Kelso Folk&Live
Kelso Folk & Live Music Club promotes music making in traditional and contemporary fashion, both in a singaround or open mic situation and in the even more informal environment of a Scottish pub session. All are welcome and the many regulars involved try to make visitors feel a part of the circle.
The club has two homes and two times, but always on a Friday night – every Friday night, very much throughout the year.
The earlier evening Open Mic (which does not exclude collaborations or open jams) is held at The Planet, a social centre on the side of the Kelso Ice Rink complex, next to the Golf Club. It is a singaround in the Planet’s café zone and at the moment, unamplified, a comfortable lounge seating for a circle of singers, players and listeners. Should it be needed, a PA is available with a more formal seating space. It runs from around 7.45pm set-up to 10.45pm, and you may bring your own beer or wine (soft drinks, coffee and bites should be purchased from the café).
The Cobbles Inn pub session does not start earlier than 9pm, when you may find acoustic traditional music kicking things off. From 9.30 to 10.30pm it’s usually just two or three singers who anchor the session with a small PA system if needed. By 11pm we usually welcome musicians and singers from the Planet and also from other Borders activities (Friday is a popular night). It’s not unusual for performers to arrive after midnight if they’ve been to gig first. The night ends around 1am.
Guidelines: if you have an instrument which is best with its own amplifier (such as a small bass amp or a battery portable) by all means bring it, but please don’t bring large gear or anything which needs mains power without asking/warning, especially to the Cobbles where space is limited and the staff don’t want to negotiate obstacles. Please do bring your own instrument lead, capo, instrument stand or clamp. We have facilities to plug in. If you are visiting from abroad and travelling without an instrument, get in touch in advance and we’ll try to have a spare guitar.