Ladock Charity Musicfest 2019

Those who enjoyed the first Musicfest last year will be delighted to hear The Freewheelin’  have agreed to repeat their very popular performance. The set they play this year will be totally unlike the previous one. They will be going electropop for the 2019 Ladock Charity Music Fest, performing the music of the 70s & 80s synth pioneers including The Human League, Soft Cell, Kraftwerk, Donna Summer, Visage, New Order etc. They are aiming for the dance floor this time so get your dancing shoes on. Maybe an acoustic might appear

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Also reappearing from last year is singer/songwriter Hania  who until recently was the local girl.  She wowed the crowd last year with her haunting acoustic songs. Covering the likes of Adele, Sam Smith, Sam Cooke and more. She promises new material and no doubt a couple of her own songs

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Last year we were disappointed the The Tregony Teachers AKA Andy and Jon were unable to perform. We are absolutely delighted that for 2019 they have agreed to add their amazing talent to the night. With a repertoire of over 4 hours of hits from across the decades, The Tregony Teachers aren’t to be missed. Whether you’re a fan of ACDC, AHA or Amy Mcdonald, we’ve got it covered!
Jon Winter / Vocals, Guitar
Andy Ashwin / Vocals
https://www.facebook.com/tregonyteachers/

Next and new to the Ladock Musicfest is singer/songwriter Liam Jordan Music.
2018 has been an exciting year for folk-rock singer-songwriter Liam Jordan. Having released his debut album back in May, Liam has just finished a full eighteen city tour of the UK & Ireland to promote the record so it is a great honour to have him sing for us this year.

The album fuses; folk, country, gospel and rock in a travelling blues band style format, forging strong subject matter with powerful and emotive production, and nodding a respectful head to songwriting greats such as Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen and more recently, Jason Isbell.

His first single ‘Tap At My Window’ was featured on Richer Unsigned’s ‘Best of June’ playlist in association with Q Magazine. Three of his album tracks have also had BBC Introducing plays and he is currently ranked #6 in the Reverb Nation UK singer-songwriters chart, #1 in the regional (Southwest), and #166 on their global singer-songwriter chart.
“A great new voice in Americana and folk music” – Tom Russell
“A true and moving songwriter” – Martin Furey
For more info on his album and more, visit; www.liamjordanmusic.com

OUR HEADLINE ACT is The Hoodle – Country Rock/Country Blues/Americana quartet.
We couldn’t think of a better way to finish Music Makers Night. In great demand we are lucky these amazing musicians have agreed to play for us. The band members are

STEVE TURNER – ELECTRIC/ACOUSTIC/SLIDE/STEEL GUITARS, VOCALS: Started out playing cornet & bass with his Dad Ken Turner, musical director & dance bandleader at the Blackpool Tower Co. Played in various touring bands as a bassist, but after seeing Jimi Hendrix play live in 1967, was inspired to take up the guitar, becoming an accomplished slide, steel, electric & acoustic guitarist. During his touring & recording career, he has played with Kirsty MacColl, Ralph McTell, Pete Murphy, Lloyd Green, Billie Jo Spears, and the Bucket Boys with Willie Wilson & Tim Renwick, among many others.

WILLIE WILSON – DRUMS/PERCUSSION, MANDOLIN, VOCALS: Born in Cambridge, his first professional gig was in the band Jokers Wild with David Gilmour (1965/67). An original member of Cochise who produced 2 albums for United Artists (1970/71), he then went on tobecome the permanent drummer with Quiver who released 2 albums for Warner Bros Records (1971/72) before joining forces with Iain & Gavin Sutherland. Between 1973 & 1978 the Sutherland Brothers & Quiver released 6 albums including the hit single “Lying in the Arms of Mary”. After SBQ, Willie worked with the touring version of Pink Floyd, performing on the concerts and film sound track of “The Wall”, as well as playing on David Gilmour’s first solo album and on the most recent “On an Island”. He has also performed with Lonnie Donegan,
Syd Barrett, Hank Wangford, Al Stewart, Joe Brown, Ralph McTell & on various other sessions & tours. More recently, he worked with the Coyotes, an award winning country band, & theBucket Boys with Steve Turner and Tim Renwick.

EMMA SPIRES – ELECTRIC/DOUBLE BASS, VOCALS: Studied classical guitar, then moved to bass. She has played on the Cornish music circuit since age 14, performing with bands of various genres including Country, Blues, Rock, Folk & Gypsy Jazz. Emma was part of the band Blues Connection who played supports for Wilko Johnson and Little Feat. She has also played bass on three UK tours with Paul Barrere & Fred Tackett from Little Feat, along with Phil Beer of Show Of Hands. After over 5 years with the Hoodle she has also become an accomplished singer.

