Regular Music (picking) sessions.

Bluegrass, oldtimey, Folk and Acoustic Music Sessions

Venues where visiting musicians are welcome to join in playing.

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Sessions are in DAY ORDER and there are enough so you dont have to go ANY day
without one
.
If you would like your session to be listed on this page just email me, details on main events page.

Every Monday – Bluegrass at The Hemingford, 158 Hemingford Rd N1 1DF (junct. with Offord Rd – near Caledonian Rd bus stops; very near rail station) Tel 020 8340 4683 Caspar Cronk

Every Monday - Session from 8.30pm at The 'Foresters' (ex All Inn One), 53 Perry Vale (nr Forest Hill Station), London SE23 2NE - Gus (gus@hangtheartX.com) or Dave (davermarshall@yahooX.com) [nb please leave out the 'X' when using these email addresses]

Every Monday - bluegrass/old-time welcome at the Foundry, 13-4 Foundry St, Brighton BN1 4AT. Residents include Ben Paley

Every Monday - Contra dance workshop + dance at Hothfield Village Hall, Park Drive, Hothfield, Ashford TN26 1EQ - Contrafusion

Every Monday evening-9 p.m. start-The Foundry, Brighton-Mandy Murray Mainly Irish tunes but also some Swedish, French, English and American. Line up is Mandy Murray,Ben Paley and Jim Birch,musicians and singers welcome

Second Monday evening of the month
8:00-11:00-Trevor Arms, Glynde-Will Duke
Instrumental, mainly traditional English.

Alternate Mondays – bluegrass/old-time welcome - at The White Horse Bodle Street (E.Sx), Tel 01323 833243 / www.whitehorsefolk.co.uk

Third Monday evening of the month
9:00-11:00-Bridge Inn, Shoreham by Sea.
Variable so check the website.-Shoreham Sessions
The music mainly originates from the folk tradition, and might have come from England, Scotland, Ireland or elsewhere

Last Monday evening of the month
8:30-11:00-The White Horse, Maplehurst-Ring Polly Dare on 01403 248387
French tunes session, with a few poems. Tunes from England and Continental Europe very welcome as well.
Ring Polly to check that it is on during the summer.

Every Tuesday - 'Snake Mountain Review' - Americana showcase the Betsey Trotwood, 56 Farringdon Road, Clerkenwell, London, EC1R 3BL

Every Tuesday, Dave Toye and Friends Open Mic at the Coach House, Cowfold. Folk, Blues, songwriting plus almost any other genre of music with a bias towards more acoustic folky stuff. Info from Dave Toye 07710412118

Second Tuesday evening of the month
8:00-11:00-Elephant and Castle, Lewes-Bryan Creer
Concertinas Anonymous. Concertina practice session. All systems, beginners welcome.

First Tuesday evening of the month
8:00-11:00-John Harvey, Lewes-Valmai Goodyear
Instrumental, mainly traditional English.

First Tuesday evening of the month
8:00-11:00-Red Lion, Shoreham-Annie
An informal gathering of 'Last Orders' playing mostly Irish songs and instrumentals. Anyone is welcome to come and listen or play a tune or sing a song. Mostly Irish, but English and Scottish welcome.

Fortnightly on a Tuesday evening
8:00-11.00-The Star Inn, Eastbourne-Stuart Walker
Mainly English tunes and songs.
For more details, see Folk at The Star Inn

2nd Tuesday every month – Folkjam with Lucy Quinn (bluegrass/old-time welcome) at the Cross Keys, On the Green (The Kinecroft), Wallingford - 01491 835 122

2nd Tuesday every month – Slow picking session with Sherryl & Gary Payne & friends at The Windmill, Church Lane, Ewshot, Nr Farnham GU10 5BJ - 01276 609954 .

2nd Tuesday every month (not June 2011) – Sacred Harp singing at St Marys, Neasden Lane, London NW10 2TS - details from Michael on 07770 210067

Third Tuesday every month – Grassroots & friends at the Eight Bells, Hawkhurst Moor (1m S of Hawkhurst centre) www.grassrootsband.co.uk

Third Tuesday every month – Biggin Hillbillies at the Farningham Village Club, High St, Farningham (nr M20/M25 jct) - Tel John McDonagh 020 8309 5735 or see www.bigginhillbillies.co.uk

2nd & 4th Tuesday – session at The Goat, Codicote, nr Welwyn - details from 07767 623831 [please check on this number before travelling far]

Most Tuesdays – Dartford Ramblers, Residents at Dartford Folk Club, Dartford WMC, Essex Road (NW of town centre) - Alan/Pam 01322 222553 or see www.dartfordfolk.org.uk

Fourth Tuesday evening of the month
8:00-11:00-Elephant and Castle, Lewes-Andy Warburton
Lewes Favourites session tunes practice session

Last Tuesday evening of the month
8:00-11:00-The Swan, Worthing-Freddie Adams
Mostly English, but with a bit of French and Irish thrown in for good measure.

Last Tuesday each month – Open Mike session welcomes bluegrass & old-time music, at the Pig & Butcher, Five Ash Down (N of Uckfield) TN22 3AN; Ray Whiteway Roberts 07904 701406.

