The kids are back at school, days are drawing in and the weather has changed. It must be autumn and time to get back to live music in the evenings at folk clubs, Arts Centres and enjoy your local sessions.
Tomorrow evening, Bromley Cross Folk club have their Guest night at the Barlow Institute, Bolton Rd, Edgworth from 8.00pm on Friday, 16 September. Martyn Wyndham-Read and Iris Bishop will bring their skills and love for collecting and singing Australian and UK folk songs. Martyn has been involved with folk music for over forty years and had an unusual apprenticeship. In his late teens he left Sussex with his guitar, to work in Australia on a sheep station. It was while he was there that he became captivated by the old songs sung by some of the station hands at Emu Springs. He headed off to Melbourne and became part of the folk song revival there and throughout Australia during the early 1960’s. Since he moved back to UK in 1967 he has established himself as an international folk performer and recording artist, touring extensively worldwide. Iris Bishop will be playing duet concertina to accompany Martyn. For more details go to www.martynwyndhamread.com

The support act is the acoustic duo Chris and Siobhan Nelson who are residents at The Bothy folk club. They are currently wowing audiences with their engaging performances of traditional and contemporary songs, with accompaniment on fiddle, mandola, tenor guitar or viola, or sung a cappella. You can expect to hear songs to bring a tear to your eye and songs to make you smile – and a fiddle tune or two for good measure.

Those of you nearer Leigh can enjoy LEIGH MUSIC ON FRIDAYS at the Conservative Club, Railway Road, on Friday, 16th September. Dave Ellis & Boo Howard with Phil Yorke and Linda Jennings will provide a real musical treat of the highest order – world class music on your doorstep in the intimate surroundings of Leigh Music on Fridays. Contact Sara on akolytemusik for more details.

The Ramsbottom Festival features a wide range of folk roots acts on Sunday, 18 September as part of a weekend long music event, including The Waterboys, Capercaillie, Mike McGoldrick, Sam Sweeney & Hannah James. Go to ramsbottomfestival.com for more details.

Singer songwriters, Jonny Kearney and Lucy Farrell appear at The Met, Bury on Thursday, 22 September. The following night “All Along The Wall” is an evocation of Hadrian’s Wall with song and verse which is performed by a formidable range of talented folk roots; Julie Matthews, Jez Lowe, Boo Hewerdine, Rory McLeod, Kate Bramley and Ruth Notman with Radio 4 Saturday Live favourites Kate Fox, Matt Harvey and Elvis McGonagall.

Also on Friday, 23 September, 9.00pm at The White Lion, Swinton M27 4TS

Pete Ryder and friends, Michelle Holding and Bonz will be appearing. They perform a varied mix of traditional, contemporary and self-penned songs from the English and American tradition.

On Friday, 30 September “Met a Four” features 4 local folk groups who will perform a cracking evening of entertainment at The Met. Chris and Siobhan Nelson (see above), Seat of the Pants, The Bailey Sisters and Thursday’s Child mix self penned folk and acappella music. The following night, Heidi Talbot teams up with Boo Hewerdine to perform Irish traditional and roots music. This is the start of an excellent autumn season of folk music – more details on www.themet.biz.

We promised you more information about Edgworth Folk Day on Saturday, 8 October from 10am to 11pm. This fundraising event for The Barlow Institute which features concerts, workshops, sessions, Youth Showcase and an evening Ceilidh gives you a chance to enjoy the very best of folk music, song, dance and poetry. The event will be opened by Bernard Wrigley and performers include Trio Threlfall, Peter & Barbara Snape, Reel Gentlemen, Bandersnatch and Redmayne. More details can be found by clicking the “Edgworth Folk Day” link on the Home page of www.bromleycrossfolkclub.org.uk

The Rumworth Morris of Bolton will be celebrating 35 years of performing North West Morris Dancing with a weekend of dance this Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th September. On the Saturday, they will be joined by a number of guest teams from all over the country; Bampton Traditional Morris from Oxfordshire, Oyster Morris from Kent, Ironmen and Severn Guilders from Shropshire, Cheshire-based Poynton Jemmers and local team, Rivington Morris. Performances in Bolton town centre will be on Victoria Square, Churchgate and outside the Market Place between approximately 11:00 am and 4:00 pm. On Sunday morning between 11:00 and 12:30, Haigh Hall in Wigan will be the venue for more dancing by Rumworth, Bampton, Oyster and Ironmen and Severn Guilders. For further details, please ring (01942) 816569 or e-mail alison1

Monday, 19 September sees the regular music session at Edgworth Cricket Club starting from 8.30pm. There is no charge just a chance to play and listen to quality and varied folk tunes from around the world.

Reel Gentlemen appear at The Grapes Hotel, Stoneclough, Kearsley, near Farnworth on Friday, 30 September. Go to www.reelgentlemen.org for more information.

There are plenty of folk dance groups, morris sides and ceilidhs in and around Bolton. Leap to Your Feet meet at 8.00pm every Wednesday at Harvey Street Methodist Church Hall, just off Halliwell Rd. Go to bobdiana.bradley15 or 01204 840949 for more information. Crown Rapper, has male, women and mixed teams who meet in Horwich to practice twice a month – contact Gill on j.g.shiell@btinternet.com or ring 01204 669311.

The diary below gives details of local folk events that are happening for those of you who want to listen, sing, play or dance to folk music.

16.9 11	Martyn Wyndham-Read & Iris Bishop at Bromley Cross Folk Club, The Barlow, Edgworth
16.9.11	Dave Ellis & Boo Howard with Phil Yorke & Linda Jennings at Leigh Conservative Club
17.9.11	Rumworth Weekend of Morris dance, Bolton Town Centre
18.9.11	Rumworth Weekend of Morris dance, Haigh Hall, near Wigan
18.9.11	Ramsbottom Festival at ramsbottomfestival.com
19.9.11	Music Session at Edgworth Cricket Club from 8.30
22.9.11	Jonny Kearney and Lucy Farrell appear at The Met, Bury
23.9.11	“All Along The Wall” at The Met, Bury
23.9.11	Pete Ryder, Michelle Holding & Bonz at The White Lion, Swinton
30.9.11	Chris and Siobhan Nelson, Seat of the Pants, The Bailey Sisters and Thursday’s Child at The Met, Bury
30.9.11	Reel Gentlemen at Grapes Hotel, Stoneclough, Kearsley, Nr Farnworth – www.reelgentlemen.org
8.10.11	Edgworth Folk Day at The Barlow – www.bromleycrossfolkclub.org.uk