Starting as we mean to go on

Arnold Skolnick's poster for Woodstock

Last Friday's session was the start of our "season" of five sessions marking the fiftieth birthday of the club. Throughout June we really want to push to get some more people coming along to perform and listen: certainly new people but also some who have been past regulars and visitors at the club, maybe even to sing songs and play tunes they played earlier in the clubs history.

We knew one week would be short notice, so we didn't have great hopes for a full house but were pleased to be joined by Tom, a member since about 1981. Let's hope for more people joining us in the remaining weeks. If you intend to come along, please consider leaving a message below so that your intention may inspire others who know you or even those that don't.

MC Colin kicked us off with The Folksinger's Lament, written by David Diamond. Colin wasn't sure which tune to use but it turned out to be the Limerick Rake.

Tom started off his contribution in his usual fine style with John Martyn's May You Never for which he claimed a tenuous connection to the last day of May (more of that later).

Serendipity

Walking sticks

It was an evening for bringing along friends, which is definitely to be encouraged.

Steve brought along Jane, who told us some of her fine stories. Simon's friend Chris came along for the first time in years and even made his singing debut. And Henry, who himself hadn't been to the club for a year or two, brought his "entourage" of young ladies. Yes, this sort of behaviour is absolutely to be encouraged.

Colin took his now customary position as MC and while Mike was present at the start, he didn't stay long enough to sing. After a short debate about the order in which people arrived, Colin asked Steve to start off the proceedings. His first song was Just As The Tide Was A-Flowing (Roud 1105). This is a May song ("One morning in the month of May"), which he hoped to excuse by saying he hadn't visited us in the previous month. Simon had no such excuse when he later sang The Galway Shawl ("...one pleasant evening in the month of May").