Here's an archive of all the news stories from the Hobnobbin Magazine over the last few years. Be aware that some of the information is now out of date - for up to date folk news, go back to the Hobnobbin Index Page

The Late Night Extra got off to a slower start than usual, but gradually picked up throughout the week. Whapweasel pulled in the biggest crowd on Thursday night, for a

Thanks to everyone who showed their support for the new Sidmouth FolkWeek. It’s such an important part of modern day folk tradition, and because so many organisers were willing to take big financial risks to put on the new festival, and because so many festival goers remained loyal and supported the event, the Sidmouth FolkWeek is now safe for years to come!

We were also able to introduce the Reinhardt Project to the UK for the first time, and they were a resounding success at the festival. While they were at the festival they played constantly, on and off stage, appearing without pre-booking for the second time on the Hobgoblin Stage after the Blackthorn Ceilidh, and also at the Bedford Hotel.

The Hobgoblin stage was a great opportunity to air some lesser known acts, in support of the bigger bands, and the combination worked really well, with a real ‘something for everyone’ feel to the week’s afternoon shows.

After the organisers of the Sidmouth International Folk Festival dropped out after the 2004 event, the future looked bleak for the Sidmouth Festival. However out of darkness comes light, and a new group of organisers have stepped in to put together a great new festival for 2005. The new festival, now entitled Sidmouth Folkweek, has an ever growing line up, including Bellowhead, Whapweasel, Jacqui McShee and John Renbourn, Last Night’s Fun, Show of Hands, Battlefield Band, Kathryn Tickell Band, The Reinhardt Project, Harvey

There are plenty of events being organised for

Tickets will be available for individual events, and most can be booked in advance. All events at the Ham Arena Marquee, and most events elsewhere will have tickets on the door as well, so less organised people can easily enjoy the music without pre- booking! You can also buy a season ticket for the Ham Arena Marquee, (which replaces the Knowle Arena as the main stage), for £135. This will cover all afternoon and evening events at the Ham Marquee, and will also include workshops. (See Below to win a pair!!)

Sidmouth News Continues Below...

We are doing everything we can to support Sidmouth FolkWeek, and ensure its future, and we are very happy to be able to participate in the

The long awaited 14th Hobgoblin catalogue is now available. The catalogue includes photos of hundreds of musical instruments, spares and

The very first Hobgoblin catalogue was published in 1978, and since then, each new edition has been

The first Whitby Abbeygael Celtic Music Festival will be held on Saturday 23rd July 2005, at the Whitby Pavilion

View information about all the acts appearing on the Hobgoblin Stage

It's the end of an era! After many years of managing the Crawley branch of Hobgoblin Music, Neil McRitchie (who many of

Sunday 17th July 2005 will see the return of the Hobgoblin Festival at the Custard Factory in Birmingham. The festival includes free workshops, sessions, and open stage, as well as two main concerts at £5 each. The Hobgoblin Music shop will be open all day, and there will be Morris Dance

The workshops are still being organised, but it's expected that there will be free workshops for fiddle and banjo, and probably more. The first confirmed morris side is the Glorishears of Brummagem (a local women's side). The Open Stage will be going all afternoon, and anyone is welcome to play. If you would like to perform a couple of numbers call

The afternoon concert at the Custard Factory Theatre will feature Drowsy Maggie, Blackthorn Band, Joey Preece and Rob Halligan. The evening concert Jug'o'punch, Deborah

Hobgoblin Music, Newport Pagnell, in association with "The Cannon Live" present:- An evening of Acoustic Blues featuring Tom Dale and Jeff Adams.

Here’s a totally different way to enjoy music-making - join a band where players of (nearly!) any instrument get together and play traditional music in the style of the old English village bands, with arrangements based on those played by country musicians of Thomas Hardy’s time. There will be dance tunes & other pieces from English tradition, and forays into

The band is being set up by Dave Townsend, whose work as director of Hands On Music and

THE OXFORD VILLAGE BAND will meet on Wednesdays at Littlemore Village Hall, Railway Lane (From the Oxford Ring Road, turn away from the City Centre at the Littlemore Roundabout onto Oxford Road, bear right at the mini-roundabout, go past the church and Railway Lane is the right turn opposite The George pub.). The first meeting will be on May 11th at 8.00 pm, and it will

For more information, phone 01865 714778

As part of the Crawley Folk Festival, the Hawth Theatre are putting on an afternoon concert to celebrate the strength and diversity of English traditional music. The concert is sponsored by Hobgoblin Music, and will

Full Day tickets £12.50 concessions £10.00
Festival Ticket £30.00 concessions £27.50

Last but not least, Hobgoblin shops now have Taylor Guitars in stock. Over the last 30 years, Californian made Taylor Guitars have become one of the most sought after acoustic instruments in the world, and represent a unique blend of hand-crafting and state of the art manufacturing techniques, which ensure instruments of superb quality and unrivalled performance.


Eddy Mayhew in Wadebridge with his Taylors!

Hobgoblin staff are absolutely over the moon to have these three new brands in their shops, particularly as they complement a range that was already outstanding, and includes names like Fylde, Ashbury, Simon & Patrick, Yamaha, Fender, Aria and many more.

