Well hello again folkers! It’s almost May, the festival season is upon us (Upton -upon-Severn)…..and it’s still bloody freezing!! Snow, hail, horrendous wind (and that’s just me!), so let’s get ourselves into the warmth of the club for another month of delights starting on……..

Friday 6th May with Keith Donnelly. Amazingly (to my knowledge), this will be Keith’s first appearance at the club – I stand to be corrected if necessary. As I’m sure many of you already know, Keith has been a firm favourite on the club and festival scene for many years now, as a solo artiste, in a duo with Flossie and in bands many years ago but in all these guises he’s somehow eluded us – until now! An excellent songwriter, superb musician, very funny man and last but not least a very talented children’s entertainer – should suit us down to the ground I reckon!!

Then on the 13th (ooo err!!), we are again delighted to be presenting one of my all time favourite artistes Clive Gregson. It’s been over two years since Clive appeared at the club. He’s been a regular guest over the last ten years or so and is without doubt one of the most respected singer/songwriters on the folk scene today, both here in the UK, in the rest of Europe and also in the states, where he now lives. His songs have been covered by many top international performers, he’s appeared as a member of Richard Thompson’s band, toured with Nanci Griffiths and his now defunct, but long term partnership with Christine Collister was simply magical. A solo artiste for many years now but he’s also now touring again with his old band Any Trouble occasionally. A busy man, but he always manages to fit in a show at the Woodman.

On Friday the 20th we have yet another new act to the club in the form of a duo called Landermason. Landermason comprises of vocal and multi-instrumentalist Fiona Lander and Paul Mason on vocals and guitar. They have developed a unique sound which displays a high degree of virtuosity and with which they combine both traditional and contemporary folk with jazz and other musical styles. They have so far released 5 CD’s and have appeared on BBC radios 2, 3 and 4. Whilst they are getting increasingly known on the folk and festival circuit they will be a new name to most of us, so a night not to be missed I reckon.

Then on Friday 27th and last but by no means least for the month we have our very own Malcolm Jeffry. Everyone’s favourite nutcase comes to mind! Malcy is certainly a very quirky performer but nonetheless very talented and always goes down a storm at the club, whether delivering comic songs à la Jake Thackray or Tom Lehrer or ballads brimming with delightful pathos. He describes himself thus: “a sort of classical guitarist; a frequenter of live music of vastly differing styles; an OK 3-ball juggler but pants with 4; a slow but accurate pencil sketcher; a collector of original Goon Show recordings; an occasional marquetry whittler and a bit of a draught beer quaffer”! Fits right in, don’t you think??

The more astute of you will of course have spotted that we are brim full of guests this month, no room for a singer’s night, but worry not dear pluckers for your chance will come next week.

Enjoy yourselves!

Rob