Our next gig is a home town gig. Made special because we are sharing it with our good friends The Blessed Crow...book now!

“Just a roll, just a roll……” Fairport Convention on excellent form @unionchapeluk.bsky.social last night. @jennbutterworth.bsky.social was also wonderful.

Behind the scenes of Theatr Clwyd’s £38m makeover Long a source of local pride, the Mold theatre becomes a monument of culture and civilisation designed with access, diversity and festivity in mind

Rowan Moore: Behind the scenes of Theatr Clwyd’s £48m makeover “in the spirit of the whole endeavour, which is to do its good works, not with box-ticking worthiness but – in the architecture, the food, the art and the performances – with skill and delight”: observer.co.uk/culture/arch...

Chichester Festival Theatre launches backstage skills academy Chichester Festival Theatre is to launch a technical academy aimed at addressing a shortage in the number of new technicians entering the sector

With the shortage of technicians, Chichester Festival Theatre launches an academy to introduce the careers: www.thestage.co.uk/news/chiches...

Out and about…

Photo of Scottish fiddle band RANT, with text over the top of the image which says "Folk on Foot presents The Official Folk Albums Chart Show, compiled by Official Charts, 3rd March 2026".

This month’s Chart Show has music from Madra Salach, Ye Vagabonds, @tessarosejackson.bsky.social, RANT, @elizamarshall.bsky.social, Seth Lakeman and Miniseries. Plus, there's album and gig news and Matthew announces the next episode of Folk on Foot.

Watch from 7pm GMT: www.youtube.com/@FolkOnFoot

A public service announcement. Don't use #ExpediaUK. They don't have a working UK customer services telephone number and their virtual agents are useless

Just 2 weeks until we hit the road for the spring in the UK.
Are we coming near you?
www.kathrynrobertsandseanlakeman.com/tour

RSC co-leader warns £1.5bn for the arts will disappear quickly - Arts Professional The government's £1.5 billion for arts and culture will be "eaten up pretty quickly", Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) co-artistic director Daniel Evans has

RSC co-leader Daniel Evans warns English £1.5bn for the arts will disappear quickly, & says as they near the end of their redundancy scheme “We were having to face the fact that our operation currently is costing more than our ability to earn money” www.artsprofessional.co.uk/news/rsc-co-...

Linder's scalpel-sharp artwork in Swansea's @glynnvivian.bsky.social! The new artwork in @theatrclwyd.bsky.social – worked on by Catrin James, @studiomothership.bsky.social and me! Plus Paul Mescal dancing, Will Arnett being introduced to horse-hair harps, and why you must see Sinners in my....

So the Epstein scandal is about politics? Silly me for thinking it’s about the mass abuse of women and girls | Marina Hyde Obsessing over individual players and political chaos leaves less time to focus on the misogyny. And that’s for the best, isn’t it guys, says Guardian columnist Marina Hyde

Marina Hyde brilliant as ever: So the Epstein scandal is about politics? Silly me for thinking it’s about the mass abuse of women and girls
Obsessing over individuals & political chaos leaves less time to focus on the misogyny. That’s for the best, isn’t it guys? www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

We've added a batch of live reviews to the site. From smal;l local venues to international festivals, live is the lifeblood, check out the reviews www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/live/

Lauford Cripps Wynford Jones & Geoff Cripps began performing together in 1979 as part of the Welsh folk/rock band The Chartists. In the 1980s their political folk rock won them fans in UK & Germany and the released 2 acclaimed albums. After a gap of 31 years they reconnected in 2022 and played some of South Wales' folk clubs. Now to commemorate the Miners Strike of 84/85 the Chartists 2nd album is available now

It is yet another rainy miserable day in the Rhymney valley. However it is also #Bandcampfriday. Brighten up your day and ours by visiting :- laufordcripps.bandcamp.com

Up 16 places in this month’s Official Folk Albums Chart is the album “Troubled Horses” from @martynjosephwales.bsky.social. It features heartfelt and moving songs like this.

▶️ Watch the full Chart Show here: youtu.be/UxtdKN4OOxk

Morning everyone! My tour with Spiers & Boden starts today … what could be a better way to begin to blow away the February blues than an evening of high-energy folk?

