Pronoter EP Musician, singer, songwriter, and Lifetime Achievement Award winner at the inaugural RTÉ Folk Awards, Andy has had an amazing musical career over the past 50 years. At the helm of legendary bands like Sweeney’s Men in the mid 60s, to the enormous success of Planxty in the 70s, and then Patrick Street, Mozaik, LAPD and recently Usher’s Island, Andy is both a world music pioneer and an icon for traditional music and musicians. Andy is one of the great Irish singers, his voice one of a handful of truly great ones that gets to the very soul of Ireland. He has been hailed as “a tradition in himself”. Musician, singer, songwriter, Andy has maintained his highly individual performing skills throughout his over 50-year career. As a soloist, Andy fills the role of the archetypal troubadour with a show and a travelling lifestyle that reflect his lifelong influence, Woody Guthrie. To quote the Irish Times, “Often copied, never equalled”, his repertoire consists of Irish traditional songs, dexterous Balkan dance tunes and a compelling cannon of his own self-penned songs.

Everyone’s favourite folk rock band return to the Music Room for their annual show of singing, dancing and roof-raising. Merry Hell is a band founded on the ever evolving folk tradition – music made by the people and shared by the people. Though their hearts and souls are tuned to the songs which came before them, they bring new words and music forged from their own experiences, from the lows and the loves of their lives. Their art is energy and their hope is unity.

Four wonderful voices honed in perfect harmony singing. Their sound has light and shade that gives the impression of many more voices and their repertoire is predominantly traditional. Join in the choruses or sit back and just enjoy the fabulous sound that will envelop you.

No strangers to the club, Belinda and her daughter, Fran, sing special family songs from Essex. From a farming family, Belinda learned these songs from her uncle. It is only in recent years they have been singing them out, but they have quickly become firm favourites across London folk clubs and beyond. They now have recorded an album available from Bandcamp.

This will be Kevin's first visit to the club though he has played all over the UK, Europe, the US and Oz. He is a first class entertainer and sought after guitarist having accompanied many of the great names in folk music. Just sit back and enjoy a polished and accessible professional performance. Guitarists may take notes! Kevin Dempsey is a master of tricky rhythms and effortlessly complicated guitar parts and spreads a wonderfully dignified calm through the turbulent and muddied waters of my outpourings. John Kirkpatrick A beautiful guitarist. Martin Carthy

Maggie has been a folk guitarist since the 1960s folk revival. She sings contemporary folk, traditional and has a strong reputation as a songwriter, whose songs are sung by many other folk professionals. She writes songs of experience, real life and politics.

Amanda Maclean, Alison Frosdick and Wendy Lanchin sing in glorious folk harmony with strong solo leads. They are usually acapella, only occasionally providing accompaniment on a shruti box, whistle, or guitar. The group are steeped in the traditions of folk music, from England and Scotland, and deliver ballads and comic songs with equal sincerity. The contemporary songs in their repertoire feel as if they have always been with us.

Rowan Piggott, traditional fiddler, and Philippe Barnes, virtuoso flautist and guitarist, join with acclaimed singer Rosie Hodgson to produce audible magic. Their strong solo skills combine in a sensitive and beautiful appreciation of note and tone in an eclectic tapestry of traditional and original songs. They sing acapella and accompanied with some spine tingling instrumentals thrown in.

We saw Tarren at Warwick Folk Festival last year and they were everything you wanted in a band. Fun, energy, musical excellence, and songs of meaning. Sid Goldsmith, Alex Garden and Danny Pedlar combine citern, concertina, fiddle and accordion in their unique takes on traditional and contemporary songs and tunes. We are told they incorporate modular hooks and minimalist forms, thus creating new folk music. We arent sure what that means but the effect is mesmerising.

Ewan MacPherson (vocals/guitars), Jenny Sturgeon (vocals/keys/guitar) and Anna Hughes (vocals/guitar/fiddle/viola/harmonium) have a reputation for thoughtful and innovative interpretations of ancient ballads and contemporary songs. Their vocal and instrumental interplay evokes their Scottish roots in sensitive storytelling and appreciation of nature. This is a rare opportunity to hear this excellent group in London.

North Tyne troubadours The Brothers Gillespie combine the glorious tones of sibling harmony with brilliant multi-instrumentalism and inspired song-writing. Described by Folk Radio UK as 'weaving an especially compelling magic'. Sam and James are great protagonists of the living tradition of British folk music.

Riley Baugus represents the very best of old time American banjo and song. His powerful singing voice and his expert musicianship place him squarely in the next generation of the quality American roots tradition. Riley is a native of the southern Appalachians. The Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina is where his roots lie, and he grew up learning the music and art of storytelling of the region from older musicians in the area. His solo show consists of a focus on banjos, ballads, stories and songs. ABM are delighted to be working with Riley on a November 2022 tour: Banjos, Ballads, Stories and Songs of the Southern Appalachians. He has toured in the UK for many years with Ira Bernstein, as one half of the hugely popular Appalachian Roots project. He has played at Celtic Connections several times with Dirk Powell, and also toured with Tim Eriksen in the States, as part of the Cold Mountain film tour, and as a duo. Riley has also recorded with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and with Willie Nelson both T-Bone Burnett projects.