Adrian Button, a former Nottinghamshire Coal Miner, has taken over the Nottingham branch of Hobgoblin Music. Under Adrian's management, the shop has moved a few doors up the road from its previous location, to a new, brighter premises. Hobgoblin Music now takes up the ground floor and Mezzanine floor of 76 Derby Road.

Downstairs is a branch of the Woodwind and Brass specialists Toot Sweet, who also have a branch upstairs at Hobgoblin Music in Leeds. Toot Sweet in Nottingham is run by Jake McMahon with help from Richard Hume, a fully trained woodwind and brass repairer, working onsite. Adrian runs the Hobgoblin shop with help from his daughter Charlie, and stringed instrument repairer Jason Boyd. They're all musicians, and Adrian and Charlie play

The Birmingham branches of Hobgoblin Music and Wind-World, both at 1 Gibb Street, The Custard Factory in Birmingham, will be hosting an open day on

FREE WORKSHOPS:
There will be free workshops throughout the day, on how to play Banjo, Mandolin, Melodeon, Accordion, Concertina, Uilleann Pipes, flutes, Saxophone and Guitar. All

WIND WORLD will be offering free expert advice and valuations on all of your Woodwind and Brass instruments.

The Live Music Forum will use these results to inform their work to monitor the

effect of the new licensing laws when they come into effect during late 2005. The intention of the new laws is to make it easier and cheaper for venues to put on live music. The act has been the subject of much controversy because its wording originally appeared to outlaw all unlicensed performances in public (making, for example, busking and morris dancing illegal).

However with some revisions made to the act, it now appears to have the potential to increase live music in pubs and clubs (although does not address the question as to why live music has to be licensed at all, when anyone is allowed to show sports coverage and play recorded music, which is

considered governable by existing health and safety and noise regulations). Pubs simply have to 'opt in' to the music license when they apply for their new publican's license under the new licensing act.

The Live Music Forum will continue to monitor the situation of live music, as the new laws come into place, and make recommendations to the government according to their findings. One thing that the survey they have already carried out suggests to me is that publicans need to be made aware of how the changes to their license affect their potential to put on live music, so that as many venues as possible opt in, and gain, for free, the

Fergal Sharkey seems to have the concerns of many musicians at heart. He said "We have one of the most vibrant music scenes in the world and live music is at the heart of it. I want to see more live music in this country, and with a major overhaul of licensing laws just around the corner, we have the best opportunity in a generation to achieve this...A third of the people we spoke to who do not currently put on live music said they probably would in the future. I want them, and anyone with the space to put on a band or a live act, to think carefully and remember the benefits in profits, to customer and to the next generation of performers."

Hobgoblin, Newport Pagnell, will be staging a promotional event with

The strategy group planning the future of the Sidmouth Festival includes

members of Folk South West, Wren Music, Great Western Morris, Sidmouth Town Council and East Devon District Council. The strong involvement of local people in the decision making is a very positive step towards making the festival something which is beneficial to the local community as well as to the folk community.

Early indications are that there will be something for everybody during the Sidmouth Folk

Week: Workshops, morris dances, concerts, ceilidhs, musical instrument trade, somewhere to camp, late night events and more. Those who want to go will be able to buy tickets for individual events, rather than forking out for a full season ticket.

Meetings continue, and there are many more decisions to be made, but I am sure most fans of the Sidmouth festival will welcome these very positive steps towards

Hobgoblin Music is delighted to be supporting the festival, and we are organising several concerts and Ceilidhs at the Ham Marquee. Watch this space for details of how to get tickets, and what's on!

This year, to celebrate St George's Day, the 'Three's Company'artists collective is staging a short tour promoting Traditional English Music, song and dance. The tour begins at

Workshops: As well as three evenings worth of entertainment, there will be afternoon workshops on Rapper Sword, Cotswold Morris, English Clog and Harmony Singing beginning at 5pm on each performance day. Clogs are

BRISTOL SPRING CEILIDH WITH THE BISMARKS
08/04/05

The University of Bristol Folk Club and the University Expedition Society are hosting a spring Celidh on 26th April 2005. An evening of entertainment is promised by the Celidh band The Bismarks (or The Bismark Herrings), and guest caller Jethro. 7pm - 11pm, Avon George Room, University of Bristol Union, Queen Street, Bristol. There will be a licensed bar, and entertainment during the interval. £4 adv/£5 on the door. Tickets are available every Tuesday, 12-2pm from the Fair Trade Cafe, Ecumenical Centre, 1 Priory Road, or weekday lunchtimes from the HAwthornes (19th-26th April).

