CVFolk’s Albany Theatre Archive 2023

These pages are a record of all the music events CVFolk has staged in the Albany Theatre Studio since our launch in October 2018

(Most recent event first)

Click here for CVFolk @ the Albany Theatre current page

Click here for 2024 Archive

Click here for 2022 Archive

Click here for 2020-21 Archive

Click here for 2018-19 Archive

Sunday December 10th 2023

Sunday Dec 10th: 7.30pm-10pm: The Redhills + KC Jones + Ian Bland (MC Pete Willow). Free admission – caddy collection.

Very high standard of music throughout the evening from the moment KC Jones stepped on stage as opening act. They demonstrated their customary musical flair and audience rapport with a set of excellent self-penned songs and great choruses. Ian Bland, currently back in the UK (does he really prefer our winters to Australia’s summers?), performed some powerful original songs and sharply satirical poetry with a reading that explained – for the benefit of children – how Santa Claus ended up in a Melbourne department store when he should have been in Lapland!

The Redhills were full-on and amazing, providing a breathtaking hour of folk-rock and drawing on fantastic reserves of energy, having also provided the PA for the whole evening! The Albany Theatre tech team were tied up with the Main House Christmas production but the Theatre applied its usual ‘can do’ approach by opening up the newly refurbished Studio for us and letting us loose in what proved to be an amazing space for lively folk music.

Despite the cold and occasional December shower, we had a good-sized and appreciative audience. Many thanks to all who supported, took part and enjoyed. A fitting, top-quality finale for a year of fantastic music.

Follow this link to hear a couple of tracks on Soundcloud, recorded live during the concert.

Photos by Pete Willow. Send us a message if you’d like to receive larger hi-res versions.

The Redhills

Ian Bland

KC Jones

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Sunday November 19th 2023

Sunday Nov 19th: 2pm-5pm: Special afternoon concert with Gilly Darbey + support: Steve Redshaw + Tyburn.
Advance Tickets – £11. Please book here – https://www.albanytheatre.co.uk/shows/gilly-darbey/

Great turn-out and a lovely afternoon of music and reunions. This was the first of only three UK appearances by Gilly during her brief home visit as an ex-pat living in New Zealand. She took us through a folk and blues repertoire with simple arrangements of guitar and voice, demonstrating the distinctive Gilly Darbey range, inflections and fast switches from gentle lilt to powerful vocal fanfare, bringing out the emotion behind each lyric. For her well-deserved encore, she delivered her own humorous take (with added lyrics) on Charlie Chaplin’s Smile.

First-rate support was provided by Tyburn (Jan Richardson & Hedley Stone), and Steve Redshaw, providing the clearest evidence to the many newcomers in the Foyer of the high standard of music to be found on the local folk circuit. Overall a tremendous afternoon, producing a lot of smiles on audience faces. The afternoon timing proved popular – we might do some more!

Photos by Pete Willow. Send us a message if you’d like to receive hi-res versions.

Gilly Darbey

Steve Redshaw

Tyburn (Jan Richardson & Hedley Stone

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Sunday November 12th 2023

Sunday Nov 12th: 7.30pm-10pm: ‘Six of the Best’ local acts with The B Road + Urban Fox + Carol Whitworth + Firedaze + Adam Wilson + Pete Willow (MC). Free admission – caddy collection.

Encouraging to see plenty of new faces in the audience, all giving a great reception to the artists who took part. This was a talented cross-section of the folk performers to be seen in the area, displaying a wonderful range of styles and each performing a polished and enjoyable set. There was even dancing in the aisles – and behind the bar!!

