FOCSLE Music What’s On

In‑person FOCSLE Music meets
on SECOND TUESDAYS (and occasionally others) at The Guide Dog, Bevois Valley
Next event: 23rd April, with Guests
THE SCOTTISH WIDOWS Sorry… no web-presence: too new!
The next second-Tues, gathering will be a Singaround on May 14th. It may be a while before we finalize a reliable “Guests on second Tues.” cycle.
WORLD PREMIERE gig of this engaging a capella duo:

BRYONY McGINTY & ROSIE UPTON
(Terry Helyar’s magnificent series of recordings made in his ‘studio’ caravan is a treasure-trove of musical material by everyone from the famous and the obscure, incl. this – I gather, now defunct – duo Bivocal with Bryony as one half)
fun, feisty, left-wing feminism, with some great songwriting, Trad. ballads, and more. A solo set from each of them, with some harmonized accompaniment from the other, before a final set of newly-worked duo material. One in our Double-Header series, introducing two performers mostly new to our audience, and with a début element to finish
Tues. 23rd April The Guide Dog 8pm

More details further down; add your comments on our Facebook page.
See a date-order calendar of all events, live and virtual, here.

OPLAND-FREEMAN
After far too long off the road, they’re back!! TANIA and MIKE bring their multi-instrument, acoustic World Music magic to FOCSLE Music’s shores once again

TANIA OPLAND & MIKE FREEMAN
dazzling array of musical textures, via vocals, hammer dulcimer, harp, recorders, ocarina, djembe, guitar & drums. Plenty of mischievous humour, too!
Tues. 28th May The Guide Dog 8pm

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].
We rely on your, and others’, good sense in taking some respiratory-illness precautions, and on your not attending if you have symptoms. COVID ain’t beat, so please continue following the simple counter-procedures.

FOCSLE Music ‘LIVE’ Entry by donation. Raffle in break, with alcohol, confectionery and – new for 2024 – CD prizes

Next Event:
GUESTS
THE SCOTTISH WIDOWS

Separate sets from BRYONY McGINTY & ROSIE UPTON, followed by a premiere duo set
Two feisty, fun, feminist, left-wing voices join forces to powerful effect. Impressive songwriting from Bryony, with plenty of other contemp. and Trad. material in their mix. Rosie may be known to you from her Ballad Sessions at Chippenham Folk Festival. She’s also an author, and is active in the Labour movement
Tues. 23rd April 8pm    Singaround first
Venue: The Guide Dog   38 Earls Road Bevois Valley Southampton SO14 6SF
     Rec. Pass-the-Hat donation for Guests £8pp

…and after that:
SINGAROUNDS
Tues. 30th April 8pm
Venue: The Guide Dog   38 Earls Road Bevois Valley Southampton SO14 6SF
     Rec. £2pp in the pot

Weds. 8th May 8pm   N.B. not first Weds.
Venue: The Wellington Arms   56 Park Road Freemantle  Southampton SO15 3DE
     Rec. £2pp in the pot

Tues. 14th May 8pm
Venue: The Guide Dog   38 Earls Road Bevois Valley Southampton SO14 6SF
     Rec. £2pp in the pot

Tues. 21st May 7:15pm
Venue: t.b.c., but poss. on the water!
Live on the Lawn / Live in the Lounge Singarounds were conceived during COVID to exploit the accuracy of online weather-forecasting. In the e-reminder, we can hint whether we’re likely to be meeting indoors or out [and you can check, too]. Differences from the pub version include: BYOB; early start [to catch best light / temperatures]; earlier finish [ad hoc, but likely c.10pm]. Familiar elements will be DIY music, the friendly atmosphere and the raffle.
Be prepared to wrap up warm [according to season / forecast]; possibly climb / descend steps / stairs; spend a tad longer finding a parking-space in an unfamiliar area; bring your own chair [with forewarning, if that might be needed]; interact with pets. Hosts may, but are not required to, provide tea, coffee, juices, nibbles and bathroom facilities [again, a warning if the latter is not on offer]; and, if they wish, be M.C. Feel free to bring home-made nibbles to share.

     Rec. £2pp in the pot

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

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
Pre‑arranged Themed Sings on the fourth Weds. each month: your compliance entirely optional
See upcoming themes here
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, even – 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)

Congratulations on a very successful event (Lincs., UK)

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to meet, hear, and sing to/with a very talented group of singers. (S. London, UK)

   You have an amazing geographical spread on your Focsle Zoom meetings… …the four corners of the North American continent from…
   …California and Arizona in the south to Oregon and Alaska in the north west and Toronto in the east, plus an attendee from Sydney, Australia… impressive!
   The art of compering is much underrated… …You do it very well. It helps that you know so many of the performers.
   Zoom folk clubs have been the silver lining to the pandemic. However, what you have at the Focsle is exceptional and truly international.      (Hythe, Kent, UK)

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

…truly enjoyable, meeting so many different people with so many different songs. (Derby, UK)

Fantastic — great session …amazing! Lovely… …entertaining… …a range of talented performers …fine folks
It’s been great Excellent… …again …wonderful sessions every week …thank you for doing this (from around US & UK)

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

* When The Fo’c’sle Folk Club launched, it was typical for 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 1963 – 2023 real live music in Southampton, UK for the past 60 years In‑person events at The Guide Dog, Bevois Valley, second Tuesdays

FOCSLE Music 1963 – 2023
real live music in Southampton, UK for the past 60 years
In‑person events at The Guide Dog, Bevois Valley, second Tuesdays