Kelso Folk & Live Music Club

September 1st to 3rd 2023

The Kelso Folk and Live Music Club is pleased to announce the line-up for this year’s folk festival. As in past years, this will be a weekend of live concerts featuring award-wining bands and artists, combined with sessions, workshops and open mics offering a showcase for local talent. This year there are three great ticketed concerts to catch. On the Friday night we kick off in spectacular style with harpist Catriona McKay and fiddle player Chris Stout (photo above) who perform traditional Scottish music in their own unique way. With them on the same bill is Iona Fyfe, a past “MG Alba Scots singer of the year” winner who performs both folk and pop songs in the Scots language. She is supported by her three piece band. On the Saturday night we are delighted to have the celebrated English songsmith and guitarist Martin Simpson. Also appearing that night are Malin Makes Music, a four piece band featuring piper Malin Lewis, a BBC Alba Young folk musician of the year finalist last year. Finally our Sunday lunchtime concert features the wonderful Ainsley Hamill and her trio performing English and Scot’s Gaelic songs.

In addition we will have a Borders showcase concert on the Saturday lunchtime featuring Riddell Fiddles, and outdoor events include a dance display from Ragbag Morris. There will also be opportunity to participate in our sessions, singarounds and open mics, whether you are a singer or musician or simply wish to listen to some great live music. All are welcome to join in, and you are sure to find like-minded musicians/singers. For those wanting to improve their skills and gain inspiration, there will be various music workshops on the Saturday morning. All this is going on in the beautiful Borders town of Kelso, a great tourist destination!

Programme at a glance (see concerts for more details)

Friday 1st September

• Opening Concert at the Old Parish Church, Kelso, 7.30-10.30 pm. McKay – Stout and Iona Fyfe.

Saturday 2nd September

• Morning workshops.
• Best of the Borders free concert at the Old Parish Church, Kelso, 12.00-2.00 pm.
• Outdoor events in the Town Square, featuring Ragbag Morris. 2.00-4.00 pm.
• Afternoon open sessions at The Cross Keys and Rutherfords, 2-5 pm.
• Concert: Old Parish Church, Kelso, 7.30-10.30 pm. Martin Simpson and Malin Makes Music.

Sunday 3rd September

• Traditional tunes session at The Cross Keys, Kelso, 11.00-12.30 pm.
• Lunchtime Concert at the Old Parish Church, Kelso, 1.00-2.30 pm. Ainsley Hamill
• Farewell singaround sessions at the Cross Keys, 3.00-4.30 pm.

In concert for the folk club, May 27th 2022, playing ‘three jigs’.

Despite Covid and worries that concerts and sessions might provide difficult to stage or even be cancelled at the last minute, the Tait Hall enjoyed about as close to a full house as social distancing permitted during the weekend from September 3rd-5th. The good news is that weather won’t be an issue from September 10th when the weekly Oak Room singaround returns at 8pm.

After a year’s absence the usual 1st weekend in September welcomed us with weather just fine and warm enough to allow outdoor sessions at Rutherford’s micro pub in the square and the cricket pavilion in Shedden Park. In the Tait Hall, there were two double bill evening concerts – on Friday night, the Siobhan Miller Band and Maggie MacInnes joined by Anna Massie; on Saturday, Martin and Eliza Carthy and Luke Daniels and The Cobhers. There were two lunchtime concerts, with North Sea Gas on Saturday and Absolutely Legless Irish dance on Sunday. The festival closed with an indoor concert at the Cross Keys offering an open stage to club members. Photographs: David Kilpatrick.

Our thanks to everyone who attended, all the session players and especially the club stalwart Ron Hastings who anchored sessions in a musical marathon.

Calling all Kelso Folk Club members and friends!

Next Saturday 21st August there is a free music festival at Rowchester near Greenlaw …take the Kelso Stichill Road and follow the R signs. It would be great to get there for our Kelso acts on from 12 – music line-up…. Kelso Folk Group (Allan, Pete, Ron, David, Steve Dent and Andrew Hunter followed by Natalie Bays with David Kilpatrick, then Andrew and BB. Other acts include Lilla & Scott Krueger, Rebecca Williams, Evan Anderson, Banned for Life!, Drenched, The Retrophones and finally Fire in the Middle. No ticket just donation for charity. First live outing and a great platform for Kelso Folk Club. Please support if you can and keep music live.