Welly Club Swap - 2010
August at Blaydon
December at Wolviston
August 2010 saw the Wolviston folk club which is run by the Wilsons (The Duke of Wellington) pay its annual visit to tynefolk.
The Swap Saw the Duke of Wellington (aka 'The Welly') from Wolviston, Teesside pay its annual visit to tynefolk. The club is run by the Wilson family and as you can imagine, is a great singing club with great singers.
In turn, we will pay a return visit in December and as you may guess, when you get two singing clubs together the 'rafters really do ring'.
We started 'The Swap' some 12 years ago, as a way to encourage a good turn out in months when audiences were probably going to be low. It's worked a treat, everyone looks forward to these 6 monthly meetings and the club room is always full.
This year, a bus was hired by The Welly, the room was packed, and I really can't remember a better night, with great singing, great songs, a great atmosphere and a gathering of like minded people who have become good friends over the years.
The tempo varied all night, from traditional accompanied English folk songs, to some excellent contemporary renditions, stories, sea songs and of course some great Northumbrian Dialect song.
It certainly meets the criteria if how I think folk music should be, and if anyone who attended reads this, it would be nice to hear your thoughts on our new website.
www.tynefolk.uk
Danny McLeod introduced singers from tynefolk and 3 songs later, Ken Wilson did the same for The Welly.
I suppose it was a condensed version of a normal night with approximately 45 singers in a room determined to shine in an electric atmosphere.
View the Welly Folk Club website