Mick Bisiker's Rack & Ruin
Leamington Peace Festival
Guests incl
Katie Hooper & Rod McCann, Charlie Ward, Firedaze, The RedhillsPump Room Gardens, Leamington CV32 4AA
The 2-day Leamington Peace Festival is back for 2026 under new management. Joining the group of newcomers are old hands with experience through the decades, including a founder member from 1978. We’re thrilled to be bringing back all of the activities, talks, music and creativity that make this event such a vibrant, inclusive and meaningful part of our local community.
One of the UK’s longest running free festivals and based in Leamington Spa town centre, it features two music stages, a dance display area, children’s tent, workshop tent, and over 120 stalls including charities, activists, spiritual groups, healers, crafts, fair traders and food vendors.Full programme: http://machelp.org.uk/files/Programme%20coming%20soon.pdf
A Shelter of Stories (Leamington)
Music: Michael Luntley's trio 'tricaorach';
Poetry: Olga Dermott Bond + Matt Black
Lighthaus Arts, Stoneleigh Arms. Clements Street, Leamington CV31 2DP
Art, Music and Poetry to mark the start of Refugee Week.No charge and no need to book....Come and make your tile for our shelter - paint/draw/sketch three items that make your home 'home'. We'll add the tiles to our 'shelter of stories' - an installation to acknowledge all those who are looking for somewhere to make home.Some tasty pastries and snacks from folks supported by 'Welcome Home', local refugee support charity.
Donations welcome - all going to 'Welcome Here'.
Michael LuntleySheep Dip Sessions - finger-picking good music
The Humber - Acoustic Music SessionHumber Road, Coventry CV3 1BAFree Sunday afternoon music session.
Southbound Café-Bar
(Chris Gibbons & Kevin Dempsey)
Railway Arch, 12 Neilston Street, Leamington CV31 2AZ
Chris grew up in the London blues boom of the late 60s and, having turned down Ian Fraser ( Free ) for his bass player, he formed a band with members of American blues man Freddie King's backing group including Lou Martin (later Rory Gallagher) and was offered a record deal, first recording with the Bee Gees arranger and orchestra at London's Olympic studios, then produced by Micky Jones (Foreigner) at Island studios with Gary Wright (Spooky Tooth, George Harrison and Dreamweaver).
With his firm foundation in American blues, soul and R&B, he was first call for many American soul acts including the showstoppers (ain't nothing but a house party), Viola Wills, Doris Troy, The Soul Survivors and Ben E King.
He toured the USA and recorded with the Original Truth label, a subsidiary of Stax records, where the band was attracting the interest of Quincy Jones who attended the rehearsals, but sadly the limited ‘green card' visa forced him to return to the UK where he continued his arranging and session work.
The list of artists and producers he has worked for include producers John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), Del Newman (Elton John), Guy Fletcher O.B.E., and artistes as diverse as Leo Sayer, Chas and Dave, Linda Lewis and many others.
Folk in the LoungeMusic and song session / singaround
Denbigh Arms, Main Street, Monks Kirby, nr Rugby CV23 0QX
NB This month only - 2nd Sunday although venue is unchanged.
Normally third Sunday in the month but check with organiser csquire@btinternet.com (or add your email address to his mailing list). More details soon.
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Warwick Folk ClubReg Meuross SOLD OUT
The Old Fourpenny Shop, 27-29 Crompton St, Warwick CV34 6HJ
Admission £15
Tickets sold out, but please reserve place on the reserve list by email to robinfromwfc@gmail.com
Session at the Four Provinces
(Oakfield Band)Four Province Pub (Upstairs room),
19 Allesley Old Rd, Coventry CV5 8BU
Meets most Mondays but confirm with venue on 024 7667 2021
The host band has an eclectic repetoire of folk tunes with over 370 sets played from the music. Instruments include guitar, banjo, mandolin, accordians, violins, flute and whistle.
"CovTrad" traditional music sessionWeekly on Mondays
Humber Hotel, Humber Road, Coventry CV3 1BA
Free casual music session focused on traditional tunes from Britain and Ireland with bits of Americana, Skandi etc. If you are a beginner with only a few tunes, let us know and we'll join in at a speed that works for you.
8:00pm - 11:00pm
Fox Acoustic session
(Music and song session /singaround)
Weekly on Mondays
The Fox Inn, The Square, Attleborough, Nuneaton CV11 4JY
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Tuesday 15th June7:00pm - 11:00pm
Coventry Comhaltas (Instrument classes and music session)
Weekly on Tuesdays
Hearsall Inn, 45 Craven Street, Coventry CV5 8DS
The Coventry Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann is a creative community nurturing Irish culture. We are dedicated to promoting Irish music, dance and language.We hold music classes for a range of traditional instruments, including fiddle, banjo, tin whistle, button accordion, mandolin and bodhran, every Tuesday evening commencing at 7.00 pm for tin whistle and 7.30 pm for all other instruments. Lessons are £2 per week with the first taster lesson absolutely free. Details https://coventrycomhaltas.wordpress.com/about/
Classes are followed by a session in which musicians of all abilities are welcome to come along and join in. If you do not play an instrument but enjoy listening to Irish music you are also more than welcome to join us.
