| Your Folkish Heart |  We went to the Four Fools Sing your Heart out Weekend at Worthington. We had previously enjoyed this festival when it was held at St Michael’s school in Chorley, but as can often be the case you overlook what is on your doorstep. So after a number of years absence, decided to travel to The Crown to see what we had been missing.
This was a charity weekend with the artistes giving their time free for the charity British Heart Foundation. As all the events were taking place within the one venue, it was quite novel to be able to move from event to event without leaving the building.
We set off in an upstairs room with Sid Calderbank acting as host for the evening. We were treated to singing by various artists including Annie Dearman and Steve Harrison, Peter and Barbara Snape and the rich Geordie baritone of Jim Mageehan.
The night included a few surprise guest singers, such as the duo Seat of the Pants. They were taken by surprise when Sid suddenly told them they were on next. Heather didn’t even have time to ‘steady her nerves’ before they launched into Smuggler, followed by Ye Jacobites.
By now, everyone was in good voice and it was reassuring to hear the audience joining in the choruses with gusto. A really enjoyable night that lived up to its billing of Sing Your Heart Out was rounded off by the wonderful harmonies of another Tyneside act, Barrie and Ingrid Temple. They are stalwarts of Four Fools events and seen far too rarely in this area – club organisers take note please.
The following day we went along to the downstairs sing-a-round, which was of a very good standard, followed by a trip upstairs to catch some of the ‘squeezer geezers’, including local acts Peter and Barbara Snape and Roger Wilson of Trio Threlfall.
The Celtic Connection session was an interesting collection of singers and voices. Kevin Mitchell’s lovely tenor suits his traditional Irish material so well and together with Donal Maguire’s wit made a relaxing afternoon in a room that felt like a sauna.
After some time out to sample a pub meal and to sit outside basking in the sunshine and the welcoming atmosphere, we returned to the upper room for the evening concert where the temperature was almost overwhelming. The air conditioning does work but it is very noisy and refuses to stay in key, so it was switched off!
The evening gave us more of Kevin and Ellen Mitchell and Donal Maguire, together with spots from Dave Fletcher and Bill Whaley from Lincolnshire, and Lancashire’s own Trio Threlfall. With their excellent harmonies and musicianship. and chorus songs led by the strong baritone of Dave Fletcher, what more could one want? – apart from a silent electric fan.
Well done and thank-you to Angie and Ken Bladen and friends for organising the weekend at their folk club venue. Hopefully a huge amount of money has been raised for the British Heart Foundation. We hope this event will take place again next year.
- Kath & Mike Simmons
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