3tynespodcast

Today we’re at a ceilidh at the Community Centre in Hexham, dancing to tunes played by the Hexham Village Band under the watchful eye of caller Joey Oliver.

The Village Band was established in 2011 by David Oliver. It’s a community band, open to anyone who wants to play, regardless of musical accomplishment. Rehearsals take place once a week in Hexham and the tunes are learned by ear, not played from transcriptions. Any person and any instrument are welcome.

At today’s ceilidh, there are about 20 musicians in the band playing traditional tunes on a variety of instruments that includes fiddles, guitar, ukelele, Northumbrian pipes, a clarinet, concertina, dulcimer, flute and accordion, all ably led by David Oliver.

The dancers are a mixed bunch in age and ability, ranging from the flat of foot novice like me to the fleet of foot regulars whose every step appears to defy gravity. But the good thing about ceilidhs, as everybody who’s ever been to one will tell you, is that it doesn’t matter whether you know the steps or not, it is all very, very good fun.

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This episode is all about a day at the Bellingham All Acoustic Festival – better known as BAAFest – in early September, 2024.

The festival has been a prominent feature of the Northumberland music calendar since its inception in 2010. It would not happen but for the commitment and enthusiasm of its founders, Paul Mason and Fiona Landers (who perform as Landermason). In 2024, the festival was held over three days and included three music stages, workshops, exhibitors and catering, as well as on-site camping and easy access to the town.

3tynespodcast was there on the second day to chat to the musicians and exhibitors, when the sunny weather further enhanced the relaxed, friendly atmosphere that BAAFest is known for. The musicians you hear in this episode are, in order of appearance:

Storytellers Street Band

Ian K Brown and his ukelele workshop

Chris Kelly

Chris Fox

Restless Oceans

Hicks and Goulbourn

Dave Ellis and Boo Howard

Ethan Thomas

Terry Blacker

India Electric Company

Ethan Thomas

 I apologise to Plumhall for not including their music. The duo was fresh from a tour supporting Fairport Convention and the audience loved their set but I couldn’t get a good enough recording to do them justice. I highly recommend you check them out at https://www.plumhallmusic.com/.

The next BAAFest is scheduled for 4th – 7th September 2025. Info is at https://baafest.com/ and you can follow the festival on Facebook.

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Katie Doherty is a singer and song writer who lives with her family on a sheep farm in the north Pennines. With her band The Navigators, Katie is a frequent and popular artist appearing at grass roots venues and festivals in the Three Tynes area and beyond. Her music is often described as folk for its focus on storytelling and the use of melodeon and fiddle accompaniment to her piano. But it crosses many genre boundaries and can also be characterised as thoughtful writing and melody that addresses a wide range of subjects. She also writes music for theatre, working with communities to involve individuals in music-making and performance.

The latest album by Katie and The Navigators is Flow, which includes songs developed with input from diverse community groups. The songs included in this episode are from Flow – they are Hey Little Girl, Flow and She Is.

You can find more information about Katie’s work at https://www.katiedoherty.co.uk, where you can buy her music and merchandise. Her albums are also available on Bandcamp at https://katiedoherty.bandcamp.com/. Katie is on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming platforms.

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Hi Welcome to the 3tynespodcast. Today’s guest is the multitalented Phil Ogg.

 Phil Ogg was born in Prudhoe and has been a familiar presence on the music scene in Northumberland for many years. He has worn many hats during his career, including singer, songwriter and guitarist as well as community music enthusiast, lately evident in the many gigs he organises in the 3tynes area through his non-profit promotion organisation Twango. His distinctive musical style evolved from a classical music education informed by an eclectic range of interests and his thoughtful approach to creativity. Martin Stephenson has described his songs as 'baritonic, expansive, mindful, hopeful'.

In this episode, Phil talks about the motivations for songwriting and the value of music as a keystone of the community, and he plays two compositions recorded specially for the podcast. 

You can follow Phil on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/phil.ogg.7) and his music can be found on Bandcamp (https://philogg.bandcamp.com/). Information about Twango’s gigs is on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Twangogg. 

