Old Year’s Night – 30th Dec, Wall

Posted on by Rob
Old Year's Night 2011

Once more Christmas and New Year are almost upon us and we continue with our annual night of entertainment in Wall on the 30th December. It’s Old Year’s Night, being the last full night of the year (And definitely not New Year’s Eve!)

Supper is a Bring and Share affair, the Prize Draw will no doubt prove highly rewarding but the highlight of the night will be the truly talented local performers who have been persuaded to provide the evening’s entertainment:

  • Fiddler Gillan Burnie will be joining us from Elsdon with a fine repetoire of Northumbrian tunes
  • Mike Tickell of Wark will regale us with songs of shepherds and their shenanigans
  • Perenial village favourite Graham Dick will be out with his songs and stories.

We’ve also got a pair of champion clog dancers, a border piper and I’ll be putting in a tune or two. So all in all it’s going to be a busy night. Tickets are just £7 and everything starts at 7.30pm in Wall Village Hall. As ever there is no bar (takes up too much audience space!) – bring your own drinks.

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Contact me if you’d like more information / tickets. (Advance booking is essential!)

Northumbrian Night – Thurs 8th Sept

Posted on by Rob

A very local gig for me – it’s Wall Village Hall. Northumbrian night with fiddler Roddy Matthews, singer Roly Johnson, pianist Cathy Anderson (& friends) and myself on Northumbrian Pipes and Concertina. Pie and pea supper included and anyone who has tasted Billy Bells’ pies baked by Jackie will know they are in for a treat. Tickets are £5.00 per person or £2.00 if you are still at school available from Richard Dodds.

It’s great to have such a vibrant local community with lots of people organising events. If you haven’t got contact details for Richard – drop me a line for  details

Village Show Season

Posted on by Rob

Our local newspaper is the Hexham Courant and it’s always a joy to read. The events page at the back really tells you what season it is. Right now it’s village shows – at least four every week. In a couple of months, it’ll be time for the leek club shows.. not much call for pipes at these – I’ll have to see if any of my veg are up to scratch.

June kicked off fo me with Ovingham Goose Fair – one of the wettest I can remember. Then it was the Humshaugh School Fair which was a great success in baking sunshine. Not quite a village show but this weekend the Farmer’s Market was in held in Hexham – they invited me to go and play and it was a lovely morning. Playlist included The Lea Rigges, Bobby Shaftoe and Cut and Dry Dolly – I’d love to know where the PRS license money went for those pieces (150yrs+ old). A heavy shower came in at midday so I ended with the Raindrop Waltz.

Next week is the Three Churches Fete in Wall (Sat 16th July), Steve Cram is opening the show at 2pm and I’ll be playing a couple of half hour sessions in the church. I even do requests, feel free to ask!

Afer a flurry in July, August is a bit quieter for me – with the exception of the truly tremendous Bellingham Show on Bank Holiday Saturday (27th August). I’ll be sitting the judges chair this year for the Northumbrian Pipes competitions – this has a lot of meaning to me as it’s the first competition I won almost 20 years ago.

Support your local show!

Chalk Giants are coming to Wall

Posted on by Rob

The Chalk Giants is a shadow puppet show developed by a national renowned theatre company from Norfolk and is being put on as part of the Highlights Rural Touring programme. The story-line is based on Jack and the beanstalk – except the Giants were just minding their own business and Jack turns out to be a bit of a tear-away.

It’s on Saturday 5th March, the show starts at 6pm in Wall Village Hall and there will be a home made sweet stall for the children beforehand (and adults too I’m sure!).
Tickets are £4.50 (children) / £7 (adults) / £21 (family, 2+2) – and Humshaugh First School will be benefitting from the proceeds.

If you’ve already booked tickets – thank you very much! If not, contact us, we’d love to see you there.