The Coventry Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann is a creative community nurturing Irish culture. We are dedicated to promoting Irish music, dance and language.
We hold music classes for a range of traditional instruments, including fiddle, banjo, tin whistle, button accordion, mandolin and bodhran, every Tuesday evening commencing at 7.00 pm for tin whistle and 7.30 pm for all other instruments. Lessons are £2 per week with the first taster lesson absolutely free. Details https://coventrycomhaltas.wordpress.com/about/
Classes are followed by a session in which musicians of all abilities are welcome to come along and join in. If you do not play an instrument but enjoy listening to Irish music you are also more than welcome to join us.
Wurzel Bush Folk Club (Steve Turner)
Rugby West Indian Association, Railway Terrace, Rugby CV21 3HE
Free admission - jug collection
Hosted by Craig Sunderland
Castle Inn, Warwick (Session)
88 West Street, Warwick CV34 6AW
Weekly on Tuesdays
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1:00pm - 3:00pm
The Kenilworth Centre
(Kenilworth Acoustic Traditional Session)
Weekly on Wednesdays
Abbey End Car Park, Kenilworth CV8 1QJ
https://www.thekenilworthcentre.com/whats-on/groups/kenilworth-acoustic-traditional-session/
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7:00pm - 11:00pm
Temperance (Katie Spencer)
33 Bath Street, Leamington Spa CV31 3AF
Tickets £15.55
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/folk-temperance-katie-spencer-tickets-1978591651893?aff=ebemoffollowpublishemail&ref=eemail&utm_campaign=following_published_event&utm_content=follow_notification&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eventbrite
Phone: 01926 730102
Email: mail@temperance.bar #
Raised in the East Yorkshire flatlands on the fringes of Hull (UK), Katie Spencer’s landscape has always been that of open skies and widening rivers. It is this sense of space and movement that flows through her assured guitar style and songwriting. Now, as Katie steps into this new era with a third album, her focus turns to those deeper inner spaces, inviting the listener to engage with her heartfelt and intricately-crafted songs.
Her writing, and most notably her guitar playing stems from a time when the steel-stringed instrument was truly finding its voice. Artists like Joni Mitchell, Judee Sill, Julie Byrne and perhaps most evidently Michael Chapman, weave into her sound. Katie absorbs these influences into her songwriting and with her distinctive deep vibrato and crystal-clear guitar style, she makes the music inimitably her own.
Katie released her third album What Love Is in October 2025; an intimate collection of ten brand-new songs produced by Matt Ingram (Laura Marling, The Staves). It reached #12 in the Official Folk Albums Chart upon release. Recorded in London’s Urchin Studios and featuring prominent players Giacomo Smith (clarinet), Max Clilverd (pedal steel), Tom Mason (double bass) and Matt Ingram (drums, synth). What Love Is evokes the spirit of Joni Mitchell’s finest later works, always honouring without emulating. Lyrically mature and at times pastoral; the album is melodically sophisticated and unflinchingly honest. She moves effortlessly from wide-open jazz-tinged soundscapes, influenced by Pharoah Sanders and John Abercrombie, through to the folk-baroque fingerpicking style that her fans admire her for. Her singing is powerful yet warm, true and pristine in delivery. The musicianship throughout the record feels liberated by Katie’s innovation and confidence, and the result is a master-class of inspired and beautiful-sounding craftmanship.
7:30pm - 10:30pm
Doug's Bar Session (WLDFLWRS)
Rother Street Arts House, 14 Rother Street, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6LU
In the spirit of Doug Armstrong’s legendary original music nights, we bring to Rother Street Arts House a new intimate monthly singer songwriter evening from Doug’s Bar.
June 17th would have been Doug Armstrong’s birthday, so to celebrate and remember him, WLDFLWRS will be playing a stripped down acoustic set of original songs off their critically acclaimed EP, plus a mix of solo songs from each of the key members, Wes Finch, Jono Wright and Jack Blackman.
W LDFLWRS is a UK-based “supergroup” of established professional musicians who formed through their shared work with the Street Arts Project in Stratford-upon-Avon, a non-profit charity organisation founded by Doug Armstrong which provided support to the homeless, socially isolated and vulnerable people through songwriting sessions. They are best known for their Americana and folk-rock sound, often drawing comparisons to 1970s Laurel Canyon artists due to their rich vocal harmonies.
Jack Blackman: A highly regarded acoustic roots and blues performer known for his slide guitar skills and solo career. He provides vocals and guitar for the group.