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Yakka Doon is the stage name for the folk persona of Claire Welford, a singer and songwriter who lives on the edge of the North Pennines. Her distinctive voice and rich lyricism create a style that is unique in folk circles and one that rewards close listening. Claire also plays bass in the slowcore band The Last Path, a style that appears to be a complete contrast to Yakka Doon but one that has some common roots in the folk tradition. In this episode, Claire talks about how she developed as a singer and songwriter and why she sings her songs on the stage.

You can find Yakka Doon’s music on Bandcamp at https://yakkadoon.bandcamp.com/ and on streaming pltaforms such as Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/7IYYYfYLkhgIcPR7kl9PbG?si=QW_AgrXRTjW308AzLouaBQ and Apple Music https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/yakka-doon/1539966704

The Last Path are also on Bandcamp at https://thelastpath.bandcamp.com/album/convenience-kills

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In this episode, we look at how a major folk music festival emerged in the town of Allendale, in the East Allen Valley. Craig Atkinson and Peter Alcroft talk about the development of the Allen Valleys Folk Festival to become one of the premier small events on the folk circuit. They reflect on how their experiences over the years has enabled to the 2024 festival to field a roster of local and national artists supported by events in the town itself.

The festival dates for 2024 are Friday 27th to Sunday 29th September. You can find more information at  https://www.allenvalleysfolkfestival.co.uk and on Facebook, Instagram and X.

The music in this episode is from The Bird and The Black Road, by Will Good and The Mattes.

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Kim Bull is a player and maker of the Northumbrian pipes, a type of bagpipes unique to Northumberland that is small and characteristically sweeter-sounding than the familiar Highland pipes.

For many years, Kim was renowned as a national-level coach in canoeing and kayaking but, having been a recreational piper since acquiring a set for his wedding, he switched career when the pandemic lockdown severely curtailed outdoor sports. He has now built a new reputation as someone who can repair and service other people’s pipes and make his own sets from the raw materials.

In this three-part episode, Kim explains how the Northumbrian pipes evolved from the traditional keyless type into the range of instruments played today, and how this led to different styles of playing. He describes how the pipes are made and talks about his journey from top level sports coach to top level pipe maker.

Kim is featured on the 3tynespodcast jukebox on YouTube playing Drops of Brandy/Andrew Kerr – go to https://youtu.be/uwADg4znY30.

There is information about the Northumbrian pipes on Kim’s website at https://www.northumbrianpipes.co.uk/, including an illustrated account of their making. You can hear examples of pipe music on his SoundCloud page at https://soundcloud.com/kim-bull and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@kimbull-northumbrianpipema5278.

The tunes Kim plays in today’s episodes are: 

In Episode One: Because He Was A Bonny Lad, a traditional tune; Lament of the Border Reiver (played on the Border pipes), composed by Roy M Hugman; Edward the Second, which is from the Dixon Manuscript; and another traditional tune, Drops of Brandy/Andrew Kerr.

In Episode Two, we also hear Kim play Jacky Layton, a traditional variation set dating to at least the 1700s, and a reprise of Edward The Second.

And in Episode Three, we reprise Drops of Brandy/Andrew Kerr and Because He Was A Bonny Lad. 

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 3tynespodcast.substack.com

Kim Bull is a player and maker of the Northumbrian pipes, a type of bagpipes unique to Northumberland that is small and characteristically sweeter-sounding than the familiar Highland pipes.

For many years, Kim was renowned as a national-level coach in canoeing and kayaking but, having been a recreational piper since acquiring a set for his wedding, he switched career when the pandemic lockdown severely curtailed outdoor sports. He has now built a new reputation as someone who can repair and service other people’s pipes and make his own sets from the raw materials.

In this three-part episode, Kim explains how the Northumbrian pipes evolved from the traditional keyless type into the range of instruments played today, and how this led to different styles of playing. He describes how the pipes are made and talks about his journey from top level sports coach to top level pipe maker.

Kim is featured on the 3tynespodcast jukebox on YouTube playing Drops of Brandy/Andrew Kerr – go to https://youtu.be/uwADg4znY30.