Pete Coe: 'A one-man folk industry' needs little introduction to folk audiences. He is back by popular acclaim. Pete celebrates narrative folk songs rooted in English traditions, classic ballads & broadsides, rural yarns, travellers tales, and songs of love, loss & protest learned from the old songcarriers & songsmiths he's met over a lifetime on the road. He performs with great skill, presents with authority & good humour & encourages audience involvement.

Lou C and Leo Pal's shared excitement for carefully crafted harmonies and each other's songs got them started as a singer-songwriter duo accompanying themselves on guitar, banjo and ukelele in 2022. They combine their own repertoire of songs of love, anger, social injustice and women's lives spanning the navigation of contemporary motherhood to the joys and perils of a seriously drunken night out with their own re workings of traditional folk songs, Americana and other selected interpretations . Lou was a club guest artist for a half gig last year and she brought Leo onstage for a few numbers. Since then, they have issued an album and sold out Aces and Eights. Now the duo are back for a full gig.

We cannot wait to see the legend that is John Tams at our club. His work has spanned six decades in every performance medium. His performance backstory includes Muckram Wakes, The Albion Band, Home Service and his duo with Barry Coope. John is a recognised authority on vernacular music a seven times winner at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. At the National Theatre, he has worked as actor and musical director/composer on over 30 productions, including Lark Rise to Candleford. He played Daniel Hagman in the TV series Sharpe, for which he was script associate, co-writing the score. For radio, he was executive music director of the Radio Ballads, winning Gold at the Sony Radio Academy Awards. As an original member of the creative team that brought War Horse to the stage, John has since toured the world as a production executive. His performance of Only Remembered before the late Queen Elizabeth at The Festival of Remembrance has been viewed by over 70 million viewers worldwide. John has made over 60 albums, and continues to tour festival and concert stages.

Simon Wells is a founder member of Snuff, with whom he played until 1991. Their first hit was Not listening anymore. He then joined Southport Band and also became an acknowledged expert on 1960s Pop culture. His acoustic set includes some classic folk standards. Steve Skaith is the main singer and songwriter with the band Latin Quarter, best known for their 1986 top 20 hit Radio Africa from the album Modern Times. Steve will be playing in a duet with Latin Quarter bass player Yo Yo Buys, a South African musician who has also toured extensively with The Christians, Roachford and more recently The Over it's 42 year history, Latin Quarter has toured extensively in the UK and Europe and produced 15 albums, 9 of which have come in the last 13 years. As a band they are know for their varied styles, sometimes rock, sometimes folk, sometimes reggae and sometimes African as in their writing and recording collaboration with Zimbabwe band The Bhundu Boys.

Melrose Quartet are Nancy Kerr, James Fagan, Jess Arrowsmith and Richard Arrowsmith. Each is an excellent solo performer of traditional and original songs and morris and social dance music. They are popular regulars at Walthamstow and this year they add all the silliness of their Christmas Party to their skilled musicianship (fiddle, guitar, melodian plus various other instruments), excellent presentation, great harmony singing and interesting songwriting. How many versions of Rudolph do you know Will you get to take a bauble off the xmas tree A great way to send you into the festive season!

7 MAGNIFICENT EGOS Produced by Simon Berry & Lance S A Nielsen Written & Directed by Lance Steen Anthony Nielsen In 1960 Hollywood star of the era, Yul Brynner was looking for his first movie to direct. His friend actor Anthony Quinn wanted a vehicle to star in and he suggested a Western remake ofThe Seven Samurai. Enter producer Walter Mirisch, but he wanted Brynner to star in the movie, and John Sturges to direct. Quinn was out. Those conflicts were just the beginning. There were fights over rights, fights between the cast, fights with the Mexican censor, and fights over the cut of the movie. What makes this story truly unique however, is the exceptional combination of stars involved in the motion picture. This is the hyper satirical telling of the making of one of the most beloved Westerns in Hollywood history -The Magnificent Seven Written by the award-winning playwright of False Accounts - Exposing the Post Office Cover-Up, the latest play from Lance Nielsen is another satirical look at something he is all too familiar with - the workings of the film industry. It's amazing how little the problems changed. Strap in for a hilarious ride as you learn the story of one of the most beloved Westerns of the Silver Screen.

FERAL DAYDREAMS by Levi Childs. A stand-up comedy show thats provides a peek inside the chaotic (but charming) mind of a late diagnosed, day-dreaming ADHDER. Navigating the ups and downs of dating, disabilities and moral dilemmas. Advised 16+ guidance.

Join us for our industry meet up to network and celebrate the start of Walthamstow Fringe. Please email us for a code in order to book tickets as this is for industry only.

ALL THAT DRAG - AN EVENING OF MUSICAL THEATRE Join Drag Idol UK National Semi-Finalist, Tuppence ABag, for an evening of musical theatre as part of the Walthamstow Fringe Festival. This fresh faced and Essex Based Drag Queen returns to Ye Olde Rose & Crown, following a successful debut in May this year.Tuppence ABag is a camp and stagey Queen, who loves a good ole Musical Theatre sing-song. Join us as she takes you on a journey through her favourite Musical Theatre hits. Be prepared for a night of live-singing, comedy and traditional Drag lip syncing, and let Tuppence entertain you through decades of Musical Theatre tunes. What do audiences have to say about Tuppence ABag? Tuppence is a one of a kind queen. A natural storyteller with unbelievable vocals Comedy, storytelling, and incredible talent for all to enjoy A divine singing voice & wicked humourBook your tickets today to avoid disappointment!