Wes Finch: A songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who contributes vocals and bass to the band. Outside of WLDFLWRS, he is known for projects such as The Mechanicals Band and The Silver Wye.
Jono Wright: A guitarist and vocalist who, along with Finch and Blackman, was a founding mentor at the Street Arts Project. He is also a solo artist and member of the Mos Eisley Bros.
The band gained significant recognition for their celebration of The Band’s legendary concert, The Last Waltz, which they have performed at major venues like Birmingham Town Hall. In December 2024, they released their debut self-titled EP featuring original material such as the single “Best Company”
7:30pm - 11:00pm
Atherstone Folk Club
(Rack and Ruin + KC Jones Trio)
Atherstone Red Lion Hotel, 99 Long Street, Atherstone CV9 1BB
Rack and Ruin are a Warwickshire based folk-rock five-piece band playing a mixture of loud and lively folk-rock: fiddle driven traditional songs and tunes and jigs and reels – with added saxophone.
Rack and Ruin are just as comfortable headlining a large music festival or performing at a wedding, birthday, house concert or other private party. Their contemporary blend of lively folk rock, celtic, roots music is interwoven with foot-tapping jigs and reels that makes for an enjoyable and entertaining event.
Floor-spots available! Just email Phil Benson and ask.
8:30pm - 10:30pm
Wednesday Tuneworks
at Kenilworth Ale Room
(Tuneworks music session)
Weekly trad tunes session, upstairs at the Ale Rooms, Kenilworth.
£3 (£2 unwaged) contribution towards room hire appreciated please.
All sensitive musicians welcome, beginners, improvers and established players.
More info @www.tuneworks.co.uk #
Why not pick up an instrument and learn to play traditional tunes in a sociable and welcoming environment?
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The Attleborough Arms
(The Hawkesbury Trawlermen)
Highfield Rd, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV11 4PL
Shanty session - 3rd Thursday of each month
Temperance
Tom Campbell Trio
33 Bath Street, Leamington Spa CV31 3AF
Gig only tickets £13.94 incl booking fee
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/folk-temperance-the-tom-campbell-trio-tickets-1982661380561
Scottish and Irish trad with a modern edge: three stars of the new celtic folk scene bring their innovative brilliance to us!
There's a lot of very interesting stuff going on in the folk world these days, with young British artists stretching traditional forms into fascinating new shapes. We're trying to bring as many of these acts as possible to Temperance, and are very pleased to have secured Tom Campbell and his pals.
Tom's trio is a vibrant force in the Scottish traditional music scene, blending Scottish and Irish influences with contemporary innovation. Formed in 2018, the band consists of Tom Campbell on flute, Callum Convoy on bodhrán, and Gillie O'Flaherty on guitar. Their sound fuses original compositions with traditional folk, gilded with a modern edge. The trio garnered significant recognition as finalists at the BBC Folk Awards 2019 and as winners of the 2021 Battle of the Folk Bands.
Tom Campbell's musical roots are in the Isle of Lismore, further developed at Plockton Music School and Lews Castle College in Benbecula. His background with flute, whistle, pipes, and bodhran, along with his passion for composition, gives the trio a unique sound. His works have been recorded by artists like Kevin Meehan and 3 on the Bund, influencing the evolution of traditional music.
Gillie O'Flaherty, a multi-instrumentalist from Ullapool, has strong ties to Scottish music, beginning with Feis Rois and performing at prominent festivals such as the Cambridge Folk Festival and Ullapool Guitar Festival. Having studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Gillie brings a wealth of skill and a passion for ensemble playing, contributing distinct energy to the trio’s sound.
Callum Convoy, a rising star on the Scottish percussion scene, is known for his intricate bodhran rhythms and his skill in blending traditional and modern styles. A first-class graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Callum has collaborated with bands such as The Canny Band and several other artists, earning a reputation as one of Scotland’s most sought-after percussionists.
The Tom Campbell Trio offers a fresh, exhilarating interpretation of traditional music, stretching boundaries while honouring their rich cultural heritage.
Phone: 01926 730102
Email: mail@temperance.bar
All Around My Kitchen(House singaround)
Dick & Sue's house, Coventry. Please call or email for location.
All welcome – teas and coffee are on the house.
Please bring your own beer or wine.
Phone or email for details
07831 890905
Godiva Sessions
(Singaround with Yonderland)
The Humber, Humber Rd, Coventry CV3 1BA
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Friday 19th June
7:30pm - 10:00pm
CV Folk - Up Close & Acoustic
The Harvesters with Bill Bates and special guests
Albany Theatre, Albany Road, Coventry CV5 6JQ
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Saturday 20th June7:30pm - 10:30pm
Earlsdon Carnegie Community Library
Lost Highway + The Boat Rats
Earlsdon Ave N, Earlsdon, Coventry CV5 6FZ
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