Ticket links from spiersandboden.com/live-dates - check to see if there are tickets left for your local show.

Photo of Eliza Marshall, who is holding her flute aloft above her head. There is text beside the image, which says "Folk on Foot presents The Official Folk Albums Chart Show, compiled by Official Charts, 3rd February 2026"

This month’s Chart Show features music from @elizamarshall.bsky.social, @lisaknappmusic.bsky.social & @gerrydiver.bsky.social, @martynjosephwales.bsky.social, @jamesyorkston.bsky.social & Johanna Söderberg, Nathan Evans & SAINT PHNX and more.

▶️ Tune in tonight from 1900 GMT: youtu.be/UxtdKN4OOxk

Hijinx transitions to joint leadership model Theatre company Hijinx is to be led by two co-chief executives for the first time, as part of a new leadership model aimed at strengthening the company for the future

Welsh company Hijinx transitions to joint CEO model: www.thestage.co.uk/news/appoint...

Images of all the shortlisted albums, and a logo that says “Folk Album of the Year 2025”

Want to be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets to the Folk Album of the Year Award gala at Rochdale Town Hall on 17th March? Sign up as a Folk on Foot member by midnight on 23rd January to get in the draw.

✍️ Sign up here: www.patreon.com/folkonfoot

With @soundrootsuk.bsky.social.

ust added a large batch of album reviews to the site. Check them out here:
www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/rev...

Genevieve Plays Folk #116 10 January 2026 This week, Genevieve veers towards Scotland, Scandinavia and then back home. We have for you, Anna Massie, Breach, Rachel Newton. Tsunami Sound System, Home Service and indeed much more.

Here’s some interesting music for you

www.mixcloud.com/Genevieve_Tu...

Hello, Bluesky people. A very niche request. Does anyone have access to the audio interviews between Peter Bogdanovich and Orson Welles? I am trying and failing to find them, as they include a reference that I need. Any help would be hugely welcome!

Hey folks - just a last minute heads up that I'm going to opening for @gruffrhys.bsky.social next week in Bancffosfelen (nr Llanelli) and Solfach (nr Haverfordwest) in Cymru next week.

Tickets:
www.songkick.com/concerts/429...
www.songkick.com/concerts/429...

Simon Tait on Margaret Hodge playing the last ACE: eepurl.com/juYKa-/

As we approach the year end here are some of my favourite albums of 2025

A bit of Hannannarama? Don't mind if we do! 🥰

The amazing Anna Massie and Hannah Rarity take to the #LTYLR stage tonight at 8pm. It's not too late to get your tickets and enjoy lots of festive fun!

events.livetoyourlivingroom.com/events/livet...

#LiveMusic #FolkMusic

It’s a Christmas cracker!

Home | TheChartists

I have just updated our Chartists website with a new blog post and info on our first gig of 2026! Take a peek :- www.thechartists.co.uk

Council-run venues in Aberdeen face potential move to private operators His Majesty's Theatre and the Lemon Tree are among the venues that may be ‘bundled’ up and offered to private operators under the plans

Everyone seems to forget that when councils want to avoid capital renewal & maintenance costs, the venues still need it. Aberdeen venues out to procurement for new cost-saving operators: www.thestage.co.uk/news/council...

This is well worth a listen ... especially if you're not a Welsh speaker ... Owen's explanations of the words and poetry in his album and how they relate to his home landscape and the human history that created the culture he lives in resonated hugely with me. That's exactly how I connect to place.

TGIF 12.12.25 - Matthew Bannister's "Kelham Island Discs" Matthew Bannister - Sheffield-born broadcaster, journalist, ex-BBC exec and avid nature-loving folkie walker - became a 90s household name when tasked with re-vitalising BBC Radio 1. These days, Matth...

www.mixcloud.com/Jimbobfagan/... If you missed my chat with Sam Hindley and @jamesfagan.bsky.social on Sheffield Live this morning - you can hear my 8 musical choices and the stories behind them here (plus a look at the Folk Album of the Year shortlist)