STORTFORD MUSIC AND DANCE FESTIVAL
08/04/05

The Stortford Music and Dance Festival will be held again this year at St Mary's Catholic School on 29th April - 1st May in Bishop's Stortford. The festival is held by Woodworks Music & Dance, and will include workshops, a ceilidh, a mummers play, and concerts featuring Liz Simcock, Nany Kerr and James Fagan and Eric Roche. This promises to be a delightful family event. For booking info, visit the website

NEW NATIONAL CLUBS AND SESSIONS DIRECTORY
16/02/05

A new site is currently taking submissions of folky clubs and sessions all around the UK. The site aims to be the most comprehensive database of UK clubs and sessions, and is run Glen Wright, a young folk enthusiast based in the Midlands. To support this ambitious venture, submit details of the folk clubs and sessions that you know about in your area. The submissions page is at www.folkdirectory.co.uk

Solitaire Residential Recording Studio
16/02/05

Solitaire Recording Studio is due to reopen on the 20th of February 2005. The studio was closed for relocation and is now based on the Meath/Cavan border. The studio, now residential sleeping 6, is enclosed in a 3000 sq/ft house and consists of a large control room and 3 recording rooms, each with a different acoustic. There is also a lounge, fitness room and fully equiped kitchen. With a wealth of Valve outboard technology, high end mics and 24 bit digital recording, It is owned and run by engineer/producer Alan Whelan, with over 15 years experience in the professional recording business. For a full list of equipment, costs and information on the facility, look up www.solitairestudio.com. With daily prices including accomadation professional recording doesn't come at a better price than this.
Contact
Solitaire Residential Recording Studio,
3 The collops, Kingscourt, Co. Cavan, Ireland.
Ph. + 353 (0)42 9668793, email info@solitairestudio.com

UPDATE ON ACOUSTIC CLUB IN SUSSEX
02/02/05

In October, we told you about a new acoustic club in Sussex. Well, the venture is now up and running, with some great gigs planned for the whole of 2005. Called Acoustic Sussex, they have their own website at www.acousticsussex.org.uk, which explains: "It's not a folk club. Acoustic Sussex it interested in promoting acoustic or semi-acoustic singer/songwriters and other musicians, whether their music is folk, country, blues or the downright unclassifiable". Using three venues in the Crawley/East Grinstead area, Acoustic Sussex gigs are are concert-style performances - whilst there may be a support act and/or MC, there will not be "floor spots" for example. The artists will generally be established, professional artists - but as things develop, there will room for up and coming artists including local and/or amateur acts.

The first gig is a sponsored event (free entry) at the White Hart Inn, near Ardingly on 11 February, with Duncan Mckenzies - singer/songwriter and accomplished guitarist. On 28 February, the same venue sees Amy Wadge . Amy is a rising star - twice winner of the Wesh Music Awards for Best Female Solo Artist (and nominatee for the 2004 awards) - and highly recommended. For details and information, contact Martin Snodin on 01342 716975 or email martin@acousticsussex.org.uk

Future gigs include: Emily Slade (21 March); Christine Collister (18 April); Ralph McTell (7th May); Guy Davis (10 May); Eliza Gilkyson (23 May); Wizz Jones (26 June); Michael Chapman (4 July); Ric Sanders (1 September); Niamh Parsons (19 September); Anais Mitchell (17 October): John Tams (24 November). Visit the website for more information and updates.

Dave and Denise Soulsby, who run Hobgoblin Music in Newport Pagnell, near Milton Keynes, are turning the shop into a hotbed of musical activity! In the pipeline are a range of Sunday morning workshops, demonstrations in the shop, and their first birthday party, to be held next April! Dates of these

events will be reported as they are confirmed.

First Workshop 13th March

ability to play with feeling and flair, enabling you to develop a more individual style of playing. It will last for approximately 3 hours including a coffee break. The cost will be £15, with a maximum of 6 students. The shop will be open to participants only. Watch out for follow up Sunday workshops including "Contemporay Grooves for Traditional Tunes" with Andy Glass. Again £15; Date to be announced.

See the Newport Pagnell Shop Page for more events in and near the shop.

It’s an all day event, 2pm - 12am, and the day will be packed with music and dance. During the day there will be sessions,

There will be music workshops upstairs at the Med Bar in the afternoon, including a fiddle workshop with Gina Le Faux, and a mandolin and banjo workshop with experienced multi- instrumentalist Keith Kearns.
Downstairs in the afternoon will be an open mic/show case stage, with free entrance. The Med offers a fantastic venue with a

There will be an evening concert held at the Custard Factory Theatre with a number of top acts, including Gina le Faux, Drowsy Maggie, The Gravelly Hillbillies, Big Girls Now and Sally and the Shot Dogs. The evening will be Compered by Stuart Jeffs. There will also be a Ceilidh at the Irish Centre (across the road from the Custard Factory) with Blackthorn Band. The caller will be Irish dance specialist Susan Swanton.

For further information and tickets, see the Birmingham Festival Website

The Licensing Guidance, given to local councils by the government, stresses the value of live music and recognises the fact that it is fundamental right.

Every musician should contact their local authority, drawing this aspect of the Licensing Guidance to their attention, and recommending for inclusion a statement such as the following:

"Live music, dance, theatre etc: This authority recognises its duties under Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to take progressive measures to ensure that everyone can participate in the cultural life of the community and enjoy the arts. Artistic freedom of expression is a fundamental right, and this authority is bound by s.3 of the Human Rights Act 1998 to read and give effect to all legislation, including licensing legislation, so far as

possible compatibly with the right to freedom of expression.

