Tour Dates

We had a super time on our Billy No-Mates 2009 tour. We previewed with an appearance on BBC Radio Shropshire on

Genevieve Tudor's Folk Programme. It was good to catch up with her and Allan again as it has been too long since I last saw them.

It was lovely to open the tour at The Pump House Arts Centre in Watford. It was great to make music with Duncan Gibbs again - and nicely perverse to open a solo tour with a duo performance!

The venue is host to a thriving folk club and on another night a thriving open mic night. A good sized room and a good crowd certainly got us off to a good start - and it was especially good to play the Pump House as I used to go there 20 years ago to see folks on tour.

The next night we were due to be in South Wales but owing to a problem at the promoters’ end the gig was cancelled. We’re talking with them about having us on the next tour though - so it may yet happen. We hope so as they are good folks and we'd like to have an evening with them.

Sunday 4th October saw us in Holy Trinity Church, Cleeve in Somerset. What a beautiful church - and we were given fabulous hospitality by Cathy and Francis. Not many of the audience were folkies and a few were not quite sure what to expect but came along on recommendation and in order to support the gig. They were a lovely bunch and there was a super atmosphere on the night.

This was the second gig with our new Bose L1 PA system and we were thrilled with the way it performed. Clear, nuanced sound and the easiest set ups that we have had for years. It's ideal for the solo or duo performances and the 15 minute set up time and easy lifts are much appreciated!

As many of you will know we use the Bose 802s and MB4s for our larger gigs.

We are not quite sure why we always get lost when we drive through Bristol - but we always do. Answers on a postcard!

On Tuesday 6th October we played The Tap and Spile in Hull. This is an open mic night which starts with a booked guest. As with The Pump House it is a thriving club and the audience were there for the music. They listened and grooved and it was a pleasure to play for them. The quality of the open mic was excellent and we were sad that we had to leave before the end in order to be on the road at 6am the following morning.

The next two shows were in a northern prison. As we set up for the show I confess that I was getting more and more tense. However we had a great time. Two performances and two super audiences. Afterwards we got to talk to most of the audience and many of them really did know their acoustic music. Influences and memorable experiences were shared and a good time was had by all.

After a hectic Wednesday we had the Thursday off so we headed to Scarborough for an overnight break. We got the chance to see Scarborough, Beverley, Bridlington and Whitby. Ah, glorious Yorkshire and some fabulous food.

Friday 9th October had us back in Hull for Clowes Methodist Church for a ‘Folk and Faith’ set. Once again we had a warm reception from a receptive audience and it was a very enjoyable night. Barbara, our host for the night was laid back and super and we particularly enjoyed the venue with its good sized stage and comfortable dressing room. Hull is becoming a favourite city for us at the moment.

I was back playing in Redditch for the first time in around 10 years the following night at a house concert. It was fab to see Bryn again and to catch up with some folks that I held dear and to meet some new Redditch folkies. A rare chance to catch up with Sal on this tour at least and with Zara - who by the way sings beautifully! Gin and I took the chance to head home and to sleep in our own beds that night despite the fact that we were heading north the next day. .

The next day was an early start as we travelled to Yorkshire for a couple of gigs. First was Leeds Met University on an event organised by the LGBT society. Once we had booked into the B&B I looked for the details of the gig. We usually have them on paper and on my phone in electronic format. We had neither!

As it dawned on us that we had no idea of the address of the venue or a contact number for the organiser we wondered what to do. We decided to head to the centre of Leeds and to stop at the first Leeds Met University Building we came to - and ask where the gig was! We found a large building and pulled up outside and Gin went in to see where we should be playing. As it happens we had stopped at exactly the right building at exactly the right time. The welcoming party were there to help us get our gear in and all was well.

We set up our Bose L1 system amongst the huge PA cabinets and hit the soundcheck. The bar manager came over and said what a super sound we had from our tiny system and how much easier that looked than trying to get the sound right with the house PA system.

I wasn’t quite sure how to play this gig as it was part music and part talk. In the end I just did it and tried to get the balance between singing and talking about gender, gender changes and the Church of England. The audience seemed to enjoy it and afterwards we went for a Thai meal with the committee. What fab hosts they are - and how joyful and uplifting it was to be with them. Thank you Leeds LGBT.

Monday 12th was Skipton Folk Club. This is a real gem of a club located in The Narrow Boat. The pub serves excellent beers and excellent food and the club is a classic. It’s in a smallish room with lovely acoustics and the audience are fabulously good singers. They pick up choruses in an instant and we had been really looking forward to being back there. The evening did not disappoint. Gin and I loved being back here and it was gratifying that they enjoyed the songs and the guitar playing.

The last date of the tour was at The Tower of Song in Cotteridge, Birmingham. I’d been here before to see our friend Banska play and it was a good way to finish the tour. The night is hosted by Sam Cornwell and he opened the evening with his musical partner John Davies. They did a superb set and I got to do the sound for them - not that they needed much adjustments . . . just a case of getting the EQ and balance right and then grooving with them as they played. The club has its own Bose L1 system which is perfect for the room and so mixing was a pleasure.

John and Sam were followed by Peter Churchill and Andy Wimparis who together play as Feris. They treated us to some excellent playing on a variety of instruments including guitar, concertinas and keyboards. I then closed the night with a set and had a great time in the process. It was a delight to catch up with some long established friends and some new ones - and sooo good to be with Sal again. Sal gave me great sound and I have missed her on this tour.

Here’s to the 2010 tour!
Sarah x

Date/Time	Type	Venue	Location

31st Aug 2009 - 10am	Talk	Greenbelt Festival	Cheltenham, Southwest

31st Aug 2009 - 6pm	Talk	Greenbelt Festival	Cheltenham, Southwest

27th Sept 2009 - 7pm	Music	Genevieve Tudor's Folk Programme	BBC Shropshire

2 Oct 2009 - 8.15pm	Music	The Pump House	Watford, London

3rd Oct 2009 - 8pm	Music	Shirenewton Church CANCELLED	Nr Chepstow, South Wales

4th Oct 2009	Music	Holy Trinity Church	Cleve, Bristol

6 Oct 2009 - 9:15pm	Music	Tuesday at The Tap	Hull

7 Oct 2009 - 10pm	Music	private function	Hull, Northeast

9 Oct 2009 - 8pm	Music	Clowes Methodist Church	Hull, Northeast

10 Oct 2009 - 8:30pm	Music	House Concert, Redditch	Redditch

11 Oct 2009 (likely 4.30pm tba)	Talk+Music	Leeds Met Universtity	Leeds

12 Oct 2009 - 8:30pm	Music	Skipton Folk Club	Skipton, Northwest

16 Oct 2009 - 9pm	Music	Tower of Song	Birmingham, Midlands