot Tea and Roger started with a joke and sang He Shall Die. Sean did his own Something Always Gets You In The End and was joined by Sandie for Fairytale Of Bradley Stoke, a Bristolian twist on the Christmas classic. We had a new face next, Joe, who delighted us with a couple of Nick Drake songs Clothes Of Sand and Milk And Honey, then it was Suzanne with a poem Oft I Think Of Robbie Burns. Valerie read a few short pieces St. Lucy's Day In Sweden/The Miracle Of The Poinsettia/Martin Lutther's Tree/Snapdragon/Befana/Fruit Tree Wassailing then Jane sang Lost Words (Katherine Polwart) and the Cranberries' Zombie. Geoff did Hugh Laurie's Mystery and his own Foot Tambourine, Steve debuted his ukulele for Jez Lowe's Back In Durham Gaol and As Soon As This Pub Closes (Alex Glasgow) and Alan sang Run For Home and Mystery Eyes. Heather gave us Itsy Bitsy Yellow Polka Dot Bikini and Hi Ho Silver Lining, Neil did The Fair Flower Of Northumberland and Burn's The Silver Tassie and Jennie also went to Scotland with An Eriskay Love Lilt and a little further south for D'ye Ken John Peel.

9/1/2024

We started the new year with another busy night at the Nissen and Stuart as our MC and he and Pete began with The Hippopotamus Song and Stuart's ode to CAMRA The Beer Song. Carrie & Stuart were next with Genesis Hall and Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying then Christine sang Derry Down and recited Jabberwocky and Roger sang the 'the Knowle West version of Ramona', Ramonal. Sue did Red River Valley and Make You Feel My Love, Bob sang Backwater Blues and Crazy Arms and Geoff did two wassails, the ones from Somerset and Trunch. Valerie read a moving piece from The Letter I Should Have Written, John sang The Twelve Days After Christmas and another Flanders & Swann song The Sloth and Suzanne read a poem by Jack Prelutsky Deep In Our Refrigerator. Andy D was next with I Wish The Wars Were All Over, Sean did his own Coat Of Blue and his version of Matty Groves and Mick sang Mr Punch and Kindly Leave The Stage. Andy C gave us Mandolin Mountain and I Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound and John returned to finish the evening with Jake Thackray's Grandad.

FAF-ING ABOUT (2024)