Founded 1983 Method concerts | Legal status registered charity | |
 | ||
Focus acoustic folk and roots-based music Location Twickenham, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England, UK | ||
TwickFolk (previously known as Twickenham Folk Club) organises acoustic music events in and around Twickenham, south-west London. A registered charity, it is run, not for profit, by a small group of volunteers. It was established in January 1983 and is now one of the best known and most highly respected folk clubs in London and the South East of England.
Contents
TwickFolk organises gigs on Sunday evenings, usually at the Patchworks music venue at The Cabbage Patch pub in London Road, Twickenham, featuring British and North American acoustic folk and roots-based music in a programme that includes blues, country music and Americana as well as traditional folk music. The evening usually consists of a main "guest" preceded by a support act or several floor spots.
Guests who have appeared at TwickFolk include Nels Andrews, Les Barker, Sally Barker, Ben Bedford, Alyssa Bonagura, Maggie Boyle and Paul Downes, Chuck Brodsky, The Carrivick Sisters, Olivia Chaney, Cathryn Craig and Brian Willoughby, Racker Donnelly, Kris Drever, Gareth Dunlop, Ana Egge, Carrie Elkin, Dave Ellis and Boo Howard, Mark Erelli, Stephen Fearing, David Francey, Vin Garbutt, Dick Gaughan, Grand Union, Melissa Greener, Tim Grimm, Harp and a Monkey, Jack Harris, Hatful of Rain, Fabian Holland, Rebecca Hollweg, Jacquelyn Hynes, Luke Jackson, Jeni and Billy, Robb Johnson, Diana Jones, Kara, Martin Karran and Sara O'Keeffe, Will Kaufman, Sam Kelly Trio, Lau, Kelley McRae, Madison Violet, Emily Maguire, Flossie Malavialle, Iain Matthews, Megson, Jim Moray, Jess Morgan, Elliott Morris, Pete Morton, Linde Nijland, Maz O'Connor, O'Hooley & Tidow, Earl Okin, Ellis Paul, Rod Picott, Rebecca Pronsky, Kim Richey, Justin Rutledge, Liz Simcock, Stephen Simmons, Soiree, Southern Tenant Folk Union, Sunjay, Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer, Miranda Sykes and Rex Preston, Kath Tait, Greg Trooper, Dan Walsh, Kevin Welch, Dan Wilde, Winter Wilson and Chris Wood.
Occasionally TwickFolk organises singers' nights. These consist of either several performed floor spots or an unplugged singaround where everyone sits in a circle and those who want to sing or play an instrument can take turns to do so. TwickFolk has also organised workshops on building a cigar box guitar and on playing guitar and nyckelharpa.
TwickFolk has also held charity fundraising nights benefiting national and local charities.
Broadcasts
In March 2014 BBC Radio Wales marked the Six Nations rugby tournament by broadcasting live, from Isleworth's Red Lion pub, a concert, Twickenham Heartbeat, in its folk roots and acoustic music programme Celtic Heartbeat. Hosted by Frank Hennessy and Bethan Elfyn, it featured performers from TwickFolk, and special guests including Ralph McTell.
Recordings
Noel Murphy's CD A Session was recorded live, with The Mahogany Gaspipes, in a folk session at The Cabbage Patch pub in 1997.