Tooting Folk: update

Hi all,

So, we are sad to announce that we are going to be putting Tooting Folk on indefinite hiatus.

We were looking forward to hosting events over the next few months but unfortunately due to issues with the venue we won’t be able to now.

Myself and Sarah no longer live in Tooting or anywhere near Tooting and it has already been a lot of work trying to keep the night going from so far away over the past few years. Combined with the impact of Covid-19 and the struggle to get enough money to pay the acts properly, we don’t think we can keep it going.

We will hopefully be opening a new folk night somewhere closer to where we live in Lewisham, so please do keep an out for that. Also, if anyone would like to take over Tooting Folk and continue running it somewhere in Tooting please do get in touch.

As it stands, however, we’ve enjoyed hosting the events in the Selkirk and the Gorringe Park and it’s a pity we have to draw it to a close. Thanks to everyone who came along to listen and perform and all the featured acts!

Hopefully see you all soon in a different setting!

Alex & Sarah

Tooting Folk 3rd September 2022

Hi all,

After another hiatus while the Gorringe Park was renovated, Tooting Folk night is back in action again!

As usual, we’ll have a mix of open floor spots for those who want to sing or perform and we also have our featured act, Joe Wilkes!

Joe is a tremendous London-based singer, pianist, guitarist and songwriter who has played alongside Bert Jansch, Leon Rosselson and Davy Graham and has been described as a “major talent” by R2 Magazine.

Those who want to perform should come along at 7:30pm to put your name on the list.

Doors 7:30pm. Music starts at 8pm. Entry £5 on the door (cash only – no pre-booking, sorry!)

Upstairs at the Gorringe Park, 29 London Road, Tooting, SW17 9JR
See y’all there!

Any queries, call/message 07375481959 (Sarah) or 07951163434 (Alex)

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Saturday 2nd April Zoom singaround

Hi all,

The Gorringe Park is being renovated in April and, so, we’re instead going to have a Zoom singaround, before we come back in May with the Brazen Thieves!

A few people had expressed an interest in keeping the online gigs going after lockdown so hopefully might see a few old non-London-based faces!

If you want to join, just download Zoom (if you haven’t already) and then click the link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87076742137…

Meeting ID: 870 7674 2137

Passcode: 4tDfk6

You’ll be placed in a ‘meeting room’ and then I’ll accept your entry to the Zoom meeting.

Trying to avoid gatecrashers – a problem we’ve had a couple times now – so if I don’t know you or someone else can’t vouch for you I might send a message to you before accepting you just to check.

We’ll be hosting the Zoom meeting from 7:30pm – send me a chat message in the application if you want to play/sing a song and I’ll sign you up. Music will kick off at 8pm, just like the normal events. We’ll finish sometime after 11pm.

Check you have “use Original Sound” activated on Zoom. If you have a decent microphone and/or camera, do use it!

Any questions, send a message on 07951163434.

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5th March featuring Alex & Tommy MacDonald plus floor spots

Hi all,

Unfortunately, Tom McConville has had to cancel his appearance at Tooting Folk on 5th March.

As such, dragged kicking and screaming at short notice, Alex and his brother Tommy are going to step in as the featured slot for this month!

Alex and Tommy have, for almost two decades, performed a wide variety of music – blues, jazz, country, ragtime, bluegrass, as well as traditional music from Scotland, Ireland, Spain, America, Turkey, Jamaica, England, Trinidad and god knows where else.

In the last few years they have grudgingly managed to put aside their mutual suspicion and play as a duo! On guitar, banjo, saz, accordian, tin whistle and anything else they can carry, they plunge into hundreds of years of musical history from around the world to keep the old traditions alive.

Hope you can all still come!

As always, there will be floor spots for those who want to sing a song, perform a tune or play the spoons.

Those who want to perform should come along at 7:30pm to put your name on the list.

Doors 7:30pm. Music starts at 8pm. Entry £5 on the door (cash only – no pre-booking, sorry!)

Upstairs at the Gorringe Park, 29 London Road, Tooting, SW17 9JR
See y’all there!

Any queries, call/message 07375481959 (Sarah) or 07951163434 (Alex)

FB event: https://fb.me/e/54Mbl4R2i

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5th February Featuring Simon Prager and ‘Doc’ Stenson plus floor spots

Hi all,

Tooting Folk is back for the new year – among other things, Omicron has thrown a spanner in the works but as it stands we are back up and running for 2022!

For our first gig we have Simon Prager and ‘Doc’ Stenson!

Simon and Doc are folk stalwarts who play a mixture of acoustic music from Country Blues to Ragtime, skiffle, Americana and novelty songs – always with ‘feel’ and humour. They are seriously legendary singers and instrumentalists, having studied at the feet of some of the greats.

As always, there will be floor spots for those who want to sing a song, perform a tune or play the spoons.

Those who want to perform should come along at 7:30pm to put your name on the list.