Last Tuesday each month - the Golden Lion, Alresford Road, Winchester - Richard Holland 01962 886581

Last Tuesday each month - Old Time Session at the Birkbeck Tavern (Upstairs), 45 Langthorne Road, Leyton London E11 4HL - 0799 0737 539

Third Tuesday evening of the month
8:00-10:30-Please contact Elizabeth for this month's venue .-Elizabeth Rimmington
Bring songs, tunes and storytelling - whatever you find interesting and/or want to share with us, but be prepared for us to want to learn all about it.

Wednesdays – Ben Paley & friends at the Snowdrop, 119 South Street, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 2BU - 01273 471 018 (pub)

Wednesdays (some) – What's Cookin' Club at the The Sheepwalk, 692 High Road, Leytonstone E11; 020 8556 1131 / www.whatscookin.co.uk

Wednesdays – Bluegrass at the Stag, Old Town, Hastings - Roger Churchyard 01424 446413 [nb Parking not easy - try Harold Road nearby]

Wednesdays – Sutton Acoustic Music Club (hosts - Mike & Betty from the Acoustic Astronauts, and Victoria of the Feuding Lloyds), Sutton Cricket Club, Gander Green Lane, SM1 2EH - enquiries 07545 326534

1st Wednesday each month - Bluegrass & Old-Time session with Helen, Pat and friends at the Blue Lion, 133 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8TZ - website

1st Wednesday each month - 'Tales from the Wagon', with the Wagon Tales, at Carnivale, 2 White Church, London E1 7QR [not a session]

Second Wednesday evening of the month
8:00-11:00-The Black Horse, Lewes-Michi Mathias
Fiddle & banjo tunes from American old-time Appalachian stringband tradition.
Usually closed in August.

Second and Fourth Wednesday evening of the month
8:30-Gun & Spitroast at Horsmonden -Gavin Atkin
Free traditional music classes by Gavin Atkin. They're not sessions exactly (we tend to focus on only a few tunes each time) but they will be of interest to some of the same people.
http://frittendenfestival.com/free-traditional-music-classes-at-the-gun-and-spitroast-horsmonden/

1st & 3rd Wednesday each month – Graham Anstee and friends old-time session/clogging at the Oast Community Centre, Rainham, Kent ME8 7SG (very near rail station); some workshops too, details from Graham on 01634 260281 or graham.g.anstee@btopenw orld.com [nb please leave out the space when using this email address]; website www.roots.ik.com

2nd & 4th Wednesday each month - The Pull & Pump Pickin' Party (Country/bluegrass/Americana/Old-time) from 7.30pm, host Danni Nicholls - 1-2 Clarence Gardens, Brighton BN1 2EG - www.myspace.com/getrhythmlive

Third Wednesday evening of the month
8:00-11:00-Frimhurst Family Home, Guildford Road, Frimley Green, Surrey, Gu16 6NU-Jason French
Surrey Bluegrass Jam.

Third Wednesday evening of the month
9:00-11:00-Folk By The Fireside at The Woolpack, Burgess Hill, RH15 8NN-Dan Whaley
Eclectic, acoustic singaround, with absolutely all styles welcomed. We adhere to the “All music is folk music –I ain’t never heard no horse sing” point of view.

2nd Wednesday each month – Old-Time Music at the Black Horse, 55 Western Rd, Lewes, BN7 1RS - details from Michi 01273 471431 / http://oldtimelewes.weebly.com

3rd Wednesday each month – Mardi Grass & friends at Frimhurst Family Home, Guildford Road, Frimley Green, Surrey, GU16 6NU - Jason 077 5456 8584

Last Wednesday each month – Tunbridge Wells Bluegrass & Acoustic Music Club at the Beacon Hotel, Tea Garden Lane, Tunbridge Wells TN3 9JH (off A264 East Grinstead Rd, near Rusthall); details from Rick on 01732 458261 or see page on this site

Some Wednesdays- session at the Hop Pole Inn, 83 Bicester Road, Aylesbury, HP19 9AZ - details from Roger: sdii@m ac.com [nb please leave out the space when using this email address]

First Thursday every month - The So Last Century String Band at the Snowdrop, 119 South Street, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 2BU - 01273 471 018 (pub)

First Thursday every month (from October 2011) - the Kent Carters host a bluegrass and old-time music evening at St Julians Club, Sevenoaks TN15 0RX - 01732 458261 / www.stjulians.co.uk [also some month a Friday mid-month picking session]

Second Thursday every month – Foghorn Leghorn host a bluegrass and roots night at the Betsey Trotwood, 56 Farringdon Road, Clerkenwell, London, EC1R 3BL - www.myspace.com/foghornleghornboys

Second and Fourth Thursday evening of the month
8:30-The Wheatsheaf Inn, Haslemere-Keith Whiddon
Irish Traditional Music Session.

