Club Programme

A band who have been on the Folk Circuit since the late 60's it's a pleasure to host them at The Black Swan Folk Club. Born of a session in Paisley, Scotland, and named for the town's historic weaving industry and local poet laureate Robert Tannahill, the Tannahill Weavers have made an international name for their special brand of Celtic music, blending the beauty of traditional melodies with the power of modern rhythms. As one of the world's premier traditional Celtic bands, their diverse repertoire spans the centuries with fire-driven instrumentals, topical songs, original ballads and lullabies, and humorous tales of life in Scotland. In 2021 they have been joined by exciting piper and fiddle player Iain MacGillivray, who is also Scotland's youngest Clan leader. Iain, a fluent Gaelic speaker, has worked on such exciting productions as Outlander and Men in Kilts, and has performed for a huge list of stars and dignitaries in recent years. As the band celebrate the nomination of their 18th recording, Òrach (“Golden” in Gaelic) as album of the year, and themselves as band of the year, they are firmly established as one of the premier groups on the concert stage. From reflective ballads to footstomping reels and jigs, the variety and range of the material they perform is matched only by their enthusiasm and lively Celtic spirits. "Formed from a Paisley pub session in 1968, seminal trailblazers the Tannahill Weavers now also rank as national treasures." -Glasgow Celtic Connections 2018

Riley Baugus represents the very best of old time American banjo and song. His powerful singing voice and his expert musicianship place him squarely in the next generation of the quality American roots tradition. Riley is a native of the southern Appalachians. The Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina is where his roots lie, and he grew up learning the music and art of storytelling of the region from older musicians in the area. His solo show consists of a focus on banjos, ballads, stories and songs. He has toured in the UK for many years with Ira Bernstein, as one half of the hugely popular Appalachian Roots project. He has played at Celtic Connections several times with Dirk Powell, and also toured with Tim Eriksen in the States, as part of the Cold Mountain film tour, and as a duo. Riley has also recorded with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and with Willie Nelson – both T-Bone Burnett projects.

Nora Brown is the “brightest young star in old-time music” (Songlines), playing traditional music focused on southern Appalachian banjo and guitar, with her singing revealing her “thirst for storytelling.”( NPR) . She digs deep: “a reverent nod to deeply-rooted ole-time traditions, and an exhibit of sonic heirlooms carefully amended to meet a modern moment with vintage elegance.” American Songwriter. The New Yorker called her most recent solo record Long Time To Be Gone “a disarming collection of traditional laments and exquisite banjo instrumentals.” Nora will perform in a duo with award-winning fiddler Stephanie Coleman. First brought together by Brooklyn’s tight-knit old-time music community, Nora Brown and Stephanie Coleman share a rich musical partnership that belies their 20 year age difference. Stephanie is a master old-time fiddler, having recorded with and toured internationally over the last two decades with celebrated artists including trailblazing all-women string band Uncle Earl. Beginning at age 6, under the tutelage of the late musician and scholar Shlomo Pestcoe, Brown also counts Alice Gerrard, George Gibson, and the late John Cohen, Lee Sexton, and John Haywood among her teachers and mentors. Just nineteen years old, Brown has released three albums, a single, and an EP on Jalopy Records – all of which have charted on the Billboard Bluegrass Charts during the first week of release. Across each haunting collection of traditional music, Brown’s playing is lucid, confident, and full of grace. She has toured across the US, Europe, and Japan, playing renowned festivals including the Newport Folk Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival, Roskilde Festival in Denmark, Winnipeg Folk Festival, and Live Magic! in Tokyo. She has performed on NPR’s Tiny Desk twice, TED Salon, WNYC’s Dolly Parton’s America and an official showcase at the 2022 Americana Fest in Nashville. “Some of the most interesting and haunting traditional music we’ve heard… impossibly talented… One thing that I really loved about both your albums is that both your banjo technique and your vocals are amazing. You seem to be mining these old songs with emotions far beyond your years.” Jason Verlinde, Fretboard Journal “A disarming collection of traditional laments and exquisite banjo instrumentals”. The New Yorker

'THE ROLLING HILLS OF HOME, THAT WAS NEVER MY HOME AT ALL' Two Americana and Folk performers combine for what promises to be an interesting evening of song. Jude Brothers is a freak folk singer-songwriter from Northwest Arkansas, inspired by the regional folk music of the Ozarks always reaching for the roots therein and branches thereout. Offering a new take on the music Brothers offers old school folk heads a taste of timelessness, evocative lyricism, and unparalleled vocal stylings over a bed of whirling harp & guitar melodies. On this tour Jude combines with Clarke Camilleri a folk singer-songwriter from Nottinghamshire, whose music blends folk traditions with a life of discovery. With his banjo in tow, he’s journeyed across countries, gathering stories that deeply influence his sound. Shaped by roles as a fisherman, construction worker, plasterer, and busker, his music is rich with authenticity and depth. These experiences have provided him with a wealth of stories, further enriching his songwriting.

