Battles, Yeats and slashed wrists

Stanley Holloway

This week's session was well attended. Robin brought along Sylvia, who is an occasional visitor. Mervyn was with us for the first time in two years - not particularly surprising since his usual habitat is Newbury. We also had a couple of non-singing visitors who were very welcome - sorry I didn't get their names.

Apologies for absence

John Kirkpatrick

I wasn't able to attend last week's session (19 April 2013). I am very grateful to Derek for providing this excellent report of proceedings...

The first thing readers of this blog will want to know is that the result of last week's charity session was announced, and came to a grand (and grand it was) total of £150.80 for the breast cancer charity BUST. A surprisingly large number of people laid claim to having contributed the odd 80p! [Ed: I emptied my pockets of change as I left, so I'll add my claim] Our thanks to all who attended our charity night and contributed to that total.

After a week when all seats were taken, the club this week returned to a more usual attendance. But occasional attender Phil made his second consecutive appearance, this time on the eve of his birthday. His contributions included a blast on his harmonica and a self-penned poem on his romantic memories of a sweet shop - both the sweets and the lady owner!

Charity or BUST

John Alderslade

This week's meeting of the Dragon Folk Club was one of those very rare nights when this isn't a session club. It was a charity night in aid of BUST.

BUST is the Breast Cancer Unit Support Trust, the Bristol based charity founded by patients for patients to support the work of the Southmead Hospital Breast Care Centre. The good news is that we raised over £100 for the charity; I'll post the actual figure here when all the counting is done.

No Theme in Particular

Tom Rush

This week's session had no prescribed theme. It was notable for quite a good attendance, including regular irregulars, Rose, Betty and Geoff, first timer, Ed, and Tom and Ray who just hadn't been for a couple of weeks or more.

Derek returned to the theme of the recent death of Graeme Miles, singing The Shores of Old Blighty, a song he mentioned last week and had never sung before.

Geoff used his guitar slide-style for Tom Rush's Lost my Drivin' Wheel. On Maggie's request, Mike and Kevin sang Banks of Claudy together for the first time in twenty-five years. Apparently they and others used to sing it in five-part harmony. The rest of us filled in as well as we could.

Lesley - Prolfile

This article is one of a series on regulars at the club.

Lesley has been coming along to the Dragon Folk Club since 2003. She sings a variety of songs including folk from England and her native Wales, 60s and 70s pop, humorous songs and some which she has written herself.

Lesley has been a member of the Hotwells Howlers and has sung with various church and school choirs. When Lesley was at school she was the guitarist in a  five-piece group called The Cinq Unit which sang the songs of Simon and Garfunkel and The Seekers.

Andy, the son of Lesley and Richard is the lead guitarist and composer with Finnish death metal band, Mors Principium Est on their album And Death Said 'Live'. Even if death metal isn't your scene you may like to check out Andy's version of Come fly with me, recorded for his girlfriend.

Steve C - Profile

This article is one of a series on regulars at the club.

Steve has been coming along to the Dragon Folk Club since 2006. He sings mainly traditional folk songs and accompanies himself on the guitar.

Steve took up folk singing when he retired.