This authority will take all this into account when considering the licensing of live music, dance and theatre. Where the Licensing Act 2003 is open to interpretation which may be more or less restrictive for these activities, the authority will fully explain the reasons for its interpretation of the Act. In such cases, and particularly where licence conditions are proposed, the authority will set out in detail where, how and why it believes subsisting safety, noise, crime or disorder legislation, is inadequate such that licensing is, or licence conditions are, not only necessary, but a reasonable and

This article has been paraphrased from the full article by Hamish Birchall of the Musicians Union, which was posted at mudcat.org. Click here to read the full article.

This year sees the revival of the Hobbs Farm Music Festival, Yapton. The two-day music festival used to run five years ago, by the farm owner Pat Stanscombe. This year the revival is being organised by Juliet Bell former fiddle player of Legacy.
This year the festival is in aid of a local charity;

I’ve just read on the Music Tank website that a ‘think tank’ debate on the new music licensing laws is to take place on 8th June 2004. “With the Licensing Act coming into force imminently, (the sixth-month dual licensing system begins June '04),

this think tank seeks to clarify its implications and identify how musicians, venues and promoters can benefit most from it.” The Keynote speaker will be Feargal Sharkey, with Adam Driscoll (CEO, Channel Fly plc) and John Smith, General Secretary of the Musicians Union on the panel. The debate will take place at The Red Room, Bertorelli's, 11-13 Frith Street, Soho, London,

W1D 4RB from 18.30 - 21.30, and costs £20 to attend.

In December the Musician’s Union issued a press release stating that with the new amendments, they think the licensing laws could actually be an improvement on the two-in-a-bar law. They appear to be satisfied with the government’s promise of review and further

The Radio 2 Folk Awards were held in February, but it’s never too late to announce the winners (I hope...). Folk Singer of the Year went to June Tabor. Jon Spiers and Jon Boden, who have been taking the folk scene by storm over the last couple of years picked up Best

Article by Nicola McClelland

The Adur Festival is a two week event held in various venues in the Shoreham-by-Sea area. As part of the

festival, there’s a Ceilidh on Friday 11th June with Thingumajig Band, which will be held at the Sussex Yacht Club in Shoreham. The callers will be John and Liz Scholey, who always make for a lively event. Tickets are £6.50 on

the door and £5.50 in advance & concessionary. Tickets are available from Hobgoblin Music on 0845 130 9500 (local rate from UK land lines) or from the organisers of the Adur Festival on 01273 263160.

Hobgoblin’s newest branch will be opening on 10th April 2004, in Newport Pagnell, near Milton Keynes. The shop will be run by Dave Soulsby, a guitarist and long term resident of Newport Pagnell, who became interested in running a branch of Hobgoblin Music when he noticed the lack of a folk instrument supplier in the region. Dave Soulsby, Manager

The building that will house the shop is at 10 St John’s Street, Newport Pagnell. Built in the 18th century, the shop has an interesting history. Originally a Brewer’s, it’s also been home to a bookselling business, and a pet shop, and is best remembered by many locals as the offices of a Buckinghamshire Newspaper, “The Bucks Standard”, which was a landmark in the town for 130 years. The well known scroll sign on the front of the building will still be in place when the new shop opens.

Free Stuff!

free raffle, and loads of first day special offers in the shop. Guitarist Peter Lubbock will be playing in the shop on the morning of 10th April, and demonstrating some of the instruments in the shop, and in the afternoon, local duo Jenny Newman and Andy glass (fiddle and

Shop as Pandora's Pets in 1984

frets) will take the lead. Raffle tickets will be handed out throughout the day to those attending the launch, and the winners of £25 and £15 Hobgoblin Music vouchers will be drawn at 5pm. All guitars, banjos and mandolins sold on the launch day will come with two sets of strings, a gig bag, plectrums and a strap, all completely free! Also those attending the launch events can pick up vouchers entitling them to 10% off any purchase over £25 in the shop throughout April.

In ait of charity Diabetes UK Guitar Breakthrough

Arts Minister Estelle Morris has this week announced the creation of a Live Music Forum, the purpose of which is to make sure that the recently imposed licensing laws "deliver real benefits for grass root musicians by creating more live music venues."
The forum, which is to be headed by Feargal Sharkey, formerly of The Undertones, will involve music industry, the Arts Council, local authorities, small venue

owners and the government, and will meet for the first time on 3rd February, and then regularly over the next two years.
It is to be kick started by a survey of the current live music scene, which, over the next six months, will ask venue owners and promoters about the music they host. According to the DCMS (Department of Culture, Media and Sport), the aim is to "identify what barriers currently prevent more live music being played and identify areas that have a thriving, or struggling, live music scene and identify why."