Since their first get together, to record the eponymous St Agnes Fountain album in 2001, the quartet; David Hughes, Fairport Convention's Chris Leslie and multi award winning duo Chris While and Julie Matthews, have brought musical invention and laughter to the star-dust atmosphere of the season. Founding member David Hughes sadly passed away in 2023 but the other original members Chris Leslie, Julie Matthews and Chris While continue as a trio. 2024 brought a new 'live' album from them, recorded all across the country during their 2023 Christmas tour. As usual the album accompanied the putting up of a thousand Christmas trees throughout Britain and around the globe as their reputation reached further afield. It is, without question, their magical live performances that have endeared them to an ever-growing audience. Christmas, as they say, starts with...... St Agnes Fountain... Fa la la la la la la la la! Here they are again for their third visit to the National Centre for Early Music.

Back to the folk club come Keith Donnelly and Lauren South this time with their Christmas Cracker - a Christmas show with some crazy bits, a sackful of their singalong, wintry-wonderful songs. They say it's the best Christmas-Duo-Show this side of Morecambe & Bublé! A stocking-load of Keith’s hilarious seasonal anecdotes and jokes. The gift of a couple of scary solstice ghost stories. Pour on lashings of Lauren’s, silky-smooth, brandy-butter vocals. All wrapped up with fantastic festive guitars and yummy Yuletide fiddles.

The annual celebration of the music of BOB DYLAN with 6 piece band BLONDE on BOB supported by special guests BILLY LEONARD and GRAHAM METCALF.. Only songs from the legendary singer-songwriter plus Christmas festivities including the annual Dylan quiz.

The multi-award winning and highly acclaimed Le Vent du Nord is a leading force in Québec’s progressive francophone folk movement. The group’s vast repertoire draws from both traditional sources and original compositions, while enhancing its hard-driving soulful music with a broad range of global influences. Since its inception in August 2002, Le Vent du Nord has enjoyed meteoric success, performing well over 2,500 concerts over 4 continents and racking up several prestigious awards, including a SONGLINES MUSIC AWARD -Americas (UK, 2023) Grand Prix du Disque Charles Cros (France), two Junos (Canada’s Grammys), three FÉLIX at ADISQ (Québec), a Canadian Folk Music Award, and been awarded Artist of the Year at the Folk Alliance annual gala. The group exhibits great finesse and flexibility, appearing regularly on Canadian, American, French, and UK television and radio, and participating in a wide variety of special musical projects. They’ve collaborated and performed with a diverse range of artists including: Väsen, Sharon Shannon, Harry Manx, singer Julie Fowlis, Dervish, The Chieftains, Yann-Fañch Kemener, Québécois roots legend and master storyteller Michel Faubert, Apiary fiddle band, Breabach and many more. Not content with standard approaches to tradition, Le Vent du Nord has also created since 2007 a symphonic concert that, according to Voir Montreal, “puts all traditional folk naysayers to shame.” As an amazing live performance quintet Le Vent du Nord continues to explore new sounds with stunning vocal arrangements. On stage these 5 friends create intense, joyful and dynamic live performances that expand the bounds of tradition in striking directions.

Key members of celebrated folk collective Transatlantic Sessions and legends in their own right, Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and John Doyle are on the road again in 2026, bringing you their own blend of top-class folk songs, tunes and charming bonhomie.

“Brit folk's finest” – Mojo “A fine, no-nonsense interpreter of traditional music and an excellent songwriter” - The Guardian “Few are as adventurous and intriguing” – Songlines Bella Hardy, one of the most celebrated voices of modern folk, returns to the stage in 2026 ahead of the release of her eagerly-anticipated new album. Known for her crystal-clear voice and fearless songwriting, Hardy continues to push the boundaries of contemporary folk while staying deeply rooted in the traditions that inspired her. A gifted storyteller, Bella's work explores themes of home and heartache, love and loss, with striking honesty and poetic depth. Rooted in folk but never bound by it, her songs speak to the soul, timeless yet unmistakably modern. With her new material set to debut during this tour, audiences will be among the first to experience her latest chapter. Those who have witnessed Bella live know the power of her performances. Her voice, both delicate and commanding, draws listeners in from the first note, creating an atmosphere that feels as intimate as it is unforgettable. Touring with her trio, including acclaimed guitarist Jenn Butterworth, these shows promise a rare musical chemistry and emotional depth that few can match. From her breakthrough debut Night Visiting (2007) to ten acclaimed solo albums, Bella has forged an extraordinary career. She’s performed unaccompanied at the Royal Albert Hall, learned the songs of farmers in rural China, sung from the hills of her beloved Peak District, and immersed herself in the music of Nashville during a year as a Tennessee ranch hand. Her journey has shaped a voice that is at once worldly and deeply personal – a voice that earned her the title of BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Singer of the Year. Don’t miss your chance to experience one of folk music’s most compelling voices live on stage.