There is information about the Northumbrian pipes on Kim’s website at https://www.northumbrianpipes.co.uk/, including an illustrated account of their making. You can hear examples of pipe music on his SoundCloud page at https://soundcloud.com/kim-bull and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@kimbull-northumbrianpipema5278.

The tunes Kim plays in today’s episodes are: 

In Episode One: Because He Was A Bonny Lad, a traditional tune; Lament of the Border Reiver (played on the Border pipes), composed by Roy M Hugman; Edward the Second, which is from the Dixon Manuscript; and another traditional tune, Drops of Brandy/Andrew Kerr.

In Episode Two, we also hear Kim play Jacky Layton, a traditional variation set dating to at least the 1700s, and a reprise of Edward The Second.

And in Episode Three, we reprise Drops of Brandy/Andrew Kerr and Because He Was A Bonny Lad. 

Follow 3tynespodcast on Facebook and Instagram.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 3tynespodcast.substack.com

Kim Bull is a player and maker of the Northumbrian pipes, a type of bagpipes unique to Northumberland that is small and characteristically sweeter-sounding than the familiar Highland pipes.

For many years, Kim was renowned as a national-level coach in canoeing and kayaking but, having been a recreational piper since acquiring a set for his wedding, he switched career when the pandemic lockdown severely curtailed outdoor sports. He has now built a new reputation as someone who can repair and service other people’s pipes and make his own sets from the raw materials.

In this three-part episode, Kim explains how the Northumbrian pipes evolved from the traditional keyless type into the range of instruments played today, and how this led to different styles of playing. He describes how the pipes are made and talks about his journey from top level sports coach to top level pipe maker.

Kim is featured on the 3tynespodcast jukebox on YouTube playing Drops of Brandy/Andrew Kerr – go to https://youtu.be/uwADg4znY30.

There is information about the Northumbrian pipes on Kim’s website at https://www.northumbrianpipes.co.uk/, including an illustrated account of their making. You can hear examples of pipe music on his SoundCloud page at https://soundcloud.com/kim-bull and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@kimbull-northumbrianpipema5278.

The tunes Kim plays in today’s episodes are: 

In Episode One: Because He Was A Bonny Lad, a traditional tune; Lament of the Border Reiver (played on the Border pipes), composed by Roy M Hugman; Edward the Second, which is from the Dixon Manuscript; and another traditional tune, Drops of Brandy/Andrew Kerr.

In Episode Two, we also hear Kim play Jacky Layton, a traditional variation set dating to at least the 1700s, and a reprise of Edward The Second.

And in Episode Three, we reprise Drops of Brandy/Andrew Kerr and Because He Was A Bonny Lad. 

Follow 3tynespodcast on Facebook and Instagram.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 3tynespodcast.substack.com

Today, June 22nd, we’re joining Hexham Abbey and the people of Hexham to celebrate the memory of Etheldreda with the Under the Sun music festival and an evening performance of Arrival, a specially developed work of movement and song about the experience of migration and finding a new home.

Etheldreda was an East Anglian Princess who was forcibly married to Ecgfrith, Prince of Northumbria. He became king in 670 but they divorced and, in 672, Etheldreda gave the lands we now know as Hexhamshire to Wilfred, Bishop of Northumbria, who founded the Abbey in 674.

The Under the Sun festival was held in the Abbey cloisters and was organised by Penny Grennan and the Queens Hall Arts Centre, Hexham. The musicians you will hear are: The Storytellers Street Band, Fiddolin, The Platform House Band, The Hex Pistols and Blue Lass. 

You can find the Storytellers Street Band, the Hex Pistols and Blue Lass on Facebook. Fiddolin’s music is on Soundcloud. The Platform House Band perform regularly at the Platform Bar on Hexham’s railway station. 

The Arrival performance was part of the Seeds of Hope programme, a collaboration between Theatres San Frontieres (https://tsf.org.uk/) and actors and musicians from Northumberland and Ukraine.

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 3tynespodcast.substack.com