Manchester Folk Festival 2023: Martin Carthy with Jon Wilks @ Hallé St Peter's

plus support from Sally In The Woods

Presented by: English Folk Expo

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0	MANCHESTER: Hallé St Peter's
P	Friday 20th October, 2023
N	7:00pm

Event information

Part of Manchester Folk Festival 2023. Support from Sally In The Woods

Martin Carthy: A Special Evening of Song & Conversation with Jon Wilks

An extra-special chance to hear master craftsman Martin Carthy perform and reminisce on his illustrious career in folk song to date, with musical interludes and conversation with his talented friend, musician and journalist, Jon Wilks (Tradfolk). Martin has an insatiable musical curiosity…and a lifetime of wonderful stories and songs to share. There will also be a chance for audiences to ask freely questions of this mighty oak of the English folk tradition. Expect frank and fascinating insights into all manner of subjects…from Scarborough Fair to the Beastie Boys!

82 this year, Martin Carthy is one in a million: one of folk music’s greatest innovators, one of its best loved, most enthusiastic and, at times, most quietly controversial of figures. A consummate storyteller, singer, guitarist, oral historian, he is renowned for his settings of traditional songs as well as his authoritative interpretations of newly composed material.

His skill, stage presence and natural charm have won him many admirers, not only from within the folk scene, but also far beyond it…from Bob Dylan to Billy Bragg.

Martin was a key player in the English folk revival and remains as relevant to stages today as he was in the heyday of Soho folk clubs. Trailblazing musical partnerships with, amongst others, Steeleye Span, Dave Swarbrick, his much-missed wife (the legendary Norma Waterson) and his talented daughter Eliza Carthy have resulted in more than 40 albums. Martin has only recorded 10 solo albums over the decades…but the great news is that there is a new one in the pipeline, revisiting previously recorded material which has evolved over the years – sometimes radically – to sit more naturally within Martin’s canon of songs.

Jon Wilks is an acclaimed fingerpicking guitarist and singer of traditional folk songs and broadside ballads from the English repertoire, and a devotee of Martin's work. His background as a journalist (a former editor of Time Out magazine and contributor to Dazed & Confused, The Guardian and other publications, as well as the founder of the Tradfolk website) means that he has a great eye/ear for a story. The only thing he anticipates difficulty with is keeping Martin on track. There are so many stories to unearth and track. Expect a different conversation every night.

Sally In The Woods:
Sally in the Woods is a coming together of Sophie Bostock (Vocals, Banjo, Guitar), Jess Collins (Percussive Dance, Fiddle, Harmonium) and Rhona Dalling (Fiddle, Vocals) to radically retell the stories of the English Folk Tradition. With their unique approach to song accompaniment and ”Bostock’s charming, idiosyncratic vocal style” (Jon Wilkes, Tradfolk) they dance new life into old songs.

Venue Access - Hallé St Peter’s has three floors (Basement, Ground Floor, First Floor). Each floor has level access and can be accessed via staircase or a wheelchair accessible passenger lift. Seating - Non-fixed cushioned seating is available throughout.

We use a range of venues at Manchester Folk Festival and although all are accessible, in order to give the best possible experience, we need to let some venues know in advance if we have any audience members who are wheelchair users or require assistance. If you are a wheelchair user or require an essential companion ticket, please email info@englishfolkexpo.com to let us know before purchasing a ticket.

Please note - this event is part of Manchester Folk Festival 2023. Festival wristbands are available to purchase, and gives you access to ALL Manchester Folk Festival shows across three days. For more information please visit www.manchesterfolk.com/