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Concertina Sessions In The Manchester Area?


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I'm jumping the gun a bit here, but I hope to be moving back to my roots sometime in the

next few months - back to South-West Lancashire, after 40+ years away.

 

Do any readers of these forums know of any concertina groups or similar where a (bad!)

concertina player would be 'welcome', and who meet regularly, in the Manchester area?

 

Thanks.

 

Roger

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I know of a few music sessions a bit outside of Manchester but certainly in Southwest Lancashire:

 

www.chorleytradmusicsessions.org.uk Hold a "slow and steady" learning session (with "dots" if you want them) on 1st Saturday afternoons 2-5 pm at the Eaves Green Community Centre, just south of the Centre of Chorley. usually several concertina players there, both Anglo and English, and several melodeons, and various whistles, mandolins and what have you. Very welcoming to a starting player. And a break for biscuits and tea halfway through too!

 

And then on the 2nd Sunday afternoon noon-3pm they have a pub session at the Crown, in Worthington. This is usually a small group, and so it often gets bumped during the summer if the regulars are off at festivals, so worth checking the website before you go, or getting on the e-mail list, to receive a last minute confirmation. But again, several of the same people, so very welcoming to a starting player, although the expectation is that you will be playing from memory/by ear.

 

Then in Edgworth, (just north of Bolton) there is a regular singer's night held the 1st Friday evening, 8-11 pm at The Barlow, which is a community centre next to the cricket club. Mostly songs rather than a tune session, but usually there will be several tunes as well, and if you want to lead something it would be welcome. We made some great friends there! (miss them dearly) The club also host concerts on the 3rd Friday of the month. In addition they also hold a folk music festival the 2nd weekend in October, which is ridiculously inexpensive for the quality of the performances! Although everything is now held at the Barlow in Edgworth, the group met in Bromley Cross in years past, so the web site is www.bromleycrossfolkclub.org.uk Even if you don't feel up to offering a tune at the singers night, the calibre of the concerts there is excellent.

 

Also sessions in Edgworth at the Black Bull, on 1st and 3rd Monday nights. One is a tune session, and the other a singing session, although I don't recall which is which. Never actually went to these, as I had a bit of a drive, and I had too early a start at work the next day during the week.

 

Then in Ramsbottom there is a singer's night, or concerts on Wednesday nights, at the Irwell Works Brewery. That started up about a year ago, which means it was just as we left, so I can't say what it is like, but the fellow who was setting it up is a good friend. www.irwellworksbrewery.co.uk

 

And a regular singer's night, (and concerts) on Thursdays in Lymm, just into Chesire. I'm sure I'm missing many others folk clubs I never knew about.

 

So while I'm aware not aware of a concertina group exactly, there are several opportunities in the area to link up with others and play, and that does include a few concertina players in the mix.

Edited by Tradewinds Ted
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Ted and Ted, thank you for those suggestions.

 

Of course, I should have said South-East Lancashire, but it don't make much difference!!!!

 

Realistically, I guess I'll be a bit restricted in how far I can travel so, as I'll be on the south side of

Manchester, the sessions in Chorlton and at The Spread Eagle in Lymm are favourite. The others

are on my list however.

 

I had a look at the Lymm club website - ah how the memories come flooding back! Seems as if

they occasionally use other local pubs - The Rope and Anchor(*), and The Saracen's Head - Saturday

nights in the Rope, and Friday lunchtime 'Arrers at the Sarrers' sessions - haven't thought about

those for (40?) years.

 

I also discovered that Manchester Morris meet about a 10 minute 'bus ride from where I'll be

living, so maybe I'll give them a call.

 

My brother-in-law runs an open-mike acoustic night once a month at the local cricket club. Maybe

I should persuade him to let squeezers in...

 

Thanks again!

 

Roger.

Edited by lachenal74693
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