The Big Folk Fight: Magpie's Nest in Conjunction with Music@St Barnabas and the EFDSS

Event information

The Big Folk Fight

27th September 2008 St Barnabas Chapel, Mannette Street, WC1

Taking place in the delightful hidden gem of the Chapel of St. Barnabas in Soho, this is an exploration of the journey that English Folk music has taken, from its origins through the Industrial revolution, two previous revivals to its current status.
Contributors will include:
Joe Boyd, producer and writer; Ian Anderson, Editor of fRoots magazine. Verity Sharp, Broadcaster BBC Radio3 ‘Late Junction’; Malcolm Taylor MBE, Director of the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library housed in Cecil Sharp House; Will Hodgkinson Writer, journalist and modern day folklorist; Sam Lee, Folk Singer researcher, promoter and field recordist.
Simon Ritchie, Lauren McCormick and Olivia Chaney will provide musical interludes.
Beer and sausages will follow in the delightful secret garden of St. Barnabas.
The Debate will explore whether or not English folk music is a living breathing flower, or the dried fruit of nostalgia. Opinions differ widely, and we promise a lively and feisty debate. Do songs about ‘abringing in the harvest have any relevance to a supermarket society? Should folk music be observed, preserved, conserved or spread liberally? Does it belong in a jam jar in a dark cupboard? And do the new generation of young people with big guitars represent folk music, or are they only cherry picking fixed themes to promote pop music ideals? Who knows? But it’ll be fun to find out...All proceeds go to The house of St Barnabas a charity for the homeless.

2pm; £6