Of course critics will justifiably leap in at this point and demand to know why no such survey was carried out before the law was changed last year. Simplified greatly, the new licensing laws dictate that no venue (with some exceptions) may hold any live entertainment without a license. Despite uproar among musicians, the laws received Royal Assent in July 2003 and will come into force in early 2005.
Some supporters of live music are concerned that the forum is just a token effort from the DCMS to keep protesters quiet. According to some, a

Turning a gig into a night: Loubricate, the first of hopefully a series of club nights with the emphasis on innovative and groovy LIVE music, initiated and headlined by PinaLou, brings you a blend of finest djs and bands with a shared interest in bringing live music back to the clubbing world. It's all set in Loubricate's own bubbly

The extremely marvellous Malarchy band have just completed their new ep, entitled Double Espresso, a reference to the hyperactive tempi at which we play, and our extreme coffee intake.Featuring three exciting sets, comprising five traditional tunes and two original compositions, this is a high speed rip through the

The Radio 2 Folk Awards will be held for the fifth time on 9th February this year at The Brewery, London. The nominations are out, and no doubt votes have been pouring in for the category open to the public, Best Live Act. Click here to see how you can vote.

business more recently on the first floor of the same building. The new music shops received a warm welcome in Birmingham. "I personally have been hoping for a long time that you would eventually open a shop in Birmingham and I was very happy when I found out you were" said Pete Holder, long term customer of Hobgoblin Music.
To launch the Woodwind and Brass Specialists Wind-World there will be a Jazz concert on Wednesday 29th October featuring King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys, a

zany Jazz/Jive band from Birmingham. Next will be a folky evening to launch Hobgoblin Music. Booked acts are The Hush, Damien Barber and Fay Hield, James Raynard, the Hobgoblin Band (featuring Marcus Coulter, all England uilleann pipes champion) and MC Stanley Accrington. The last concert will be on Friday 31st October: A Palm Court evening with the Berkley Salon Ensemble (made up of members of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra). This light classical evening will mark the official opening of the

violin specialists Turner Violins who also have branches in Nottingham and Beeston.
Tickets are free from Turner Violins in Beeston. For a ticket application form call 0115 943 0333 and ask for Andy. Tickets are on a first come first served basis so don’t delay! Unsuccessful applications will be considered for priority and discount bookings for possible further gigs held by Turner Violins at the Custard Factory.

The Folk Awards have been held annually since 2000, and the 2003 awards will take place on

The question to consider is: "Which artist, duo or group has made the biggest impression on you at a live performance over the last year?". You can submit your vote online at

Previous winners in this category are Roy Bailey and Tony Benn, Rory McLeod, Vin Garbutt and La Bottine Souriante. These seem like excellent choices to me (I've not seen Roy and Tony or Vin Garbutt, but I would

In very simple terms, Brain Gym uses various physical

and mental exercises to help people overcome the barriers which stop them from achieving certain goals.

Buffy McClelland at the Oxford Brain Gym (sister of Hobgoblin founder Pete McClelland) is interested in using Brain Gym to help people to improve their musical skills. "If you are

an experienced musician, Brain Gym can help to hone specific skills, and to reduce performance nerves. If you are just learning an instrument and just can't seem to get beyond a certain level, then Brain Gym can help you develop new neural pathways that will improve coordination, speed, accuracy, ability to sight-

read and memory for tunes and songs." If you want to find out more about Brin Gym, visit the Oxford Brain Gym website.

Article by Nicola McClelland

The Custard Factory is at the site of the factories once owned by Alfred Bird, who received a knighthood for inventing custard in the 19th century.

Wind-World, as the name would suggest, is a company specialising in woodwind and brass. They stock a good range of student and beginner’s clarinets, saxophones, oboes, trumpets etc and also have a wide range of second hand instruments

"Here's the Way We Play It" is a special music event focusing on the importance of Skiffle's contribution to Britain's popular music, which will take place on Saturday 6th September 03. The conference aims to demonstrate that rather than being a mere 50s fad, Skiffle has been very significant in the evolution of popular music. The

Thanks to Scott Oram (Skiffle Conference Director) for this information.

Trowbridge gig (which was great), and I have heard that they were also fantastic at Cambridge. We've been listening to their recent album Rubai non stop here at Hobgoblin head office, so I was looking forward to hearing some excellent whistle and flute tunes (written by the band members themselves), and I wasn't let down. Flook really know how to captivate an audience with their live act and fantastic musicianship, and although I've already seen them twice this year, I wouldn't miss a chance to see them again. A highlight for many people was an impressive bodhran solo from John Joe Kelly at the end of the night. Highly recommended!

Beltaine, Trowbridge
You don't usually hear about Beltaine without also being reminded that band

Lunasa, Sidmouth
I was introduced to the music of Lunasa by a non-folky friend of mine who had happened to see them

live and was inspired to buy their album Otherworld which soon had me hooked too. Lunasa are an Irish band mainly featuring whistles, flutes and pipes with a real knack for finding remarkable tunes to record and perform. I've been looking forward to a chance to see them for a long time, and I wasn't at all disappointed. They played enchantingly, and their humourous banter between tunes kept everyone amused. Go and see this band!

Other festival acts I would recommend (but don't have time to review) include Shooglenifty, Benji Kirkpatrick, Gina Le Faux, La Bottine Souriante, Altan, Les Barker and Eric Bibb.