TIM RENWICK – ELECTRIC/ACOUSTIC GUITARS, VOCALS: A massive career history as a live concert performer, recording artist and top session guitarist. Career highlights include chart success with the Sutherland Brothers & Quiver, extensive tours with Roger Waters, Pink Floyd, Al Stewart, Elton John, Mike & the Mechanics, and a 74-date tour with the Eric Clapton Band, which included the 1985 Live Aid concert from Philadelphia. Tim has a long musical
association with Willie & Steve and joined the Hoodle in summer 2018. See Tim’s website for more information: http://timrenwick.com/
GIGS & PERFORMANCES – Mainly pubs & clubs, also various festivals & events throughout Cornwall, including support for Chantel McGregor. They have also played live on BBC Radio Cornwall & appeared on BBC Spotlight TV at the Royal Cornwall Show, Port Eliot Festival, Falmouth Oyster Festival, Celtic Beer Festival and many others.
THE ALBUM – An Independent Blues Broadcasters Association ‘Pick of the Month’ for October 2017, “Spo-Dee-O-Dee” was recorded LIVE in one afternoon plus a few overdubs, with producer Simon Fraser (ex-Sawmills Studio) at his Woodside studios. Long-time inspiration Albert Lee said when hearing the album, “Good rootsy stuff, with good sounds and classic tunes that are really well played”. Ralph McTell, who all the band members have played and recorded with, has been a long time inspiration & supporter of Hoodle gigs, and has championed the album “Spo-Dee-O-Dee” to many of his fellow musos, with great feedback.

Web: www.thehoodle.co.uk

Say no more

Those who enjoyed the first Musicfest last year will be delighted to hear MacQuarrie and Toms have agreed to repeat their dazzling performance. Stuart and Jamie have been wowing crowds with their charged fiddle and acoustic guitar and it will be a pleasure to hear them again

MacQuarrie and Toms formed in 2014. Since then they have played throughout the UK and Europe. In 2018 the duo were featured artists at Festival Interceltique de Lorient, the same year that they also supported Fairport Convention as part of their 50th anniversary tour.

Most recently the duo played with Welsh Folk Group Jamie Smith’s Mabon, to perform a commission piece to mark the 40th year of the Lowender Peran Festival in Cornwall.

Since their formation the duo have released 2 EPs, both of which have featured on BBC Introducing and in 2017 they won the International Pan Celtic Instrumental Duo competition in Ireland.

MacQuarrie and Toms aim to bring Celtic Folk music to a wider audience by combining traditional playing techniques with modern effects.

Some of their reviews

“Celtic-Cornish folk duo MacQuarrie and Toms, who have been performing together since 2014, arrive with their second EP Granite. Featuring two songs and four instrumentals it showcases the combined talents of Stuart MacQuarrie on fiddle and Jamie Toms on acoustic guitar.

Sweet Nightingale is a charming rendition of a traditional Cornish folk song. Granite is the Hardest Stone, meanwhile, is the duo’s interpretation of a song by Chris Lethbridge, who wrote a number of songs inspired by the Isles of Scilly.

Dark and brooding, it tells the story of the Scilly naval disaster when four warships and 1,550 sailors lives were lost in a catastrophic night at sea back in 1707. The drone-like tones of an Indian Shruti Box, the beautiful haunting fiddle-playing, and the dark mournful vocals make this the definitive stand-out track.​

With the tunes the duo take an inventive and engaging approach, both with their own material like Toms’ Clutterbuck and MacQuarrie’s Bunch of Fives, as well as with their own interpretations of other writers.

The sleeve-notes relate what happened when they approached Will Coleman for permission to use one of his tunes on the EP, We ’ent Goin’ Far. Coleman’s amusingly philosophical response was, “Writing tunes is like having kids – they fly off into the world and have a life of their own (and you just sit at home waiting for the phone call from the police/ambulance/DNA expert).”​

Listeners can be reassured that the tunes, whether composed by Coleman or others, do indeed take on a life of their own on Granitebut they are far from any sort of disaster.​

Inventive musicians with an imaginative and well-chosen set of songs and tunes, there is plenty to like about this EP.”
(Darren Johnson – The Bright Young Folk)

“Can’t say no to a good bit of tradtional Celtic and Cornish  music… MacQuarrie and Toms, ‘Clutterbuck’ is wonderful!”

(BBC Introducing)
“Their EP, Kynsa, is available and is an atmospheric mix of charged fiddle and acoustic guitar. Download it, sit on a cliff, listen and become the most Cornish you’ve ever been.” 

