FOCSLE Music What’s On

Virtual FOCSLE Music e‑mail for access-codes
Join us and our international music friends (incl. some professionals)
2nd & 4th WEDNESDAYs 8pm (UK) = 3pm Eastern / NY = 12noon Pacific / LA
Click/tap for other details, incl. our start-time wherever YOU are in the world

Personal circumstances have forced this frequency-reduction on us, for the time being
If demand sustains (which it seems to be), these will revert to weekly events, planned for December

Answers to some FAQs: we run Singaround-style = whoever shows up performs a turn, while the rest listen in, muted
Musically, any genre welcome, ideally unplugged Audience as welcome as performers
Themes mostly arise on the fly, esp. among the more verbally playful of our number
Despite the maritime-sounding name* [Southampton is a port city, geddit??] it’s not just a “Shanty Sing”: they’re a serendipitous part of the mix
Turn up, and leave – and/or come back – as suits your schedule

Nice things put on the record:

I love these …most enjoyable. The Focsle crew is a delightful bunch, including some breathtakingly good performers (Austin, Texas)

…love the atmosphere of FOCSLE [Music] as well as the range of styles…
…enhanced further… …by having a theme — it really brought out the best in people
…a very enjoyable evening… …especially when quite a few other [online] sessions are getting a bit tired.
Well done for playing such a big part in keeping so many people sane through these strange times (Staffs., UK)

Thanks for all the warmth you put into your hosting. Felt welcomed and included… …muchly enjoyed this (St Paul, Minnesota)

…your session is too good… so it’s too successful (Berkhamsted, UK)

Fantastic — great session …amazing! Lovely… …entertaining… …a range of talented performers
Excellent… …again …wonderful sessions every week (from around US & UK)

Thanks for the much-needed musical fix today. And… …for the creative theme ideas. (Eugene, Oregon)

…your group is in Premier League. (Southport, Lancs.)

I rate your 2 sessions as the tops! [= FOCSLE Music and a US-based virtual ‘cousin’] (Coventry, UK)

* 60 years ago, when The Fo’c’sle Folk Club launched, it was ‘on brand’ for new port-based ventures to point up their maritime city connections, hence the pun. It’s pronounced “folks’ll” [not “fox’ll”]; also “forecastle” – from which the term fo’c’s’le derives – is the upper deck in the bow of a sailing ship where the crew were quartered, and would relax to play tunes and sing

Contact Paul for all queries about VIRTUAL events

FOCSLE Music ‘LIVE’
Tues. venue: The Guide Dog 38 Earls Road Bevois Valley Southampton SO14 6SF
Weds. venue: The Wellington Arms 56 Park Road Freemantle Southampton SO15 3DE
note The Welly’s site’s own map‑pin does not QUITE locate the pub: it’s on the corner south of the pointer
Fri. venue: The First Gallery 1 Burnham Chase Bitterne Southampton SO18 5DG

Gathering in nice Real Ale pubs accustomed to live music maintains our previous ‘feel’.
Though not a hostelry, the unpretentious nature of “The First” suits the folk world’s outlook, too.

Other music events on Tuesdays at The Dog mean FOCSLE Music can’t run weekly there, and all Weds. are now their Curry Nights [recommended, but too busy for us to have use of The Doghouse]. At The Welly, Tuesday availability is just too erratic, so we must accept Wednesdays there.
Continuance subject to COVID-rates not steepling. We rely on your, and others’, good sense in taking SOME precautions, and on your not attending if you have C‑19 symptoms. Circumstances MAY steer us towards periodic Vaxxed-only meets, if uncertainty over mixing keeps significant numbers away. The pubs themselves can’t be bio-secure, but we’d set some limits on attendance in the room for such events.
You’ve a right to know why this mess of haphazard dates: see the problem here.