Article by Nicola McClelland

For the past six years, BBC Radio 2’s Mike Harding Show has run the search for talented young performers. The competition is open to instrumentalists and singers aged between 15 and 20 playing solo, in duos or bands of up to six members, performing

You can enter this exciting competition by sending Folkworks - the north-east organisation which administers the contest - a recording of your performance. The chosen semi-finalists will be invited to attend an audition weekend during 3rd-5th October in Newcastle which will provide a fantastic opportunity to meet other performers and attend workshops led by professional musicians and organisers. There will be a public performance at the Newcastle Playhouse and sessions with Nancy Kerr and James Fagan on new arrangements of

FINALS AND BEYOND
The Finals will be held in London on 5th December and highlights will be broadcast on BBC Radio 2’s Mike Harding Show. The winning act will record a session to be broadcast on the Show and will be

ENTRY DETAILS
Full details of how to enter can be obtained from BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award 2003, Folkworks, The Sage Gateshead, PO Box 254, Gateshead, NE8 2YR. Phone 0191 443 4666 or email folkworks. Entry forms and recordings must arrive at Folkworks by Monday 1st September 2003.

MALARCHY AT GLASTONBURY
14/05/03

The band Malarchy, who describe their music as "Shambolic and rowdy European style folk jazz" will be appearing for the second year running at the Glastonbury Festival of Performing Arts at the end of June this year.
Malarchy features Cris Pierssené (Guitar & Footboard) of Hobgoblin Music Bristol.

MUSIC SUMMER SCHOOL
04/03/03

programming on the whole of the Yorkshire cluster of stations. Listeners have been protesting against this decision by writing letters to the four Yorkshire BBC stations, Leeds, Humberside, York and Sheffield. Jacey Bedford Development Worker at Yorkshire Folk Arts is

radio or an alternative hour of folk programming is introduced across the Yorkshire stations. Click Here to read the petition and add your name.

Article by Nicola McClelland

The courses are for beginners and intermediate players, with an emphasis on having fun and meeting like minded people. There will

Children must be accompanied by an adult (at reduced 'lurker' rate!) lurkers are welcome but will be charged for meals. Whitstone is in a lovely area, close to the seaside

The course fee is 85 pounds which includes tuition, concert, camping if required at Trehawsa and 4 meals - (Friday dinner, saturday lunch and dinner, and Sunday lunch, plus cream teas and coffee!) A very limited number of concessions are available for students if they help with catering/cleaning up etc.Lurkers will be charged 12 pounds if they wish to join in for meals.

Course Tutor Sarah Deere-Jones LRAM LGSM Tel 01288 341308 Fax 01288 341240 more information on www.trehawsa.com.

20 year old Lyndsey, youngest member of this

Or you can catch them anytime during the last weekend of May at the Kentish Horse, Markbeech, Kent. Various members of the band are celebrating their '114th Anniversary' with an evening concert on Friday 30-May, followed by sing-around sessions with local musicians and visiting guests all day

Thanks to Grant Rule for this update.

One of the improvements that we hope to make at this years Tenterden Folk Festival in October is the

introduction of a dedicated information and ticket office. For the past 10 years we have relied heavily on the goodwill of the Tourist Information Centre but with an increasing number of visitors we would like to have our own facilities for the weekend. We are therefore in need of hiring or borrowing a suitable caravan or portable site

office for the weekend. Our aim, subject to the necessary permissions, would be to park this in a prominent position in the town centre and staff it with our own committee members and volunteers to issue and sell festival tickets, programmes, etc and to give out information to those attending the Festival. If anybody knows where we may be able to

hire or borrow a suitable caravan or is interested in sponsoring the office we would like to hear from them.

If you can help, please email Tenterden Folk Festival or visit their website.

for people to participate in them. The Festival committee is comprised of arts, media and business professionals from across Cornwall, and membership of the organisation is available to all for a minimum 3.00 annual subscription.

Plans are already well underway for this years festival, which will take place over the weekend 22nd - 25th August 2003. Highlights of the

Anyone wishing to receive more information about the festival

organisation and membership, or the artistic programme should contact:

Catherine Timmins,
The Secretary, Cornwall Festivals Ltd,
6 Calais Road,
St Erth Praze,
Cornwall, TR27 6EG,
Tel: 01736 850630.

The government have published the Licencing Bill this week, "which, if enacted, would criminalize the provision of most music in England and Wales, unless first licenced". If these laws are passed they will affect everyone involved in making music, and could be absolutely detrimental to music culture in England and Wales. The anti-music provisions are buried in the same bill that will allow longer opening hours in pubs, and as a result will not get much coverage.

Campaigners have been protesting about the two-in-a-bar laws for a long time now. The government has responded to this by suggesting laws which are many times more irrational, and many times more damaging to music.

See below to find out what you need to do to help.

DRUMMING WORKSHOP IN LONDON
17/04/03

No experience is necessary for this drumming workshop with Middle Eastern Percussion. Bring your own drum. Open to anyone who wishes to learn the darbuka using Middle Eastern and Turkish rhythms. Develop your technique using fingers and hands in a relaxed and friendly environment. The 2 hour workshop will cover Turkish and Middle Eastern rhythms. Basic patterns and variations will be shown for both darbuka and frame drum (bendir). Tuition will include the rhythms used in belly dancing.Saturday 3rd May 2003 2.30pm 4.30pm at Danceworks, Balderton Street, London, W1 £25 per person. If you have any queries or wish toreserve your place please contact Numan Elyer, Tel: 079600 47876 Email: darbuka@supanet.com