Couple of Facebook comments from members of the audience:

“What a delightful range of diverse musical entertainment and an ideal space for ‘even dancing’ ! “

“Excellent evening of diverse talent”

“We had a great night Sunday 12th November, playing with ‘6 of the best’ at the Albany Theatre. Many thanks to CVFolk … for organising the event”

Urban Fox

Carol Whitworth

The B Road

Firedaze

Adam Wilson

Pete Willow (photo by Esmee Faith)

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Sunday October 8th 2023

Sunday Oct 8th: 7.30pm-10pm: annA rydeR’s ‘Fat Chance’ show with artist Nicky Cure + support: Maria Barham. Advance Tickets – £11.

A wonderful evening but also very different.. annA and Nicky provided an amazing bend of music and moving image, so lots of gear on the (raised) stage including the screen and projector. We were also in a different part of the building, With the usual Studio space currently closed as party of the Theatre’s refurbishment, our whole kit and kaboodle was moved into the recently expanded Foyer. Not only did this provide a great atmosphere for the show, it also enabled annA to make use of the grand piano, a permanent fixture of the Foyer and in tune, sounding magnificent!

Support was provided with a highly enjoyable warm-up set by Maria Barham. The Theatre looked after us very well and while we always say ‘thank you’ to the technical crew, we must extend our very special gratitude to our regular sound guy, Mike Malloy who put in a huge amount of effort to make the evening work as well as it did.

Couple of Facebook comments from members of the audience:

“A great evening. Really enjoyed the show!”

“Brilliant show! Beautiful and moving songs with extraordinarily amazing films! “

Photos taken by Pete Willow and Esmee Faith. Click on each to view or download. If you would like a larger, higher resolution version of any of these images, email culture@cvfolk.com

Sound checks

Maria Barham

annA rydeR and Nicky Cure

photos by Esme

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Sunday September 10th 2023

Sunday Sept 10th: 7.30pm-10pm: Mick Bisiker & friends + KC Jones + Pete Willow, Guest MC: Geoff Veasey. Free admission – caddy collection.

Very enjoyable start to the new season. Mick is always a popular act for our Studio sessions and appeared on this occasion with a stellar line-up – Rack & Ruin bandmates Jen Martin (fiddle), Deb Bisiker (saxes and whistle) and Chris Radley (bass, also of Firedaze), plus Ewan Cameron of Rob Halligan’s Homeward Hie and Danger! Ceilidh Band (whistles, bodhran), and Karen Killeen-Jones of KC Jones (cajon). Karen and Colin also played a great set in their own right as KC Jones (with help from Mick on a couple of numbers), and CVFolk founder Pete Willow performed a selection of his own well-received songs. Guest MC was Nuneaton Folk Club host, Geoff Veasey who sang a choice from his rich repertoire of self-penned and blues repertoires. Mick Bisiker ended the evening with a tribute to Geoff and Pete as representatives of local venues in the thriving folk club circuit of Coventry and Warwickshire.

Photos taken by Pete Willow. Click on each to view or download. If you would like a larger, higher resolution version of any of these images, email culture@cvfolk.com

Mick Bisiker & friends

KC Jones

Geoff Veasey

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Sunday July 16th 2023

Sunday July 16th: Writing songs: Masterclass and Concert by Coventry Singer-Songwriters – Free admission – caddy collection. Please note date is 3rd Sunday. Afternoon event, 2-5pm

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Sunday June 11th 2023

Sunday June 11th: 7.30pm-10pm: Wes Finch & The Mechanicals, Liam Vincent and the Odd Foxes, Jamie Scott. Free admission – caddy collection.

Another memorable evening of marvellous music. The Mechanicals‘ all-star line-up was augmented by some first-class keyboards playing by Kris Chase-Byrne, making his first public appearance with the line-up and blending in some smooth jazz riffs with the folk and classical dynamic of their sound.

Superb support was provided by blues-driven singer, guitarist and songwriter, Jamie Scott, plus recent and welcome additions to the bill, Liam Vincent and the Odd Foxes, playing beautifully arranged folk-rock with smooth harmonies and tight blend of fiddle, guitar, bass and persussion.

