Your guide to folk events in Coventry and Warwickshire.
We’ve linked to a new calendar format which should make more local folk events accessible and easy to update. Just click on the maroon lettering below – or scroll down for individual listing of forthcoming events.
Cov & Warks Folk Events Listing
If you are planning any folk event in the CV postcode area – big concert, back-room singaround, online performance, dance display, or whatever, click here to email us, providing the following details:
- Date, start-time and end-time
- Name of venue
- Type of event
- Artists/performers appearing
- Location including postcode
- Description – including how to book tickets, web links, etc
Please note that information on this page is based on advertising and public announcements by the venues and/or events organisers.
While every effort is made to ensure that details provided here are correct, CVFolk cannot guarantee its accuracy which is why we include contact information for each event so that you can check and confirm if necessary,
CVFolk is working in partnership with Folk21 Midlands region and any event listed here will also appear in their own events listing.
Hannah and Toby met in Summer 2018 at Floating Castle festival in Slovenia and it was clear that these two musicians shared a common approach to music making and a real artistic chemistry.
Award-winning folk musician, dancer and composer Hannah James is complemented perfectly by the virtuoso cello of Toby Kuhn. Known for her work with Lady Maisery, Maddy Prior, Sam Sweeney, Seasick Steve and Songs of Separation (with Eliza Carthy and Karina Polwart and more), Hannah is one of the key figures in the modern UK folk scene. Rooted in the English Tradition but enriched by her collaborations all over Europe, her charismatic blend of accordion, vocal and clog dancing forged an instant artistic chemistry with impressive French cellist Toby Kuhn.
Toby is a crossover musician with a taste for improvisation and folk music of all persuasions. Always on the lookout for new ways to play his instrument, his unorthodox approach has won admiration and acclaim wherever he goes. He regularly tours Europe and the world, bringing with him the full potential of the cello on a journey across style and invention.
Together, their music is soulful, original and conversational. The combination of accordion and cello allows for a huge palette of sounds and textures which lift James’s pure voice and deeply honest songwriting. In the next breath they switch to choppy rhythms and joyful interplay between cello and percussive dance. This duo deliver a diverse, playful and hugely original performance. Their debut album “Sleeping Spirals” has just been released to considerable acclaim.
The Fureys take to the stage where they will treat their audience to one of popular music’s richest legacies.
They are one of Ireland’s all-time most acclaimed and influential middle of the road, folk and traditional bands. Fureys classics like I Will Love You, When You Were Sweet 16, Red Rose Café, Leaving Nancy, The Old Man, From Clare to Here and The Green Fields of France have become the soundtrack to the lives of fans all over the world.
The Fureys’ indelible musical footprint is rivalled only by their vast collection of personal stories of their musical experiences and friendships, gathered by Eddie and George Furey along an amazing 45-year journey which shows no signs of reaching a final destination.
The Fureys will be performing all of their best loved songs, fans can rest assured they will be treated to one or two entertaining tales on the night for good measure!
A fantastic celebration of midlands female singer-songwriter-guitarist talent, for this innovative event DCH Ents is proud to bring together four incredibly talented performers.
Becki Morgan (Rugby), Jess Lea (Rugby), Josie Field (Alvechurch) and Kristy Gallacher (Coventry) will mix it up on the night. They all have equal billing and will have the chance to showcase their own material, as well as deliver a few of their favourite covers.
This is a unique and truly outstanding opportunity for a discerning audience to hear new material and – who knows – perhaps we will be listening to some true stars of the future. We will also be encouraging our four guests to put together some collaborations on the night, so this really will be a unique event and one that is very special to us here in Rugby.
GENERATION JONES, based in the North Cotswolds, was formed in 2007 by singer-songwriters Geoff Carr and Jon Beynon who had previously been members of a five-piece rock band, Indian Summer.Their music is characterised by the mellow sound of acoustic guitar and tight, smooth vocal harmonies. Their writing is influenced heavily by the work of such greats as James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, John Martyn, and Lennon and McCartney.
Equally at home in bars and restaurants as on festival stages, GENERATION JONES play regularly at music venues and various private or corporate functions in and around Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.
A typical set mixes covers of popular, classic folk-rock tunes and their own original material.
Regulars include Keith Eardley, Mike Cox
Katie formed Little Sparrow in 2010, a title that came from Elbow front man Guy Garvey. He affectionately called her ‘Cockney Sparrow’ which lead onto her stage name ‘Little Sparrow’.
She performs regularly with a band of talented musicians that provide a mix of harmonies, strings, guitars, pedal steel and percussion.
The self release of her debut album ‘Wishing Tree’ in 2014 had tracks featured on BBC Radio 2, BBC 6 Music, BBC Introducing Manchester, Merseyside & Devon along with regular regional and international play.