Doors 7:30pm. Music starts at 8pm. Entry £5 on the door (cash only – no pre-booking, sorry!)

Upstairs at the Gorringe Park, 29 London Road, Tooting, SW17 9JR

See y’all there!

Any queries, call/message 07375481959 (Sarah) or 07951163434 (Alex)

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4th December *Christmas* featuring Lunch Special plus floorspots

Hi all!

Christmas is almost upon us! Kind of.

And for our Christmas gig we have lined up the terrific Lunch Special as our featured act.

Lunch Special are a trio who perform a tubthumping mix of bluegrass, country, and gospel, combining mind-blowing vocals, close-knit harmonies, and rambunctious energy.

As before, there will be floor spots for those who want to sing a song, perform a tune or play the spoons.

Those who want to perform should come along at 7:30pm to put your name on the list.

Feel free to come armed with a few Christmas songs as well!

Doors 7:30pm. Music starts at 8pm. Entry £5 on the door (cash only – no pre-booking, sorry!)

Upstairs at the Gorringe Park, 29 London Road, Tooting, SW17 9JR

See y’all there!

Any queries, call/message 07375481959 (Sarah) or 07951163434 (Alex)

FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/222767053298723

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6th November featuring Ben Paley plus floorspots

Hi all,

For our third gig of 2021 at the Gorringe Park we have folk maestro Ben Paley.

Ben is very much folk royalty who has been described as “just about the best folk-fiddler of his generation” by fRoots magazine.

He has been playing fiddle music from America, Ireland, Sweden and wherever else since the age of six and has toured widely with father Tom Paley, The Long Hill Ramblers, Tab Hunter, The New Deal String Band and many others.

He also wrote Swedish Fiddle Music: An Anthology, which has become the standard work on the subject in English.

As before, there will be floor spots for those who want to sing a song, perform a tune or play the spoons.

This month, for a variety of reasons, we will be on the ground floor of the Gorringe Park, but otherwise all should be as usual!

Those who want to perform should come along at 7:30pm to put your name on the list.

Doors 7:30pm. Music starts at 8pm. Entry £5 on the door (cash only – no pre-booking, sorry!)

Upstairs at the Gorringe Park, 29 London Road, Tooting, SW17 9JR

See y’all there!Any queries, call/message 07375481959 (Sarah) or 07951163434 (Alex)

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2nd October featuring Bird in the Belly plus floorspots

Hi all,

For our second gig of 2021 at the Gorringe Park we have the brilliant Bird in the Belly as our featured act.

Bird in the Belly is a Brighton-based group composed of Laura Ward and Adam Ronchetti, Ben Webb and Tom Pryor.

They create what have been described as “hypnotically original compositions” based on little known and forgotten lyrics, poems and stories from around the UK.

As before, there will be floor spots for those who want to sing a song, perform a tune or play the spoons.

Those who want to perform should come along at 7:30pm to put your name on the list. Doors 7:30pm. Music starts at 8pm.

Entry £5 on the door (cash only – no pre-booking, sorry!) Upstairs at the Gorringe Park, 29 London Road, Tooting, SW17 9JR

See y’all there! Any queries, call/message 07375481959 (Sarah) or 07951163434 (Alex)

FB event: https://fb.me/e/2w4s5Z89y

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4th September featuring Rigmarollers plus floorspots

WE’RE BACK!

After a looong break, Tooting Folk is hosting our first live indoor event since March 2020 on 4th September.

The set-up is the same as in the pre-pandemic days: floor spots, featured acts, beer and gossip about the folk world!

Our first featured act is the Rigmarollers. Featuring Ed Hopwood and Julian Marshall, the group play uplifting, original and classic, ragtime, blues, jazz, jug band and fiddle tunes on harmonica, fiddle, guitars, mandolin and washboard.

As before, there will be floor spots for those who want to sing a song, perform a tune or play the spoons.

Those who want to perform should come along at 7:30pm to put your name on the list.

Doors 7:30pm. Music starts at 8pm. Entry £5 on the door (sorry, no pre-booking – cash only!)

Upstairs at the Gorringe Park, 29 London Road, Tooting, SW17 9JR

See y’all there!

Any queries, call/message 07375481959 (Sarah) or 07951163434 (Alex)

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Tooting Folk on Tooting Bec Common 3rd July 2021

Hi all,

The last outdoor Tooting Folk on Tooting Common was a great success and so – again weather permitting – we’re going to do another one on 3rd July!

Bring a picnic, bring some drinks and bring something to sit on if you can – would recommend camping chairs which you can buy for around £10 in Asda and probably other stores too.

Let’s aim to meet at the shaded area just southwest of the cafe from 2pm – here is the link on Google Maps:

https://goo.gl/maps/jhBYa8etAhbZgdgn7

Screenshot:


If you have any questions, message me on 07951163434.

Look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible!

FB event: https://fb.me/e/PpemPe33

Alex & Sarah

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