You can find out who is playing in each session on the Events Page
Baggaley & Varnam
We first saw this duo at the Fringe Festival last year, and they were wonderful! Their delivery is fantastic, weaving cleverly embroidered songs, stories and anecdotes throughout their performance.
Find out more about Phil and Bill: outofthisworldproductions
Broomdasher
Appearing in the From Pub to Pulpit Concert (available at a discounted price to weekend ticket holders, or as a stand-alone event)
Broomdasher are a five-voice London-based acapella group with many years of experience between them, before they first came together in 2017. We know their work through performances and support from Coope Boyes and Simpson
Visit their websites: Broomdasher
Coracle
Appearing in the From Pub to Pulpit Concert (available at a discounted price to weekend ticket holders, or as a stand-alone event) and featuring Belshazzar Feast’s Paul Hutchinson, Anna Tam and Karen Wimhurst.
Paul is an accordionist and one half of the extremely successful duo Belshazzar’s Feast, who have been entertaining audiences around the world for more than 25 years.
Karen is a clarinet and oboe player who has performed with many top orchestras and is a long-term collaborator with Paul. Anna is a former member of the extremely popular Medieaval Baebes, and plays a range of unusual instruments, including nyckelharpa, hurdy gurdy and viol da gamba.
Visit their website: Paul Hutchinson
Bob Fox and Billy Mitchell
What a duo! Always a pleasure to have at a festival or concert, it’s great to have Bob and Billy with us – particularly as Bob was unable to join us as planned in 2021. Great singing, great playing, and great mates.
Visit their websites: Bob Fox and Billy Mitchell
The Carrivick Sisters
It’s a while since Laura and Charlotte were with us (in their own right, and with Midnight Skyracer), and we can’t wait to hear them in the Cathedral this year. Their bluegrass and folk style brings an entertaining live performance with tight sibling vocal harmonies and multi-instrumental virtuosity.
Visit their website: The Carrivick Sisters
Granny’s Attic
Jon Boden puts it simply enough… “Great tunes, great energy, great arrangements, great stuff!” – and we agree! They’ve been to the festival a few times over the years, and bring exceptional musicianship and boundless energy. Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne (melodeon, anglo concertina, vocals), George Sansome (guitar, vocals) and Lewis Wood (violin, vocals)
Visit their website: Granny’s Attic
Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage
Although they’ve been with us individually, we’re really looking forward to hearing Hannah and Ben’s lovely duo. They cross genres, with a touch of ‘Americana’, yet are quintessentially English. Traditional, yet contemporary; playful and instinctive; they make music with such panache and natural chemistry it makes perfect sense.
Visit their website: Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage
Janice Burns & Jon Doran
A new duo at the festival, we know you’ll enjoy them as much as us! Their compelling storytelling comes alive through tight vocal harmonies and sensitive interplay between mandolin and bouzouki, with arrangements that balance intricacy with energy. Their dynamic performances are a celebration of their own musical and geographic backgrounds, embracing the differences that connect them.
Visit their website: Janice Burns & Jon Doran
Jez Lowe
One of the busiest performers you can imagine, it’s wonderful to have Jez back at the festival, (this year, in a solo performance, staying on from The Pitmen Poets). An award winning songwriter, Jez has built an incredible, and well deserved, reputation not just for his songs themselves, but his great performances.
Visit his website: Jez Lowe
Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman
They’ve been to the festival a number of times, and were duo to be with us in 2020 (though they gave us a fabulous online concert) – when artists are this good, we love to get them back! Gorgeous vocals, incredible guitar playing, and songs that stay with you forever, they really are magical.
Visit their website: Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman
Lady Nade
We heard Lady Nade as part of the Global Music Match project that patron, Lucy Ward, was involved with… her vocals wowed us immediately! You may have seen her out on tour with Spiers and Boden, and we’re delighted that the Lady Nade and the full band are able to drop into the festival, before heading back out on tour with their creative blend of soulful Americana and folk.
Visit her website: Lady Nade
Lucy Ward
Festival Patron, and great supporter of all we do, we’re delighted that Lucy is able to join us on the opening night to sing a few songs, and then return on Sunday as part of Nelly – a folk musical. A wonderfully honest and creative performer – “passion, protest and tradition, all rolled into one”.