2015 proved to be a great year with her playing Manchester International Festival, Liverpool International Music Festival & Blackthorn Festival.
2016 saw Little Sparrow film a series of live videos with her band – using innovative, state of the art 360 degree technology, filmed at MediacityUK, dock10 studios, which can be found via YouTube.
Katie went on to play Kendal Calling Festival, Sidmouth Fringe Festival and Green Gathering. Laurel Canyon Music website voted her ‘New Artist of The Year’ and 2017 started with her being invited to play on BBC Breakfast TV.
2018 saw a gentle return to music after the birth of her son in 2016.
Little Sparrow released a 3 track EP called ‘Just 3‘, a collaboration with pianist and composer Robin Dewhurst (father to Josh Dewhurst from band Blossoms), and cellist Sarah Dale. Katie met Robin at Kendal Calling in 2016, they performed at the Tim Peaks Diner and were asked to cover ‘Baggy Trousers‘ by Madness by the Tim Peaks Team. This created a lovely new musical relationship which went on to create ‘Just 3’.
All three songs received airplay, Chris Hawkins from BBC 6Music played ‘Tender’ and ‘Baggy Trousers’. Blue’s and Roots Radio of Canada made ‘Dry Your Eyes’ a ‘Daily Featured Artist’ track for six weeks.
Katie played Liverpool Philharmonic in April, then Theatre Clwyd, Wales later in the year singing alongside Bonnie Dobson and Elfin Bow. She sold out her return appearance in Manchester, her home town, at The Bridgewater Hall in late November, with rave reviews.
2019 Katie released ‘Corner Of The Room’ a single which displayed a new musical direction for her, certainly darker than previous works – with a video to match – and although the same glorious, soaring voice that characterises all her songs is still there, it is in a more dramatic direction that much of the new album is travelling.
2020 saw the release of ‘Tears’, a song originally written by her father Mick Ware. Her father enjoyed a successful music career back in the 70’s and was a huge influence on Katie’s songwriting when growing up. This included a home studio and recording with her father regularly when only a little girl.
With sold out shows and a support slot with Eddi Reader, this encouraged Little Sparrow to put more dates together in 2022.
Latest release ‘Alone’ was out July 2021, it will feature on the forthcoming album ‘Feather Moon’.
Raised in the East Yorkshire flatlands on the fringes of Hull, Katie Spencer’s landscape has always been that of open skies and widening rivers. Industry still shapes the city here. The people, as with the land, are moulded by tides and stark horizons. Stand in the same place for long enough and you can watch the sun rise over the North Sea and then sink into crop fields, glowing auburn in late summer sun. It is this sense of space and movement that flows through Katie Spencer’s music.
The songwriting and most notably her guitar playing stems from a time when the steel-stringed instrument was truly finding its voice. Artists like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and perhaps most evidently Michael Chapman flow into her sound, carrying with them the warmth and idealism of the early 70’s folk and songwriter movements.
Katie Spencer’s widely celebrated new album, The Edge of the Land (2022), follows her debut release, Weather Beaten (2019) which was praised for its unique song-craft, spell-binding musicianship and crystal sonic clarity as she brought together fans of music from all backgrounds and walks of life.
The inclusivity found in her recorded works is most apparent when on stage, with a personal connection and humour that allows the listener time to appreciate the emotion of the music. Her historical gig list is extensive, taking in the world-renowned Celtic Connections and Cambridge Folk Festival, whilst performances with Danny Thompson and Alan Thomson have left audiences in awe of her confidence and craftsmanship.
As live music has returned to our world, we can expect to see Katie Spencer where she belongs once more, eyes closed, in the moment, performing.
Part of Rob and band’s ‘Between The Songs’ tour, partnered with children’s charity Global Care
The Feast of Fiddles set out on their Spring Tour once again in 2023 following a very successful return to the road last year post pandemic restrictions. Born in Nettlebed on Valentine’s Day 1994 as a one-off special concert, Feast of Fiddles has done 27 spring tours, 25 festivals and has 7 CDs to its name. Not bad for a bunch of old folk-rockers!
This is a band of friends that puts on a show of huge dynamic range performed with passion, joy and a liberal dose of fun. Chris Leslie is taking time out in 2023 to get back to fiddle making so following her debut in 2022 as a full member of the band Marion Fleetwood has now become permanent! She joins fiddlers Peter Knight (Gigspanner, Steeleye Span), Brian McNeill (Battlefield Band), Ian Cutler (Bully Wee), Tom Leary (Joe Brown) and Garry Blakeley (Band of Two) who add the large range of fiddle playing styles to the rock back-line of guitars, keyboards, sax and accordion – all held together by legendary drummer Dave Mattacks.
A live music entertainment like no other on the circuit which is guaranteed to be enjoyed by even the most doubting of friends dragged along!