Photos taken by Pete Willow. Click on each to view or download. If you would like a larger, higher resolution version of any of these images, email culture@cvfolk.com

Wes Finch and the Mechanicals

Liam Vincent and the Odd Foxes

Jamie Scott

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Sunday May 14th 2023

Sunday May 14th: 7.30pm-10pm: Alkevan & After The Flood + Urban Fox. Free admission – caddy collection.

Fantastic evening of music performed to a good crowd. Both main acts playing their second ever gig with current format (After The Flood were performing in Leamington that afternoon!). All three acts got a great reception. Some photos by Pete Willow but limited as his arm was in a sling! Other photos from the night are welcome if you fancy sharing! Email them to culture@cvfolk.com

Photos taken by Pete Willow. Click on each to view or download. If you would like a larger, higher resolution version of any of these images, email culture@cvfolk.com

Alkevan

After The Flood

Urban Fox

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April 2023 – closed for Easter

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Sunday March 12th 2023

Sunday Mar 12th: 7.30pm-10pm: VIP (Very Impressive Performers) Night. Free admission – caddy collection.

We billed tonight’s show as a VIP Night (Very Impressive Performers) and everyone lived up to the name. Thanks to Nowhere Club, Jamie Scott, Steve Redshaw, Sage Sana, Bob Wilkinson & Amelia Webster, and Willow and Tool Band for playing, thanks to Tool for MC-ing, and thanks to the lovely audience who listened and enjoyed.

Comments on Facebook: ‘What a lovely evening…’, ‘Such a lovely environment to perform in and all the acts were great’, ‘We (2 of the Stationary Wilburys) had a lovely evening supporting our friends. Thanks all!’, ‘Congratulations to everybody.’

Photos taken by Pete Willow and Lewis Holmes. Click on each to view or download. If you would like a higher resolution version of any of these images, email culture@cvfolk.com

Bob Wilkinson & Amelia Webster

Jamie Scott

Nowhere Club

Sage Sana

Steve Redshaw

Willow & Tool Band

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Sunday February 12th 2023

Sunday Feb 12th: 7.30pm-10pm: Donnelly and South + Poacher’s Pocket + Paul Gibson – Ticketed event, £11

This turned out to be a truly wonderful night of music. Keith Donnelly and Lauren South captivated an almost full house with their delightful music and repartee. This was an anniversary gig for them- they had played their first main public guest spot at this venue exactly one year ago and they’ve taken the folk world by storm since then. We were also treated to some first-class support, courtesy of Poacher’s Pocket and Paul Gibson. Thanks to all who came to play, watch and generally make it a memorable evening.

Photos taken by Pete Willow and Allan Mellor. Click on each to view or download. If you would like a higher resolution version of any of these images, email culture@cvfolk.com

Donnelly & South

Paul Gibson

Poacher’s Pocket

Photos by Alan Mellor

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Sunday January 8th 2023

Sunday Jan 8th 2023: 7.30pm-10pm: Rob Halligan’s Homeward Hie + Adam Wilson + the Hawkesbury Trawlermen

The new year was launched with folk at its most eclectic. Adam Wilson started the evening with a set of Neil Young covers, beautifully song and expertly played on guitar. This is one specific set that he plays but his repertoire is much broader as we hope to find out on future nights. The Hawkesbury Trawlermen provided 30 minutes of powerful shanty singing and stripey tops! The format worked brilliantly with each member of the ‘buoy band’ stepping forward to lead a song to demonstrate an impressive range of voices. During the interval, we stepped effortlessly from traditional maritime choruses to tastefully executed folk-rock provided by our headline act, Rob Halligan‘s Homeward Hie. They performed impressive arrangements of Rob’s songs, combining acoustic and electric guitars, whistles and recorders, violin and bodhran to produce a fabulous set that thoroughly engaged the audience.

Photos taken by Pete Willow. Click on each to view or download. If you would like a higher resolution version of any of these images, email culture@cvfolk.com