Folk Scene with Eric Cox

THE next few weeks are dominated with Christmas shows, as top folk artists get into the festive spirit.

Tomorrow night is no exception at The Clonter Opera Theatre, Swettenham Heath, near Congleton, which sees the double headliners of Belshazzar's Feast and The Demon Barbers.

Belshazzar's Feast consists of Paul Sartin and Paul Hutchinson, who have now firmly established in the front line of English folk artists.

In early November they released a Christmas album of early English festive music and followed this up with a 16-date Christmas tour.

The Demon Barbers are youthful, enthralling, charismatic and with bags of attitude and combine solid traditional acoustic instruments and songs with the added oomph of a tight rhythm section, making a unique and captivating sound.

For tickets and to check for availability, call 01260 224514.

The Potteries Folk Club, for its last concert of the year, has a Caroling and Crumpet evening with The John Kirkpatrick Christmas Show, on Friday, December 11.

In the usual venue at the Foxfield Railway in Blythe Bridge, the audience will be treated to Christmas by one of the most respected persons in the folk scene. For details, call 01782 813401.

Friday, December 13, also sees Biddulph Up in Arms Concerts with Thea Gilmore performing her Christmas concert at Biddulph Town Hall.

This talented singer/songwriter, who now lives near Nantwich, will give a very different interpretation of the traditional story with songs such as Drunken Angel and St Stephen's Day Murders. For details, call 01782 514896.

His Worship and the Pig will be performing their Christmas show. A Christmas Tail, at The White Star, Stoke, on Tuesday, December 29. For details, call 01538 754848.

And for anyone who wants a good end to year do, there is a New Year's Eve barn dance with the Moody Food Ceil Band, with caller Sylvia Fisher, at Brown Edge Village Hall.

For details, call 01782 536630.

And, to add to this, there will be lots of Christmas spirit around in the many of the regular music sessions and sing-arounds in pubs throughout the area.

Details can be found in the North Staffordshire Folk Diary at www.nrkarts.co.uk or by contacting Lorna Davies on 01538 360256.