Northbrook College in Worthing is holding its first ever bodhran workshop on 29th March, 2003.
Shoreham based bodhran and bongoes player Freddie Adams, who plays with Irish bands Slipjig and Shenanigan has been giving lessons for some time in the West Sussex coastal area, and will be holding the workshop. He hopes to give a good grounding in the art and techniques of playing the drum. The workshhop will take place at Northbrook College, Union Place Worthing on the 29th March from 10.00am till 3.00pm and costs £12.
If it takes off, and a need

SONGWRITING COMPETITION
05/03/03
Enter the 2003 Windrift Songwriting Competition now. Over US$25,000 in cash and prizes to be won. Fabulous Sponsors and Industry Professional Judges. You can enter from now until the deadline, 31st July, 2003. It costs $20US/$30CDN to enter. FREE e-Book, & Music Industry Discounts with every entry. Monthly spot-prizes, Early Bird Bonuses & FREE entries available. Enter online or by mail. For more info see their website. If you've got a good idea for a song and a few spare dollars knocking about, what have you got to lose? (Except the dollars, which, as we have established, are spare anyway...)

An event has been organised to protest against the anti-music aspects of the new proposed Licensing Laws. At 1pm on Monday 27th January 2003 (Mozart's birthday) people are assembling at Parliament Square, London. "To illustrate the apalling impact that the Government's Licensing Bill will have on live and community music-making.

If you're in the Worthing area and are planning to attend the demo, you may wish to join a group of people who are planning to travel on group travel discounted rail fares.

A certain amount of progress has already been made with this campaign so far, so clearly everybody's hard work is not going to waste. The online petition mentioned below has already gathered a huge number

some time. Now he has found a base for his recording business on the top floor of the Hobgoblin Music building in Leeds. Matt will still be able to set up his recording equipment on location, but he can

now also offer an interruption free studio as well.

The five story Hobgoblin building in Leeds is now fully in use, with a teaching room, recording studio, departments for

Toot Sweet and Turner Violins and of course a branch of Hobgoblin Music downstairs.

Visit the Hobgoblin Recording Studio Page

note was issued by Pete Swan from our Crawley shop almost twenty years ago for a returned harp. The mandolin (Pictured right) is a very new stock item which has so far been extremely popular with Hobgoblin customers. Mr. Harding took his with him to Sidmouth festival, where he was spotted playing it in several pub sessions.

As a media stunt, Billy Bragg, David Heath and several other MPs performed in a London pub (the Red Lion, Whitehall), but only Heath and Bragg were able to sing. The other MPs present had their mouths taped up to prevent them from breaking the law, should they be tempted to spontaneously break into song!

After this the performers moved outside, and were joined by other PEL campaigners including our own Neil McRitchie to sing "I fought the law and the law won". The event got plenty of media coverage, and did well to highlight the ridiculous nature of the laws which prevent more than two musicians performing in one evening in a pub or club in England and Wales which doesn't have an expensive entertainment license.

This event was part of a much greater movement to get these laws changed, which has been going on for some time.

The pace has been quickening recently, as time is ticking away

before the Queens Speech. According to Assistant General Secretary Bob Wearn, "If the legislation is not in the next Queen's Speech, it is unlikely that the government will find time to do this before the next General Election - this could be our last chance to change things for many years."

There has been a fair amount of parliamentary talk on the subject recently, but campaigners are worried that the proposed changes won't be satisfactory, possibly only relaxing the laws for spontaneous singing and not for scheduled bands, and in fact may make the situation worse by introducing a 'none in a

bar' policy, necessitating a license for any music at all.

Make sure your MP is aware of the problem by sending them a letter or fax. Make sure they sign the Early Day Motion which is detailed in a previous article.

Article by Nicola McClelland

BADDIEL IN BUYING BONANZA
10/02/03

Of course, that's an exaggeration (any excuse to alliterate around here). David Baddiel popped into our shop in London last week to buy a guitar. Here he is having his photo taken:


NEW TRURO CLUB
21/11/02

A new club opened in September in Truro, Cornwall. The Truro Folk Roots Club meets on Wednesdays at 8pm upstairs in the Conservative Club, Lemon Street.

PIG's EAR LAUNCH 4th ALBUM
19/11/02

West Kent-based eclectic folk group Pig's Ear launch their 4th studio CD on 8th December and will hold a free-entry launch party at The Kentish Horse public house in Markbeech, Kent (real ale available). All are welcome to this afternoon session, which runs from 14:00 to 17:00. The new CD, 'Choice Company', contains 16 tracks and over an hour of music, including songs written and arranged by Rule Family members Sue and Keith, such as: Ashburton Summer Show, The Fall and Rise of Cousin John, The Reluctant Mariner, The Last Hunt and We Will Sing! The album features Sue on guitar, Lyndsey on recorders, flute and Northumbrian smallpipes, Keith on percussion and Grant on Appalacian dulcimer. Pig's Ear can be contacted at PigsEar@mac.com or on 01732.868.312 (eve).

within the next few days. Log onto our website at www.greentrad.org.uk for more info. Note: we are a BIG session (20+ muzos) in a small pub. So get there early to avoid disapointment!

