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Welcome to the Club..

Chippy Folk & Acoustic Club

Next Meeting: Monday April 8th 7.30 pm for 7.45 start

Venue – The Chequers, Goddards Lane, Chipping Norton, OX7 5NP

Optional Theme:Birds and Spring 

See ‘news &  links’ for more info.

THE CLUB meetS on the Second Monday of every month all year round
MEETING DETAILS ARE SENT ONCE A MONTH TO THE MEMBER/SUBSCRIBER LIST
many musical genres, everyone welcome

about us

As a Club we strive to be a friendly and informal gathering with acoustic performances of many kinds and genres.  We always extend a warm welcome to those who prefer to come along and just listen and highly value our ‘audience’.  We see many experienced and gifted singers and musicians but those perhaps just ‘starting out’ in performance are made equally at home.

The Club is really eclectic these days .. witnessing individuals, duos, trios and sometimes larger impromptu groupings delivering material from folk to blues, from tradition to contemporary, from ‘covers’ to singer/songwriter, from Americana to Celtic and plenty more besides..

Songs and instrumentals are the norm but there’s a place as well for recitation and poetry.

Visitors to the area are welcome as performers or listeners.. perhaps on a visit to the Oxfordshire Cotswolds or the City of ‘dreaming spires’ a few miles to the south east.

A little guidance on club nights:

All of our club nights are ‘singarounds’ where we go around the room and invite anyone wishing to perform a song or tune to do so.  We rotate MCing month by month and reckon all our esteemed MCs have a ‘light touch’ but bring their own style to the evening.  Performers can remain where they are or take a performance ‘space’ depending on venue!  A music stand is provided if needed.  There’s no especial guidance on use of words/crib sheets/music or otherwise but, for obvious reasons, it’s best if performers are reasonably familiar with their material and have any instrument[s] tuned up in advance of their ‘slot’. 

Usual start time is 7.30pm. Typically we would have a short interval 9.00/9.15 ish.. a chance to chat, catch up and recharge glasses etc.  We aim to wind up sometime after 10.00pm  and have been known to stray to half ten on occasion..

Some nights are very popular so, in fairness to all, we sometimes have to decide on the night how much time is allotted to duets, trios and groups.  We like everybody who wants to contribute to be able to participate so if the evening isn’t particularly busy duets and groups, at the discretion of the MC, may be invited to perform more songs. But we hope you’ll understand if, as a group, you are perhaps only invited to perform one song per half on a particularly full occasion.

If in doubt.. come along and have a look at us..

 
2024 Dates [2nd Mondays] Meeting at The Chequers

January 8, Blues Night

February 12, Love & Romance

March 11, Earth, Fire, Wind, Rain, Snow

April 8, Birds & Spring

May 13, Mountains, Hills, Wild Places

June 10, Trains, Planes, Automobiles

July 8, Summer

August 12, Journeys, Travels, Adventures,         Far Away Places

September 9, Songs of the 60s Eg Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell..

October 14, Favourite Songs, Own Compositions

November 11, Songs of Peace

December 9, Join in Special, Christmas

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A Little More About the Club
 

The Club has been going for many years now and continues to evolve.  For most of its life, it was based in various venues in Chipping Norton starting out as Chipping Norton Folk and Heritage Music Society.  With the passage of time, and no longer any suitable venues in ‘Chippy’, we moved in late 2016 to The Harrow/ArtYard Café in Enstone.  We decided to change the working title of the Club at this time to reflect not only the new geography but also the greater span of musical possibilities perhaps allowed by introducing the word ‘acoustic’ alongside ‘folk’.  Venues have oscillated somewhat in recent years and we spent Summer/Autumn 2023 in the garden of the splendid Crown Inn, Church Enstone.  However, from October 2023 we are back in Chipping Norton at The Chequers – a traditional pub – in the splendid converted barn room.  Feels like a homecoming.

Within the club there’s an eclectic mix of performers, from some very talented local singer/songwriters right through the musical spectrum to beginners who would venture to perform in front of others. The mix of who comes varies from one month to the next of course, which is a healthy dynamic to have.  We enjoy a large array of different musical genres – from traditional/unaccompanied a cappella singers, to original material and embracing the likes of contemporary folk, Americana, Country, Blues and acoustic rock and flamenco…and… and…

As well as singers, we’ve been entertained by banjo and flute players, pan pipes and whistles, squeeze boxes of all types, Northumbrian pipes, Cajon and dulcimers (both Appalachian Mountain and hammered).  Guitars displayed have included classical, flamenco, slide, 12 string and dobro as well as the ubiquitous 6 string acoustic.   All ages are welcome – from teens to oldies and everyone in between – all that’s required is a love of live, acoustic music.

GDPR : How we use your personal information:  We only have your email address and name on file.  Your information is kept securely and is not, and will not be, shared with any third party.  We normally email once a month with a meeting reminder.  Occasionally we may email about other music and folk related events in the area.  You can unsubscribe at anytime by emailing us on the link below and telling us to unsubscribe you. 

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