Election Fever

Photo by Rama

It may appear since we had six at the previous week's session and the same number at this one that we have a very limited pool of talent to draw on (I use "talent" loosely, but what the heck?). "Not at all", I say, because we had replaced a whole 50% of those present last week this time with regular Mike (and his possibly faithful hound, Indy), semi-regular Steve G, and very welcome occasional visitor from as far afield as Swindon, Rose.

There was no official theme but there were some interesting threads that emerged through the evening.

Presidential Inauguration

The Mayor of Trumpton

A sadly low turn-out again for last week's session but at least we were five in the first half of the evening and there was some interesting back and forth of ad hoc themes. There was no official theme but this Wednesday is Burns' Night, so this Friday's theme (27 January) is all things Scottish or Burns - your presence is required.

The most popular mini-theme last week was the inauguration of President Trump. Some songs were thought appropriate and others were simply modified to fit. Colin was MC.

Steve C started the evening off with Old Shep (Red Foley). It was the song Elvis Presley sang at his first public performance, aged 10 on 3 October 1945 at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show.

Gala, Bastille and Concertina

The Cotia (Nova Scotia Mine) banner
depicting Jack Elliott and Jock Purdon

Before I get down to the report for last week there are couple of important parish announcements. First, the pub is having a major event of some sort on Friday 7 August, so there will be no Dragon Folk Club session that night. The pub has however offered us the bar on Saturday 8 August if we want it. please let us know if you would be interested in attending a session at The New Inn, Westerleigh on that evening. If there are enough people we will take the pub up on its offer; if however it doesn't look worthwhile we will not.

The other parish announcement is that the session on 31 July will have a special theme, and one we have been discussing since at least April. The theme, possibly inspired by a round on Radio 4's comedy quiz programme I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, is One Song To The Tune Of Another. So if you can sing The Lincolnshire Poacher to the tune of Auld Lang Syne, or Pack Up Your Troubles to the tune of My Daddy Wouldn't Buy Me A Bow-wow, then the thirty first is your chance to shine.

Wherefore art thou Maggie?

With Maggie and Mike watching Shakespeare instead of taking charge at The Bridge, Richard took Mike's place for the evening, helped by Lesley on raffle tickets.

Simon arrived at the same time as Colin, and any impression that he may have tried to run him over was definitely unintentional (and didn't really happen at all). An apparently friendly chap standing at the door of the pub suggested that Colin had been less than willing to exchange pleasantries; maybe it was his recent brush with death?

Visitors

Tonight's session was the first to benefit from this blog. Jackie and Penny hadn't been along for a while but were spurred to join us by seeing the blog. They were both nervous about singing, but neither needed to be. Derek commented that Penny's first song was one of the three most difficult folk songs to sing, and one he wouldn't even try; Penny did an excellent job with it.

Another visitor was Guy, who hadn't been to the club for a very long time. It seems he may have been a regular around forty years ago. He must have been a babe in arms at the time! His excellent self penned song about Bristol and its relationship to the sea was very well received.

It was good to see Rose and Betty who are relative regulars at the club. Betty's five-string banjo and rich voice are always a particular highlight for me. Rose has already "Liked" the club's Facebook page.

After dredging the depths of the barely respectable (don't worry, I'm perfectly capable of that too) the evening was rounded off by Alan with "Brighouse on a Saturday Night" and by Richard, who MC'ed the second half, with "Blackleg Miner".

Next week is the day after Valentine's day, and there will be a Valentine's theme of "love and lust" or something to that effect. Don't worry if you haven't got anything appropriate, especially if you're a newcomer to the club; our themes are never strictly enforced, whatever ribbing some of the regulars might sometimes suffer for straying.