Toot Sweet specialise in reconditioned brass and woodwind instruments. They will also stock a wide range of new instruments and brass and woodwind

The two new additions to the Leeds branch will make Call Lane the perfect stop for all your musical needs. For more information about any of our shops, visit the shops pages

Article by Nicola McClelland

Less than 5% of pubs and clubs in England and Wales hold the Public

Clearly this recent development has made the case even more desperate than before, and with any luck this will encourage more people to

David Heath, MP for Somerton and Frome brought up the matter in the House of Commons debate on 27/02/02, and it was generally agreed by all who took part in the discussion that the laws were ridiculous and outdated. Enforcement of the law is considered to be a waste of police time, and also arguments and confusion over how strictly to enforce the laws generate a great deal of paperwork for people whose time could be spent more constructively. However in spite of all this positive talk, no real action was planned, and it is evident that the matter still needs to be pushed by the public to make sure that the laws are changed (and for the better!) before the situation gets any worse. Enforcement of the rules as they were laid down by the High Court this week

You can email Kim Howells, who is currently bearing the brunt of this problem due to his unfortunate remarks in the House of Commons last year, to ask him for his support in getting the law changed, but also try contacting your local MP in order to get this matter fully into public consciousness. These laws need to be changed before live music in England and Wales is killed off altogether.

To read the previous Hobnobbin article on this subject, visit the Old News page. You can read the House of Commons debate discussed in this article by visiting this page and scrolling to the bottom. For a very up to date and very detailed source of information and documents relating to the Public Entertainment Licence, visit this SCoFF page, which is excellent!

Article by Nicola McClelland

Phil and Sarah Williams have spent the last few years renovating the barn at their home in Dorset, California Farm, for the purpose of holding folk music and dance courses there. This is the first year they will be in operation, with a modest range of courses that they hope to extend in the future.
The farm is in a very pretty area just a 5 minute

It's our 25th Anniversary!

Shopping Cart Added to Website

It is now even easier to buy things from the Hobgoblin website. We have added a shopping cart facility to our online catalogue, so you can simply click on the items you wish to buy, and then send your payment details through a secure server. The website is also currently undergoing several other changes to keep it in line with the new printed catalogue, but it continues to be a valuable (and ever growing) source of information about folk instruments and the folk world.

HOBGOBLIN BRANCHES OUT!

August 2000

Hobgoblin Music, Britains leading traditional musical instrument company, is branching out!

Due to the opening of two new Hobgoblin branches in the last 3 months, they are now more accessible than ever before. Their two new shops are in strikingly different locations:

One is in the exciting northern city of Leeds, which is worth a visit just to feel the buzz that is present in this cosmopolitan location. Hobgoblin is situated in Call Lane, the tin pan alley of the North, just down the road from the historic ‘Corn Exchange' where merchants used to trade. Whether you want to shop till you drop or take in the museums and theatres there is something of interest for everyone. So, why not make a day of it and visit Hobgoblin along the way. You can be assured of a friendly welcome and expert help from their experienced, local staff. As well as the traditional range of instruments you would expect to find in a Hobgoblin shop there is an excellent range of guitars and a full repair service on site.

The other new Hobgoblin branch has recently opened up in the picturesque town of Wadebridge in North Cornwall. It is situated in the former premises of West Country Accordions and is still keeping the emphasis on accordions as well as stocking the full Hobgoblin range. The staff are local musicians and instrument makers who know the thriving Celtic music scene well, so if you find yourself in Cornwall, a visit is a must! The surrounding countryside and coastline is renowned for its beauty, and Wadebridge is the centre for cycling and walking along the famous Camel Trail. The town also hosts the fast developing folk festival over the August Bank Holiday weekend and the nearby port of Padstow is the scene of the unique ‘Obby Oss' celebration on Mayday.

New Franchise in Nottingham

Dec 1999

A new Hobgoblin franchise opened in Nottingham in November. Operated by Turner Violins the new shop brings traditional musical instruments to the Midlands. As with all our own shops, you can find the full range of the Hobgoblin catalogue on display as well as a lot of interesting used instruments. And of course you can expect the same friendly, well informed service. Also on site is a branch of Turner Violins. There are full details about the new shop on the Hobgoblin Shop Pages.

Percussion at Hobgoblin

We've recently started selling a new line in world percussion that will allow you to add a variety of textures to your music. We are proud to be distributors for R.M.V. manufacturers of Brazilian percussion. R.M.V. produce a complete range of drums for Rio carnival style samba bands, including Surdo, Repenique, Caixa, Tamborim, and also more specialist instruments like Pandeiro, Timba, Tan Tan and Rebolo. All R.M.V. instruments are manufactured to a high standared and are competitively priced.

Moving East we also have a range of quality Darabukas with prices to suit all pockets. These drums are made from aluminium in Istanbul by the Turkish company and really do sound excellent.

Newest of all to our catalogue is a range of African percussion, including three sizes of handcrafted Djembes and an assortment of Rainsticks, Shekeres, Cabassas and Balaphons. We have an extensive range of shakers made from bamboo, basket woven with gourd, plastic and wooden egg shakers.

Added to our already wide range of bodhrans and other traditional percussion, we believe we have one of the most comprehensive ranges of percussion available. Why not come and check them out, and inject some extra spice into your songs!