(Lee Trewhela – West Briton)​

“2017 off to a great start at Philleigh, warmed by a roaring fire and a brilliant display of sublime musicianship from MacQuarrie & Toms…” 

(Philleigh Folk Club)​

“MacQuarrie and Toms. It was these three magic words everybody was excited about last night. And I think that’s the best way to describe these boys. Magic. Or maybe “magic trick” might be more appropriate. How on earth they make the music they do with just two people is beyond belief. There was lots of moments where I am sure I was not the only one looking for the rest of the musicians on stage.
The equipment surrounding them is the most I have seen in a gig. An amazing set of toys. No wonder they are labelled as “The future of folk”, they are surrounded by contraptions! And believe me, they used every one. And they pulled a lot more than a rabbit out of the hat!
Cornish, Celtic and Irish tunes dominated each set but with their own unique delivery and skill. Both men are incredibly skilled musicians and it is of no surprise they are both teachers of their craft. They start off slow and beautiful and then out of nowhere surprise you and up the tempo.
One of the many highlights for me from the first half has to be “Bottleneck Caravan”, written about a man with a large caravan going around the narrow winding roads of Cornwall, I won’t give away the punchline, but this little anecdote was a hit with the crowd as they went into play the tune. I was overjoyed to find this on their EP which was played as soon as I got home. The song perfectly captures this caper and helps you visualise the scene completely.
The best thing about folk music is the storytelling. And what really impressed me was that these guys knew the origins and story of every song they played last night. You can see their heart, soul and passion goes into every performance. They write themselves and are so impressive, they enable music to just pour and flow out of them.
They really made you aware that tonight was a special show, they weren’t using a tried and tested set-list, they were playing music they never have in public before. You could tell they were having fun and really enjoying themselves. They played an instrument that looked similar to an accordion like a piano, they played (I was waiting for this one) what looked like a close-up of the keys of an all-black piano. Something to do with bass to add to the song. This interesting bit of kit by the way Stu played simultaneously with the fiddle. At first I thought he was just tapping his foot to the music…he wasn’t he was playing this bass thing! To see MacQuarrie and Toms is to see a show. You are transfixed, you cannot stop watching them.
There were a few times, the song was really fast-paced, and these guys kept completely in sync with each other, the exact same melody, the exact same time, on completely different instruments. Fast paced as well, remember.
Their talent and ability is staggering. Their twist and ability to be so contemporary is fascinating. Their “Trip to Miriams” was another highlight.
Partway through the evening, two girls got up from a table and began to tap dance to the music. A lovely surprise, and one the boys arranged for the audience.
MacQuarrie and Toms are funky. They are extremely talented. They are original. They are showstoppers. In short, they are bloody brilliant!
If you missed them, catch them. Or alternatively wait until they appear on Jools Holland and conquer the world!” 

(Grampound Road Live Music Night)

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Bagas Crowd will also start us off again, their energetic violins making music made for dancing. The similarity to last year ends there. Those disappointed not to hear the other 2018 performers may find them appearing on Friday 1st March, we hope

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We are very humble to have new to the Musicfest some of the best folk musicians and performers in the South-West and beyond.

Firstly the Belfast Busker has agreed to entertain us bringing the Irish connection to the celebrations. Singin’ Songs & Spinnin’ Yarns – Keltic Folk Rock. Sure to make you smile and get you dancing.

Next we have Gozer Goodspeed all the way from Plymouth. A blues/folk singer/songwriter bringing to us his powerful, foot-stomping rabble-rousing performance together with his unique guitar skills.

Then we have Black-Eyed Nancy. Merging new concepts and traditional folk.They will entertain us with stunning originals and edgy variations on Cornish folk classics. Again they will keep you on the dance floor or at least your feet tapping

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Lastly we have Davey Dodds and Martin Solomon half of newly formed The Porbeagles with Davey Dodds. Martin makes magic with his fiddle and Celtic harp and Davey Dodds is a songwriter of some renown. His classic ‘The Magpie’ was recently covered by The Unthanks and used in the BBC2 series ‘The Detectorists’. Great Musicians.

What an amazing collection of talent worthy of a full house.

Also Newhouse Farm Cottages Witheridge Devon have agreed to support by offering another break for our raffle. There will be many more such quality prizes. Maybe a return trip for our last winner of this prize Ian Tumilty

Look forward to seeing you all and don’t forget Ladstock in July

Food will be supplied by Cornish Maid. Gourmet burgers menu below. Yum Yum

All proceeds to Merlin MS Centre, Little Harbour Hospice and Ladock Playing Field