Second and Fourth Thursdays every month - Chichester Acoustic Music Club, The Gribble Inn, Gribble Lane, Oving PO20 2BP - Andrew Perry: 01243 776391

Last Thursday every month – Taube Marks & friends at the Duke of Monmouth Pub, 260 Abingdon Road, Oxford OX1 4TA - Taube on 01865 552111 / website

First Friday evening of the month.
8.45pm - 11.30-Black Peter's Bar, Brambletye Hotel, Forest Row, E.Sussex-John Robson
tel: 01342 718730
Irish tunes[predominately with room for Scottish/English /French and songs]

Last Friday evening of the month
9:00-The Royal Oak, Whatlington-Paul
Irish Traditional Music Session.

First Friday every month – Sherryl & Gary Payne & friends at The Windmill, Church Lane, Ewshot, Nr Farnham GU10 5BJ - 01276 609954

Third Friday evening of the month
8:00-10:30-Murrell Arms, Barnham-Mike Tristram
We start with a list of planned songs to give a shape to the evening.
Some are solo and some group/chorus, generally unaccompanied and mainly traditional Sussex.
Then we add the unexpected in to our songlist, with 'bring and sing' slots in which anyone can bring or play anything.

Second Saturday every month – Bluegrass-Plus Club, Hillcrest Halls Clockhouse, Fryston Avenue, Coulsdon, CR5 2PT - www.bluegrass-plusclub.co.uk

Saturdays – Peta Webb, Ken Hall, Gail Williams and Jim Younger are among the residents at the Cellar Upstairs Folk Club, at the Exmouth Arms, Starcross Street, London NW1 1HR (nr Euston/Euston Sq underground) – details from Sheila Miller 020 7241 8132 / http://hometown.aol.co.uk/cellarupstairs

Every fourth Sunday (next 2.1.2011) - Session with Vince Purcell & Friends at Mrs Fitzherberts, 25-26 New Road, Brighton, East Sussex, 01273 682401 (pub) / 01273 729081 (Vince)

Third Sunday every month (4pm to 9pm, with main act on at about 6pm) – often bluegrass/old time/country roots – see comedownandmeetthefolks - at The Apple Tree, 45 Mount Pleasant, Clerkenwell, London WC1

Third Sunday every month - bluegrass & old-time players welcome at the Walnut Tree session, Tonbridge Road, Maidstone ME16 8SR

Every Sunday – Old-Time picking session, The Harlequin, Arlington Way EC1R 1UY (nr Saddlers Wells) Tel 020 8552 8308 Frank Weston

Every Sunday - Grinch Mountain at Keenan's Bar, 89 Colney Hatch Lane, Muswell Hill, N10 1LR - 020 8883 7174 [buses 134, 43] - some space for musicians [call Phil on 07986 285584]

Every Sunday – ‘Open Mic’ club welcomes bluegrass & old-time players – The Fighting Cocks, Horton Kirby (nr Dartford) – 01322 862299
Every Sunday - Get Rhythm Americana Unplugged - host Danni Nicholls - at the Foundry, 13-4 Foundry St, Brighton BN

First Sunday afternoon of the month
12:00 - 2:30-The Black Horse, Lewes-Bryan Creer
Instrumental, mainly traditional English.
Closed in May if it's Bank Holiday weekend.

First Sunday evening of the month
8:30-The Crown, Newick-Jem Cooper
Open acoustic jam session at the Crown every first Sunday of the month starting 8.30pm. We do a lot of traditional stuff but also some golden oldies etc...

Second Sunday evening of the month.
8pm-The Plough, Henfield-Mike Ainscough
An eclectic mix of blues, rags, reels and airs...

Third Sunday afternoon of the month
4:30 - 8:30 ish-The Maypole Inn, Yapton-David
Eclectic acoustic session - All Welcome.

Fourth Sunday evening of the month
8:00-11.00-The Plough, Lower Beeding-Bob Keeble
English music session at The Plough, Lower Beeding. Fourth Sundays not when its Christmas day. Lead by Last Man Jack, Brian Skinner, Bob Keeble Kevin Jones

Fourth Sunday afternoon of the month
2.30-The Catts Inn, Rotherfield-Laurie Jeal
Mainly traditional instrumental and song, but almost anything goes

Last Sunday evening of the month
7:45-The Lord Nelson, Brighton-Brian Ablett
This is a chance to join with like minded people who wish to come together on a regular basis to play and sing a variety of acoustic music based around Ceilidh, Morris, folk music, music hall, monologues, drinking songs, sea shanties and more!
Times/dates may vary so check the website."

Last Sunday evening of the month
8:00-10:30-The Bull, Ditchling-Ian Chisholm
Ballads and blues, rags reels and airs, an eclectic acoustic session.

Last Sunday evening of the month from September to May
8:00-Bell & Jorrocks, Frittenden-Gavin Atkin
Starting at 8pm and continuing until it's time to sing Nellie Dean.
The style's very much mixed tunes, stepping and singing, and the material's trad and old fashioned.
They're chaired sessions with featured guests, but there's no entry charge.
http://frittendenfestival.com/sessions

Every Sunday afternoon-4:00-6:00-The Bugle, Brighton
Predominantly Irish tunes.

Every four weeks on a Sunday evening
8:00-Fitzherberts, Brighton-Vince Purcell
Old Time American session run by Vince and friends