Visit her website: Lucy Ward
Marc Block
A seasoned “folkie”; Marc is a highly engaging and personable performer, disarming and wooing his audiences with his emotional honesty, and combining tradition and innovation with a magickal and Queer slant to his songwriting.
Visit his website: Marc Block
Narthen
…a coming together of wonderful musicians and singers. With Barry Coope’s sad passing in 2021, Narthen took the decision to continue, building on Barry’s legacy and upholding his memory and love of great songs. Fi Fraser, Jo Freya, Sarah Matthews, Doug Eunson.
Nelly – A folk musical
An afternoon with Nell Gwynne, by Graham Hopkins. We’ve seen this show in development since its first outing at Belper Fringe Festival, and it really is fabulous! It features songs by Lucy Ward, Winter WIlson, Robb Johnson, Reg Meuross, Boff Whalley and Jo Freya – with Lucy, Kip and Dave, Robb and Jo all appearing in this special performance alongside two great actors. NB: The show contains some strong (fruity!) language.
Old Sea Legs
We’re very pleased that Ian Bermingham (Old Sea Legs) is back with us, after closing the festival in the Old Bell last year. He went down an absolute storm, so if you were there, you’ll know… if not, we’re sure you’ll love his fabulous songwriting and honest, engaging and compelling delivery.
Visit their website: Old Sea Legs
The Pitmen Poets
Lindisfarne singer and songwriter Billy Mitchell, Warhorse Songman Bob Fox, Master of Tyneside song Benny Graham, and Award winning songwriter Jez Lowe. We’re really pleased to have these fantastic four with us on the first date of their autumn tour – we’re in for a treat as they bring songs and stories laced with North-East humour and humanity.
Visit their website: The Pitmen Poets
Robb Johnson
Widely recognised as one of the finest songwriters working in the UK today and described by Time Out as a “renowned folk-punk”, Robb’s songs feature in the repertoires of a wide variety of musicians, from folk legend Roy Bailey to cabaret chanteuse Barb Jungr. He’s played pubs, clubs, pavements, pickets and benefits, and venues from the Albert Hole (in Bristol) to the Albert Hall! Equally fabulous as a live performer, as he is as a songwriter.
Visit his website: Robb Johnson
Sound of the Sirens
Acoustic singer-songwriting duo Abbe Martin & Hannah Wood have been on our “must get them to Derby” list for a while! Their fast-growing fan-base is not only testament to the pair’s prowess as songwriters and musicians, but as people too. The pair glide gracefully through laments of past relationships, and life experiences, as well as highlighting the important topics of the day, namely mental health awareness, and homelessness.
Visit their website: Sound of the Sirens
Spiers and Boden
During their first years as this amazing duo, John and Jon had earned a place in the hearts of the folk audience that few could rival, becoming one of the best loved duos on the English folk scene and beyond. As founding members of the pioneering and hugely successful folk big band Bellowhead, they dominated the folk. Now, after exploring solo projects, the duo is back with a brand new album, festival appearances and UK tour.
Mick would have been proper chuffed to have them back at the festival!
Visit their website: Spiers and Boden
Treacle City Dance Band
Playing for social dances, mainly in the Derbyshire area, this small, compact band comprises Pete Bullock and Alan Squires. Pete, formerly of The Albion Band, playing with Tufty Swift and many others; is also a talented jazz and orchestral musician. He brings all those musical genres to their interpretation of traditional dance music. Alan has had a long term involvement, playing for social and morris dancers, and developed his own rather individual approach to predominantly English dance music. Together they produce not only lively dance music but offer some interesting twists on the tunes that are played. Following a successful appearance with us in 2019, Treacle City looks forward to providing some inspiring dance music.
Winter Wilson
Having become part of what we see as Derby’s “festival family”, Kip and Dave are obviously back with us again this year. They’ll be appearing at various points during the festival, but wherever you see them, we’re confident you’ll be delighted, and wonderfully entertained.
Visit their website: Winter Wilson
